REAL HELP - Southwest Florida Community Foundation

www.floridacommunity.com 1

2 www.floridacommunity.com

From the President/Ceo 

Often times when an organization selects a new leader the first question 

everyone asks is “What changes are you going to make?” People get excited 

about something new, innovative and different. The new person has a 

thousand ideas to launch and is ready to hit the ground running. 

It was no different for me when the announcement was made in November 2011 

that I would be taking the role of president and CEO of the Southwest Florida 

Community Foundation. The moment the word was out, I was asked what I had 

planned for the future of the Foundation. 

My answer was simple. I have one agenda item for my new role and I expect it to 

make all the difference in the world. I plan to listen. 

One of my favorite quotes is by Henry J. Kaiser, “I make progress by having people 

around me who are smarter than I am and listening to them. And I assume that 

everyone is smarter about something than I am.” 

This year the Southwest Florida Community Foundation celebrated 35 years in this community and as I begin my new 

role as President and CEO I am surrounded by people who are smarter than I am about what it means to be a part of 

the Foundation and this community. 

I have had the opportunity to listen to many of the founders of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation who 

were willing to take a risk 35 years ago with their time and money to invest in the future of Southwest Florida; I have 

listened to dedicated donors who are passionate about a community cause or endeavor and want to make sure that 

their passion lives on long after they are gone; I have listened to scholarship recipients who would not have been able 

to attend college without the support of the scholarship funds that have been established at the foundation; I have 

listened to fathers who set up funds in honor of a child who has been lost to a tragedy; I have listened to children of 

parents who were committed to the arts and wanted the family legacy to live on; I have listened to women who want to 

see their donations having an impact now through the annual grant programs and later through an endowment fund; 

I have listened to Sanibel and Captiva residents who care especially about island needs in the future and neighbors 

from Bonita Springs who want to use their fund to strengthen non profits in that community; I have listened to 

professional and amateur advocates of the arts, education, human services and environment, all pledging their support 

for the future; I have listened to the staff who are dedicated to making the Foundation work; I have listened to 

supporters share the history of the organization that has been built on trust, strength, longevity and good stewardship; 

and I have listened to a community full of people who have hope for the next 35 years and beyond. 

If you have thoughts or ideas about how the Southwest Florida Community Foundation can impact the next 35 years 

in this community, please email me at iamlistening@floridacommunity.com. 

I am listening. 

Sincerely, 

Sarah Owen 


Unity throUgh oUr mission 

The mission of the Southwest 

Florida Community Foundation 

is to connect donors and their 

philanthropic aspirations with 

evolving community needs. 

"Our vision is to be the leading resource 

in Southwest Florida for compassionate 

and flexible charitable giving." 

Areas we fund include: 

The Arts, Environment, Education, Human Services, 

Healthcare, Animal Welfare and Preservation 

National Standards 

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation is proud 

to be recognized and confirmed as being compliant with 

National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. 

Why National Standards Are Important for 

Community Foundations?* 

Community foundations in the 

United States serve tens of thousands 

of donors, administer more than $31 

billion in charitable funds, and address core concerns of 

more than 650 communities and regions. There are many 

reasons that standards are important for both established 

and new community foundations. National Standards 

guide sound policies and accountability practices, distinguish 

the field from others, and build the capacity of 

community foundations to carry out their missions. 

These standards promote excellence in six key areas: 

Mission, Structure and Governance, Resource 

Development, Stewardship and Accountability, 

Grantmaking and Community Leadership, Donor 

Relations, and Communications. 

* The above information comes from the Council on Foundations. For more 

information on National Standards and the Council on Foundation, please 

contact them at 202-466-6512 or visit their website at www.cof.org. 

By the NumBerS 

1976 

Year Southwest Florida 

Community Foundation 

was formed 

329 

Number of endowed funds 

through the SWFLCF 

$81 million 

Contributions received 

since we started 

$50 million 

Grant & scholarship money 

provided since we started 

9 

Number of employees 

at SWFLCF 


What is a Community Foundation? 

