The Bear Family Foundation Inc
The Bear Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 2002 and based in Pensacola, Florida. The foundation provides charitable grants to nonprofit organizations, with a particular focus on serving Northwest Florida communities. The foundation derives its reputation from The Lewis Bear Company, a longtime family business located in Pensacola.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.1M
-0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.7M
+39.0% YoY
Grant Count
45
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+29.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bear Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $282K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To continue a family tradition of philanthropic giving through financial donations and volunteerism to our communities from generation to generation. To help support quality non-profit organizations which better the lives of those with needs living in Northwest Florida.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Art councils
- Zoos
- Hospitals
- Elementary education
- Heart disease
- Human services
- Education
- Science and STEM education
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that serve citizens of Northwest Florida.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Northwest Florida, with some grants extending to Georgia and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $4,109,736
- Total Revenue: $1,670,616
- Total Expenses: $1,695,666
- Net Income: -$25,050
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 0
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since September 2002
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,109,736 | $4,133,129 | $4,185,772 |
| Revenue | $1,670,616 | $1,173,665 | $1,695,743 |
| Expenses | $1,695,666 | $1,221,945 | $1,466,791 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,667,850 | $1,198,624 | $1,436,688 |
| Net Investment Income | $234,498 | $150,965 | $188,582 |
| Distributable Amount | $282,036 | $255,803 | $252,988 |
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
194 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Bear Family Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Baptist Healthcare Foundation ($900,000), Uwf Foundation Inc ($500,000), Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research ($27,303).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMIKIDS PENSACOLA INC PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| AUTISM PENSACOLA INC PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| BALLET PENSACOLA INC PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $3,000 |
| BAPTIST HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $900,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF NW FLORIDA PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $15,000 |
| CAPSTONE ADAPTIVE LEARNING PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA INC PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $4,000 |
| CHILDREN IN CRISIS INC FORT WALTON BEACH, FL | CHARITABLE | $2,500 |
| CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY OF FLORIDA PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY PENSACOLA, FL | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Bear Family Foundation Board of Directors consists of eight family members from the Lewis Bear Jr family across two generations:
- Lewis Bear Jr – Foundation Principal
- Belle Yates Bear – Board Member
- Lewis Bear III – Board Member
- Jennifer Taylor Bear – Board Member
- David Morris Bear – Board Member
- Cindi F. Bear – Board Member
- Cindi Bear Bonner – Board Member
- Joseph Chadwick Bonner – Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CINDI F BEAR | CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| BELLE Y BEAR | VICE CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| LEWIS BEAR III | TREASURER | — | — |
| JENNIFER M BEAR | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DAVID M BEAR | ASSISTANT SECRETARY/TREASU | — | — |
| JOSEPH C BONNER | SECRETARY | — | — |
| LAUREN Y BONNER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CINDI B BONNER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2020, the foundation granted $247,714 to local charities
Bear Family Foundation grants $247,714 in 2020 to local charitiesThe foundation has a history of significant annual giving to Northwest Florida nonprofits
Bear Family Foundation awards grants to Northwest Florida nonprofitsContact Information
- Website: www.bearfamilyfoundation.org
- Address: 6120 Enterprise Dr, Pensacola, FL 32505-1858
- Phone: 850-432-9368
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Bear Family Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission:** To continue a family tradition of philanthropic giving through financial donations and volunteerism to our communities from generation to generation. To help support quality non-profit organizations which better the lives of those with needs living in Northwest Florida. **Primary Funding Areas:** • Art councils • Zoos • Hospitals • Elementary education • Heart disease • Human services • Education • Science and STEM education • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Bear Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes grants to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that serve citizens of Northwest Florida. **Grant Activity:** • Made 35 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $1,665,803 • Typical award range: $1,020–$900,000 • Since 2003, the foundation has donated to more than 100 Northwest Florida nonprofit organizations **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • Pace Center for Girls: $17,000 • Escambia County Sheriff Foundation: $12,500 • Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC): $…
Where does The Bear Family Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Northwest Florida, with some grants extending to Georgia and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Bear Family Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Bear Family Foundation Inc awarded 45 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $37K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Bear Family Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Bear Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $282K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Bear Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Bear Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-3064392. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bear Family Foundation Inc'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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