Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation

BAY ST LOUIS, MS EIN: 72-1373522

The Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1997 and based in Bay St Louis, Mississippi. The foundation operates as a family foundation with a focus on supporting educational, cultural, and community-based initiatives primarily in the Gulf Coast region.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.6M

+1.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$563K

+8.6% YoY

Grant Count

+3.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+5.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $620K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily for:

Education — including educational outreach and innovative teaching initiatives
Arts and Culture — support of arts organizations and cultural and historical awareness
Human Services — community outreach and support programs
Religious Purposes — Christian outreach
Youth Development — youth sports promotion
Health Organizations

Grantmaking

No application process information is available in verified sources.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Mississippi
Louisiana
North Carolina

With particular emphasis on the Gulf Coast region, including the Bay St Louis and surrounding areas.

Grant Distribution by State

Mississippi $1.7M (74%)

Louisiana $274K (12%)

Alabama $80K (4%)

Tennessee $80K (4%)

South Carolina $55K (2%)

Connecticut $35K (2%)

Colorado $30K (1%)

Wyoming $23K (1%)

+8 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Louisiana Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi North Carolina Oregon South Carolina Tennessee Vermont Wyoming

Cities

AmherstBaton RougeBay Saint LouisBay St LouisBiloxiBostonBoxBurlingtonClemsonClevelandClintonColumbusCoulumbusDiamondheadDibervilleDurhamFlorenceGulfportHamiltonHattiesburg

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $11,569,322
Total Revenues: $745,883
Total Expenses: $613,310

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $11,431,749
Total Revenues: $79,071
Total Expenses: $591,185

As of 2023 (alternate source):

Total Assets: $11.4 million
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$11,569,322	$11,431,749	$11,924,663
Revenue	$745,883	$79,071	$-132,739
Expenses	$613,310	$591,185	$795,649
Qualifying Distributions	$565,745	$547,043	$733,688
Net Investment Income	$615,921	$261,411	$185,876
Distributable Amount	$619,623	$586,254	$633,464

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience ($50,000), City of Bay St Louis Mississippi ($48,557), Feeding the Gulf Coast ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
100 MEN DBA HALL (HUNDRED MEMBERS DEBATING BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION) BAY SAINT LOUIS, MS	PROMOTION OF CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL AWARENESS	$5,000
THE ANDREW MCDONOUGH B FOUNDATION WILMINGTON, DE	TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND FUND CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH.	$850
BAY RATZ MARCHING BAND BAY ST LOUIS, MS	COMMUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM	$2,500
BETHESDA FREE CLINIC (BETHESDA FREE HEALTH CLINIC OF D'IBERVILLE) DIBERVILLE, MS	MEDICAL SERVICES FOR HOMELESS	$15,000
BWYC COMMUNITY SAILING FOUNDATION INC BAY ST LOUIS, MS	EDUCATION/COMMUNITY YOUTH PROGRAM/OLYMPIC SPORT	$10,000
BYOBIKES BAY SAINT LOUIS, MS	COMMUNITY YOUTH OUTREACH	$3,000
CATCH-A-DREAM FOUNDATION STARKVILLE, MS	HUNTING AND FISHING EXPERIENCES TO CHILDREN 18 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER WHO HAVE A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS	$10,000
CITY OF BAY ST LOUIS MISSISSIPPI BAY ST LOUIS, MS	CITY NEEDS	$48,557
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION CLEMSON, SC	SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP	$5,000
COAST CHORALE DIAMONDHEAD, MS	PROMOTION OF CULTURAL AND MUSICAL ARTS EXHANGE PROGRAMS	$1,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
LEO W SEAL III	PRESIDENT	1	—
WALLACE LEE SEAL	SECRETARY/TREASURER	1	—
CLAY WAGNER	VICE PRESIDENT	1	—
JOHN BAXTER	VICE PRESIDENT	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2026

The foundation has been actively promoting educational innovation through the **Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants** program, which awards grants to Mississippi teachers for innovative teaching practices. In 2026, 10 Mississippi teachers were awarded these grants. The foundation also held a Leo W. Seal Award Luncheon in 2025 to present grants to teachers.

2026 Leo W. Seal Innovative Teacher Grants awarded to 10 Mississippi teachers

Contact Information

Address: PO Box 3720, Bay St Louis, MS 39521-3720

Telephone: 228-641-4505

EIN: 72-1373522

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation fund?

The foundation gives primarily for: • **Education** — including educational outreach and innovative teaching initiatives • **Arts and Culture** — support of arts organizations and cultural and historical awareness • **Human Services** — community outreach and support programs • **Religious Purposes** — Christian outreach • **Youth Development** — youth sports promotion • **Health Organizations**

How do I apply for a grant from Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 90 grants in 2023 • Made 40 grants in 2024 (with 37 additional grants totaling $373,217) • Typical grant awards range from $500 to $80,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • The Louisiana Music and Heritage Experience: $50,000 (Promotion of Cultural and Historical Awareness) • The Hancock Health Foundation: $20,000 (Support of Hospital Foundation) • Feeding the Gulf Coast: $20,000 (Food/shelter Community Outreach) • Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra: $1,000 (Local Suppor…

Where does Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Mississippi • Louisiana • North Carolina With particular emphasis on the Gulf Coast region, including the Bay St Louis and surrounding areas.

What size grants does Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation awarded 62 grants totaling $563K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $620K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation's EIN?

Leo W Seal Jr Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-1373522. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.