A community foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit, 

autonomous, publicly supported, nonsectarian, philanthropic 

institution with a long-term goal of building permanent, 

named component funds established by many 

separate donors for the broad-based charitable benefit of 

the residents of a defined geographic area, typically no 

larger than a state. 

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation 

(SWFLCF) has established and continues to build a 

permanent collection of endowed funds from a variety of 

sources. Contributions are then combined and invested. 

This pooling of resources allows people of all means and 

income levels to contribute to and become a part of their 

community. Each year, earnings from the endowed funds 

are returned to the community in the form of grants, 

scholarships, and other charitable distributions, improving 

the quality of life for community residents. 

Because we know the local area, the Community 

Foundation can readily facilitate a donor’s specific 

wishes, or help to put a donor in touch with innovative, 

effective organizations that the donor may not already 

know. 


empowers Southwest Florida by producing a continuous 

stream of income to address changing community needs 

over time with our endowed funds. 

For 35 years, SWFLCF has been the leading resource in 

connecting donors and their philanthropic aspirations 

with evolving community needs in Southwest Florida. 

SWFLCF provides grants and scholarships in Charlotte, 

Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. Since its 

inception, the Community Foundation has awarded $50 

million. 

The diversity and flexibility of the funds established and 

maintained by SWFLCF cover a multitude of worthy 

organizations and causes throughout Southwest Florida. 

Why a Community Foundation? 

Community foundations go beyond simply making 

grants that advance charitable activities. They also 

identify current and emerging issues, channel resources 

to address their communities’ needs, and help their regions 

prepare for the future. 

Unity throUgh oUr mission 

REAL PEoPLE | REAL HELP 

Reading isn’t just a discipline or a skill; it’s a master 

key that unlocks a multitude of doors. Speaking 

of the importance of reading, Abraham Lincoln 

said, “A capacity and taste for reading gives access 

to whatever has already been discovered by others.” 

Reading allows us to experience the experiences of 

others and to discover their discoveries. 

For children, reading can unlock doors to faraway 

places, and when reading is supported by modern 

technology, visiting those faraway places becomes 

possible without even having to travel. Thanks 

to two recent Community Foundation grants 

totaling $40,000, Catholic Charities/the African 

Caribbean American Center (AFCAAM) was able 

to continue supporting its after school reading 

program and also add a computer lab. Using the 

computer lab, creative teachers have been taking 

their young students on “virtual” trips around the 

world. While travelling virtually through Paris, 

for example, the students view photos and read all 

about the city’s historic sites, museums, and daily 

life in another country. 

This is just one way in which generous Southwest 

Floridians are using their charitable passion for 

education to make a difference in the lives of local 

children. 


Unity throUgh the magiC oF endowment - the santini story 

Hundreds of grants have been awarded from this fund since 1978. 

Fort Myers attorney Tom Smoot, Jr. had just seen a client leave his money to a community foundation in Miami 

because there wasn’t one in Southwest Florida and he was determined to prevent that from happening again. 

Tom gathered some of the region’s top civic leaders and started the Southwest Florida Community Foundation 

with $500 donated by First National Bank of Fort Myers. 

Tom’s idea matured slowly, but he was joined by visionaries who saw potential. They realized that rapid growth 

in the area was accompanied by the increased desire of many residents to make meaningful contributions for the 

improvement of the community’s health, educational, cultural, and social life. 

During the first years of the Community Foundation’s existence, modest gifts were received. At the same time, donors 

began naming the Community Foundation as a beneficiary under wills and trusts which would mature upon the 

death of the donor. 

