The Gildea Foundation makes a small number of mid-sized, discretionary grants across distinct public-interest areas rather than concentrating on a single cause. Recent awards show support for local/regional arts education, international education/charitable projects (a school in Haiti), and consumer/organic food policy research, suggesting an interest in education and public-interest research with an environmental/food-systems angle. Grants are one-off and spread across varied geographies and issue areas rather than focused multi-year funding to repeat recipients.
The Gildea Foundation Inc C/o Private Foundation Solutions gives a small number of mid-sized grants across education, arts, conservation, and public-interest research, with awards reaching into Mississippi, South Carolina, Minnesota, Florida, and other parts of the United States. Recent grants show a pattern of flexible support rather than a single-program strategy: the foundation backed the Organic Consumers Association for research, the Columbus Civic Arts Council Inc for education-related work, and the Mississippi State University Foundation for the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association. It also supported the Marketing Research Education Foundation for The Joseph School in Haiti, showing that its grantmaking can extend beyond U.S. recipients when tied to a specific educational project. The recent record includes both general support and purpose-specific gifts, with some grants aimed at school support, community arts, and conservation-oriented work. The foundation’s giving is spread across distinct organizations rather than repeated funding to the same recipient in consecutive years, which suggests discretionary, one-off awards tied to varied public-interest priorities.
Education appears in several forms. The foundation gave $20,000 to the Marketing Research Education Foundation for The Joseph School in Haiti, and it also supported One Eleuthera Foundation of the US with $15,000 for education and with another $15,000 for Harbour Island Green School general support. Arts-related grants are also present: Columbus Civic Arts Council Inc received $20,000 for education in 2023 and $15,000 for education in 2024, while Art for All People received $10,000 for a community arts program. In environmental and food-systems work, the foundation gave $10,000 to Fresh Future Farm Inc for conservation and $8,000 to South Carolina Coastal Conservation League for Grow Food Carolina food safety equipment upgrades. These grants point to a mix of school support, arts programming, and practical conservation or food-related project funding.
Typical grant size centers on mid-sized awards: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. The recent record shows many grants at $10,000 or $15,000, with a smaller number at $20,000. The foundation appears to make discretionary one-off grants rather than recurring multi-year awards to the same organizations. Its grants are made through a private foundation structure, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. No application process is shown in the provided data.
$155K
$2M
$142K
$205K
Most grants fall between $5K and $15K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$15K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in SC.
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Concentrated handful of equal-sized discretionary grants (three $20,000 awards). Funding is distributed across different issue areas and geographies with no evidence of repeat grantees or long-term multi-year commitments.
Notable grantees: Columbus Civic Arts Council, Inc., Marketing Research Education Foundation (supporting The Joseph School in Haiti), Organic Consumers Association
All recent grants in the file went to U.S. recipients. Mississippi appears frequently, including recipients in Columbus, Starkville, and Pearlington, while South Carolina also shows multiple awards in Charleston and North Charleston. Other recipient locations include Minneapolis-area Finland, MN; Saint Paul, MN; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; and Divide, CO. The foundation gives nationally, but the recipient pattern is concentrated in a few states rather than evenly spread across the country.
Recent grants go to education groups, arts organizations, conservation and environmental nonprofits, and public-interest research groups. Examples include the Organic Consumers Association for research, the Columbus Civic Arts Council Inc for education-related work, and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League for conservation and food-safety equipment upgrades.
The grant-size distribution is centered on mid-sized awards: p25 is $5,000, median is $10,000, and p75 is $15,000. In the recent grant list, $10,000 and $15,000 awards appear often, with a few $20,000 grants as well.
Yes, at least one recent grant supported The Joseph School in Haiti through the Marketing Research Education Foundation. The recipient-country distribution in the file still shows 100% of grants to U.S.-based recipients overall, so the Haiti award appears as a project tied to a U.S.-based grantee.
The recent record shows mostly one-off grants. A few organizations appear more than once, such as Columbus Civic Arts Council Inc, Open Space Institute Land Trust, and South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, but the pattern is not annual continuation to the same grantee across every year.
