Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I
The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1994, it operates as a citizen support organization for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and serves as Florida's largest private funder of youth outdoor education. The organization employs approximately 9-12 staff members and works with public and private partners to protect Florida's native animals, plants, and the lands and waters they depend on.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$90.6M
+32.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+24.5% YoY
Grant Count
46
-6.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+32.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida seeks to protect Florida's iconic animals and plants and the lands and waters they need to survive. The organization operates as a statewide community foundation for conservation, working to maximize support for conservation and outdoor recreation and education.
Core Values: The foundation is committed to responsible conservation, integrity beyond reproach, transparency and accountability, open communication and collaboration, and working with a sense of urgency. The organization emphasizes ensuring public access to hunting, fishing, and other traditional outdoor recreation activities as part of Florida's cultural heritage.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Wildlife conservation and habitat management
- Youth outdoor education and recreation
- Species protection and preservation
- Public access to natural areas and outdoor recreation
- Gopher tortoise mitigation and relocation programs
- Florida springs protection
- Fishery infrastructure and coastal conservation
- Florida panther habitat protection
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $170,950, with recent examples showing grants between $20,000 and $90,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses primarily on Florida statewide, with some grantmaking activity in South Carolina and Texas. The organization provides outdoor education experiences to over 280,000 youth annually through the Florida Youth Conservation Center Network.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $90,633,897
- Total Revenue: $30,000,000
- Total Expenses: $13,504,824
- Total Giving: $7,525,449
Historical Impact: Since its founding in 1994, the foundation has raised and donated nearly $100 million for conservation and outdoor recreation.
Financial Performance:
- Program Expense Ratio: 92.70%
- Programmatic Efficiency: 88%
- Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator with 100% score
- Platinum rating for financial accountability
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $90,633,897 | $68,347,314 | $56,399,088 |
| Revenue | $29,957,084 | $19,417,372 | $25,779,317 |
| Expenses | $13,504,824 | $11,017,515 | $9,614,467 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,983,799 | $1,548,854 | $1,672,675 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ($170,950), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ($150,000), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ($60,571).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 10CAN INC GAINESVILLE, FL | PROJECT EDHS: EDUCATION & DIVERSITY IN HUNTING AND SHOOTING SPORTS | $10,000 |
| ALACHUA COUNTY GAINESVILLE, FL | LOWER SANTA FE RIVER SPRINGS HERBICIDE AND PESTICIDE STUDY | $20,000 |
| ALACHUA COUNTY GAINESVILLE, FL | LOWER SANTA FE RIVER BASIN GROUNDWATER NITRATE ASSESSMENT | $8,140 |
| AMERICAN DISABILITY ADVENTURES LAKELAND, FL | HUNTING FOR DISABLED VETERANS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA | $22,750 |
| AQUIFER WATCH INC TALLAHASSEE, FL | IS YOUR WATER WELL? PRIVATE WELL TEST AWARENESS AND NITRATE MONITORING IN THE SPRINGS HEARTLAND | $23,716 |
| AUDUBON OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE, FL | TRICOLORED HERON (EGRETA TRICOLOR) MONITORING IN FLORIDA BAY | $28,500 |
| AUDUBON OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE, FL | PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF TRICOLORED HERON SANCTUARY ISLANDS IN THE GREATER TAMPA BAY REGION | $30,000 |
| BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AUSTIN, TX | PARTNERING TO SAVE THE RARE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT | $10,000 |
| BLACK WOMEN IN ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND MARINE SCIENCE MIAMI, FL | BWEEMS INTERN SPONSORSHIP | $10,500 |
| BLACKWATER FOX HUNTERS ASSOCIATION JAY, FL | 60TH ANNUAL BLACKWATER FOX HUNTERS ASSOCIATION FIELD TRIAL & BENCH SHOW | $6,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew Walker: Chief Executive Officer
- Danielle Richter: Director of Philanthropy
- Robert Spottswood: Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA RUSSELL | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA KELLAM | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KENT SHOEMAKER | 2ND VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| ROBERT A SPOTTSWOOD JR | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| SETH D MCKEEL JR | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| RICHARD A CORBETT | CHAIR EMERITUS | 1 | — |
| PAUL E AVERY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHY BARCO | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KEENAN BALDWIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| IGNACIO BORBOLLA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| VALERIE BOYD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHERINE MACGREGOR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JERRY PATE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN PHELAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN POPE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| NICK WILEY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAPHNE WOOD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROGER A YOUNG | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANDREW WALKER | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $223,901 |
| JAMES W BRADFORD | COO | 40 | $183,912 |
| MICHELLE ASHTON | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & EVENTS | 40 | $152,556 |
| DANIELLE RICHTER | DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY | 40 | $129,308 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in addressing contemporary conservation challenges:
Foundation Awards $385,000 in Conservation, Outdoor Recreation Grants - Fish**Hurricane Response:** Awarded $1 million for fishery infrastructure restoration following storm damage
$1 million for fishery infrastructure after storm damage - Fish & Wildlife**Panther Conservation:** Announced groundbreaking $1.5 million grant for Florida panther habitat protection
Grants at Work: What Hurricane Idalia Taught Scientists About Florida\u2019\**Springs Research:** Supported scientific research examining how Hurricane Idalia impacted Florida's springs
Grants at Work: What Hurricane Idalia Taught Scientists About Florida\u2019\**General Conservation:** Distributed $385,000 in conservation and outdoor recreation grants
Foundation Awards $385,000 in Conservation, Outdoor Recreation Grants - FishThe organization continues to serve as a critical funding source for Florida's conservation efforts and youth outdoor education initiatives, managing mitigation permit fees for gopher tortoise relocation and distributing these funds to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as needed.
Groundbreaking Grant Boosts Florida Panther Conservation - Fish & WildlifeSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I fund?
**Mission:** The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida seeks to protect Florida's iconic animals and plants and the lands and waters they need to survive. The organization operates as a statewide community foundation for conservation, working to maximize support for conservation and outdoor recreation and education. **Core Values:** The foundation is committed to responsible conservation, integrity beyond reproach, transparency and accountability, open communication and collaboration, and worki…
How do I apply for a grant from Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I?
**Grant Ranges:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $170,950, with recent examples showing grants between $20,000 and $90,000. **Grant Programs:** • Youth Outdoor Education Grants: Support for archery, fishing, hunting, and outdoor skills programs • Specialty License Plate Grants: Funded through various specialty plates including Wildlife, Conserve Wildlife, Protect Florida Springs, and Discover Florida's Oceans • Conservation Grants: Support for wildlife conservation, habitat management, and…
Where does Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I make grants?
The foundation focuses primarily on Florida statewide, with some grantmaking activity in South Carolina and Texas. The organization provides outdoor education experiences to over 280,000 youth annually through the Florida Youth Conservation Center Network.
What size grants does Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I award?
In 2024, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I awarded 46 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I's EIN?
Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-3277808. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida I's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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