Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester
The Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester Foundation is a private foundation established in 1980 and located in Palm Beach, Florida. The foundation was created by Harcourt M. Sylvester Jr. following his father's death from lung cancer, as a tangible commitment to fighting the disease. The foundation is named for Harcourt Sylvester Jr.'s parents, Harcourt M. Sylvester and Virginia W. Sylvester.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.2M
-4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
+0.1% YoY
Grant Count
19
-20.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
+26.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission centers on cancer research and treatment, with broader support for public welfare, medical, education, and religious organizations. The foundation made a foundational $27.5 million commitment that became the genesis for the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a university-based cancer center serving South Florida and beyond.
Current funding priorities include:
- Public Welfare — averaging $56,885 per grant across 33 recipients
- Medical — averaging $93,895 per grant across 10 recipients
- Medical/Education — averaging $1,088,096 per grant
- Education — averaging $1,837 per grant across 7 recipients
- Religious — averaging $5,700 per grant across 3 recipients
- Education/Athletics — averaging $10,000 per grant
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker with a giving rate of 8.7%. Recent grant activity shows:
Grant Range
** $465 to $1,771,432
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, with additional grantmaking in New York and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of the most recent filing (2024):
- Total assets: $25,155,676
- Total revenue: $1,194,010
- Total expenses: $2,505,216
- Total giving: $2,224,071
Prior year (2023):
- Total assets: $26,243,551
- Total revenues: $2,048,493
- Total expenses: $2,511,872
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,155,676 | $26,243,551 | $27,275,919 |
| Revenue | $1,194,010 | $2,048,493 | $2,544,904 |
| Expenses | $2,505,216 | $2,511,872 | $3,880,616 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,224,071 | $2,222,221 | $3,506,445 |
| Net Investment Income | $957,230 | $1,811,468 | $2,251,830 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,385,572 | $1,410,733 | $1,634,982 |
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
139 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Miami ($821,428), Boca Raton Regional Hospital ($382,143), Home Safe Inc ($360,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOCA HELPING HANDS BOCA RATON, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $2,000 |
| BOCA RATON REGIONAL HOSPITAL BOCA RATON, FL | MEDICAL | $382,143 |
| CANCER ALLIANCE FOR HELP AND HOPE PALM BEACH, FL | MEDICAL | $5,000 |
| CAUSEWAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ROCHESTER, NY | PUBLIC WELFARE | $10,000 |
| GIVT BOCA RATON, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $3,000 |
| HER2NDCHANCE BOCA RATON, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $75,000 |
| HOME SAFE INC LAKE WORTH, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $360,000 |
| MIAMI DOLPHINS FOUNDATION MIAMI GARDENS, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $160,000 |
| ORDER OF ST JOHN WASHINGTON, DC | RELIGIOUS | $1,500 |
| SECOND CHANCE INITIATIVE ATLANTIS, FL | PUBLIC WELFARE | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Jayne Sylvester Malfitano — President, Secretary, Director (20 hours/week, $80,000 compensation). She is the daughter of philanthropist Harcourt M. Sylvester Jr. and was named Chair of Sylvester's Board of Governors in July 2023.
- Laura Sylvester — Vice President, Director (10 hours/week, $40,000 compensation)
- Clare Malfitano — Director (5 hours/week, $6,000 compensation)
- Jennifer Cameron Smith — Director (5 hours/week, $6,000 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAYNE SYLVESTER MALFITANO | PRES/SEC/DIRECTOR | 20 | $80,000 |
| LAURA SYLVESTER | VICE PRES/DIRECTOR | 10 | $40,000 |
| CLARE MALFITANO | DIRECTOR | 5 | $6,000 |
| JENNIFER CAMERON SMITH | DIRECTOR | 5 | $6,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In July 2023, Jayne S. Malfitano, president of the foundation and daughter of philanthropist Harcourt M. Sylvester Jr., was named Chair of Sylvester's Board of Governors.
The foundation celebrated the 30th naming anniversary of the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in October 2022, honoring the family's philanthropy and foresight in cancer research and patient care.
Sylvester\u2019s 30th Naming Anniversary Celebration Honors Family\u2019\The foundation continues to support cancer research initiatives, including endowed chairs and researcher awards at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester fund?
The foundation's primary mission centers on cancer research and treatment, with broader support for public welfare, medical, education, and religious organizations. The foundation made a foundational $27.5 million commitment that became the genesis for the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a university-based cancer center serving South Florida and beyond. Current funding priorities include: • **Public Welfare** — averaging $56,885 per grant across 33 recipients • **Medi…
How do I apply for a grant from Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester?
The foundation is an active grantmaker with a giving rate of 8.7%. Recent grant activity shows: • **Total giving (2024):** $2,224,071 • **Number of grants awarded:** 55 grants • **Grant range:** $465 to $1,771,432 • **Median grant amount:** $33,443 Recent notable grants include: • University of Miami: $671,428 (medical/education) • HomeSafe / The Children's Place at Home Safe Inc: $375,400 (public welfare) • Boca Raton Regional Hospital: $357,143 (medical) The foundation made 34 grants in the p…
Where does Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, with additional grantmaking in New York and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester award?
In 2024, Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester awarded 19 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $114K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester's EIN?
Harcourt M & Virginia W Sylvester's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-2018824. 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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