The Saunders Foundation
The Saunders Foundation is a private foundation based in Tampa, Florida. It supports charitable organizations, with grants approved primarily for the Tampa Bay area.
The Saunders Foundation at a glance
In short: The Saunders Foundation gave $470K across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Florida. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $470,000
- -30.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,364
- -33.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $11,977,988
- +4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (9 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Saunders Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Applications are submitted on forms provided by The Saunders Foundation. The filing lists Kathleeen Belmonte as the contact and says grants are approved primarily for the Tampa Bay geographic area.
- Review Cycle
- Applications are accepted at any time.
- Deadline
- Applications are accepted at any time.
- Contact
Application contact: Kathleeen Belmonte
Mailing address: PO Box 10477, Tampa, FL 33679
Phone: (813) 229-0804
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Saunders Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Museum of Science and Industry ($200K). Together the top 10 received $387K.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 123 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing says grants are approved primarily for the Tampa Bay area. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida, 1% to North Carolina, and less than 1% to the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Saunders Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 22 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 65% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $470K (2024) to $713K (2021). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $470K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Museum of Science and Industry Tampa, FL | For Digital Dome Theatre project. | $200,000 |
| Oasis Opportunities Tampa, FL | For mobile clothing closet and pop-up shop and Socks and Underwear for Students program. | $40,000 |
| Champions for Children Tampa, FL | For abcProgram's Baby Caf breastfeeding support clinics and service, Kids on the Block educational puppet program, and children's holiday needs. | $30,000 |
| Judeo Christian Health Clinic Inc Tampa, FL | For Referral Specialist position. | $25,000 |
| Voices for Children of Tampa Bay In Tampa, FL | For the Saunders Necessities Closet. | $20,000 |
| Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay Inc Tampa, FL | For the Foster Grandparent program. | $15,000 |
| Eckerd College St Petersburg, FL | For the O'Brien Off Annual scholarship. | $15,000 |
| Children's Home Network Tampa, FL | For CARES program - campus activities, recreation, and education services. | $15,000 |
| More Health Inc Tampa, FL | For nutritional continuum for Hillsborough Co. program. | $15,000 |
| Tampa Metroplitan Area YMCA Inc Tampa, FL | For YMCA Reads program. | $12,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Saunders Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,977,988 | $1,166,350 | $669,600 | $470,000 | 22 | $572,044 | $1,068,794 | $881,077 |
| 2023 | $11,481,238 | $525,649 | $905,759 | $677,000 | 21 | $784,995 | $416,884 | $830,512 |
| 2022 | $11,861,348 | $1,053,543 | $910,235 | $681,200 | 25 | $786,567 | $945,875 | $862,629 |
| 2021 | $11,718,040 | $1,256,560 | $928,729 | $713,149 | 29 | $809,549 | $1,149,366 | $893,997 |
| 2020 | $11,390,209 | $675,110 | $887,177 | $712,250 | 26 | — | $590,339 | $820,596 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Saunders Foundation reported a distributable amount of $881K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and projects. For example, Champions for Children describes its work as serving children and parents, with a special focus on children ages 0–5; Judeo Christian Health Clinic says it provides free health, dental, and eye care to medically indigent people; and More Health describes its work as providing health and injury-prevention education for children, teens, and families.
Other 2024 grantees describe work including volunteer engagement to address community challenges (Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay), undergraduate liberal arts education (Eckerd College), rehabilitation services for people who are blind or visually impaired (Lighthouse of Pinellas), support for economically disadvantaged children and families (Cornerstone Family Ministries), and performing arts and education (Stageworks).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $470,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $200,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest award was $200,000 to the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa for its Digital Dome Theatre project. Other notable awards included $40,000 to Oasis Opportunities for its mobile clothing closet, pop-up shop, and student socks and underwear program; $30,000 to Champions for Children; and $25,000 to Judeo Christian Health Clinic.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists the following trustees: Solon F O’Neal Jr, George B Howell III, Kathleen J Belmonte, Fred Dobbins, and Susan O Thompson.
The Saunders Foundation's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Fred Dobbins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2024)
George B Howell III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Kathleen J Belmonte
Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $24K (2024)
Solon F O'Neal Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2024)
Susan O Thompson
Trustee
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$2K (2021) → $12K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $24K, to Kathleen J Belmonte (Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Saunders Foundation
How much does The Saunders Foundation give each year?
The Saunders Foundation gave $470K across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $677K across 21 grants.
What is The Saunders Foundation's typical grant size?
The Saunders Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $21,364, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Saunders Foundation that year got $35K on average.
Where does The Saunders Foundation give grants?
The Saunders Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tampa, FL (17 grants) and St Petersburg, FL (2 grants).
Does The Saunders Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on The Saunders Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Saunders Foundation's largest grantees?
The Saunders Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Museum of Science and Industry ($200,000), Oasis Opportunities ($40,000) and Champions for Children ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Saunders Foundation?
The Saunders Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $572K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $881K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Saunders Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Saunders Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Saunders Foundation's EIN?
The Saunders Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-6152326. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Saunders Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Saunders Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-saunders-foundation-morg_d37a5192f81c42a88080d8109439f885
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_596152326_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Saunders Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-saunders-foundation-morg_d37a5192f81c42a88080d8109439f885},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 The Saunders 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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