J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Tallahassee, Florida. In 2024, it reported $280,200 in grants to 14 organizations, all in Florida.
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc gave $280K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $20K), mostly in Florida. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $280,200
- +381.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- +55.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $20,014
- +209.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,431,807
- +2.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (7 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1330 Preakness Point, Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: (850) 488-4782
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Elder Care Council ($100K). Together the top 10 received $275K.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 45 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 14 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 530% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2020) to $280K (2024). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $280K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Elder Care Council Eastpoint, FL | Meals on Wheels | $100,000 |
| Charlie Ward's Champions Ranch Tallahassee, FL | Support Mission | $50,000 |
| Tall Timbers Resarch Tallahassee, FL | Support Mission | $32,500 |
| Taunton Family Childrens Home Wewahitchka, FL | Support Mission | $27,000 |
| Franklin County Sherriff's Office Charitable Fund Eastpoint, FL | Support Mission | $20,000 |
| LLSE Newell Fund Apalachicola, FL | Cultural Events Program | $15,000 |
| Grace Mission Church Tallahassee, FL | Support Mission | $10,000 |
| First Assembly of God - Carrabelle Carrabelle, FL | Support Mission | $10,000 |
| Trinity Episcopal Church Apalachicola, FL | Support Mission | $5,000 |
| First Baptist Church in Apalachicola Apalachicola, FL | Support Mission | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,431,807 | $356,634 | $319,959 | $280,200 | 14 | $280,200 | $351,975 | $311,875 |
| 2023 | $6,305,402 | $1,116,887 | $71,539 | $58,250 | 9 | $58,250 | $592,978 | $302,033 |
| 2022 | $5,160,353 | $4,383,387 | $55,754 | $51,000 | 9 | $55,506 | $17,390 | $52,014 |
| 2021 | $985,045 | $14,057 | $46,085 | $44,500 | 9 | $46,085 | $15,297 | $50,123 |
| 2020 | $1,017,073 | $22,492 | $53,127 | $12,000 | 4 | — | $20,365 | $50,013 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $312K for 2024 — 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 filing describes its program income as interest earned on mortgages deposited to Prime Meridian Bank. Its stated charitable activities include assistance for families and individuals in need, support for the mission of Charlie Ward Champions Ranch, and support for church outreach.
Among its grantees, Taunton Family Childrens Home says its purpose is caring for and supporting underprivileged children with no temporary or permanent home. Big Bend Hospice Foundation says it solicits contributions and community support for Big Bend Hospice, whose mission is to positively impact how the community experiences serious illness or grief.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $280,200. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Notable grants included $100,000 to Elder Care Council for Meals on Wheels, $50,000 to Charlie Ward’s Champions Ranch for mission support, $32,500 to Tall Timbers Research for mission support, and $27,000 to Taunton Family Childrens Home for mission support. Other listed grants included $20,000 to Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Charitable Fund and $15,000 to LLSE Newell Fund for its cultural events program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists J Ben Watkins III as chairman, and Joy R Watkins and John Yadon as directors.
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc is led by J. Ben Watkins III, Chairman on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
J. Ben Watkins III
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Yadon
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joy R. Watkins
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc
How much does J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc give each year?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc gave $280K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $58K across 9 grants.
What is J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $20,014, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc that year got $13K on average.
Where does J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc give grants?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc gives mostly in Florida: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tallahassee, FL (5 grants), Apalachicola, FL (5 grants) and Eastpoint, FL (2 grants).
Does J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Mission" (12 grants).
Who are J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Elder Care Council ($100,000), Charlie Ward's Champions Ranch ($50,000) and Tall Timbers Resarch ($32,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $280K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $312K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its program income as interest earned on mortgages deposited to Prime Meridian Bank. Its stated charitable activities include assistance for families and individuals in need, support for the mission of Charlie Ward Champions Ranch, and support for church outreach. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's EIN?
J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-2449847. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does J Ben Watkins Private 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/j-ben-watkins-private-foundation-inc-morg_11c0be72f21d4c4986e6a6d750d30e5b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_592449847_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{J Ben Watkins Private Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/j-ben-watkins-private-foundation-inc-morg_11c0be72f21d4c4986e6a6d750d30e5b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 J Ben Watkins Private 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.
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