The Giardina Family Foundation
The Giardina Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It supports charitable organizations, including schools and other community-serving organizations, and works closely with the MAX Charter School to help subsidize its operating costs.
Key facts about The Giardina Family Foundation
In short: The Giardina Family Foundation gave $150K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Louisiana. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 72-6186958
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $150,315
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $10,737
- Median grant
- $1,950
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (3 of 14, 2025)
- Total assets
- $610,250
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$610K
-11.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$150K
+62.2% YoY
Grant Count
14
+40.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+15.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Giardina Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $30K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Giardina Family Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 14 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 43% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 679% of 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes its direct charitable activity with the MAX Charter School, a 501(c)(3) charter school dedicated to educating students with dyslexia and other related learning differences.
Its 2025 grants show support for education, religious organizations, community services, and other charitable work. For example, the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana describes its mission as enhancing Catholic churches, parishes, schools, and services in South Louisiana. The Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department says it serves and protects Thibodaux and Lafourche Parish Fire District 4 through firefighting, prevention, emergency rescue, and public awareness.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $150,315. Grants ranged from $500 to $75,250, with a median grant of $1,950. The largest awards included $75,250 to NSU Foundation, $24,165 to Maxine Giardina Charter School, and $20,000 to Ed White Catholic High School. Other notable grants were $10,000 to the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana, $6,000 to Ascension Episcopal School, and $2,150 to the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department.
Ready to take the next step with The Giardina Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Louisiana and 1% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $64K (2021) to $227K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $150K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was NSU Foundation ($75K). Together the top 10 received $147K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 57 grants of 60 (95%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NSU Foundation Thibodaux, LA | To encourage contributions to help the university provide expanded opportunities for bright, talented men and women | $75,250 |
| Maxine Giardina Charter School Thibodaux, LA | Unrestricted Donations for Operation of School | $24,165 |
| Ed White Catholic High School Thibodaux, LA | To impart the catholic faith, promote academic excellence, and enhance self-esteem. | $20,000 |
| Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana Schriever, LA | To encourage and assist individuals, families and businesses in giving to catholic entities within the South Louisiana region. | $10,000 |
| Ascension Episcopal School Lafayette, LA | To promote a faith-filled environment of academic excellence in a christian environment. | $6,000 |
| Annual Bishop's Appeal Schriever, LA | Contribution | $5,000 |
| Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department Thibodaux, LA | To improve the services we provide to the community as well as provide for the overall safety of the firemen who provide those services. | $2,150 |
| St Joseph Seminary College St Benedict, LA | Contribution | $1,750 |
| Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center Thibodaux, LA | Since opening in 2003, crossroads pregnancy resource center (CPRC) has been serving women and families facing unplanned pregnancy in a safe, confidential, judgement-free environment. CPRC has served over 2,700 women and families in the five parish bayou region of lafourche, terrebone, assumption, st. Mary, and st. James. | $1,500 |
| Friends of the La Center for Women in Cgovernment & Business Thibodaux, LA | To Sponsor Louisiana Girls Leadership Academy | $1,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $610,250 | $53,173 | $207,259 | $150,315 |
| 2024 | $693,001 | $14,356 | $174,566 | $92,697 |
| 2023 | $733,016 | $93,420 | $198,228 | $118,359 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $610,250 | $693,001 | $733,016 |
| Revenue | $53,173 | $14,356 | $93,420 |
| Expenses | $207,259 | $174,566 | $198,228 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $203,786 | $164,330 | $193,975 |
| Net Investment Income | $107,331 | $25,935 | $22,526 |
| Distributable Amount | $30,010 | $34,339 | $38,033 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 13, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jacob Giardina as president, Jacob Giardina Jr as vice president, Helen Loeske as secretary, Ben Giardina as treasurer, and Anthony Giardina as a member.
The Giardina Family Foundation is led by Jacob Giardina, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jacob Giardina
President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Giardina
Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Giardina
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Loeske
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Giardina Jr.
Vice President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/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.
Contact
Mailing address: 918 East First Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301
Phone: (985) 448-1766
Frequently asked questions about The Giardina Family Foundation
How much does The Giardina Family Foundation give each year?
The Giardina Family Foundation gave $150K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $93K across 10 grants.
What is The Giardina Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Giardina Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,950, and its average grant was $10,737, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Giardina Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Giardina Family Foundation give grants?
The Giardina Family Foundation gives mostly in Louisiana: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Thibodaux, LA (8 grants), Schriever, LA (2 grants) and Saint Benedict, LA (2 grants).
Does The Giardina Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 21% of The Giardina Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Giardina Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Giardina Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include NSU Foundation ($75,250), Maxine Giardina Charter School ($24,165) and Ed White Catholic High School ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Giardina Family Foundation?
The Giardina Family Foundation reported $610K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $204K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $30K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Giardina Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes its direct charitable activity with the MAX Charter School, a 501(c)(3) charter school dedicated to educating students with dyslexia and other related learning differences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Giardina Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Giardina Family Foundation's EIN?
The Giardina Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-6186958. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Giardina Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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