VyStar Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Jacksonville, Florida. 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.
Key facts about Vystar Foundation Inc
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.
- EIN
- 87-2247208
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $622,621
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- Average grant
- $27,070
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 87% first-time grantees (20 of 23, 2025)
- Total assets
- $873,410
- Primary geography
- Georgia (56% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications must be submitted through the online portal during the applicable grant cycle. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Youth cycle is listed as opening August 31, 2026, with a deadline of October 31, 2026.
- Next open deadline
- October 31, 2026 (Youth Grant Program)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$873K
-3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$623K
+61.1% YoY
Grant Count
23
+9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+47.1% YoY
Is Vystar Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
87%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 23 grantees (87%) were first-time recipients. 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s three strategic giving pillars are Military, Youth, and Community Building. Its website describes Military giving as supporting social services and recognition for military members, veterans, and their families; Youth giving as expanding equitable access to creative learning environments; and Community Building as cultivating financially strong, culturally vibrant, interconnected communities.
Its 2025 filing says the Military Grant Cycle supported organizations addressing food and housing insecurity, employment and small-business counseling, and mental health services. The filing describes Youth grants as supporting nutritious meals and stable housing, workforce experience and education leading to career pathways, or creative and positive learning environments.
Examples of grantees’ work include Top Dogg K9 Foundation, which describes its program as pairing veterans experiencing PTSD and related conditions with trained canine service animals at no cost to participants. The Drake House describes its mission as helping women and children experiencing homelessness achieve economic independence and long-term stability. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts describes its work as bringing 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 of $20,000. The foundation’s filing says 12 organizations received one-year Military grants in 2025.
Review Cycle
. The foundation says it accepts applications twice per year; each cycle has its own focus and eligibility requirements.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Vystar Foundation Inc
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its giving serves communities within VyStar Credit Union’s service areas, including parts of North and Central Florida and Georgia. Its listed service-area counties are in Northeast Florida, Central Florida, Northwest Florida, and Georgia. 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
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.
Grant Insights
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%).
Giving History
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 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $873,410 | $682,251 | $692,324 | $622,621 |
| 2024 | $905,180 | $926,610 | $465,847 | $386,551 |
| 2023 | $422,717 | $1,077,161 | $904,697 | $767,092 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $873,410 | $905,180 | $422,717 |
| Revenue | $682,251 | $926,610 | $1,077,161 |
| Expenses | $692,324 | $465,847 | $904,697 |
| Net Investment Income | $388 | $804 | $371 |
Data update history
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
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. Directors listed are Diane Fears, Nina Waters, Ellen Wiss, Dane Grey, David Miller, and Nicholas Abrahams. The foundation’s website describes its board as volunteer-operated.
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 76 S Laura St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904) 420-4244
Website: https://vystarfoundation.org
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’s three strategic giving pillars are Military, Youth, and Community Building. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vystar Foundation Inc?
Applications must be submitted through the online portal during the applicable 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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Vystar Foundation Inc by hand.
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