Fairwinds Foundation Inc
Fairwinds Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Orlando, Florida. It makes philanthropic grants focused on financial literacy and financial well-being, supporting organizations serving Central Florida’s economically vulnerable populations.
Fairwinds Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Fairwinds Foundation Inc gave $500K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $31K), mostly in Florida. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $500,000
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $31,250
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $113,953
- -36.2% vs 2024
- 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.
How to apply to Fairwinds Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Its website says invited organizations submit applications in September, following grant-cycle discussions in August. Applications are reviewed and assessed, with site visits, in October and November; organizations are notified in December and January. Applicants must align with the foundation’s financial literacy priorities; have current 501(c)(3) public-charity status or be a governmental entity; demonstrate three full years of program services and outcomes; provide evidence of a solid financial position and a detailed program budget; describe their community or audience impact without discrimination; and be able to measure, track, and report outcomes. The foundation does not fund capital campaigns, endowments or other reserve funds, individuals or individual projects, government agencies, individual public or private schools, religious institutions, political causes or candidates, debt reduction or liquidation, or programs outside its guidelines and strategy.
- Review Cycle
- September for applications from invited agencies, according to the foundation’s published grant-cycle schedule.
- Deadline
- September for applications from invited agencies, according to the foundation’s published grant-cycle schedule.
- Contact
Mailing address: 135 W Central Blvd 1230, Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: (407) 277-6030
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Fairwinds Foundation Inc
Who Fairwinds Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Junior Achievement of Central Florida ($70K). Together the top 10 received $385K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 63 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its grantmaking as supporting Central Florida. Its 2025 filing shows that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, including organizations in Orlando, Cocoa, Altamonte Springs, Tampa, Winter Park, and other Florida communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Fairwinds Foundation Inc gives
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 67% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $67K (2020) to $500K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $500K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Achievement of Central Florida Orlando, FL | Financial Literacy Program Grant | $70,000 |
| Prospera Orlando, FL | Financial and business education grant to benefit hispanic entrepreneurs | $50,000 |
| Fool Proof Foundation Cocoa, FL | Financial Literacy Program Grant | $50,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka Altamonte Springs, FL | Grant to equip future homeowners with financial literacy tools | $40,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando and Osceola County Orlando, FL | Grant to equip future homeowners with financial literacy tools | $40,000 |
| Harbor House of Central Florida Orlando, FL | Grant to assist survivors of domestic violence in opening bank accounts, creating financial plans, and obtaining employment and educational training | $30,000 |
| Bbif Orlando, FL | Grant to empower black entrepreneurs through tailored business education and financial management training | $30,000 |
| United Way Sun Coast Tampa, FL | Financial Literacy and Economic Mobility Program Grant | $25,000 |
| Lighthouse Central Florida Orlando, FL | Workforce Development and Financial Literacy Education Program Grant | $25,000 |
| Foundation for Foster Children Winter Park, FL | Financial Literacy Program Grant to Benefit Teens | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $113,953 | $436,240 | $500,772 | $500,000 | 16 | $500,000 | $4,754 |
| 2024 | $178,485 | $399,925 | $400,323 | $400,000 | 15 | $400,000 | $9,546 |
| 2023 | $178,883 | $331,739 | $325,730 | $325,000 | 12 | $325,000 | $8,275 |
| 2022 | $172,874 | $52,344 | $300,393 | $300,000 | 12 | $300,000 | $9,027 |
| 2021 | $420,923 | $316,672 | $250,408 | $250,000 | 8 | $250,000 | $12,710 |
| 2020 | $354,659 | $230,506 | $67,391 | $67,001 | 3 | — | $14,953 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fairwinds Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5K 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 website says it supports financial literacy educational opportunities and organizations working to improve financial well-being. It identifies homeless and at-risk youth, victims of domestic violence, veterans, and minority business owners among the populations its grants support.
Its 2025 grants included financial literacy programs for students and youth, business and financial education for entrepreneurs, financial education for future homeowners, and support connecting domestic-violence survivors with financial planning, employment, and training. Among its grantees, Junior Achievement of Central Florida describes its mission as preparing students for economic success through financial literacy, career-readiness, and entrepreneurship programs. Harbor House of Central Florida says it works to prevent and break the cycle of domestic abuse through empowerment-based programs, advocacy, education, and community involvement. Foundation for Foster Children describes its mission as creating meaningful connections for children in foster care through personalized support.
Grantmaking
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports 16 grants totaling $500,000. Grant amounts ranged from $15,000 to $70,000, with a median of $25,000. The foundation’s website separately announced that it awarded $500,000 to 17 organizations in 2026.
Among the largest grants reported for 2025 were $70,000 to Junior Achievement of Central Florida for a financial literacy program; $50,000 each to Prospera for financial and business education benefiting Hispanic entrepreneurs and to Fool Proof Foundation for a financial literacy program; and $40,000 each to Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka and Habitat for an individual recipient and Osceola County for financial literacy tools for future homeowners. Other reported recipients included Harbor House of Central Florida ($30,000), BBIF ($30,000), United Way Sun Coast ($25,000), Lighthouse Central Florida ($25,000), Foundation for Foster Children ($25,000), CareerSource Central Florida ($25,000), and United Against Poverty ($20,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Larry Tobin as board chair, Kimberly Wightman as board treasurer, Phillip Tischer as board vice chair, Dianne Owen as board secretary, Adrian Kierulf-Velez as executive director, and James Adamczyk as board director.
Fairwinds Foundation Inc is led by Adrian Kierulf-Velez, Executive Director on the 2025 filing; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Adrian Kierulf-Velez
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Tobin
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Adamczyk
Board Director
Director → Board Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dianne Owen
Board Secretary
Director → Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Tischer
Board Vice Chair
Director → Board Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Wightman
Board Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Kathy Chonody (2020–2024) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Elisha Gonzalez (2021–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: Garry C. Capton III (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Fairwinds Foundation Inc
How much does Fairwinds Foundation Inc give each year?
Fairwinds Foundation Inc gave $500K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $400K across 15 grants.
What is Fairwinds Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Fairwinds Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $31,250, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Fairwinds Foundation Inc give grants?
Fairwinds 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 Orlando, FL (9 grants).
Does Fairwinds Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Fairwinds Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Financial Literacy Program Grant" (4 grants).
Who are Fairwinds Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Fairwinds Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Junior Achievement of Central Florida ($70,000), Prospera ($50,000) and Fool Proof Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fairwinds Foundation Inc?
Fairwinds Foundation Inc reported $114K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $500K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fairwinds Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s website says it supports financial literacy educational opportunities and organizations working to improve financial well-being. It identifies homeless and at-risk youth, victims of domestic violence, veterans, and minority business owners among the populations its grants support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fairwinds Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fairwinds Foundation Inc's EIN?
Fairwinds Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-0510999. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Fairwinds 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Fairwinds Foundation Inc funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fairwinds Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fairwinds Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fairwinds-foundation-inc-morg_5a37fc84969c4103a8bb884a1c142c83
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_320510999_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fairwinds Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fairwinds-foundation-inc-morg_5a37fc84969c4103a8bb884a1c142c83},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Fairwinds 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.
Fairwinds Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?