Edward T Gardner Foundation
The Edward T Gardner Foundation is a private foundation based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. It gave $120,000 through 15 grants in 2024 to charitable organizations, including organizations in Florida, Tennessee, Delaware, and Ohio.
Edward T Gardner Foundation at a glance
In short: Edward T Gardner Foundation gave $120K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), top state Florida. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $120,000
- +20.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -11.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,000
- +36.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $465,940
- +49.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Edward T Gardner Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 110136, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
Phone: (304) 549-3828
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Edward T Gardner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Memphis Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $105K.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 85 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, 36% to Tennessee, 13% to Delaware, and 2% to Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Edward T Gardner Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 93% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 312% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $70K (2020) to $120K (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $120K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Memphis Foundation Memphis, TN | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| Florida Studio Theatre Sarasota, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $20,000 |
| St Lucie County Fire District Port St Lucie, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $7,500 |
| First United Methodist Church Ft Pierce, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $7,250 |
| Camp Barnes Dover, DE | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $6,000 |
| Family Meals Inc Fort Pierce, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $5,500 |
| Seamens Center of Wilmington Wilmington, DE | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
| Hands of Saint Lucie County Fort Pierce, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $4,500 |
| Rylie's Smile Foundation Rehoboth BCH, DE | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $4,500 |
| Boys and Girls Club of St Lucie County Fort Pierce, FL | To Further Their Expressed Charitable Purpose | $4,250 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $465,940 | $283,587 | $130,332 | $120,000 | 15 | $120,205 | $274,189 | $38,492 |
| 2023 | $312,685 | $75,053 | $107,373 | $100,000 | 17 | $100,100 | $67,780 | $36,480 |
| 2022 | $345,005 | $12,659 | $87,586 | $80,000 | 17 | $80,200 | $7,510 | $39,971 |
| 2021 | $419,932 | $54,838 | $108,676 | $100,000 | 17 | $100,100 | $48,262 | $43,592 |
| 2020 | $473,770 | $96,310 | $77,175 | $70,000 | 19 | — | $89,335 | $40,032 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Edward T Gardner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include supporting the University of Memphis, making theatre accessible, providing benefits to fire district employees, offering no-cost camping activities to children, providing food assistance, and advancing research and treatment for pediatric catastrophic diseases. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $120,000. Grants ranged from $2,700 to $40,000, with a median grant of $4,500. Notable grants included $40,000 to the University of Memphis Foundation, $20,000 to Florida Studio Theatre, $7,500 to St. Lucie County Fire District, $7,250 to First United Methodist Church in Fort Pierce, and $6,000 to Camp Barnes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edward Gardner III Co Dinsmore as president; Louise Gardner Co Dinsmore Shohl as vice president; Christopher Gardnerco Dinsmore as treasurer; Missy Gardner Co Dinsmore Shohl as secretary; and David Wickham Co Dinsmore Shohl as assistant secretary.
Edward T Gardner Foundation is led by Edward Gardner Iii Co Dinsmore, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edward Gardner Iii Co Dinsmore
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Christopher Gardnerco Dinsmore
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Wickham Co Dinsmore Shohl
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Louise Gardner Co Dinsmore Shohl
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Missy Gardner Co Dinsmore Shohl
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $5K, to Edward Gardner III Co Dinsmore (President).
Frequently asked questions about Edward T Gardner Foundation
How much does Edward T Gardner Foundation give each year?
Edward T Gardner Foundation gave $120K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $100K across 17 grants.
What is Edward T Gardner Foundation's typical grant size?
Edward T Gardner Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,500, and its average grant was $8,000, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Edward T Gardner Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Edward T Gardner Foundation give grants?
Edward T Gardner Foundation's top state is Florida, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Tennessee (36%) and Delaware (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Ft Pierce, FL (7 grants) and Memphis, TN (2 grants).
Who are Edward T Gardner Foundation's largest grantees?
Edward T Gardner Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Memphis Foundation ($40,000), Florida Studio Theatre ($20,000) and St Lucie County Fire District ($7,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Edward T Gardner Foundation?
Edward T Gardner Foundation reported $466K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $120K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $38K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Edward T Gardner Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Edward T Gardner Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Edward T Gardner Foundation's EIN?
Edward T Gardner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6026290. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Edward T Gardner Foundation 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Edward T Gardner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/edward-t-gardner-foundation-morg_ed8fd17ffb2e4304a260dfd0c0dd5ca7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316026290_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Edward T Gardner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/edward-t-gardner-foundation-morg_ed8fd17ffb2e4304a260dfd0c0dd5ca7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Edward T Gardner Foundation'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.
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