Brooks and Joan Fortune Family
The Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 1987 in Indiana and now headquartered in Naples, Florida. The foundation was created to expand the philanthropic legacy of Brooks and Joan Fortune, who met in 1939 when Brooks was a young research scientist and Joan was a medical laboratory technician. Together, they contributed to the development of novel products that enabled diabetic patients to monitor glucose levels at home, laying the groundwork for modern bedside medical testing. Brooks rose through the leadership ranks at the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company to become an Executive Vice-President and Board member before his retirement in 1971. The couple was married for 49 years and had three children. While both Brooks and Joan have passed away, the foundation continues under the leadership of their family members and remains active in grantmaking across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.2M
+24.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$775K
+10.2% YoY
Grant Count
86
+30.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-15.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brooks and Joan Fortune Family reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission is to support education-related programs, with emphasis on secondary education, classroom grants, scholarship funds, and special projects. The foundation also supports programs in the arts and has demonstrated giving in human services and voluntarism.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes project-specific and program-specific grants that deliver immediate, tangible results. Recent grant activity shows typical award sizes ranging from $500 to $120,000. In fiscal year 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling approximately $605,100 in documented giving. Recent grants have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has granted funds to organizations across multiple states, including Florida, New York, Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Colorado. Recent giving shows particular concentration in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of March 2025):
- Total Assets: $12,241,188
- Total Revenue: $3,529,090
- Total Expenses: $1,108,988
- Total Giving: $775,400
Previous Year (as of March 2024):
- Total Assets: $9,821,086
- Total Revenues: $1,131,272
- Total Expenses: $918,727
The foundation maintains a staff of 2 employees and is classified as a private foundation (NTEE code T20).
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,241,188 | $9,821,086 | $9,608,541 |
| Revenue | $3,529,090 | $1,131,272 | $1,029,918 |
| Expenses | $1,108,988 | $918,727 | $1,064,637 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $839,816 | $750,460 | $901,235 |
| Net Investment Income | $400,215 | $991,321 | $888,097 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,080,445 | $829,942 | $769,411 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
239 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Brooks and Joan Fortune Family
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Conservancy of Southwest Florida ($95,000), The Naples Players Inc ($50,000), Davids Table Inc ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 21&YOU RALEIGH, NC | EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL HORIZONS PROJECT | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN PRECISION MUSEUM ASSOCIATION WINDSOR, VT | PROJECT TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE STUDENTS | $5,000 |
| AUBREY ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL NAPLES, FL | BEST BUDDIES & SOLAR GO-KART | $3,000 |
| BELDEN-NOBLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY ESSEX, NY | GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS & PROJECTS | $2,000 |
| BOOKS FOR COLLIER KIDS INC NAPLES, FL | CHARITABLE PROGRAMS | $1,000 |
| COMMUNITY ACTION SERVICE TEAM INC WATERBURY, VT | THE WATERBURY COMMON MARKET | $2,500 |
| CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NAPLES, FL | GOOD FORTUNE II BOAT INSURANCE/IMPROVEMENTS / SURVIVORS PROGRAM & CAPTAIN SALARIES | $95,000 |
| CROWN HILL HERITAGE FOUNDATION INC INDIANAPOLIS, IN | PRAIRIE PROJECT | $26,000 |
| DAVIDS TABLE INC GREENVILLE, SC | ESSENTIAL HOUSING COSTS | $40,000 |
| EARLY EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER OF WATERBURY WATERBURY, VT | THE CHILDREN'S ROOM | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by Dr. John Fortune, with his wife Jan serving as Vice President. The board comprises the couple's grandchildren. Tina Killoran serves as Executive Director and is the only non-family member involved in the foundation's operations. Killoran oversees all aspects of grant administration, from initial applications through final board decisions.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN B FORTUNE MD | PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| JANELLEN FORTUNE | VICE PRESIDENT | 4 | — |
| JENNIFER FLANIGAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEPHANIE ZAISER | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 2 | — |
| LENOIR EDWARD ZAISER IV | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ERIN HUDGINS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CORIE CULP | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| NEELY FORTUNE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BROOKS FORTUNE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TINA KILLORAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 15 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been recognized for its approach to precision philanthropy, focusing on program-specific grants that deliver measurable impact. The foundation has supported educational initiatives including scholarships for food service students and fellowships for policy research. The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with one live grant opportunity listed as of recent reporting.
Brooks And Joan Fortune Family Foundation Inc - Full FilingFrequently Asked Questions
What does Brooks and Joan Fortune Family fund?
The foundation's primary mission is to support education-related programs, with emphasis on secondary education, classroom grants, scholarship funds, and special projects. The foundation also supports programs in the arts and has demonstrated giving in human services and voluntarism.
How do I apply for a grant from Brooks and Joan Fortune Family?
The foundation makes project-specific and program-specific grants that deliver immediate, tangible results. Recent grant activity shows typical award sizes ranging from $500 to $120,000. In fiscal year 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling approximately $605,100 in documented giving. Recent grants have included: • The Conservancy of Southwest Florida: $82,000 (for boat insurance/improvements, survivors program, and captain salaries) • The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: $60,000 (for S…
Where does Brooks and Joan Fortune Family make grants?
The foundation has granted funds to organizations across multiple states, including Florida, New York, Indiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Colorado. Recent giving shows particular concentration in Florida.
What size grants does Brooks and Joan Fortune Family award?
In 2025, Brooks and Joan Fortune Family awarded 86 grants totaling $775K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Brooks and Joan Fortune Family required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Brooks and Joan Fortune Family reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Brooks and Joan Fortune Family's EIN?
Brooks and Joan Fortune Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1225136. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brooks and Joan Fortune Family's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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