Cathleen Mcfarlane Foundation Inc
The Cathleen McFarlane Foundation is a private foundation based in West Palm Beach, Florida, established in 1997 by Cathleen McFarlane Ross. The foundation supports qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations focused on addressing homelessness, substance abuse, and animal welfare in the South Florida community.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$33.8M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
+2.4% YoY
Grant Count
42
+13.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
-9.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: "To make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate, especially those suffering from homelessness and addiction"
The foundation provides philanthropic support to nonprofits that focus on:
- Assistance and Prevention of Homelessness — Supporting organizations that prevent homelessness and offer supportive services to those in need
- Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse — Funding organizations that help people suffering from substance abuse or addiction
- Animal Welfare — Supporting organizations that help animals in need
The foundation aims to support community-based nonprofits making measurable impact on marginalized homeless and/or addicted populations who might not receive services or have difficulty accessing them. The purpose of funding is prevention, service delivery, and/or rehabilitation. Grants for small, innovative, or new programs are welcomed.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in South Florida, with particular emphasis on the Palm Beach County area. The foundation has also provided emergency relief funding for disaster response outside the region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending April 2025:
- Total Assets: $33,795,917
- Total Giving: $1,759,217
- Total Revenues: $2,767,126
- Total Expenses: $2,384,224
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $33,795,917 | $33,226,190 | $30,713,431 |
| Revenue | $2,767,126 | $4,931,157 | $8,259,412 |
| Expenses | $2,384,224 | $2,355,460 | $1,936,027 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,004,226 | $1,939,891 | $1,635,579 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,456,885 | $4,619,480 | $8,013,625 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,842,780 | $1,736,013 | $1,441,502 |
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
196 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sunni Johnson — Executive Director
- Denis P Coleman — Trustee
- Christy L Peterson — Trustee
- John Fulton — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DENIS P COLEMAN | PRES/DIR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTY L PETERSON | SEC/TRS/DIR | 1 | — |
| JOHN FULTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIDGET CATHLEEN HEALEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFF SMITH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In March 2025, the Cathleen McFarlane Foundation awarded a $52,000 grant to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach to support their Hunger, Homeless, Outreach Program, providing rent and mortgage assistance to prevent homelessness in the community.
Catholic Charities Expresses Deep Gratitude to the Cathleen McFarlane FoundationIn July 2025, the foundation provided a $50,000 matching gift to launch the Texas Flooding Fund through the Town of Palm Beach United Way in response to deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas.
Montana Community Foundation | Empowering Communities through the\u2026Contact Information
Address: 700 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 110 West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: 561-246-4370
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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