Volo Foundation
Volo Foundation is a private foundation based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It supports science-based climate solutions, education, and health, with grantmaking that also includes humanitarian and community-building projects.
Volo Foundation at a glance
In short: Volo Foundation gave $13.7M across 63 grants in 2024 (avg $218K), top state Florida. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $13,732,507
- +9.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 63
- -8.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $217,976
- +19.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $125,921,027
- +4.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (9 of 63, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Florida (34% 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 Volo Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The VISTA Award is a separate competitive program with its own eligibility requirements; grants are awarded to the affiliated university, not to individual students.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3825 Pga Blvd 1101, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Phone: (561) 832-9292
Website: https://volofoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Volo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Environmental Defense Fund EDF ($3.9M). Together the top 10 received $11.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
321 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 321 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
For 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Florida (34%), New York (31%), California (16%), Massachusetts (9%), and Washington (2%). The foundation’s website reports that 96% of its 2025 allocations were in the United States, with 57% focused on Florida and 4% directed internationally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 63 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Volo Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 63 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $334K; repeat grants $199K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $53K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 69% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 260% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $6.3M (2022) to $13.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 63 grants totaling $13.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Defense Fund EDF New York, NY | General | $3,938,522 |
| University of California Berkley Foundation La Jolla, CA | Effects of Wildfire Smoke on the Epigenome | $1,463,271 |
| Cleo Institute Inc Miami, FL | Florida Expansion Pledge: 2020-2024 | $1,321,749 |
| Deployus Boston, MA | Genral Purpose | $1,150,000 |
| University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | General | $1,100,000 |
| Nicklaus Children's Hospital Foundation Miami, FL | Volo Foundation Cardiac and Neurology Floor | $1,000,000 |
| The Scripps Research Institute Los Angeles, CA | Ali Torkamani PHD, Prospective Electronic Polygenic Risk Study | $336,000 |
| Amplio Network Seattle, WA | Talking Books Program | $300,000 |
| Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs Inc Calabasas, CA | Genral Purpose | $275,000 |
| Place of Hope Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Offer Housing and Support Services | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Volo 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 | $125,921,027 | $29,244,528 | $20,618,246 | $13,732,507 | 63 | $18,995,538 | $28,811,933 | $7,315,217 |
| 2023 | $120,388,944 | $46,809,367 | $19,598,149 | $12,540,428 | 69 | $18,452,865 | $43,997,971 | $6,454,061 |
| 2022 | $93,177,726 | $7,029,223 | $12,185,755 | $6,267,210 | 61 | $11,370,525 | — | $6,398,647 |
| 2021 | $99,072,683 | $19,332,652 | $10,988,998 | $8,105,009 | 79 | $10,236,212 | — | $5,822,824 |
| 2020 | $90,593,574 | $39,243,296 | $8,000,430 | $6,389,628 | 49 | — | $3,325,738 | $3,730,353 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Volo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.3M 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
The foundation’s mission is “to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.” Its stated vision is a planet where all beings have access to a sustainable and clean environment, health services, and education.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for environmental research and organizations, health and biomedical research, education, and humanitarian and community services. For example, the University of California Berkeley Foundation received a grant for research on wildfire smoke and the epigenome; Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation received support for a cardiac and neurology floor; and Place of Hope received funding to offer housing and support services. The grantees describe their own work in varied terms: the Everglades Foundation says it works to restore and protect the Everglades through science, advocacy, and education; Amplio Network says it empowers vulnerable communities through knowledge sharing; and Save the Children describes its mission as achieving immediate and lasting change in children’s lives.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 63 grants totaling $13,732,507 for filing year 2024. The median grant was $50,000; grants ranged from $5,000 to $3,938,522. It reported 69 grants totaling $12,540,428 in 2023 and 61 grants totaling $6,267,210 in 2022.
Among the largest 2024 awards, Environmental Defense Fund received $3,938,522 for general purposes; the University of California Berkeley Foundation received $1,463,271 for wildfire-smoke research; the Cleo Institute received $1,321,749 for its Florida expansion pledge; and DeployUS received $1,150,000 for general purposes. Other large awards included $1,100,000 to the University of Central Florida for general purposes and $1,000,000 to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation for a cardiac and neurology floor.
The foundation also describes the VISTA Award as a competitive program for graduate-student teams at eligible U.S. universities and colleges. Projects must address a climate solution applicable to Florida, focus on carbon mitigation, and present measurable, results-oriented plans. The selected project receives a one-time $25,000 research grant administered by its affiliated university. Finalist teams are invited to present at the 2027 Climate Correction conference in Orlando.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David S. Vogel and Thais Lopez Vogel as trustees and Wendy J. Oliver as program director. The foundation identifies Vogel and Lopez Vogel as its co-founders; its website also identifies Vogel as co-founder/trustee and chief data scientist.
Volo Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Wendy J. Oliver
Program Director
Director → Program Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$49K (2020) → $173K (2024)
David S. Vogel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thais Lopez Vogel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $173K, to Wendy J Oliver (Program Director).
Frequently asked questions about Volo Foundation
How much does Volo Foundation give each year?
Volo Foundation gave $13.7M across 63 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.5M across 69 grants.
What is Volo Foundation's typical grant size?
Volo Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $217,976, across 63 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Volo Foundation that year got $334K on average.
Where does Volo Foundation give grants?
Volo Foundation's top state is Florida, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (31%) and California (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants), Miami, FL (6 grants), Orlando, FL (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Volo Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 29% of Volo Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 63) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Genral Purpose" (9 grants).
Who are Volo Foundation's largest grantees?
Volo Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Environmental Defense Fund EDF ($3,938,522), University of California Berkley Foundation ($1,463,271) and Cleo Institute Inc ($1,321,749), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Volo Foundation?
Volo Foundation reported $125.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Volo Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is “to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.” Its stated vision is a planet where all beings have access to a sustainable and clean environment, health services, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Volo Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Volo Foundation's EIN?
Volo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2415681. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Volo Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Volo Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Volo Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/volo-foundation-morg_d73191a2e0a545b6833a24ed94d9020f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_472415681_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Volo Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/volo-foundation-morg_d73191a2e0a545b6833a24ed94d9020f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Volo 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.
Volo Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?