The first major gift to mature was received under the will of the late Leonard Santini who had created a very 

large Field-of-Interest Fund. Santini, a potato farmer and fisherman from Iona, was a giving man. He dreamed of 

using his hard-earned treasure for the benefit of children with mental health problems, underprivileged children, and 

Christian education. With Community Foundation trustee John Sheppard’s guidance Mr. Santini willed his Fort 

Myers Beach shopping center to the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. After his death in 1978, the 

Community Foundation sold Santini Plaza for $2.5 million. 

the SANtINI FuNd hundreds of grants have been awarded 

from this fund since 1978. Including: 

$2.5 

million 

$2,525,029 

$6 million in grants 

since inception 

$1.9 million 

in grants during 

the last 10 years 

Literacy Council of Bonita Springs, new 

library for Moms & Tots program. 

Junior Achievement, for a financial 

literacy program 


Why A Fund At Southwest Florida Community Foundation? 

A fund enables you to: 

• Create a lasting impact in your community 

• Experience personalized service from professionals who know you, your 

interests and the needs of the community 

• Engage your family in giving 

• Name your fund and transform your check writing to a charitable vehicle that 

performs like your own private foundation 

tyPes oF FUnds 

One of the greatest advantages of SWFLCF is its flexibility. Funds can be tailored to the philanthropic 

interest of each donor. For a list of fund minimums and administrative fees, please see our website at 

www.FloridaCommunity.com. The following types of funds are available through SWFLCF: 

CoMMUNITY: Community Funds are flexible and responsive to emerging and changing community needs. Because 

donors do not limit the fund to a single cause or purpose, the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees can be more 

responsive to the immediate needs of the community. 

FIELD-oF-INTEREST: Field-of-Interest funds allow donors to support causes addressing specific areas of interest, 

such as education, health, the arts, or animal welfare. The donors decide which area(s) they want to support without 

having to name a specific nonprofit organization. 

DESIGNATED: Designated Funds allow donors to support specific nonprofit organizations through an endowed 

fund, supporting the organizations long into the future. And if, in the future, an organization no longer exists or no 

longer offers programs the donor intended to support, the Community Foundation will identify another nonprofit 

organization that meets the donor’s charitable goals. 

AGENCY ENDoWMENT: Agency Endowments are long-term funds held and managed by the Community 

Foundation on behalf of a nonprofit organization. The nonprofit organization may receive the annual proceeds or roll 

the amount over to build the endowment for the future. The fund is owned by the Community Foundation on behalf 

of the charitable agency. 

SCHoLARSHIP: Scholarship Funds are dedicated to the continued education or training of young people or adults. 

Scholarship programs may be designed to meet the donor’s interests and specifications (e.g. academic achievement, 

living in a particular geographic region, studying a specific subject, etc.). 

other Giving Tools 

DoNoR-ADVISED: Donor-Advised Funds, which are simple, affordable, and flexible charitable giving tools, allow 

a donor to provide advice to the Community Foundation on awards to charities. Sometimes donors have specific 

groups they know they want to recommend for support from their funds; others welcome the opportunity to work 

with the Community Foundation’s experienced staff to identify groups and areas they want to support, and to think 

about how to give in a strategic way. 

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES (CGAs): SWFLCF works with each donor to establish what areas of the 

community their funds will support after their death. In exchange for their contribution of cash, stock, or other 

property, donors are assured a lifetime of payments that are made monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually. In addition 

to the steady income of these fixed payments, donors enjoy certain tax advantages, such as reduced probate costs and 

estate taxes. If the annuity is funded with appreciated assets, the capital gains tax is applied to only a portion of the gain 

and is reported over the donor’s life expectancy. The size of payments is determined by the size of the contribution, the 

donor’s age at the time the gift annuity is established, and whether the annuity covers one or two people. 



How We Make An Impact 

Contributors’ annual donations are used for immediate 

grants as well as to increase the WLF’s permanent 

endowment fund. Annual Contributors choose the focus 

of the annual grants, which so far have included literacy, 

violence prevention, mental health, and homelessness. 

Grants to local non-profit organizations are selected 

by the WLF’s Grants Committee and funded by both 

annual contributions and the endowment fund. 

