About Vystar Foundation
VyStar Foundation is committed to leading by example and empowering others through collaborative partnerships and strategic grantmaking to support youth, military members and veterans, and overall community vitality in the areas served by VyStar Credit Union.
Focus Areas
Military support and veterans servicesYouth programs and education/creative learning environmentsCommunity building including financial stability and cultural vitality
Who They Fund
military organizations / unitsservice members and associated military personnel
Funding Style
in-kind donation (capital asset)one-time capital supportrestricted/project-specific funding
Topics
About Vystar Foundation
Vystar Foundation Inc made a $570,000 donated-building grant to Three Grains of Rice Missions Inc in 2024, and that kind of capital support sits alongside a steady stream of project grants for military, youth, and community-building work. The foundation’s grantmaking is built around strategic pillars that support youth programs and education, military members and veterans, and community vitality in the areas served by VyStar Credit Union. In the recent grant list, military support appears repeatedly, with grants to organizations such as United Way of Northeast Florida, Five Star Veterans Center, Operation New Uniform Inc, and Northeast Florida Women Veterans Inc. Community-serving organizations also appear in the mix, including Beaches Habitat for Humanity and America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. The presence of both a large in-kind asset transfer and repeated $20,000 project awards shows a funder that uses more than one tool. Its grants are local in scope, with most awards going to recipients in Florida and Georgia, and the recent record shows all listed grants landing with U.S. organizations.
What Vystar Foundation Funds
Military support is a clear line in the foundation’s work. In 2024, it gave $20,000 to Five Star Veterans Center for military grant funds and the same amount to Operation New Uniform Inc for the same purpose. It also supported Northeast Florida Women Veterans Inc with $20,000 for military grant funds, showing recurring attention to veteran-serving organizations in Jacksonville. Youth and education are another pillar. The foundation’s youth grant program funds equitable access to creative learning environments, and its strategic giving framework names youth programs and education as a core priority. Community building is the third visible theme. Grants to Beaches Habitat for Humanity and America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia align with community vitality and financial stability goals, while the broader community-building pillar is designed to support interconnected communities in the foundation’s service areas.
How Vystar Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is tightly clustered at $20,000, with p25, median, and p75 all at that level. The recent record also includes one much larger capital support grant of $570,000, showing that project and in-kind support can sit alongside standard operating-style awards. Several recipients appear more than once in the 2024 list, including United Way of Northeast Florida, Operation New Uniform Inc, and America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, suggesting repeat engagement rather than isolated giving. The foundation operates active grant cycles and competitive grant programs, and the program descriptions say unsolicited applications are accepted.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$623K
Total Assets
$873K
Total Revenue
$682K
Total Expenses
$692K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $20K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$20K
Geographic Reach
Regional3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
PATRICIA MCELROY
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Vystar Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime