The St Joe Community Foundation

PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL EIN: 59-3576402

The St. Joe Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation established in 1999 and based in Panama City Beach, Florida. The foundation is a separate entity from The St. Joe Company, a major land developer in the region, though it is funded exclusively through transfer fees collected on the sale of residential real estate in certain communities developed by The St. Joe Company. These fees apply to both initial property sales and resales.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.8M

-16.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$5.5M

+4.7% YoY

Grant Count

132

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$41K

+4.7% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's mission is to enrich the quality of life for the people who live, work, and play in Northwest Florida. The foundation provides grants to other 501(c)(3) entities focused on four primary pillars:

  • Education: Projects and initiatives to improve the educational process or access to education in the community
  • Environmental Stewardship: Projects and initiatives that protect, preserve, and restore the communities' natural resources
  • Healthcare: Projects and initiatives that positively impact physical health, mental health, and overall wellness in the community
  • Cultural Arts: Projects and initiatives essential to cultivating, developing, educating, and improving cultural experiences in the community

Grantmaking

Organizations must be recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The foundation does not fund organizations whose purpose for the grant is political or religious activities. Organizations should be based in Bay or Walton County or may be recognized as a County Chapter of a state or national charity serving residents of Bay or Walton County.

Grant Range

s and Statistics:**

Ready to take the next step with The St Joe Community Foundation?

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily focuses on Bay and Walton counties in Northwest Florida, though it also supports organizations in Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The foundation has a particular emphasis on Bay and Walton counties.

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Cities

ApalachicolaAtlantaBirminghamBonifayBristolChipleyClearwaterClermontDania BeachDefunaik SpringsDefuniak SpringsDestinDestubEglin AfbFort LauderdaleFort Walton BeachFountainFreeportFt Walton BeachHarrisburg

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2023 Financial Summary:

  • Total Assets: $4,486,831
  • Total Revenue: $5,131,713
  • Total Expenses: $5,475,706
  • Total Giving: $5,207,209
  • Giving Rate: 111.8%

Historical Impact:

  • Since its founding in 1999, the foundation has awarded over $52.090 million in grants to almost 500 nonprofit organizations in Bay or Walton counties
  • The foundation has funded more than 100 nonprofits throughout its history
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$3M$5M$6M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$3,752,087$4,486,831$4,830,824
Revenue$4,922,756$5,131,713$5,092,393
Expenses$5,657,500$5,475,706$5,326,950
Qualifying Distributions$5,451,508$5,207,209$5,127,815
Net Investment Income$172,041$214,737$16,281
Distributable Amount$188,076$217,657$268,755

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$3M$4M$5M96 grants2020103 grants2021124 grants2022132 grants2023132 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

BAY EDUCATION FOUNDATION$932KASCENSION SACRED HEART F…$128KBOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF BAY…$103KEARLY LEARNING COALITION…$96KCULTURAL ARTS ALLIANCE O…$84KEMERALD COAST CHILDREN'S…$80KBAY LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSI…$79KANGEL HOUSE BEREAVEMENT …$50KCOVENANT HOSPICE FOUNDAT…$50KFLORIDA CHAUTAUQUA INCOR…$50K

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

206<$50K26$50–100K11$100–250K3$250–500K4$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from The St Joe Community Foundation

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Jorge Gonzalez: President (unpaid)
  • Rhea Goff: Vice President (unpaid)
  • Elizabeth Walters: Secretary (unpaid)
  • April Wilkes: Executive Director (unpaid)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
JORGE GONZALEZPRESIDENT
RHEA GOFFVICE PRESIDE
ELIZABETH WALTERSSECRETARY
APRIL WILKESEXECUTIVE DI

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

The St. Joe Community Foundation reached a significant milestone in 2025, exceeding $50 million in total grants awarded since its establishment in 1999. According to Executive Director April Wilkes, "Reaching this incredible milestone after celebrating our 25th anniversary this past year is a powerful reminder that it's not just about dollars awarded but the lasting, community-driven transformation our grant recipients are leading in Bay County and Walton counties."

Incredible milestone'': St. Joe Community Foundation passes $50 million
2024

The foundation operates a scholarship program called "No Ordinary JOE," which has awarded over $300,000 to 155 students as of 2024.

St. Joe Community Foundation announces winners of 'No Ordinary Joe' scholarships
2023

Notable recent grant recipients include the Bay Education Foundation ($929,941 in 2023) and the Walton Education Foundation ($291,571 in 2023).

Incredible milestone'': St. Joe Community Foundation passes $50 million

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

What could you do with The St Joe Community Foundation on Grantable?

  • Assess strategic fit with your organization
  • Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
  • Find open RFPs from this funder
  • Monitor for new funding opportunities