The Lillian E Bunker Private Foundation makes a small number of moderately sized, locally focused grants emphasizing direct services for children, families and first responders. Giving concentrates on K–12 charter support and youth residential programs in the Winter Haven/Polk County area, alongside faith-based relief and family-assistance groups. Their grants are practical and program-focused rather than endowment or capital gifts.
Lillian E Bunker Private Foundation’s giving is defined by repeated support for local youth services, charter-school programming, and direct-help organizations in Polk County and nearby communities. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears as a steady backer of practical, program-level support rather than capital projects or endowment gifts. Berkley Charter School Inc in Auburndale received multiple grants, including $6,000 in 2025 and $5,500 in both 2023 and 2024, all for programs for the kids. Bartow Youth Villa also appears more than once, with grants of $5,000 in 2025 and $3,000 in 2024 for the Florida sheriff’s youth villa in Bartow. The pattern extends to relief and assistance groups as well: Samaritan’s Purse received $7,500 in 2025 for assistance for the underprivileged, and Project Love of Eloise Inc in Eagle Lake received multiple grants for programs for low-income families. The foundation’s profile suggests a small number of recurring recipients, with grantmaking centered on direct services for children, families, and community institutions.
Youth development is a clear theme. Boys Girls Clubs of Polk County in Lakeland received $2,500 in 2025 and earlier grants of $1,500 in 2023 and 2024 for assisting programs for local youth. Residential and diversionary services also show up through Bartow Youth Villa, which received funding for the Florida sheriff’s youth villa in Bartow. Faith-based support is another strand: Beymer Memorial United Methodist Ch in Winter Haven received $5,000 in 2024 and $4,500 in 2023 for local ministry and school support, while Grace City Church of Florida in Lakeland received $3,550 in 2024 for local ministry outreach. The foundation also funds scholarship and patient-care-related purposes, including a $2,000 grant to the University of Florida for scholarship program support and a $2,200 grant to Winter Haven Hospital Foundation for benefit not for profit patient care.
Typical grants are modest and clustered tightly: p25 is $2,025, median is $3,000, and p75 is $3,788. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Berkley Charter School Inc, Bartow Youth Villa, Project Love of Eloise Inc, Boys Girls Clubs of Polk County, and several church and relief organizations. That repeat pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is a private foundation, and it funds individuals as well as organizations. The grants are generally for operating or program support, with purposes tied to specific services or projects rather than unrestricted capital funding.
$110K
$19K
$26K
$44K
Most grants fall between $2K and $4K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$4K
About 83% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Small foundation with concentrated, program-focused giving: a handful of mid-sized grants per year, including repeat funding to select local beneficiaries and a mix of local service providers and national faith-based charities.
Notable grantees: Berkley Charter School Inc, Samaritan's Purse, Bartow Youth Villa, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Project Love of Eloise Inc
Giving is concentrated in Florida, which accounts for 83% of grants, with the strongest cluster around Winter Haven, Bartow, Auburndale, Lakeland, and Eagle Lake. Examples from the recent grants list include Winter Haven, FL; Bartow, FL; Lakeland, FL; Auburndale, FL; and Eagle Lake, FL. Outside Florida, the list includes Boone, NC, and Staten Island, NY. All recorded recipient countries are in the United States.
Its recent grants most often support youth services, local ministry and church programs, low-income family assistance, and first-responder-related efforts. Examples in the data include grants for programs for kids at Berkley Charter School Inc, local youth at Boys Girls Clubs of Polk County, and program assistance for first responders at Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Berkley Charter School Inc in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Bartow Youth Villa in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Project Love of Eloise Inc in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Boys Girls Clubs of Polk County in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution is fairly compact: p25 is $2,025, median is $3,000, and p75 is $3,788. Recent awards commonly fall in the $2,500 to $5,000 range, with some larger grants such as $7,500 to Samaritan’s Purse and $6,000 to Berkley Charter School Inc.
