The John & Martha Carter Foundation is a small, locally focused funder that concentrates its giving in Lake Wales, FL, primarily supporting K–12 education, youth development and hands-on learning experiences. It repeatedly funds a few local organizations (multiple grants to the same recipients) that run charter and special-needs school programs, youth activity/transportation services, and agricultural leadership initiatives. Grants are modest and program-focused, often designated to enhance education programming and youth learning opportunities.
The John & Martha Carter Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by repeated support for Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation, including three grants of $15,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $12,000 in 2025 to enhance education programming. That pattern points to a funder that favors sustained, project-restricted support over one-off gifts, especially for local K–12 education and youth learning opportunities. Across its grants, the foundation backs school-based programming, youth activities, special-needs education, literacy, agricultural leadership, and limited disaster relief. Several recipients appear more than once, which helps show how the foundation maintains relationships with a small set of organizations over multiple years. Vanguard School of Lake Wales received $6,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to enhance education programming. Lake Wales Pram Fleet also appears repeatedly, with grants of $6,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $7,000 in 2025 for youth learning activities. Other recurring support includes Florida FFA Foundation, Case for Smiles, and Lake Wales Library Association. The result is a grantmaker with a compact portfolio and a clear emphasis on direct program support for children, youth, and families in the Lake Wales area.
K–12 education is the foundation’s most visible theme. Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation received $15,000 in 2023 and 2024, then $12,000 in 2025, all to enhance education programming. Vanguard School of Lake Wales also received annual support, with $6,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the same purpose. Youth development shows up through hands-on and extracurricular learning. Lake Wales Pram Fleet was funded in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for youth learning activities, and Lake Wales High School Booster Club received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to enhance educational programs. The foundation also supports specialized and community-serving programs. Camp Joy Florida received three grants for special needs youth camp, while Florida FFA Foundation received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to make better leaders. Case for Smiles was funded for helping children battle disease, and Lake Wales Library Association received support to promote literacy.
Typical grants are small to mid-sized: p25 is $2,000, median grant size is $3,500, and p75 is $6,000. The recent record shows repeat support across multiple years rather than isolated gifts. Several recipients appear in three consecutive years, including Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation, Vanguard School of Lake Wales, Lake Wales Pram Fleet, Florida FFA Foundation, Case for Smiles, Lake Wales Library Association, and Salvation Army of Polk County. The foundation is a private family foundation with a local giving scope. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$135K
$438K
$77K
$69K
Most grants fall between $2K and $6K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$6K
About 89% of grants go to recipients in SC.
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Concentrated, small-to-midsize grants to a handful of recurring local grantees; funding is program-specific rather than broad general support, with emphasis on education and youth services within Lake Wales.
Notable grantees: Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation, Lake Wales PRAM Fleet, Vanguard School of Lake Wales, Florida FFA Foundation, Stirring Waters
Grant dollars are overwhelmingly local: 89% of grants go to recipients in Florida, and all recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. organizations. Lake Wales is the main recipient city, with multiple grants to Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation, Vanguard School of Lake Wales, Lake Wales Pram Fleet, Lake Wales High School Booster Club, Lake Wales Library Association, and Lake Wales Care Center. Outside Lake Wales, grants reached Winter Haven, Haines City, and Greenville, South Carolina. South Carolina is the top state by grant count because of Camp Joy Florida in Greenville.
Its grants focus on K–12 education, youth learning activities, special-needs education, literacy, agricultural leadership, aquatic recreation for people with disabilities, children’s health, and Florida disaster relief. Recent recipients include school foundations, a special-needs school, a youth activity group, a library association, and disaster relief providers.
Recent grants cluster at the lower end of the spectrum: p25 is $2,000, the median is $3,500, and p75 is $6,000. The recent list also includes larger awards such as $12,000 and $15,000 for education programming.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation, Vanguard School of Lake Wales, Lake Wales Pram Fleet, Florida FFA Foundation, Case for Smiles, Lake Wales Library Association, and Salvation Army of Polk County. Some received grants in three consecutive years.