The WLF hosts bi-annual luncheons for Contributors 

and guests. At these events, women come together to 

network, award grants, and learn about the impact their 

giving is having on the community. 

the women’s LegaCy FUnd 

your CoNtrIButIoNS Are A CAtALySt For ChANge, 

now & later. 

Becoming a Supporter 

Women may join the WLF at any time of year. We have 

three contribution levels: 

· Benefactor = $250 or more; 

· Patron (25 years or younger) = $100 or more; 

· Prima donor = $10,000 or more; 

(considered to be a lifetime annual contributor) 

One half of all contributions (with the exception of any 

contributions specifically made for administrative or extraordinary 

expenses) will be pooled for the purpose of immediate 

annual grants; the second half will be pooled into the 

WLF’s endowment fund, which provides additional 

grants to be made both now and in years to come. 

Join Us. 

If you are interested in making a difference in 

Southwest Florida through the Women’s Legacy 

Fund, call us at 239-274-5900, or visit us online at 

www.FloridaCommunity.com 

Be An Angel Maker 

An honor that will last forever... The WLF Angel 

program is a fundraising initiative unique to the WLF. 

Donors who would like to honor or memorialize a 

friend, relative, neighbor, or influential woman in their 

life contribute a minimum of $1,000 to designate her 

as a “WLF Angel.” Angels are publicly honored at WLF 

luncheons and are inducted into the “Hall of Angels” on 

the WLF website. 100% of WLF Angel contributions 

are placed in the endowed fund so they can provide 

future grants in perpetuity. 



