The Becker Charitable Foundation makes a small number of very large, unrestricted grants focused largely in Southwest Florida but willing to support national research organizations. Their funding emphasizes health and human services — especially disability rehabilitation and services, reproductive health, and youth programs — along with a local interest in marine biology/conservation. Grants are typically general operating support, suggesting trust in grantee leadership rather than project-restricted funding.
The Henry E Becker and Pauline S Becker Charitable Foundation has made several seven-figure general support grants in its recent record, including $1.1 million to Planned Parenthood of Sw Florida and $1 million to Easter Seals Southwest Florida. That pattern points to a funder that backs established organizations with large, unrestricted awards rather than narrowly defined project grants. Its giving leans heavily toward health and human services in Southwest Florida, while also supporting research groups with broader reach. The foundation has funded Kessler Foundation in East Hanover, New Jersey with $640,000 in 2024 and $600,000 in 2023, showing a willingness to support specialized national research organizations when their work aligns with its priorities. In Sarasota and nearby communities, it has also funded local nonprofits across disability services, youth development, conservation, and civic life. The recent grants list shows repeated support for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties, Dolphin Biology Research Institute, Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, and Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, all on a general operating basis. The overall picture is of a concentrated grantmaker that favors substantial, flexible funding for organizations already embedded in the communities it serves.
Disability rehabilitation and disability services are central to the foundation’s recent grantmaking. It gave $1 million to Easter Seals Southwest Florida for general support, and it also backed Kessler Foundation with $640,000 in 2024 and $600,000 in 2023. Reproductive health is another major area: Planned Parenthood of Sw Florida received $1.1 million in 2025 for general support. Youth development appears in multiple grants as well, including $500,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and $100,000 to Sarasota Youth Sailing. The foundation also funds marine and coastal work, such as $350,000 to Dolphin Biology Research Institute and $100,000 to Suncoast Waterkeeper, alongside $100,000 to Florida Ocean Alliance.
Typical grants cluster at a high level: p25 is $50,000, median is $60,000, and p75 is $100,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including Kessler Foundation, Dolphin Biology Research Institute, Conservation Foundation Gulf Coast, Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties, and Southeastern Guide Dogs. Grants are generally coded as general support, which suggests flexible use by grantees. The foundation funds individuals: False, and it makes no program-related investments.
$7.5M
$27.8M
$3.7M
$8.2M
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $60K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$60K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Highly concentrated: a very small portfolio of large, general-support grants. Mix of repeat support (e.g., Kessler Foundation) and single major gifts; geographically focused on Southwest Florida but willing to fund prominent national/regional research organizations.
Notable grantees: Kessler Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Florida, Easter Seals Southwest Florida, Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, Dolphin Biology Research Institute
Most grants land in Florida, with 92% of grants given to recipients in the HQ state. Sarasota is the most common recipient city in the recent list, joined by Bradenton, Osprey, Palmetto, Live Oak, and Fort Lauderdale. The foundation also gives beyond Florida when a grantee fits its priorities, including East Hanover, New Jersey; Morristown, New Jersey; and Silver Spring, Maryland. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 59 grants in the United States.
Its recent grants center on health and human services, disability rehabilitation and services, reproductive health, youth development, and marine biology or coastal conservation. Examples include Easter Seals Southwest Florida, Planned Parenthood of Sw Florida, Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties, and Dolphin Biology Research Institute.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Kessler Foundation in 2023 and 2024, Dolphin Biology Research Institute in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Conservation Foundation Gulf Coast in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The distribution is large and concentrated: p25 is $50,000, median grant size is $60,000, and p75 is $100,000. Recent awards also include much larger outliers, such as $1.1 million to Planned Parenthood of Sw Florida and $1 million to Easter Seals Southwest Florida.
Yes, but selectively. Most grants go to Florida recipients, yet the recent record includes Kessler Foundation and Foundation for Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation in Maryland.
