Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc
Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1991 and based in Boca Raton, Florida. The foundation was created by Lawrence A. Sanders, a Brooklyn-born author known for his crime fiction novels, including the Arch McNally series set in Palm Beach. Following his successful literary career and service in the U.S. Marines, Sanders established the foundation to give back to his community and support causes aligned with his passions for literature and education.
Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.5M
-0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$838K
-2.1% YoY
Grant Count
63
+1.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
-3.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $937K for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation provides grants primarily for organizations involved with:
- Education — with particular emphasis on literacy and creative writing
- Human Services — supporting community-based organizations and social services
- Arts — reflecting the founder's literary background
- Religion — a secondary funding area
The foundation demonstrates a strong commitment to literacy promotion and has established dedicated funds to support this mission, including the Lawrence A. Sanders Fund to Promote Literacy and the Lawrence A. Sanders Scholarship Fund for Creative Writing.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides both unrestricted donations and grants for specific programs, including support for literacy initiatives, early childhood education programs (such as phonics curricula), and community-based organizations.
Grant Range
$25,000–$100,000
Review Cycle
.
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in Florida, with 88% of grants staying within the state. Primary focus areas include Palm Beach County and surrounding regions in South Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $16,483,984
- Total giving: $856,000–$923,500
- Number of grants: 59–63
- Giving rate: 5.2% of assets
Revenue (2024):
- Total revenues: $1,062,851
- Investment income and dividends: $642,498
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $383,631
- Miscellaneous revenues: $36,722
Expenses (2024):
- Total expenses: $1,103,079
Historical Trend: The foundation has maintained relatively stable assets and consistent annual giving over recent years, with total assets remaining around $16.5 million and annual distributions ranging from $790,000 to $923,500.
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,527,063 | $16,565,168 | $16,840,983 |
| Revenue | $964,869 | $775,985 | $1,467,919 |
| Expenses | $1,018,717 | $1,023,170 | $1,042,719 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $919,721 | $932,968 | $940,951 |
| Net Investment Income | $863,188 | $680,413 | $1,357,571 |
| Distributable Amount | $937,080 | $973,401 | $1,074,329 |
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 2023
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest include Salvation Army ($52,500), Literacy Coalition Palm Beach County ($40,000), Martin County Council for the Arts ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4 KIDS of South Florida North Lauderdale, FL | Unrestricted donations | $10,000 |
| Adopt-A-Family of Palm Beach Lake Worth, FL | Unrestricted donations | $15,000 |
| American Red Cross Sunrise, FL | Unrestricted donations | $35,000 |
| Ann Storck Center Inc Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unrestricted donations | $5,000 |
| ARC Martin County Stuart, FL | Unrestricted donations | $5,000 |
| Better Basics South Birmingham, AL | Unrestricted donations | $10,000 |
| Boca Helping Hands Boca Raton, FL | Unrestricted donations | $37,500 |
| Boca Raton Museum of Art Boca Raton, FL | Unrestricted donations | $5,000 |
| Boy Scouts of America Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Unrestricted donations | $5,000 |
| BoysGirls Club of Broward County Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unrestricted donations | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- J Daniel Brede Esquire — Director
- Kathryn Casto — Director
- Allison Green — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
From 2023 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| J Daniel Brede Esquire | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
| Timothy Devlin co CohnReznick LLP | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
| Kathryn Brede | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
| Allison Green | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the Lawrence A. Sanders Foundation served as the lead donor to the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties' Early Literacy Fund, a collaborative philanthropic initiative addressing childhood literacy challenges in the region. The fund supports nonprofits working on grassroots literacy solutions, including implementation of phonics curriculum pilots.
Sanders Announces Recipients of the Community Assistance Grant Program -The foundation's scholarship program has awarded $320,000 to 40 local students since 2000 through the Lawrence A. Sanders Scholarship Fund for Creative Writing, supporting students with a passion for writing and literature.
Sanders Announces Recipients of the Community Assistance Grant Program -Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation provides grants primarily for organizations involved with: • **Education** — with particular emphasis on literacy and creative writing • **Human Services** — supporting community-based organizations and social services • **Arts** — reflecting the founder's literary background • **Religion** — a secondary funding area The foundation demonstrates a strong commitment to literacy promotion and has established dedicated funds to support this mission, including the Lawrence A. Sanders …
How do I apply for a grant from Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $25,000–$100,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$100,000 • Recent annual giving: $856,000–$923,500 **Grant Types:** The foundation provides both unrestricted donations and grants for specific programs, including support for literacy initiatives, early childhood education programs (such as phonics curricula), and community-based organizations. **Recent Grants (2024):** • Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County: $40,000 • First…
Where does Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in Florida, with 88% of grants staying within the state. Primary focus areas include Palm Beach County and surrounding regions in South Florida.
What size grants does Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc award?
In 2023, Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc awarded 63 grants totaling $838K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $937K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc's EIN?
Lawrence A Sanders Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-0270066. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
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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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