The George and Mary Jo Sanders
The George and Mary Jo Sanders Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Myers, Florida. Established in 1994, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations primarily in the Fort Myers area and surrounding regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.0M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$273K
-2.0% YoY
Grant Count
47
+11.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-12.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The George and Mary Jo Sanders reported a distributable amount of $352K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations based on letter applications and review by the board of trustees.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Health
- Social services
- Christian organizations and churches
- Children and youth
- Arts and culture
- Police and fire departments
- Science and STEM education
Grantmaking
The Foundation accepts applications and reviews them through a letter application process evaluated by the board of trustees.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $34,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Fort Myers, Florida, with additional grantmaking activity in South Carolina and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2022):
- Total assets: $5,327,780
- Total revenues: $230,382
- Total expenses: $475,122
- Total giving: $290,000
- Giving rate: 5.4% of assets
Staffing:
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,037,324 | $5,117,639 | $5,327,780 |
| Revenue | $395,487 | $234,136 | $230,382 |
| Expenses | $477,454 | $442,008 | $475,122 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $359,161 | $348,660 | $363,623 |
| Net Investment Income | $282,276 | $140,788 | $118,883 |
| Distributable Amount | $352,150 | $332,390 | $353,610 |
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
236 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Florida Foundation Inc - Ifas ($30,500), Community Cooperative Ministries ($20,000), Lee Memorial Health Systems Foundation ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS FORT MYERS, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $2,500 |
| ARTFEST FORT MYERS INC FORT MYERS, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| BABCOCK NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL INC BABCOCK RANCH, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $3,000 |
| BILTMORE CHURCH OF CHRIST ARDEN, NC | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $3,000 |
| BLACKVILLE CEMETERY CO INC BLACKVILLE, SC | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $1,000 |
| COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE MINISTRIES FORT MYERS, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $20,000 |
| CROSSPOINT CHURCH CLEMSON, SC | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| CTN10 PUNTA GORDA, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| DESIRE STREET MINISTRIES ATLANTA, GA | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| ECHO INC NORTH FORT MYERS, FL | SUPPORT FOR CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Mary Jo Walker — President (as of 2024)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARY JO WALKER | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | 10 | $48,000 |
| MICHAEL C SANDERS | DIRECTOR/VICE PRES | — | — |
| RICHARD O HILLIKER | DIRECTOR | 5 | $16,358 |
| MICHAEL A SANDERS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The George and Mary Jo Sanders fund?
The Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations based on letter applications and review by the board of trustees. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Health • Social services • Christian organizations and churches • Children and youth • Arts and culture • Police and fire departments • Science and STEM education
How do I apply for a grant from The George and Mary Jo Sanders?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $1,000 to $34,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Average annual giving: approximately $273,000–$290,000 • Number of grants: approximately 47 grants annually **Types of Support:** • General operating support • Project support • Support for charitable activities **Application Process:** The Foundation accepts applications and reviews them through a letter application process evaluated by the board of trustees. **Recent Grants (2022):** • Lee Memorial Healt…
Where does The George and Mary Jo Sanders make grants?
The Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Fort Myers, Florida, with additional grantmaking activity in South Carolina and North Carolina.
What size grants does The George and Mary Jo Sanders award?
In 2024, The George and Mary Jo Sanders awarded 47 grants totaling $273K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The George and Mary Jo Sanders required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The George and Mary Jo Sanders reported a distributable amount of $352K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The George and Mary Jo Sanders's EIN?
The George and Mary Jo Sanders's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-3189770. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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