Most grants go to Florida recipients, with 89% of grants awarded in the HQ state. Lake Wales is the main recipient city, and the only non-Florida recipient city in the recent list is Greenville, South Carolina.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and it does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI | LAKE WALES, FL | $12,000 | 2025 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET | LAKE WALES, FL | $7,000 | 2025 | TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES |
| VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES | LAKE WALES, FL | $6,000 | 2025 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION | HAINES CITY, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS |
| STIRRING WATERS | LAKE WALES, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | AQUATIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE DISABLED |
| CASE FOR SMILES | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $3,500 | 2025 | HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE |
| CAMP JOY FLORIDA | GREENVILLE, SC | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP |
| LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION | LAKE WALES, FL | $3,000 | 2025 | TO PROMOTE LITERACY |
| LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB | LAKE WALES, FL | $2,700 | 2025 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| LAKE WALES CARE CENTER | LAKE WALES, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | TO CONNECT THOS IN NEED |
| SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $500 | 2025 | TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF |
| LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI | LAKE WALES, FL | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES | LAKE WALES, FL | $6,000 | 2024 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET | LAKE WALES, FL | $6,000 | 2024 | TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES |
| FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION | HAINES CITY, FL | $4,000 | 2024 | TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS |
| CASE FOR SMILES | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $3,500 | 2024 | HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE |
| LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB | LAKE WALES, FL | $3,500 | 2024 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| CAMP JOY FLORIDA | GREENVILLE, SC | $2,000 | 2024 | SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP |
| LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION | LAKE WALES, FL | $2,000 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE LITERACY |
| SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $500 | 2024 | TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF |
| LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI | LAKE WALES, FL | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES | LAKE WALES, FL | $6,000 | 2023 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET | LAKE WALES, FL | $6,000 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES |
| FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION | HAINES CITY, FL | $4,000 | 2023 | TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS |
| CASE FOR SMILES | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $3,500 | 2023 | HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE |
| LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB | LAKE WALES, FL | $3,500 | 2023 | TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| CAMP JOY FLORIDA | GREENVILLE, SC | $2,000 | 2023 | SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP |
| LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION | LAKE WALES, FL | $2,000 | 2023 | TO PROMOTE LITERACY |
| SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $500 | 2023 | TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF |
LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI
$12,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET
$7,000TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES
VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES
$6,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION
$5,000TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS
STIRRING WATERS
$5,000AQUATIC EXPERIENCE FOR THE DISABLED
CASE FOR SMILES
$3,500HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE
CAMP JOY FLORIDA
$3,000SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP
LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
$3,000TO PROMOTE LITERACY
LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB
$2,700TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
LAKE WALES CARE CENTER
$2,000TO CONNECT THOS IN NEED
SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY
$500TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF
LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI
$15,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES
$6,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET
$6,000TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES
FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION
$4,000TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS
CASE FOR SMILES
$3,500HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE
LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB
$3,500TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
CAMP JOY FLORIDA
$2,000SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP
LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
$2,000TO PROMOTE LITERACY
SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY
$500TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF
LAKE WALES CHARTER SCHOOLS FOUNDATI
$15,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
VANGUARD SCHOOL OF LAKE WALES
$6,000TO ENHANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM
LAKE WALES PRAM FLEET
$6,000TO PROVIDE YOUTH LEARNING ACTIVITIES
FLORIDA FFA FOUNDATION
$4,000TO MAKE BETTER LEADERS
CASE FOR SMILES
$3,500HELPING CHILDREN BATTLE DISEASE
LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB
$3,500TO ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
CAMP JOY FLORIDA
$2,000SPECIAL NEEDS YOUTH CAMP
LAKE WALES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
$2,000TO PROMOTE LITERACY
SALVATION ARMY OF POLK COUNTY
$500TO AID FLORIDA DISASTER RELIEF