Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc, which operates publicly as Collaboratory, is a community foundation based in Fort Myers, Florida, and is classified as a public charity. Founded in 1976, it manages charitable funds, makes grants, and brings donors and regional partners together to address Southwest Florida’s social challenges.
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc gave $5.2M across 166 grants in 2025 (avg $31K), mostly in Florida. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,194,549
- -10.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 166
- -2.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $31,292
- -8.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $183,474,472
- +12.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (41 of 166, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (70% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
- Review Cycle
- October 5, 2026, at 5 p.m. EDT for the Community Infrastructure Coalition Grant cycle.
- Deadline
- October 5, 2026, at 5 p.m.
- Next open deadline
- December 7, 2026 (SWFL Women's Executive Leadership Program)
- Contact
Mailing address: 2031 Jackson St 100, Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: (239) 274-5900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
Collaboratory Scholarships
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Over $1.2 million annually
Deadline
Deadline not published
SWFL Women's Executive Leadership Program
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~December
Based on past cycles
Women's Legacy Fund
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
Amount
Membership: $250 - $10,000+
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Maine Community Foundation ($900K). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
758 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 620 grants of 758 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s Community Impact Grants encourage applications from organizations serving Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. Its website describes its coalition and community work as focused on Southwest Florida. In 2025, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida; other recipient-state shares included Maine (17%), Illinois (2%), North Carolina (2%), and Ohio (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 166 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 41 of 166 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.2M (2025) to $9.1M (2023). In 2025 it made 166 grants totaling $5.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Community Foundation Ellsworth, ME | General Operating Support | $900,000 |
| United Way of Lee Hendry Glades and Okeechobee Counties Fort Myers, FL | General Operating Support | $261,800 |
| Finemark National Bank & Trust Fort Myers, FL | General Operating Support | $260,185 |
| Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium Inc Fort Myers, FL | General Operating Support | $135,000 |
| Estero Forever Foundation Estero, FL | General Operating Support | $123,758 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Inc Fort Myers, FL | General Operating Support | $109,468 |
| University of Florida Foundation Gainesville, FL | General Operating Support | $103,150 |
| Holy Trinity High School Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida Inc Fort Myers, FL | General Operating Support | $90,632 |
| Lehigh Acres Community Services Inc Lehigh Acres, FL | General Operating Support | $86,744 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $183,474,472 | $31,414,260 | $19,680,699 | $5,194,549 | 166 | $10,185,417 |
| 2024 | $162,968,322 | $28,118,994 | $17,300,901 | $5,828,181 | 171 | $8,152,026 |
| 2023 | $159,037,731 | $21,592,217 | $16,701,607 | $9,140,347 | 152 | $2,013,606 |
| 2022 | $150,939,743 | $16,558,924 | $11,409,603 | $5,294,320 | 135 | $10,108,978 |
| 2021 | $181,291,713 | $17,799,065 | $11,228,850 | $5,816,556 | 134 | $9,888,711 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to coordinate the solving of Southwest Florida’s major social problems by 2040, with an emphasis on addressing root causes and upstream issues. Its website describes Community Impact Grants as supporting projects in workforce and education, health and wellness, and community infrastructure. It also describes coalition work focused on workforce and education, community infrastructure, and health and wellness.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says competitive grants are funded by field-of-interest and unrestricted funds and support the capacity of nonprofit organizations serving as the backbone for coalitions addressing systemic issues. The filing also describes donor-advised, designated, and agency funds, as well as scholarships. Scholarship awards follow donor intent and are distributed to educational institutions for the benefit of individual recipients.
Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, the United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades describes its work as improving quality of life and coordinating the local human-service network. Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties describes its mission as bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Lehigh Community Services describes providing referrals and emergency assistance for needs such as food, water, rent, and utilities while promoting self-sufficiency. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 166 grants totaling $5,194,549. The median grant was $15,000, with awards ranging from $5,200 to $900,000. The filing lists general operating support as the purpose for the largest grants.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $900,000 to Maine Community Foundation, $261,800 to United Way of Lee Hendry Glades and Okeechobee Counties, $260,185 to Finemark National Bank & Trust, $135,000 to Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, and $123,758 to Estero Forever Foundation. Other listed awards included $109,468 to Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, $103,150 to University of Florida Foundation, and $90,632 to Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida.
