Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation
The Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation is a family foundation established in 1994 in Florida and based in St. Petersburg. The foundation was founded by Thomas A. James, Executive Chairman and former CEO of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., and his wife Mary S. James. The foundation supports arts and culture, education, and social services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.5M
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+10.7% YoY
Grant Count
89
-1.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
+12.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Social services
The founders share a particular passion for supporting living artists, especially those who portray subjects of American Western history, American Indian cultures, and wildlife from around the world.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has a primary focus on the St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay region of Florida, though grantmaking extends beyond this area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,484,957 | $24,574,022 | $24,085,449 |
| Revenue | $2,610,690 | $2,016,286 | $955,744 |
| Expenses | $1,699,755 | $1,527,713 | $1,070,574 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,605,500 | $1,450,000 | $1,002,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,558,846 | $1,468,810 | $916,861 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,436,246 | $1,305,605 | $1,327,538 |
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
103 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Moffitt Cancer Center ($270,000), Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Fdtn ($235,000), American Red Cross TB Chapter ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Academy Prep St Petersburg, FL | Charities use in their programs | $10,000 |
| Alzheimers Assoc Clearwater, FL | Charities use in their programs | $10,000 |
| American Cancer Society Tampa, FL | Charities use in their programs | $10,000 |
| American Diabetes Association Merrifield, VA | Charities use in their programs | $10,000 |
| American Heart Association St Petersburg, FL | Charities use in their programs | $15,000 |
| American Red Cross TB Chapter Tampa, FL | Charities use in their programs | $100,000 |
| American Stage St Petersburg, FL | Charities use in their programs | $20,000 |
| Americans for the Arts Washington, DC | Charities use in their programs | $3,000 |
| Big Brothers & Big Sisters Largo, FL | Charities use in their programs | $5,000 |
| Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater St Petersburg, FL | Charities use in their programs | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founders:
- Thomas A. James (Executive Chairman and former CEO of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.)
- Mary S. James
The James family includes two sons, Huntington and James, and their families, who reside in the Tampa Bay region.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas A James | President | 1 | — |
| Mary S James | Secretary | — | — |
| Hunt James | Trustee | — | — |
| Court James | Trustee | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, Tom and Mary James donated $2 million to Parc Center for Disabilities
Tom and Mary James Donate $2 Million to Parc Center for Disabilities - ParcThe foundation offered a grant a day throughout 2023
The James Foundation offering a grant a day in 2023 | Thestar | kpcnews.comA $2 million donation was made to a local healthcare organization, noted as the largest in that organization's history
St. Petersburg Resident\u2019s $2 Million Donation is the Largest in Local\Contact Information
Address: 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716-1102
Telephone: 727-567-5002
EIN: 59-3288143
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary giving focuses on: • Arts and culture • Education • Social services The founders share a particular passion for supporting living artists, especially those who portray subjects of American Western history, American Indian cultures, and wildlife from around the world.
Where does Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation make grants?
The foundation has a primary focus on the St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay region of Florida, though grantmaking extends beyond this area.
What size grants does Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation award?
In 2024, Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation awarded 89 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation's EIN?
Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-3288143. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Thomas A & Mary S James Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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