Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc. is a public charity based in Sanibel, Florida, serving the Sanibel and Captiva island community. It makes grants to organizations working in areas including community health, education, well-being, nonprofit capacity, and emergency relief.
Key facts about Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
In short: Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc gave $520K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $31K), mostly in Florida. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 27-4027791
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $520,424
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- Average grant
- $30,613
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (9 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $7,803,144
- Primary geography
- Florida (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
+8.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$520K
-28.1% YoY
Grant Count
17
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
-32.4% YoY
Is Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 17 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $21K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy, leadership, and collaboration for the vitality of the island community. Its stated focus areas include basic human needs such as food, housing, healthcare, and mental health; arts and education; the environment; and emergency funds.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva describes its mission as helping people on Sanibel and Captiva through social services, education, and assistance. Community Housing and Resources says it provides affordable housing to people who work on or serve Sanibel. The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation describes its work as protecting and caring for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Other recipients included a chamber of commerce, United Way of Lee County, a wildlife society, a university-related organization, and Mayo Clinic.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $520,424. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $167,350, with a median grant of $20,000. Listed purposes included donor-advised fund distributions, hurricane assistance, a scholarship and survey, and support designated for Shell Point.
The largest reported grants included $167,350 to F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva for hurricane assistance; $53,000 to Community Housing and Resources for hurricane assistance; $50,000 to St. Michael and All Angels Church; $48,000 to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation; and $38,831 to the Sanibel Captiva Islands Chamber for hurricane assistance. The filing also lists $27,000 to United Way of Lee County, $21,250 to Ding Darling Wildlife Society, and $20,000 to Mayo Clinic.
The Community Impact Fund pools donor contributions for nonprofit innovation, capacity building, emerging needs, and emergency relief. The foundation reports that in the fund’s inaugural year it awarded $126,000 to ten initiatives focused on community resiliency, positive aging, and nonprofit capacity building. The foundation’s website says it is accepting community inquiries for the next round of grants and welcomes ideas addressing unmet needs or aligning with the fund’s priorities.
The Sanibel-Captiva Recovery Fund supports local nonprofit partners and community recovery and rebuilding, including small-business grants of up to $5,000. The fund’s program description reports that since Hurricane Ian, it has distributed more than $1 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations. The website also describes a small-business loan program; loans are distinct from grants.
The foundation’s filing says grant recipients receive written award letters specifying the purpose and reporting requirements. Recipients generally submit a brief progress report within six to twelve months, and late reporting may affect future grant eligibility.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
CFI Community Impact Fund Grant
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Impact Fund
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
Amount
Up to $42,000 available (as of 2026)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Nonprofit Employee Assistance Program
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
Amount
$100,000 matching funds (matching completed; distribution ongoing)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its service area as Sanibel and Captiva. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to Florida recipients, 6% to Minnesota, 2% to Maine, and 1% to Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $298K (2020) to $820K (2021). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $520K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fish of Sanibel Captive Inc ($167K). Together the top 10 received $458K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($14,218), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 77 (69%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fish of Sanibel Captive Inc Sanibel, FL | DAF/Hurricane Assist | $167,350 |
| Community Housing Resources Sanibel, FL | DAF/Hurricane Asst | $53,000 |
| St Michael and All Angels Church Sanibel, FL | DAF | $50,000 |
| Sanibel Captiva Conservation Fnd Sanibel, FL | DAF | $48,000 |
| Sanibel Captiva Islands Chamber Sanibel, FL | Hurricane Assistance | $38,831 |
| United Way of Lee County Fort Myers, FL | DAF | $27,000 |
| Ding Darling Wildlife Society Sanibel, FL | DAF | $21,250 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | DAF | $20,000 |
| Santiva Islanders Sanibel, FL | Shell Point | $20,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $14,218 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,803,144 | $1,293,026 | $1,057,937 | $520,424 |
| 2023 | $7,182,453 | $2,986,403 | $1,028,709 | $724,166 |
| 2022 | $4,515,631 | $908,198 | $949,886 | $705,750 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,803,144 | $7,182,453 | $4,515,631 |
| Revenue | $1,293,026 | $2,986,403 | $908,198 |
| Expenses | $1,057,937 | $1,028,709 | $949,886 |
| Net Investment Income | $524,723 | $164,200 | $104,468 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 31, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dorothy Farrell as Executive Director; Al Hanser as Board Chair; Doug Congress as Treasurer; and John Morse as Secretary. Directors listed were Mike Bennett, Susan Boren, Chauncey Goss, Melissa Halliburton, Tom Libonate, and Jan Majeski.
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc is led by Al Hanser, Board Chair since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 18 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Al Hanser
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chip Roach
Chair
New on the 2024 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Muddell
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan S. Boren
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Libonate
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Majeski
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Wiesemann
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Pfeifer
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Bennett
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Pierce
Director
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Rist
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chauncey Goss
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Washuta
Director
New on the 2024 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Halliburton
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Farrell
Executive Di
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$134K (2024)
John Morse
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Riordan
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Doug J. Congress
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Charles G. Roach (2019–2023) — Board Chair
- Former: Melissa Congress (2019–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Tony Lapi (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Chris Heidrick (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Ralph Clark (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Virginia Stringer (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Douglass J. Congress (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Steve Greenstein (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Tim O'Neill (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Brenda Harrity (2019) — Director
- Former: Cindy Brown (2019) — Director
- Former: Mary Ellen Pfeiffer (2019) — Director
- Former: Mike Kelly (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $134K, to Dorothy Farrell (Executive Di).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1429, Sanibel, FL 33957
Phone: (239) 322-3818
Website: https://charitablefoundationoftheislands.org
Frequently asked questions about Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc
How much does Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc give each year?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc gave $520K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $724K across 16 grants.
What is Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's typical grant size?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $30,613, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc that year got $23K on average.
Where does Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc give grants?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc gives mostly in Florida: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sanibel, FL (11 grants).
Does Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "DAF" (11 grants).
Who are Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's largest grantees?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Fish of Sanibel Captive Inc ($167,350), Community Housing Resources ($53,000) and St Michael and All Angels Church ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($14,218), which are not listed by name. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.3M.
What does Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy, leadership, and collaboration for the vitality of the island community. Its stated focus areas include basic human needs such as food, housing, healthcare, and mental health; arts and education; the environment; and emergency funds. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check charitablefoundationoftheislands.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's EIN?
Charitable Foundation of the Islands Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4027791. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
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