Howard Family Foundation Inc logo

Howard Family Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Punta Gorda, FL EIN: 16-1589334 Website

Howard Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Punta Gorda, Florida. Founded by Lilian C. Howard, it supports activities in education and libraries, the arts, community service, disaster relief, and relief for people affected by disease and their families.

Key facts about Howard Family Foundation Inc

In short: Howard Family Foundation Inc gave $30K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $867.647), top state Florida. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
16-1589334
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$29,500
Grants made (2025)
34
Average grant
$868
Median grant
$750
New grantees (estimate)
44% first-time grantees (15 of 34, 2025)
Total assets
$119,593
Primary geography
Florida (36% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Deadline
The website says applications are accepted May 1 through June 30, with decisions made by August 31.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$120K

-3.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$30K

+12.0% YoY

Grant Count

34

+17.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$867.647

-4.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Howard Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Howard Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

44%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 15 of 34 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $617; repeat grants $1K. How we count

Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.

  • 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated purpose is to support those five areas. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose own missions span a range of activities: for example, Crossroads Hope Academy provides residential care and educational support for male adolescents, while Peoria Symphony Orchestra presents live performances, music education, and community outreach. Hingham Maritime Center provides sailing, rowing, and water-safety education, according to its own mission statement.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $29,500. Awards ranged from $250 to $2,000, with a median of $750. The largest grants included $2,000 each to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and Charlotte Community Foundation; and $1,500 each to American Red Cross Central Florida and Peoria Symphony Orchestra. The listed grant purposes were “support operations.”

Review Cycle

The website says applications are accepted May 1 through June 30, with decisions made by August 31.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, grant dollars were distributed across multiple states. Florida received 36% of the total, Massachusetts 24%, California 11%, Illinois 8%, and Tennessee 7%.

Grant Distribution by State

15states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.

Cities

Punta GordaHinghamPeoriaTahoe CityFort MyersLake TahoeLand OlakesMemphisOrlandoPeoria HeightsWinchesterBoulderColumbusNew LondonOklahoma CityPompano BeachPort CharlotteTruckeeClearwaterWashington

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K23 grants2019 23 grants2020 29 grants2021 30 grants2022 31 grants2023 29 grants2024 34 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2019) to $30K (2025). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $30K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

St Judes Childrens Research Hospit: $2KSt Judes Childrens ResearchHospit$2KSociety of St Vincent De Pau: $2KSociety of St Vincent De Pau$2KCharlotte Community Foundation: $2KCharlotte Community Foundation$2KAmerican Red Cross Central FL: $2KAmerican Red Cross Central FL$2KPeoria Symphony Orchestra: $2KPeoria Symphony Orchestra$2KWSMR 89 1 NPR: $1KWSMR 89 1 NPR$1KWGCU FM 901 NPR: $1KWGCU FM 901 NPR$1KPeace River Wildlife: $1KPeace River Wildlife$1KCrossroads Hope Academy: $1KCrossroads Hope Academy$1KUniv of Colorado Foundation: $1KUniv of Colorado Foundation$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was St Judes Childrens Research Hospit ($2K). Together the top 10 received $14K.

Grant Size Distribution

153 grants across all recorded years

153<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 153 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
St Judes Childrens Research Hospit Memphis, TNSupport Operations$2,000
Society of St Vincent De Pau Pompano Beach, FLSupport Operations$2,000
Charlotte Community Foundation Punta Gorda, FLSupport Operations$2,000
American Red Cross Central FL Port Charlotte, FLSupport Operations$1,500
Peoria Symphony Orchestra Peoria, ILSupport Operations$1,500
WSMR 89 1 NPR Orlando, FLSupport Operations$1,000
WGCU FM 901 NPR Fort Myers, FLSupport Operations$1,000
Peace River Wildlife Punta Gorda, FLSupport Operations$1,000
Crossroads Hope Academy Punta Gorda, FLSupport Operations$1,000
Univ of Colorado Foundation Boulder, COSupport Operations$1,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants Total granted
2025 34 $29,500
2024 29 $26,346
2023 31 $26,200
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$20K$40K$60K2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$119,593$124,222$131,596
Revenue$7,294$25,386$24,109
Expenses$36,407$32,760$31,959
Qualifying Distributions$36,407$32,760$31,959
Net Investment Income$387$831$1,035
Distributable Amount$31,145$27,493$23,348

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 18, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 25, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 19, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 23, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 6, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Breckinridge Thomas, Merinda Hesselman, and Kimberly Heslin as directors. The foundation’s website lists Sally C. Thomas as president/director, Breckinridge M. Thomas as treasurer/secretary/director, and Merinda T. Hesselman and Kimberly T. Heslin as directors.

Howard Family Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Breckinridge M. Thomas

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Kimberly Heslin

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Merinda Hesselman

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Sally C. Thomas (2019–2024) — President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Application contact: Sally Thomas
Mailing address: 2645 W Marion Ave 312, Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Phone: (941) 787-4534
Website: https://www.howardfamilyfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about Howard Family Foundation Inc

How much does Howard Family Foundation Inc give each year?

Howard Family Foundation Inc gave $30K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $26K across 29 grants.

What is Howard Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Howard Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $750, and its average grant was $868, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Howard Family Foundation Inc that year got $617 on average.

Where does Howard Family Foundation Inc give grants?

Howard Family Foundation Inc's top state is Florida, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (24%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hingham, MA (5 grants), Punta Gorda, FL (4 grants), Tahoe City, CA (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).

Does Howard Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on Howard Family Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Operations" (34 grants).

Who are Howard Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Howard Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include St Judes Childrens Research Hospit ($2,000), Society of St Vincent De Pau ($2,000) and Charlotte Community Foundation ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Howard Family Foundation Inc?

Howard Family Foundation Inc reported $120K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $36K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Howard Family Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation’s stated purpose is to support those five areas. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Howard Family Foundation Inc?

The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Howard Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Howard Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1589334. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Howard Family Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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