The recent grants are overwhelmingly marked general support. Named awards to Planned Parenthood of Sw Florida, Easter Seals Southwest Florida, Kessler Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties, and Dolphin Biology Research Institute all appear as general grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAY PARK CONSERVANCY | SARASOTA, FL | $1,483,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| EASTER SEALS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA | SARASOTA, FL | $1,075,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SW FLORIDA | SARASOTA, FL | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KESSLER FOUNDATION | EAST HANOVER, NJ | $650,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| DOLPHIN BIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SARASOTA, FL | $386,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF SARASOTA AND DESOTO COUNTIES | SARASOTA, FL | $381,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL COALITION | SARASOTA, FL | $201,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA YOUTH SAILING | SARASOTA, FL | $145,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SAFE PLACE & RAPE CRISIS CENTER (SPARCC) | SARASOTA, FL | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HISTORIC SOCIETY OF FLORIDA | SARASOTA, FL | $110,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PINES OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ALL FAITHS FOOD BANK | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FLORIDA VETERANS FOR COMMON SENSE | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SHELTER BOX USA | LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TEEN COURT | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FLORIDA OCEAN ALLIANCE | FT LAUDERDALE, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LIBRARY FOUNDATION FOR SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BIG WATERS LAND TRUST | OSPREY, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA BAY WATCH | OSPREY, FL | $78,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SAVE OUR SEABIRDS | SARASOTA, FL | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVANCY OF NORTH PORT INC | NORTH PORT, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA HUMANE | PASADENA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN | SARASOTA, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ROTARY CLUB OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $45,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES | SARASOTA, FL | $45,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SELAH FREEDOM | SARASOTA, FL | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| STREETS OF PARADISE | SARASOTA, FL | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MINORITIES IN SHARK SCIENCES | SARASOTA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CHILDREN FIRST | SARASOTA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | SARASOTA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SAVE BARNEGAT BAY | TOMS RIVER, NJ | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RESURRECTION HOUSE | SARASOTA, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ASPEN GLOBAL CHANGE INSTITUTE | BASALT, CO | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE EVERGLADES | STUART, FL | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SW FLORIDA | SARASOTA, FL | $1,100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EASTER SEALS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA | SARASOTA, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOLPHIN BIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE | SARASOTA, FL | $350,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL COALITION | SARASOTA, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ROTARY CLUB OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $120,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CONSERVATION FOUNDATION GULF COAST | OSPREY, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA YOUTH SAILING | SARASOTA, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FLORIDA OCEAN ALLIANCE | FT LAUDERDALE, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SW FLORIDA
$1,000,000GENERAL
DOLPHIN BIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$386,000GENERAL
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF SARASOTA AND DESOTO COUNTIES
GENERAL
SARASOTA YOUTH SAILING
$145,000GENERAL
HISTORIC SOCIETY OF FLORIDA
$110,000GENERAL
FLORIDA VETERANS FOR COMMON SENSE
$100,000GENERAL
SHELTER BOX USA
$100,000GENERAL
TEEN COURT
$100,000GENERAL
FLORIDA OCEAN ALLIANCE
$100,000GENERAL
SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER
$100,000GENERAL
SARASOTA BAY WATCH
$78,000GENERAL
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVANCY OF NORTH PORT INC
$50,000GENERAL
PASADENA HUMANE
$50,000GENERAL
ROTARY CLUB OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION
$45,000GENERAL
STREETS OF PARADISE
$30,000GENERAL
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$25,000GENERAL
SAVE BARNEGAT BAY
$25,000GENERAL
RESURRECTION HOUSE
$25,000GENERAL
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SW FLORIDA
$1,100,000GENERAL
DOLPHIN BIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$350,000GENERAL
ROTARY CLUB OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION
$120,000GENERAL
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS
$100,000GENERAL
SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER
$100,000GENERAL
CONSERVATION FOUNDATION GULF COAST
$100,000GENERAL
SARASOTA YOUTH SAILING
$100,000GENERAL
FLORIDA OCEAN ALLIANCE
$100,000GENERAL