Conn Memorial Foundation Inc
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Tampa, Florida. It supports children from low-income families in Hillsborough County through investments in educational and social-emotional achievement, and it also supports the leaders and organizations that serve them.
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Conn Memorial Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $40K), mostly in Florida. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,238,085
- +45.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- -29.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $39,938
- +107.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $20,239,970
- +7.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (11 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Conn Memorial Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website says Letters of Inquiry are by invitation only and that applications are issued following committee review. Organizations seeking consideration are directed to first discuss whether their program aligns with the foundation’s current focus. The website describes potential applicants as 501(c)(3) organizations located in Hillsborough County with an educational-achievement program aligned with a school serving students in low-income neighborhoods. Submissions should be electronic; the foundation asks organizations not to mail hard copies. Currently funded organizations invited to reapply do not need to submit a Letter of Inquiry.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists March 1 for the spring cycle and September 1 for the fall cycle, with award dates of May 30 and November 30, respectively, unless an application specifies otherwise. Both listed 2026 application dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists March 1 for the spring cycle and September 1 for the fall cycle, with award dates of May 30 and…
- Contact
Mailing address: 1208 S Albany Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606
Phone: (813) 758-9403
Website: https://connfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Conn Memorial Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay Inc ($363K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 169 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s guidelines identify Hillsborough County, Florida, as its funding area. All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Conn Memorial Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 19 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $68K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $33K first-time, $42K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 68% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $737K (2022) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay Inc Tampa, FL | Capacity Building | $350,000 |
| YMCA Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $166,500 |
| Champions for Children Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $95,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $75,000 |
| Academy Prep Center of Tampa Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $65,000 |
| Cornerstone Family Ministries Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $55,000 |
| Oasis Network of New Tampa Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $33,000 |
| Easter Seals Florida Inc Winter Park, FL | Low Income Youth | $27,500 |
| Metropolitan Ministries Inc Tampa, FL | Low Income Youth | $27,500 |
| Sunrise Children's Services Inc Miami, FL | Low Income Youth | $27,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,239,970 | $3,167,605 | $1,792,838 | $1,238,085 | 31 | $1,631,713 | $1,282,993 | $1,409,634 |
| 2024 | $18,865,203 | $1,330,434 | $1,338,316 | $848,938 | 44 | $1,205,020 | $1,197,135 | $1,244,445 |
| 2023 | $18,873,085 | $1,182,445 | $1,205,093 | $749,900 | 30 | $1,068,192 | $1,045,544 | $1,214,336 |
| 2022 | $18,895,733 | $1,024,556 | $1,159,555 | $737,347 | 34 | $1,016,705 | $881,706 | $1,195,372 |
| 2021 | $19,030,732 | $912,142 | $1,211,443 | $786,900 | 30 | — | $762,230 | $1,234,898 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Conn Memorial Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to help children from families with limited economic resources in Hillsborough County succeed in school and life, beginning at day one, by investing in their academic and emotional achievement and in the leaders and organizations supporting them.
Its stated areas of interest include preschools and schools, nonprofit social service organizations, and capacity building for nonprofits and schools. The foundation says it funds program, operational, and capacity-building needs that align with education. Its guidelines describe eligible organizations as 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving children and youth in Hillsborough County, with programs focused on educational achievement in low-income neighborhoods. It does not support individuals, political campaigns or lobbying, or health and medical-related organizations.
Examples of 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Champions for Children describes its work as serving children and parents, with a special focus on ages 0–5; Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay says it aims to help young people reach their full potential; and Academy Prep Center of Tampa describes a rigorous middle-school program for students qualifying for need-based scholarships, with ongoing graduate support. Oasis Network of New Tampa says it helps Hillsborough County public school students access clothing, hygiene items, and other resources needed to attend and engage in school.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $1,238,085. Grant amounts ranged from $7,685 to $350,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest reported grants included $350,000 to the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay for capacity building; $166,500 to YMCA for low-income youth; $95,000 to Champions for Children for low-income youth; $75,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay for low-income youth; and $65,000 to Academy Prep Center of Tampa for low-income youth.
The foundation also reported grants of $55,000 to Cornerstone Family Ministries, $33,000 to Oasis Network of New Tampa, and $27,500 each to Easter Seals Florida, Metropolitan Ministries, and Sunrise Children’s Services. The reported purposes for these grants were low-income youth.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sheffield Crowder as CEO; Jon Wax as treasurer; Dr. Maria Carlo as secretary; Bob Buesing as chair; Cathy Valdes as vice chair; and Maureen Butler, Norma Alcantar, and Stephanie Gibson as directors.
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc is led by Sheffield Crowder, CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 1 of 8 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sheffield Crowder
CEO
President → CEO, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$167K (2021) → $206K (2025)
Bob Buesing
Chair
Chair → Director, 2024
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Butler
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Norma Alcantar
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Gibson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Wax
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Carlo
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Valdes
Vice Chair
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Felicia Harvey (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Mario Hernandez (2021–2024) — Chair
- Former: Kris Galloway (2024) — Director
- Former: Ed Narain (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Ken Collier (2021–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Beth Doyle (2021) — Grant Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $206K, to Sheffield Crowder (CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Conn Memorial Foundation Inc
How much does Conn Memorial Foundation Inc give each year?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $849K across 44 grants.
What is Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $39,938, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Conn Memorial Foundation Inc that year got $68K on average.
Where does Conn Memorial Foundation Inc give grants?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc gives mostly in Florida: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tampa, FL (21 grants), Winter Park, FL (2 grants), Miami, FL (2 grants) and Immokalee, FL (2 grants).
Does Conn Memorial Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Low Income Youth" (17 grants) and "Capacity Grants" (12 grants).
Who are Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay Inc ($363,000 across 2 grants), YMCA ($179,500 across 2 grants) and Champions for Children Inc ($95,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Conn Memorial Foundation Inc?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc reported $20.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Conn Memorial Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to help children from families with limited economic resources in Hillsborough County succeed in school and life, beginning at day one, by investing in their academic and emotional achievement and in the leaders and organizations supporting them. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Conn Memorial Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's EIN?
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-0978713. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Conn Memorial Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Conn Memorial Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/conn-memorial-foundation-inc-morg_d373934463df48f7b15272aa73b19374
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_590978713_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Conn Memorial Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/conn-memorial-foundation-inc-morg_d373934463df48f7b15272aa73b19374},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Conn Memorial Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Conn Memorial Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?