Linda Ackert 

Maureen Bashaw 

Alexandra Bremner 

Eunice Bremner 

Rusty Brown 

Maureen Cull 

Bernese Davis 

Sara Darehshori 

Jane de Lisser 

Dawn-Marie Driscoll 

Marcella Driscoll 

Beth Drouin 

Julia East 

Cynthia Perry Fetterhoff 

Aline Flynn 

Nahid Ghashghai 

Dena Geraghty 

Beulah Gustafson 

Women’s Legacy Fund Contributors 

Sue Ackert 

Marie M. Ackord 

Betsy Alderman 

Gail Baumgarten 

Karen Benson 

Betty Bireley 

Diane Breen 

Cindy Shartle Brown 

Rusty Brown 

Mary Jo Burke 

Mei-Mei Chan 

Suzanne Clapp 

Carolyn Conant 

Julia Corbett 

Honey (Ellen) Costa 

Lucy Costa 

Amanda B. Cross 

Georgia Darehshori 

Jane E. de Lisser 


Beth Drouin 

Julia East 

Michele Eddy 

Susan Erickson 

Denotes WLF Angel Maker 

Lalai Hamric 

Anne Harper 

Virginia Hartshorne 

Myrtle Robinson Hearn 

Sister Therese Higgins 

Margaret Hoorneman 

Khanom Kanaan 

Eleanore Kleist 

Pat Limegrover 

Peggy MacDonald 

Barbara Mann 

Mavis Miller 

Lorraine Miller 

Melvin Morgan 

Lou Pontius 

Eva Reynolds 

Carolyn Rogers 

Ellen Sheppard 

Cheryl Fausel 

Sharon Felsenthal 

Melissa Gamba 

Jamie B. Gates 

Amy Gravina 

Peg Gray-Vickrey 

Katherine C. Green 

Sandy Greenberg 

Elly Hagen 

Lalai Hamric 

Patti Hardin 

Jody Hart 

Helen Heffington 

Gwenda Hiett-Clements 

Martha Howard 

Melinda Isley 

Donna F. Kaye 

Jane L. Kelly 

Kathryn Kelly 

Liz Kinsey 

Elenore Kleist 

Kathryn Kleist- 

Derheimer 

Jane Kuckel 

Belle DeKoff Shouse 

Ann Smoot 

Vera Stephens 

Kathy Sturgis 

Madeleine Taeni 

Brenda Tate 

Mozelle Tate 

Holly Leland 

Sandy Leonard 

Pam Limegrover 

Linda Linnehan 

Beth Lobdell 

Mary Love 

Tammy Surratt Marino 

Gail Markham 

Joan L. Maupin 

Katherine Mayeron 

Susy Mertz 

Rhea B. Mike 

Lorraine S. Miller 

Tara Molloy 

Mary Moore 

Roberta L. O’Brad 

Rose O’Dell King 

Maryanne Olson 

Barbara H. Orr 

Sarah Owen 

Christina Parker 

Nina Paight 

Lou Pontius 

Karen Quanstrom 

women’s LegaCy FUnd angeLs 

Pamela Templeton 

Gay Thompson 

Stephanie Webb 

Margareta West 

Isabelle Wojnar 

Louise Woolley 

Mary Richardson 

Phyllis Rieser 

Kristin G. Ritts 

Robbie Roepstorff 


Louise Senneff 

Betteann Sherman 

Kathy Shimp 

Belle DeKoff Shouse 

Laurel Smith 

Halcyon St. Hill 

Pumfey Steffens 

Sandra Stilwell 

Kathy Sturgis 

Brenda Tate 

Gay R. Thompson 

Linda Treise 

Linda Uhler 

Mary Van Sciver 

Myra Walters 

Lori Wilson 

Rodlyn Flinn Woodward 

Ginny Yates 

Judith Yevick 


LegaCy soCiety 

The Legacy Society of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is made up of very special people who 

are current and future endowed fund holders. Members include any individual who has established an 

endowed fund or who has informed us that upon their passing an endowed fund will be established with 

the Community Foundation. Being a member of the Legacy Society provides opportunities for strengthening and 

developing relationships. We deeply thank our current members: 

Albert & Enid Abdo 

Hal & La Donna Abelson 

Marie Ackord 

Todd Adams 

Rene Affourtit 

Dee & Len Ahlfeld 

Carl Alderman 

Betsy Alderman 

Pete & Elaine Allen 

Audrea Anderson 

Susan Anthony 

Frances Armentrout 

Rep. Gary Aubuchon 

Francis Bailey, Jr. 

Donna Baker 

Carl Barraco, Jr. 

James & Gail Baumgarten 

Susan & Phil Bennett 

Jean S. Bidwell 

Betty Bireley 

Jack & Shelley Blais 

Sunshine Bobo 

Roy Borrego 

Ann Bradley 

Jay Brett 

June Bridges 

Joyce Briggs 

Daisy Brosseau 

Rusty Brown 

Bill Burdette 

Claudia Burns 

Robert Burns 

Marilyn Capaldo 

David & Marjorie Casper 

Joe Catti 

Annie Lou Chapman 

Charles & Kay Chitty 

Frank & Julie Colunga 

David Cooper 

Mary Cosciani 

Miller & Toni Couse 

Richard & Cherrill Cregar 

Sylvia Crouse 

Robert da Frota 

Dorothy Daley 

Carol Daniels & Dick Jacker 

John & Jean Dannemiller 

Ira Dash 

Berne Davis 

Kenneth & Ruth Davis, Sr. 

Donald & Nancy Davis 

Patricia Delisio 


Patricia Dobbins 

Charles & Ann Dodson 

Paul & Mary Douglass 

Dawn-Marie Driscoll & 

Norman Marcus 

Richard & Patricia Driscoll 

Janet Dunn 

Richard & Erna Durnwald 

Gregory Earle 

Julia East 

Arthur & Barbara Edwards 

Lois Edwards 

Mary Quigley Eller 

Guy Emerich 

Kevin & Andrea Erwin 

Ronald & Leslie Ezerski 

John & Gloria Fassett 

Dean & Alice Fjelstul 

Ginny Fleming 

Aline Flynn 

William & Lorraine Frey 

Bill & Charlotte Friede 

Chris Gair 

Sam & Kathy Galloway, Jr. 

Jamie Gates 

Richard & Faye Gates 

Patricia Graddy 

William & Nanette Graddy, Jr. 

