Vystar Foundation Inc
VyStar Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Jacksonville, Florida. Established in 2021, it is a separate legal entity from VyStar Credit Union and makes grants supporting youth, military members and veterans, and community vitality in areas served by the credit union.
Vystar Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Vystar Foundation Inc gave $623K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Georgia. 87% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $622,621
- +61.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,070
- +47.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $873,410
- -3.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 87% first-time grantees (20 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (56% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Vystar Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applications are submitted through the online portal during a grant cycle. The Foundation’s website describes cycle-specific eligibility criteria and general requirements, including 501(c)(3) public-charity status, service-area relevance, measurable outcomes, and at least one full year of program services and outcomes.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Military Grant Cycle deadline was April 6, 2026; this deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Military Grant Cycle deadline was April 6, 2026; this deadline has passed.
- Next open deadline
- October 31, 2026 (Youth Grant Program)
- Contact
Mailing address: 76 S Laura St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904) 420-4244
Website: https://vystarfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Vystar Foundation Inc
Who Vystar Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kennesaw State University Foundation ($200K). Together the top 10 received $380K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 55 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website says its service area includes Georgia, North Florida, and Central Florida, and its eligibility criteria cover organizations located in or benefiting communities within VyStar Credit Union’s service areas. In 2025, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia, 41% to Florida, and 3% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Vystar Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
87%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 23 grantees (87%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 4% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $387K (2024) to $767K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $623K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw State University Foundation Kennesaw, GA | Youth Foundation Grant | $200,000 |
| Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (Beam) Jacksonville Beach, FL | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| Fulton County Schools Atlanta, GA | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| Safe Harbor Children's Center Zach's Place Brunswick, GA | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Inc Orlando, FL | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| The 4R Foundation Inc Orlando, FL | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| The Depaul School of Ne Florida Inc Jacksonville, FL | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| Travis Manion Foundation Doylestown, PA | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| United Way of Northeast Florida Jacksonville, FL | Youth Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
| Catholic Charities Bureau Inc Jacksonville, FL | Military Foundation Grant | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $873,410 | $682,251 | $692,324 | $622,621 | 23 | $388 |
| 2024 | $905,180 | $926,610 | $465,847 | $386,551 | 21 | $804 |
| 2023 | $422,717 | $1,077,161 | $904,697 | $767,092 | 11 | $371 |
| 2022 | $250,253 | $250 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $250,003 | $250,003 | — | — | — | $3 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation states that it is dedicated to doing good and leading by example through collaborative partnerships that support youth, military members and veterans, and overall community vitality in areas served by VyStar Credit Union. Its pillars are Military, which includes social services and recognition for service members, veterans, and their families; Youth, focused on equitable access to creative learning environments; and Community Building, focused on financially strong, culturally vibrant, and interconnected communities.
Its 2025 filing describes youth-cycle support for programs creating access to nutritious meals and stable housing, building workforce experience and education leading to career pathways, or providing learning environments that encourage creativity and positive development. The filing also reports that 12 organizations received one-year military grants addressing food and housing insecurity, employment and small-business counseling, and mental health services.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. Kennesaw State University Foundation describes its mission as advocating for the university and managing private gifts in its support. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida says it works to alleviate hunger through food distribution, community education, and action on behalf of people in need. Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry describes providing emergency assistance and a path to economic stability through financial assistance, food assistance, and case management. Safe Harbor Center says it promotes security and stability for at-risk families, children, and individuals. Travis Manion Foundation describes its mission as empowering veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts says it brings arts to life through performances, education, and community-centered programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 23 grants totaling $622,621. Grant amounts ranged from $10,921 to $200,000, with a median grant of $20,000. The largest award was $200,000 to Kennesaw State University Foundation in Georgia, described in the filing as a youth grant. The Foundation also awarded $20,000 each to, among others, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry, Fulton County Schools, Safe Harbor Children’s Center Zach’s Place, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, The 4R Foundation, The DePaul School of Northeast Florida, Travis Manion Foundation, United Way of Northeast Florida, Catholic Charities Bureau, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and First Coast Honor Flight. The filing identifies the listed $20,000 awards to the first eight organizations in that group as youth grants, and the awards to Catholic Charities Bureau, Dr. Phillips Center, and First Coast Honor Flight as military grants.
The Foundation’s website says grant applications are accepted two times per year and must be submitted through its online portal by the closing deadline. Applicants must meet the criteria for the relevant grant cycle, including public-charity tax-exempt status, alignment with a strategic pillar, service to communities within VyStar Credit Union’s service areas, measurable impact, and at least one full year of program services and outcomes. The 2026 Military Grant Cycle opened March 2, 2026, and its application deadline was April 6, 2026; that cycle is past.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patricia McElroy as president, Brian Wolfburg as chairman, Chad Meadows as treasurer, and Dana Karzan as secretary. It also lists Diane Fears, Nina Waters, Ellen Wiss, Dane Grey, David Miller, and Nicholas Abrahams as directors.
Vystar Foundation Inc is led by Patricia McElroy, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Patricia McElroy
President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Wolfburg
Chairman
President & Chairman → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dane Grey
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Miller
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Fears
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Wiss
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nina Waters
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas Abrahams
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chad Meadows
Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dana Karzan
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Vystar Foundation Inc
How much does Vystar Foundation Inc give each year?
Vystar Foundation Inc gave $623K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $387K across 21 grants.
What is Vystar Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Vystar Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $27,070, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Vystar Foundation Inc that year got $28K on average.
Where does Vystar Foundation Inc give grants?
Vystar Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (41%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jacksonville, FL (6 grants), Orlando, FL (4 grants) and Atlanta, GA (3 grants).
Does Vystar Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Vystar Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Youth Foundation Grant" (12 grants) and "Military Foundation Grant" (11 grants).
Who are Vystar Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Vystar Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Kennesaw State University Foundation ($200,000), Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (Beam) ($20,000) and Fulton County Schools ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Vystar Foundation Inc?
Vystar Foundation Inc reported $873K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $682K.
What does Vystar Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation states that it is dedicated to doing good and leading by example through collaborative partnerships that support youth, military members and veterans, and overall community vitality in areas served by VyStar Credit Union. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vystar Foundation Inc?
Applications are submitted through the online portal during a grant cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Vystar Foundation Inc's EIN?
Vystar Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-2247208. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 29, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 11, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Vystar Foundation Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Vystar Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Vystar Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/vystar-foundation-inc-morg_acec325f33ad4eb790475ec0906e9aea
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_872247208_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Vystar Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/vystar-foundation-inc-morg_acec325f33ad4eb790475ec0906e9aea},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Vystar Foundation Inc'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.
Vystar Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?