Howard Family Foundation Inc
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.
Howard Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Howard Family Foundation Inc gave $30K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $867.647), top state Florida. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $29,500
- +12.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $868
- -4.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $750
- Total assets
- $119,593
- -3.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (14 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (36% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Howard Family Foundation Inc
- 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. Its website provides a grant application package and says applications are submitted on the foundation’s form.
- Review Cycle
- The website says applications are accepted May 1 through June 30, with decisions made by August 31.
- Deadline
- The website says applications are accepted May 1 through June 30, with decisions made by August 31.
- 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
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Howard Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
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
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 153 (100%).
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
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Howard Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 34 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $589; 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2019) to $30K (2025). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Judes Childrens Research Hospit Memphis, TN | Support Operations | $2,000 |
| Society of St Vincent De Pau Pompano Beach, FL | Support Operations | $2,000 |
| Charlotte Community Foundation Punta Gorda, FL | Support Operations | $2,000 |
| American Red Cross Central FL Port Charlotte, FL | Support Operations | $1,500 |
| Peoria Symphony Orchestra Peoria, IL | Support Operations | $1,500 |
| WSMR 89 1 NPR Orlando, FL | Support Operations | $1,000 |
| WGCU FM 901 NPR Fort Myers, FL | Support Operations | $1,000 |
| Peace River Wildlife Punta Gorda, FL | Support Operations | $1,000 |
| Crossroads Hope Academy Punta Gorda, FL | Support Operations | $1,000 |
| Univ of Colorado Foundation Boulder, CO | Support Operations | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $119,593 | $7,294 | $36,407 | $29,500 | 34 | $36,407 | $387 | $31,145 |
| 2024 | $124,222 | $25,386 | $32,760 | $26,346 | 29 | $32,760 | $831 | $27,493 |
| 2023 | $131,596 | $24,109 | $31,959 | $26,200 | 31 | $31,959 | $1,035 | $23,348 |
| 2022 | $139,446 | $11,823 | $33,489 | $27,750 | 30 | $33,489 | $968 | $25,151 |
| 2021 | $161,112 | $20,449 | $30,308 | $24,450 | 29 | $24,450 | $6,038 | $26,611 |
| 2020 | $170,971 | $22,444 | $26,440 | $21,250 | 23 | — | $2,760 | $22,517 |
| 2019 | $174,967 | $7,202 | $20,765 | $17,500 | 23 | — | $3,658 | $18,514 |
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.
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.”
The foundation’s guidelines say applications are submitted using its grant application form and may be reviewed based on the proposed activity’s priority within the foundation’s goals, the potential impact, and the availability of funds. It makes grants only to IRS-recognized tax-exempt organizations classified under §501(c)(3). It does not consider requests for general fundraising, deficit financing, loans or grants to individuals, scholarships or fellowships for individuals, or research projects. Support for conferences, seminars, media events, or workshops is limited to those integral to a broader program; the foundation also does not support the production and development of television or radio programming.
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.
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 $589 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.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Howard Family Foundation Inc funds
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