The Patterson Foundation
The Patterson Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Sarasota, Florida, established in 1997. Founded by Dorothy Patterson in honor of her late husband Jim Patterson, a West Point graduate, the foundation began with an initial corpus of $3 million. When Dorothy Patterson passed away in 2008, she left a bequest that grew the foundation to over $200 million, making it one of the 10 largest charitable bequests in the United States that year.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$303.9M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.0M
-18.3% YoY
Grant Count
12
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$751K
-25.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Patterson Foundation's approach to philanthropy centers on advancing philanthropic leadership, converting aspirations to actions, and generating community impact. The foundation operates approximately 24 active initiatives at any given time.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Health Care
While much of the foundation's efforts focus on strengthening Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties in Florida—with 70 percent of funds staying within this four-county region—the foundation also works beyond traditional geographic boundaries, tapping into expansive networks and movements working toward shared aspirations. The foundation learns insights and best practices from broader networks, which are applied to strengthen initiatives locally and shared far and wide.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $100,000 to $3 million, with recent grants documented at $22,500 to $9,016,750.
Invitation Only
** The Patterson Foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests or proposals. The foundation operates through an invitation-only/proactive partnerships model with no public application process. Limited opportunities exist through specific programs.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary focus areas: Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties in Florida, with 70 percent of foundation funds remaining within this four-county region.
The foundation also funds nationally and internationally, with documented grants to institutions in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and beyond.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $303,914,597 (2025); $279 million (2023)
Total Revenues: $16,554,394 (2025)
Total Expenses: $16,884,899 (2025)
Annual Giving: $5,932,256 (2023); $9,013,539 (2025)
Total Liabilities: $2.4 million (2023)
The foundation is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations are tax deductible.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $303,914,597 | $290,506,568 | $279,008,014 |
| Revenue | $16,554,394 | $16,423,583 | $14,565,549 |
| Expenses | $16,884,899 | $18,975,717 | $11,842,436 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,432,474 | $17,480,133 | $11,310,815 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,308,743 | $16,877,084 | $17,947,826 |
| Distributable Amount | $14,033,257 | $13,713,539 | $13,015,841 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Debra M. Jacobs – President and CEO
- John T. Berteau – Chair of Designation Committee
- Dan Bailey – Designation Committee member
- Ric Gregoria – Designation Committee member
- Northern Trust – Trustee
The foundation employs 14-18 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN T BERTEAU | CHAIRMAN EMERITUS | 3 | — |
| RIC GREGORIA | CHAIRMAN | 3 | — |
| CHARLES D BAILEY JR | VICE CHAIRMAN | 3 | — |
| DEBRA JACOBS | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $447,858 |
| NORTHERN TRUST | TRUSTEE | 40 | $732,402 |
| DAVE BULLOCK | GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
| CATHY LAYTON | GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Patterson Foundation has been actively engaged in disaster relief efforts in response to recent hurricanes affecting southwest Florida. In September and October 2024, the foundation committed significant resources to immediate relief and long-term recovery initiatives through partnerships with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, supporting both Season of Sharing and the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund.
Patterson Foundation announces Q1 grant awardsThe foundation has also made scholarship contributions to educational institutions, including awards to support student scholarships at various universities.
Patterson Foundation announces Q1 grant awardsContact Information
Address: 2 North Tamiami Trail, Suite 206, Sarasota, FL 34236
Website: thepattersonfoundation.org
Phone: 1-941-952-1413
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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