Marilyn Graham 

William & Diane Green 

Steve & Mandy Greenstein 

Frances Harris Gresham 

Elsie Grieger 

Earl Groves 

Craig Guild 

Robert Hague 

Duane & Marilyn Halverson 

Albert Hanser 

Elizabeth Harmon 

Frank & Betty Haskell 

Archie Hayward, Jr. 

Scott & Helen Heffington 

Joe & Barbara Hilliard 

Larry Hobbs 

Francis Howington 

Charles & Linda Idelson 

David Jennings & Liz Sotz 

Robert P. Johannsen 

Franklyn & Elena Johnson 

Dorothy Jones 

Stanley & Carol Jones 

Sadako K. Judd 

Bob & Donna Kaye 

David & Elizabeth Keen 

Donna R. Keen 

Chris & Lisa Kelley 

Barbara Harris Kite 


Wilbert Knipe 

Russell & Gwendolyn Kraay 

Tom & Joan Krick 

Nora Krieger 

Arthur Kurtze 

Gail Lawson 

Jeff Ledward 

Howard & Marilyn Leland 

Diane Lepola 

David & Linda Lucas 

Bob & Donna MacDonald 

Kay MacDougall 

John & Marjorie Madden 


Thomas Marshall 

Robert & Pam Martin 

Shirley Matthai 

William & Barbara Maruchi 

Joe Mazurkiewicz 

Marie-Michelle McCarthy 

Jacke McCurdy 


Arden McCurdy 

Margaret Bly McLean 

Jack & Mary McNairy 

Carl W. Meyer 

William J. Mikell 

Ronald & Janice Miller 

T. Wayne & Mavis Miller 

Henry & Julia Moguil 

Frederick & Melvin Morgan 

Paul Morton 

Rosemond Murphy 

Gary & Elizabeth Namm 

Jim Nathan 

Nancy Near 

George & Virginia Parker 

Sandra Parker 

Michael Peceri 

Ann Perch 

Erik & Lana Petersen 

Tessie Pfenning 

David & Sandy Pohl 

Dorothy Lillian Kiesel Poll 

John Pollock 

Larry Pomposini 

Steve Pontius 

John Potts 

William Prather 

Allen & Cecilia Prather 

Bonnie Prator 

Richard Prescott 

Pamela Putnam 

Mary Puzzo 

Margaret Raizik 

Jack & Shirley Rasmussen 

Thomas Rentz 

John & Kathryn Richardson 

Darren Robertshaw 

Mary Robertson 

David & Sue Robinson 

Sandy Robinson 


Bill & Carolyn Rogers 

Don & Nancy Rolley 

Grant & Jerry Rosensteel 

Julia Rush 

David & Bea Sanford 

Helen Sarlo 

Karen Schlag 

Dave & Kathie Shellenbarger 

John & Ellen Sheppard 

Bob Shrader 

Katherine Simpson 

Diehl & Josephine Sluss 

Ben & Carol Smoot 

Tom Smoot, Jr. 

Gene Solomon 

Jim & Patty Sprankle 

Bernadine Stuefer Anderson 

Jeremiah & Barbara Sullivan 

Clara Szathmary 


Dewey & Brenda Tate 

Lois Taylor 

Jeanne Telep 

Ruth Tobe 

Robert Tomlinson 

Stephen & Marie Tranovich 

Linda Treise 

Frances Lussenhop Usher 

Nina Van Zyle 

Mary Verde 

Don & Frances Waldron 

Myra Walters 

John & Maggie Warfield 

Betty Waters 

Scott White 

Guy Whitesman 

Steven Whitley 

G. Napier Wilson 

James & Natalie Wismar 

Joseph & Patricia Wolf 

Mike & Laura Woodward 


Richard & Joan Wright 

Barbara Yeomans 

Stan Zell 

William Zink 

LegaCy soCiety 


In 1991, Frank wanted to honor his son Chip’s memory 

by establishing a fund that would help others. Frank 

said, “I wanted to leave some kind of evidence of his 

having been here and having served in the Army and 

in Viet Nam.” Today, the Chip Johnson Memorial 

Scholarship is helping students to achieve their dreams 

of higher education. 