Education, arts, conservation, and research show up repeatedly. Education-related grants include The Joseph School in Haiti, One Eleuthera Foundation of the US, and Mississippi State University Foundation; arts funding includes Columbus Civic Arts Council Inc and Art for All People; conservation funding includes Fresh Future Farm Inc and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $30,000 | 2026 | GRANT TO ADVANCE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION | FINLAND, MN | $30,000 | 2026 | ROSITA ARVIGO IX CHEL TROPICAL RESEARCH BELIZE |
| MUW FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, MS | $15,000 | 2026 | LEAP EVENTS |
| ONE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION OF THE US | CLEMSON, SC | $10,000 | 2026 | HARBOUR ISLAND GREEN SCHOOL - GENERAL |
| SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE | CHARLESTON, SC | $10,000 | 2026 | GROWFOOD CAROLINA: GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE LAND TRUST | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY PROSPERITY PROJECTS IN THE SOUTHEAST |
| CAPE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | CAPE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION FY25 REQUEST |
| BAHAMAS PLASTIC MOVEMENT | SATELLITE BEACH, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT |
| NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN | BRONX, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | PLANTS, PEOPLE & CULTURE: ETHNOBOTANICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION IN VANUATU |
| INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS | RAPID CITY, SD | $10,000 | 2026 | CONSERVATION OF OUR GILA HERD AND THEIR UPKEEP |
| COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC | COLUMBUS, MS | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MARKETING RESEARCH EDUCATION FOUNDATION | SAINT PAUL, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | THE JOSEPH SCHOOL IN HAITI |
| BAHAMAS PLASTIC MOVEMENT | SATELLITE BEACH, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION OF THE US | CLEMSON, SC | $15,000 | 2025 | HARBOUR ISLAND GREEN SCHOOL - GENERAL |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | STARKVILLE, MS | $15,000 | 2025 | STARKVILLE-MSU SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE LAND TRUST | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | BLACK RIVER INITIATIVE |
| COLORADO WOLF & WILDLIFE CENTER | DIVIDE, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | WATER HEATING SYSTEM |
| COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC | COLUMBUS, MS | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ART FOR ALL PEOPLE | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM |
| SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE | CHARLESTON, SC | $8,000 | 2025 | GROW FOOD CAROLINA FOOD SAFETY EQUIPMENT UPGRADES |
| INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS | RAPID CITY, SD | $5,000 | 2025 | HERD UPKEEP |
| INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER | PEARLINGTON, MS | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES |
| ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION | FINLAND, MN | $5,000 | 2025 | ROSITA ARVIGO IX CHEL TROPICAL RESEARCH BELIZE |
| SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION & CONSERVATION |
| ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION | FINLAND, MN | $20,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| ONE ELEUTHERA FOUNDATION OF THE US | CLEMSON, SC | $15,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC | COLUMBUS, MS | $15,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| COLORADO WOLF & WILDLIFE CENTER | DIVIDE, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITY |
| TAMPA BAY WATERKEEPER | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| FRESH FUTURE FARM INC | NORTH CHARLESTON, SC | $10,000 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE LAND TRUST | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER | PEARLINGTON, MS | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $7,500 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| RETRIEVING FREEDOM INC | SEDALIA, MO | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITY |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | STARKVILLE, MS | $5,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION & CONSERVATION |
| INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS | RAPID CITY, SD | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITY |
| SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE | CHARLESTON, SC | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITY |
| TENNESSEE WILLIAMSNEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $3,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC | COLUMBUS, MS | $20,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS | RAPID CITY, SD | $15,000 | 2023 | CHARITY |
| CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION | FINLAND, MN | $15,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | STARKVILLE, MS | $12,500 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| FRESH FUTURE FARM INC | NORTH CHARLESTON, SC | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE | CHARLESTON, SC | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITY |
| ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $10,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE LAND TRUST | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM | CHARLESTON, SC | $10,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION & CONSERVATION |
| INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER | PEARLINGTON, MS | $10,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
MUW FOUNDATION
$15,000LEAP EVENTS
GROWFOOD CAROLINA: GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY PROSPERITY PROJECTS IN THE SOUTHEAST
BAHAMAS PLASTIC MOVEMENT
$10,000SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
PLANTS, PEOPLE & CULTURE: ETHNOBOTANICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION IN VANUATU
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS
$10,000CONSERVATION OF OUR GILA HERD AND THEIR UPKEEP
COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MARKETING RESEARCH EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$20,000THE JOSEPH SCHOOL IN HAITI
BAHAMAS PLASTIC MOVEMENT
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLORADO WOLF & WILDLIFE CENTER
$10,000WATER HEATING SYSTEM
COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ART FOR ALL PEOPLE
$10,000COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM
GROW FOOD CAROLINA FOOD SAFETY EQUIPMENT UPGRADES
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS
$5,000HERD UPKEEP
INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER
$5,000EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES
COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC
$15,000EDUCATION
COLORADO WOLF & WILDLIFE CENTER
$10,000CHARITY
TAMPA BAY WATERKEEPER
$10,000CONSERVATION
INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER
$7,500EDUCATION
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS
$5,000CHARITY
TENNESSEE WILLIAMSNEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL
$3,000EDUCATION
COLUMBUS CIVIC ARTS COUNCIL INC
$20,000EDUCATION
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF MUSTANGS & BURROS
$15,000CHARITY
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM
$15,000EDUCATION
INFINITY SCIENCE CENTER
$10,000EDUCATION