Stellar Foundation
Stellar Foundation is a private foundation based in Jacksonville, Florida. Established by Stellar in 2006, it supports charitable organizations and community programs, with grantmaking for 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in healthcare, education, artistic and cultural events, or community services.
Stellar Foundation at a glance
In short: Stellar Foundation gave $576K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Florida. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $575,567
- +34.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -29.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,857
- +89.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $26,361
- +29.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (7 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Stellar Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation evaluates proposals quarterly. Applicants should complete its grant application and mail it with the requested materials, including proof of 501(c)(3) status, board and funding-source information, an annual report, and an audited financial statement. The application also requests organizational and project descriptions, evaluation criteria, a long-term sustainability strategy, and a capital project budget summary. The foundation excludes, among other things, applications for operating costs, individual grants or scholarships, educational loans, medical research projects, and political organizations. Religious organizations are excluded unless they undertake a significant project benefiting a broad base of the community.
- Review Cycle
- Applications are due by the first of February, May, August, or November. For the next listed cycle, the deadline is November 1, 2026, with awards scheduled by December 1.
- Deadline
- Applications are due by the first of February, May, August, or November.
- Contact
Application contact: Stellar Foundation
Mailing address: 2900 Hartley Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257
Phone: (904) 260-2900
Website: https://stellar.net
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Stellar Foundation
Who Stellar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Flordia Foundation ($280K). Together the top 10 received $550K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 123 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida; the remaining reported shares went to Georgia (2%), Massachusetts (2%), and Maryland (1%), with Louisiana listed at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stellar Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 17 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $47K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $228K (2020) to $576K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $576K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Flordia Foundation Gainesville, FL | General support to support educational programs and institutional priorities. | $280,000 |
| UNF Foundation Jacksonville, FL | General support to ignite a passion for learning and discovery. | $67,500 |
| Uf Health Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL | General support to support patient care, medical education, and health initiatives. | $60,000 |
| Deerwood Rotary Charities Inc Middleburg, FL | General support to support charitable programs and community service initiatives. | $40,000 |
| Jewish Community Alliance Jacksonville, FL | General support to support community programs, education, and cultural engagement. | $30,000 |
| FBH Community Inc Daytona Beach, FL | General support to provide communitybased services and supportive programs. | $20,000 |
| Flagler College Saint Augustine, FL | General support to foster intellectual, social, and personal transformation in students. | $15,000 |
| Uf Foundation Gainesville, FL | General Support to Promote the University. | $15,000 |
| The Wuerffel Foundation Atlanta, GA | General support to promote character development and servicefocused initiatives. | $12,000 |
| Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Jacksonville, FL | General support to support wildlife conservation, education, and public engagement | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Stellar Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,361 | $582,500 | $576,529 | $575,567 | 17 | $576,529 | $2,774 |
| 2024 | $20,390 | $438,700 | $430,730 | $429,550 | 24 | $430,730 | $1,554 |
| 2023 | $32,581 | $333,030 | $273,539 | $272,630 | 23 | $273,539 | $902 |
| 2022 | $47,090 | $371,500 | $421,476 | $420,550 | 29 | $421,476 | $1,366 |
| 2021 | $23,066 | $287,650 | $293,476 | $292,460 | 30 | $293,476 | $1,623 |
| 2020 | $31,892 | $244,970 | $229,106 | $228,415 | 26 | — | $713 |
| 2019 | $13,028 | $320,689 | $317,288 | $316,970 | 44 | — | $722 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stellar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to build communities by developing an environment that supports stronger families and promotes a cycle of giving. Its grant application criteria cover healthcare, education, artistic and cultural events, and community services. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits with the resources and personnel to carry out their proposed goals.
The 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. Deerwood Rotary Charities describes its work as charitable functions with an emphasis on youth. Jewish Community Alliance says it seeks to strengthen Jewish life and enhance the quality of life of the entire community. FBH Community describes programs addressing children’s potential, hunger, and homelessness. Flagler College says it fosters students’ intellectual, social, and personal transformation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $575,567. Grants ranged from $250 to $280,000, with a median grant of $12,000.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $280,000 to University of Florida Foundation for educational programs and institutional priorities; $67,500 to UNF Foundation for learning and discovery; $60,000 to UF Health Jacksonville for patient care, medical education, and health initiatives; $40,000 to Deerwood Rotary Charities; and $30,000 to Jewish Community Alliance. Other listed grants included $20,000 to FBH Community, $15,000 each to Flagler College and UF Foundation, $12,000 to The Wuerffel Foundation, and $10,000 each to Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Clint E Pyle, Mike S Santarone, Richard M Lovelace, Mike A Wodrich, and Melissa J Sitz as directors.
Stellar Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Clint E. Pyle
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa J. Sitz
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike A. Wodrich
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike S. Santarone
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard M. Lovelace
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Stellar Foundation
How much does Stellar Foundation give each year?
Stellar Foundation gave $576K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $430K across 24 grants.
What is Stellar Foundation's typical grant size?
Stellar Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $33,857, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stellar Foundation that year got $47K on average.
Where does Stellar Foundation give grants?
Stellar Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Jacksonville, FL (7 grants) and Gainesville, FL (2 grants).
Does Stellar Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Stellar Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Stellar Foundation's largest grantees?
Stellar Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Flordia Foundation ($280,000), UNF Foundation ($67,500) and Uf Health Jacksonville ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Stellar Foundation?
Stellar Foundation reported $26K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $577K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Stellar Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to build communities by developing an environment that supports stronger families and promotes a cycle of giving. Its grant application criteria cover healthcare, education, artistic and cultural events, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stellar Foundation?
The foundation evaluates proposals quarterly. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Stellar Foundation's EIN?
Stellar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3808875. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Stellar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stellar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stellar-foundation-morg_e41caa621d044c3b8527f4aa5092252f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203808875_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stellar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stellar-foundation-morg_e41caa621d044c3b8527f4aa5092252f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Stellar Foundation'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.
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