It supports individuals as well as organizations. The foundation’s profile indicates it funds individuals, and the recent grants list shows many organizational awards to schools, churches, youth programs, relief organizations, and a hospital foundation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED |
| BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC | AUBURNDALE, FL | $6,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS |
| BARTOW YOUTH VILLA | BARTOW, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW |
| PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC | EAGLE LAKE, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT | BARTOW, FL | $2,870 | 2025 | FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY | LAKELAND, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC | AUBURNDALE, FL | $5,500 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $5,000 | 2024 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED |
| BEYMER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CH | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY/SCHOOL |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS |
| GRACE CITY CHURCH OF FLORIDA | LAKELAND, FL | $3,550 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY OUTREACH |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT | BARTOW, FL | $3,500 | 2024 | FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY |
| BARTOW YOUTH VILLA | BARTOW, FL | $3,000 | 2024 | FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW |
| PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC | EAGLE LAKE, FL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES |
| WINTER HAVEN HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $2,200 | 2024 | BENEFIT NOT FOR PROFIT PATIENT CARE |
| THE BARTOW ROTARY FOUNDATION INC | BARTOW, FL | $1,500 | 2024 | SUPPORTING MISSION PROGRAMS |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY | LAKELAND, FL | $1,500 | 2024 | ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH |
| BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC | AUBURNDALE, FL | $5,500 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS |
| BEYMER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CH | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $4,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY/SCHOOL |
| SAMARITAN'S PURSE | BOONE, NC | $3,500 | 2023 | ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $3,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS |
| GRACE CITY CHURCH OF FLORIDA | LAKELAND, FL | $3,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY OUTREACH |
| BARTOW YOUTH VILLA | BARTOW, FL | $3,000 | 2023 | FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW |
| GREATER WORKS MINISTRIES OF WINTER | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $2,500 | 2023 | TO ASSIST IN THE MINISTRY TO WINTER |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT | BARTOW, FL | $2,500 | 2023 | FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY |
| PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC | EAGLE LAKE, FL | $2,500 | 2023 | PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES |
| THE BARTOW ROTARY FOUNDATION INC | BARTOW, FL | $1,500 | 2023 | SUPPORTING MISSION PROGRAMS |
| BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY | LAKELAND, FL | $1,500 | 2023 | ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF POLK COUNTY | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $1,250 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE NO-KILL SHELTER PROGR |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA | TAMPA, FL | $1,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
SAMARITAN'S PURSE
$7,500ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED
BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC
$6,000TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS
TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION
$5,000PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS
BARTOW YOUTH VILLA
$5,000FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW
PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC
$5,000PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT
$2,870FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY
BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY
$2,500ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$2,000SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC
$5,500TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS
SAMARITAN'S PURSE
$5,000ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED
BEYMER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CH
$5,000SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY/SCHOOL
TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION
$5,000PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS
GRACE CITY CHURCH OF FLORIDA
$3,550SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY OUTREACH
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT
$3,500FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY
BARTOW YOUTH VILLA
$3,000FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW
PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC
$2,500PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES
WINTER HAVEN HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$2,200BENEFIT NOT FOR PROFIT PATIENT CARE
THE BARTOW ROTARY FOUNDATION INC
$1,500SUPPORTING MISSION PROGRAMS
BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY
$1,500ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH
BERKLEY CHARTER SCHOOL INC
$5,500TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS
BEYMER MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CH
$4,500SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY/SCHOOL
SAMARITAN'S PURSE
$3,500ASSISTANCE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEDGED
TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION
$3,500PROGRAM ASSISTANCE FIRST RESPONDERS
GRACE CITY CHURCH OF FLORIDA
$3,000SUPPORT OF LOCAL MINISTRY OUTREACH
BARTOW YOUTH VILLA
$3,000FOR FL SHERIFF'S YOUTH VILLA BARTOW
GREATER WORKS MINISTRIES OF WINTER
$2,500TO ASSIST IN THE MINISTRY TO WINTER
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BRT
$2,500FOR THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY
PROJECT LOVE OF ELOISE INC
$2,500PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES
THE BARTOW ROTARY FOUNDATION INC
$1,500SUPPORTING MISSION PROGRAMS
BOYS GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY
$1,500ASSISTING PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL YOUTH
HUMANE SOCIETY OF POLK COUNTY
$1,250TO SUPPORT THE NO-KILL SHELTER PROGR
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
$1,000SUPPORT OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM