Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc

TAMPA, FL EIN: 59-3157129

Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Tampa, Florida. The foundation has been tax-exempt since July 1993 and maintains its principal office at 5415 Mariner Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33609.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.9M

+31.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$165K

+13.8% YoY

Grant Count

14

+27.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$12K

-10.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $130K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding priorities include:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation awarded $145,000 in total grants in 2023. Recent grantees include:

Grant Range

s & Patterns:**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, with a concentration on the Tampa Bay area and surrounding regions.

Grant Distribution by State

1states

States

Cities

ClearwaterDelray BeachLake WorthLakelandSt PetersburgTampaWest Palm BeachWinter Haven

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2024:

  • Total Assets: $2,881,093
  • Total Revenue: $894,612
  • Total Expenses: $212,762
  • Net Income: $681,850
  • Total Liabilities: $12,200

As of Fiscal Year 2023:

  • Total Assets: $2,199,788
  • Total Giving: $145,000

The foundation's revenue consists primarily of contributions. Assets have grown significantly, with net assets increasing substantially year-over-year.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$246K$492K$738K$984K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$2,893,285$2,199,788$2,276,265
Revenue$894,612$97,385$404,621
Expenses$212,762$176,776$352,365
Qualifying Distributions$183,064$158,420$329,042
Net Investment Income$877,106$80,143$386,673
Distributable Amount$130,368$135,571$139,747

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$79K$158K$236K$315K13 grants202012 grants202116 grants202211 grants202314 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

SOUTH FLORIDA AVENUE CHU…$30KYMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLO…$30KPOLK STATE COLLEGE$20KFLORIDA CHILDRENS MUSEUM$15KFLORIDA SCHOOL OF PREACH…$10KSOMOS CHURCH$10KCLEARWATER COMMUNITY SAI…$10KCORE GROUP MINISTRIES$10KLAKE TO LAKE MEMORIAL CL…$5KGEORGE JENKINS HIGH SCHOOL$5K

Grant Size Distribution

66 grants across all recorded years

63<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include South Florida Avenue Church of ($30,000), Ymca of West Central Florida ($30,000), Polk State College ($20,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
FLORIDA CHILDRENS MUSEUM LAKELAND, FLGENERAL$15,000
SOUTH FLORIDA AVENUE CHURCH OF LAKELAND, FLGENERAL$30,000
FLORIDA SCHOOL OF PREACHING LAKELAND, FLGENERAL$10,000
YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA LAKELAND, FLGENERAL$30,000
LAKE TO LAKE MEMORIAL CLASSIC LAKELAND, FLGENERAL$5,000
GEORGE JENKINS HIGH SCHOOL LAKELAND, FLFINANCIAL NEED SCHOLARSHIP$5,000
LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL LAKELAND, FLFINANCIAL NEED SCHOLARSHIP$5,000
LAKE GIBSON HIGH SCHOOL LAKELAND, FLFINANCIAL NEED SCHOLARSHIP$5,000
KATHLEEN HIGH SCHOOL LAKELAND, FLFINANCIAL NEED SCHOLARSHIP$5,000
POLK STATE COLLEGE WINTER HAVEN, FLGENERAL$20,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
MERRITT A GARDNERSECRETARY/TR
GREGORY J FONTAINEDIRECTOR
WARREN SHATZERDIRECTOR
JULIE FONTAINEPAST PRESIDE
CHRISTOPHER FONTAINEPRESIDENT

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation's primary funding priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc?

**Grant Sizes & Patterns:** • Typical grant awards range from $5,000 to $50,000 • Recent documented grants include $20,000 to Florida School of Preaching and $5,000 to Swamp Mountain Bike Club **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation awarded $145,000 in total grants in 2023. Recent grantees include: • Florida School of Preaching (Lakeland, FL) - $20,000 for general support • Swamp Mountain Bike Club (Tampa, FL) - $5,000 for general support

Where does Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, with a concentration on the Tampa Bay area and surrounding regions.

What size grants does Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $165K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $130K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc's EIN?

Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-3157129. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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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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