Naples Children Foundation Inc
The Naples Children and Education Foundation (NCEF), now operating as the Naples Children Foundation (NCF), is a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation established in 2000 and headquartered in Naples, Florida at 2590 Goodlette-Frank Road North. The organization is dedicated to creating lasting change for vulnerable children in Collier County through strategic grantmaking, research-backed investments, and collaborative partnerships. Over 25 years, the foundation has impacted approximately 385,000 children and supported close to 90 nonprofit organizations through grants and initiatives.
Key facts about Naples Children Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 65-1001650
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $26,078,280
- Grants made (2025)
- 50
- Average grant
- $521,566
- Median grant
- $200,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (10 of 50, 2025)
- Total assets
- $130,433,725
- Primary geography
- Florida (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Naples Children Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Naples Children Foundation Inc's 50 itemized 2025 grants were Florida (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Naples, FL (31 grants), Fort Myers, FL (5 grants), Immokalee, FL (4 grants) and Tallahassee, FL (2 grants). None of its 50 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (50 grants).
Is Naples Children Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 50 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $868K; repeat grants $435K. How we count
Medians: $600K first-time, $200K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Naples Children Foundation Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$130.4M
+23.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$26.1M
+53.5% YoY
Grant Count
50
+11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$522K
+38.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To create lasting change by investing in proven programs that transform the lives of vulnerable children in Collier County. Through strong partnerships, the foundation bridges gaps in child advocacy, education and healthcare—delivering measurable results that empower children, strengthen families and transform communities.
The foundation addresses the lack of services to at-risk and underserved children in Collier County, where 68% of youth live in poverty. Primary focus areas include:
Early Learning Initiative in Immokalee: Improves access to quality early learning programs with services to enhance teacher quality and support children's development. Efforts include partnerships providing behavior analysis, professional development for teachers, and initiatives to close the school readiness gap. The foundation has doubled childcare scholarships supporting high-quality early childhood education providers.
Out-of-School Time Initiative in Immokalee: Provides purposeful programs for at-risk students to enhance academic performance and overall well-being through resource leveraging, capacity expansion, academic support, and enrichment opportunities. Services offer academic and resiliency support for at-risk students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Children's Oral Health Initiative: Provides dental care to at-risk and underprivileged children. The foundation spearheaded a public-private partnership to build and maintain the NCEF Pediatric Dental Center at Florida Southwestern State College in East Naples, which opened in December 2008 and has served over 204,763 pediatric patients.
Grantmaking
The foundation awards annual grants to nonprofit organizations supporting underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County. Recent grant distributions include:
Ready to take the next step with Naples Children Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation exclusively funds programs and organizations serving Collier County, Florida, with particular emphasis on the Immokalee area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 50 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 Financial Data:
- Total Assets: $105,612,341
- Total Revenues: $40,056,788
- Total Expenses: $21,370,773
- Number of Employees: 21
Fundraising: The Naples Winter Wine Festival, the foundation's annual marquee fundraising event established in 2001, has raised more than $366 million since inception. The festival is one of the world's most prestigious charity wine auctions, bringing together renowned vintners, chefs, wine enthusiasts, and philanthropists for a three-day event.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $130,433,725 | $105,612,341 | $84,162,833 |
| Revenue | $47,618,532 | $40,056,788 | $31,306,621 |
| Expenses | $30,388,066 | $21,370,773 | $22,474,245 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $9,485,812 | $2,329,802 | $1,955,383 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 14, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
244 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include University of Florida Foundation Inc ($3,031,030), Healthcare Network ($2,797,767), David Lawrence Mental Health Center Inc ($2,169,351).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION INC Gainsville, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $3,031,030 |
| HEALTHCARE NETWORK Immokalee, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,797,767 |
| DAVID LAWRENCE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER INC Naples, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,169,351 |
| THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC Tallahassee, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,808,000 |
| NAMI COLLIER COUNTY Naples, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,719,982 |
| LEE HEALTH SYSTEM INC Ft Myers, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,469,008 |
| BASCOM PALMER Naples, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,352,340 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF COLLIER COUNTY Naples, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,144,583 |
| MIAMI CHILDREN'S HEALTH SYSTEM INC Miami, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY FDN Fort Myers, FL | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $945,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chief Executive Officer: Maria Jimenez-Lara
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Medford | Chairman | 1 | — |
| Robert Heidt Jr | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Max Guinn | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Rick Germain | Immediate Past Chair | 1 | — |
| Bill Beynon | Director | 1 | — |
| Debbi Cary | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeff Gargiulo | Director | 1 | — |
| Sherie Marek | Director | 1 | — |
| Stephanie Pezeshkan | Director | 1 | — |
| Harry Rose | Director | 1 | — |
| Ralph Stayer | Director | 1 | — |
| Julia Van Domelen | Director | 1 | — |
| Patrick Zenner | Director | 1 | — |
| Maria Jimenez-Lara | CEO | 50 | $289,408 |
| Joan Larson | CFO | 50 | $246,281 |
| Lisa Juliano | SVP NWWF & Event Production | 50 | $210,886 |
| Sarah Saizer | SVP Grants & Community Impact | 50 | $195,436 |
| Jacqueline Wickert | SVP Branding & Marketing | 50 | $192,299 |
| Sandra Calad | Accounting Manager | 40 | $107,704 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to make record-breaking grant distributions to Collier County nonprofits. Recent announcements highlight investments exceeding $30 million annually to support vulnerable children through strategic initiatives focused on early learning, out-of-school programming, and healthcare access. The foundation's approach emphasizes data-driven solutions, collaborative partnerships, and measurable outcomes rather than traditional charitable giving.
Naples Children Foundation Invests More Than $30.6 Million in NonprofitsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Naples Children Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** To create lasting change by investing in proven programs that transform the lives of vulnerable children in Collier County. Through strong partnerships, the foundation bridges gaps in child advocacy, education and healthcare—delivering measurable results that empower children, strengthen families and transform communities. The foundation addresses the lack of services to at-risk and underserved children in Collier County, where 68% of youth live in poverty. Primary focus areas incl…
How do I apply for a grant from Naples Children Foundation Inc?
The foundation awards annual grants to nonprofit organizations supporting underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County. Recent grant distributions include: • **2023-2024:** Nearly $25.6 million awarded to approximately 50 Collier County nonprofits. Funds were distributed across three categories: traditional beneficiaries (39 organizations receiving over $6.8 million in traditional grants), initiative organizations and blueprint partners, and reserves for future grants and initiatives.…
Where does Naples Children Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation exclusively funds programs and organizations serving Collier County, Florida, with particular emphasis on the Immokalee area.
What size grants does Naples Children Foundation Inc award?
In 2025, Naples Children Foundation Inc awarded 50 grants totaling $26.1M — an average of about $522K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Naples Children Foundation Inc's EIN?
Naples Children Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1001650. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.