Lawson Family Charitable Foundation
The Lawson Family Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1998 and based in Fort Myers, Florida. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status since March 1998. It functions as a non-operating private foundation governed by a board of trustees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$337K
-1.2% YoY
Grant Count
21
-8.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+8.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly available mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports educational opportunities, programs benefiting children and families affected by autism, general fund support, and program upkeep at selected organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected grantees basis only, meaning it does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation makes contributions exclusively to organizations it has predetermined to support.
Grant Range
$5,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus on:
- Florida
- Iowa
- Illinois
- California
Iowa, Florida, and Illinois account for approximately 72% of all grants made. The foundation has supported 34 unique organizations across these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $6.13 million
- Total Revenues: $1.23 million
- Total Expenses: $420,000
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $341,000
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Grants and contributions: $220,952
- Investment income and dividends: $158,097
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $3 million in 2011 to $6.13 million in 2023.
Staffing: The foundation operates with limited staffing and no paid employees, relying entirely on volunteer trustees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
112 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Iowa State University Foundation ($115,000), Lee County United Way ($40,000), Hand in Hand ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BENJAMIN'S HOPE HOLLAND, MI | SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY AUTISM | $10,000 |
| DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM SAN JOSE, CA | SUPPORT OF PROGRAMS | $2,000 |
| FISH OF SANIBEL CAPTIVA INC SANIBEL, FL | GENERAL FUND | $15,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY NORTH FORT MYERS, FL | GENERAL FUND | $5,000 |
| HAND IN HAND BETTENDORF, IA | EDUCATIONAL | $30,000 |
| HEIGHTS FOUNDATION FORT MYERS, FL | GENERAL FUND | $15,000 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY CYCLONE CLUB AMES, IA | EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES | $7,500 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION AMES, IA | GREATER UNIVERSITY FUND | $115,000 |
| KAPPA ALPHA THETA FOUNDATION INDIANAPOLIS, IN | SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS TO ATTEND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS | $3,000 |
| LEE COUNTY UNITED WAY FORT MYERS, FL | GENERAL FUND | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by five officers and trustees:
- John K Lawson (Trustee, Principal Officer)
- Suzanne D Lawson (Trustee)
- Robert J Lawson (Trustee)
- Jennifer Scavins (Trustee)
- Ann L Reed (Trustee)
All trustees serve without compensation and on a volunteer basis.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN K LAWSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| SUZANNE D LAWSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ROBERT JLAWSON | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JENNIFER SCAVINS | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ANN L REED | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation maintains a website at lawsonfamilyfoundation.org and continues active grantmaking operations. Recent grant activity demonstrates ongoing support for educational institutions, community service organizations, and programs addressing autism and family services in its primary funding regions.
Lawson Family Foundation Fund Awards VOACC $100,641 Renewal Grant for Market\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lawson Family Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly available mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports educational opportunities, programs benefiting children and families affected by autism, general fund support, and program upkeep at selected organizations.
How do I apply for a grant from Lawson Family Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 26 grants in 2023 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $110,000 • Average award: $13,000 • Historical total: 68 grants totaling $893,000 across available records • Annual distribution: Between $274,000 and $322,000 from 2020 to 2022 **Recent Grants (2023):** • Iowa State University Foundation: $110,000 (Greater University Fund) • The United Way of Lee County: $40,000 (General Fund) • Hand in Hand: $25,000 (Educational) **Application Process:** The foun…
Where does Lawson Family Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus on: • Florida • Iowa • Illinois • California Iowa, Florida, and Illinois account for approximately 72% of all grants made. The foundation has supported 34 unique organizations across these regions.
What size grants does Lawson Family Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Lawson Family Charitable Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $337K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Lawson Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Lawson Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4199442. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lawson Family Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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