Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker 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.

Key facts about Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc

EIN
59-3157129
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$165,000
Grants made (2024)
14
Average grant
$11,786
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
36% first-time grantees (5 of 14, 2024)
Total assets
$2,893,285
Primary geography
Florida (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc's 14 itemized 2024 grants were Florida (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lakeland, FL (12 grants). 71% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Financial Need Scholarship" (4 grants).

Is Denis L Fontaine Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

36%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 5 of 14 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $12K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving fell 27% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 140% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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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

1state

Share of all 14 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

Florida

Cities

LakelandClearwaterTampaDelray BeachLake WorthSt PetersburgWest 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

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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 Church of: $30KSouth Florida Avenue Church of$30KYMCA of West Central Florida: $30KYMCA of West Central Florida$30KPolk State College: $20KPolk State College$20KFlorida Childrens Museum: $15KFlorida Childrens Museum$15KFlorida School of Preaching: $10KFlorida School of Preaching$10KSomos Church: $10KSomos Church$10KClearwater Community Sailing Associ: $10KClearwater Community SailingAssoci$10KCore Group Ministries: $10KCore Group Ministries$10KLake to Lake Memorial Classic: $5KLake to Lake Memorial Classic$5KGeorge Jenkins High School: $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 recipients include South Florida Avenue Church of ($30,000), YMCA of West Central Florida ($30,000), Polk State College ($20,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
SOUTH FLORIDA AVENUE CHURCH OF Lakeland, FLGENERAL$30,000
YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA Lakeland, FLGENERAL$30,000
POLK STATE COLLEGE Winter Haven, FLGENERAL$20,000
FLORIDA CHILDRENS MUSEUM Lakeland, FLGENERAL$15,000
FLORIDA SCHOOL OF PREACHING Lakeland, FLGENERAL$10,000
SOMOS CHURCH Lakeland, FLGENERAL$10,000
CLEARWATER COMMUNITY SAILING ASSOCI Clearwater, FLGENERAL$10,000
CORE GROUP MINISTRIES Lakeland, FLGENERAL$10,000
LAKE TO LAKE MEMORIAL CLASSIC Lakeland, FLGENERAL$5,000
GEORGE JENKINS HIGH SCHOOL Lakeland, FLFINANCIAL NEED SCHOLARSHIP$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS 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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