The foundation’s website describes a Community Infrastructure Coalition Grant cycle with applications open August 24 through October 5, 2026. The opportunity offers one $50,000 grant for a 12-month project addressing systems-level change in one of three areas: housing and transportation affordability, food environment score, or the share of residents with high-speed internet access. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and colleges and universities that primarily serve residents in the five-county region. Proposals are expected to explain how project activities contribute to lasting, measurable change; direct services may be included when designed to advance systems-level change.
The foundation also offers scholarships for students pursuing education and skills aligned with regional workforce needs, and a Women’s Legacy Fund through which members pool resources to make grant choices. Its SWFL Women’s Executive Leadership Program is a professional-development program for participants, not a grant program for outside applicants. The program’s listed opening session was January 14, 2026, a past date.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dawn Belamarich as chair/president; Gail Markham as chair; and Gary Griffin as vice chair and secretary/treasurer. Trustees listed are Dale Reiss, Damon Romanello, Fred Moon, Harrison S. Knight, Juan Bendeck, Julie Ben-Susan, and Karen Watson.
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc is led by Dawn Belamarich, Chair & President on every filing since 2024; 7 of 23 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dawn Belamarich
Chair & President
On filings since 2024
55 hrs/week
$91K (2024) → $298K (2025)
Gail Markham
Chair
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dale Reiss
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fred Moon
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harrison S. Knight
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juan Bendeck
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Ben-Susan
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Malike Adigun
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Jackson
Trustee
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Khandyce Mosely
Trustee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lillie Rentz
Trustee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosemary Fllori
Trustee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Watson
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Drasites
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Boy
Trustee
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Damon Romanello
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marina Nassif
CFO
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$105K (2023) → $94K (2025)
Jonathan Romine
Chief Operations Officer
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$160K (2024) → $158K (2025)
Joseph Braun
Chief Philanthropy Officer
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$102K (2025)
Tessa Lesage
Chief Impact Officer
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$168K (2024) → $170K (2025)
Alex Breault
Partnership Manager
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Sharon Ralston
CFO
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$121K (2025)
Gary Griffin
Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer
Trustee → Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Aysegul Timur (2021–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Chauncey Goss (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Terry Mazany (2023–2024) — Chief Collaboration Officer
- Former: Andrew Couse (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Carolyn Conant (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Hugh Kinsey Jr. (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Mary Beth Crawford (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Robbie Roepstorff (2021–2023) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Ronald E. Penn (2021–2023) — CFO
- Former: Sarah Owen (2021–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Shontra Powell (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Dennie Hamilton (2021–2022) — Chair
- Former: Indera Demine (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Alan Mandel (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Craig Folk (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Larry A. Hobbs (2021) — Immediate Pa
- Former: Peter Ocsody (2021) — Chief Strate
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $298K, to Dawn Belamarich (Chair/ President). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc
How much does Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc give each year?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc gave $5.2M across 166 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $5.8M across 171 grants.
What is Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $31,292, across 166 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc that year got $50K on average.
Where does Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc give grants?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc gives mostly in Florida: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maine (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Myers, FL (66 grants), Labelle, FL (6 grants), Bonita Springs, FL (5 grants) and Sanibel, FL (3 grants).
Does Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (166 of 166) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Maine Community Foundation ($900,000), United Way of Lee Hendry Glades and Okeechobee Counties ($261,800) and Finemark National Bank & Trust ($260,185), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc reported $183.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $31.4M.
What does Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to coordinate the solving of Southwest Florida’s major social problems by 2040, with an emphasis on addressing root causes and upstream issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's EIN?
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-6580974. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 9, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/southwest-florida-community-foundation-inc-morg_7ab91df4dc684b8992f658bff65d85c9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_596580974_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/southwest-florida-community-foundation-inc-morg_7ab91df4dc684b8992f658bff65d85c9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Southwest Florida Community 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.
Southwest Florida Community Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?