The Walter and Lalita Janke Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Vero Beach, Florida. The foundation was established by Dr. Walter Janke, a retired cardiovascular surgeon, and Lalita Janke, a retired financial planner. As first-generation immigrants, the Jankes built their foundation on principles of perseverance and social consciousness, directing their philanthropic efforts toward creating meaningful impact in their community and beyond.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.9M
+2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$267K
-28.9% YoY
Grant Count
36
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-23.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on strengthening and sustaining organizations that serve marginalized populations and vulnerable communities. Primary focus areas include:
- Support for marginalized women and girls
- Services for abused children
- Assistance for the homeless
- Environmental sustainability research and education
The foundation's approach emphasizes personal devotion and direct engagement with the causes it supports, rather than simply providing financial contributions.
Grantmaking
The sustainability research fund promotes annual competitive research grants to FAU faculty researchers or research teams. The fund structure includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary geographic focus is Florida, with particular emphasis on the Indian River County area and the broader state through partnerships with institutions like Florida Atlantic University.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,862,172 | $7,647,225 | $7,298,499 |
| Revenue | $519,510 | $780,225 | $-36,062 |
| Expenses | $302,563 | $427,265 | $311,596 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $263,417 | $375,352 | $269,901 |
| Net Investment Income | $181,881 | $155,972 | $87,354 |
| Distributable Amount | $403,194 | $368,783 | $413,964 |
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
162 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
Dr. Walter Janke - Founder, retired cardiovascular surgeon. Dr. Janke co-invented the Janke-Barron Heart Support, a surgical device designed to provide access to the posterior surface of the heart during coronary bypass procedures.
Lalita Janke - Founder, retired financial planner. Lalita has been instrumental in the foundation's strategic direction and community engagement.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALTER JANKE | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
| LALITA JANKE | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Walter and Lalita Janke Innovations in Sustainability Science Research Fund at Florida Atlantic University has continued to award grants annually since its establishment in 2015. Award recipients have been announced for multiple years including 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025, demonstrating sustained commitment to environmental sustainability research.
FAU Receives $1 Million Gift from Walter and Lalita JankeSubject 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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