helped Frank to design a fund that would reflect his 

charitable passion for education. Frank’s scholarship 

fund supports students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher 

who have completed sixty hours of college and who are 

pursuing a 4-year degree at Barry University, Florida 

Gulf Coast University, Nova University, Edison 

State College, Hodges University, or other regionally 

accredited college in Southwest Florida. In 2011, this 

fund helped to support three more students as they 

worked toward their goals of education and careers. 

The Community Foundation has over 61 scholarship 

funds that have been set up by people like Frank who 

have a passion for education and a desire to support 

students in Southwest Florida today and well into the 

future. Because these funds are endowed, they provide 

scholarship grants immediately, and they continue to 

grant scholarships for years to come. Through this power 

of endowment, people are able to establish a real legacy of 

giving. Frank wanted that legacy for Chip, and because 

of it, many students will be able to pursue their goals 

of a college education. 


Unity throUgh oUr grants 

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation administers more than 329 endowed funds that are created 

through the generosity of local donors. Because of these funds, we are able to provide grants that support 

nonprofit organizations throughout Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. 

TYPES oF GRANTS 

Non-competitive grants 

These grants are made through Designated Funds and 

Donor-Advised Funds, established by individuals, 

companies, and community groups that support the 

interests and philanthropic goals of the donors as well 

as the Community Foundation’s mission and operating 

principles. 

Competitive grants 

Annual Giving, Community Funds, and Field-of-Interest 

Funds are available for competitive grant cycles. The 

Southwest Florida Community Foundation seeks to be a 

responsive and proactive community partner that works 

strategically to address existing and emerging community 

needs through our competitive grants program. Grants 

are awarded to eligible agencies to support a broad range 

of services in the Southwest Florida region. 

The Community Foundation is particularly interested 

in supporting efforts that improve the capacity of 

organizations to deliver services to their clients. 

GRANT CYCLES 

Capacity grants 

The Community Foundation’s Capacity Grants support 

training seminars and other staff development activities, 

the hiring of organizational development consultants, 

and small equipment expenditures. 

Community Impact grant 

In the Community Impact Grant Cycle, grants of up to 

$25,000 are awarded to organizations in program areas 

such as Animal Welfare, Community and Economic 

Development, Education, Healthcare, and Human 

Services. 

The Community Foundation awards grants for projectspecific, 

capital, and technical assistance purposes. 

Project-specific grants are primarily for new or expanded 

programs and pilot or demonstration projects. Capital 

Grants support the construction, acquisition, and 

renovation of facilities, as well as the purchase of 

equipment by an organization. Technical Assistance 

Grants support organizational development activities for 

nonprofits, addressing such issues as board governance, 

strategic planning, resource development, and 

interagency collaboration. 

Arts and Attractions grant 

The Arts and Attractions Grant Cycle was established as a 

partnership with the Tourist Development Council and 

the City of Fort Myers to use existing resources to assist 

arts and attractions agencies with both marketing and 

operational expenses. The two types of grants offered are 

Marketing and Visitor Enhancement Grants and Basic 

Operating Grants. 


HoW To APPLY FoR GRANTS 

SWFLCF grant applications are available online through 

our E-Apply tool. Interested organizations should visit 

our website at www.floridacommunity.com where you 

will find detailed instructions about filling out our online 

applications. Paper applications are no longer accepted 

by SWFLCF, but we are confident that you will like the 

online process; it’s fast, easy, and saves a lot of trees! 

GooD SAMARITAN FUNDS 

Several funds have been established in which the donors 

requested their funds’ earnings be used to help those less 

fortunate who may be in dire or immediate financial 

need. Funds are dispersed for the benefit of a person 

or family in need of emergency funding such as rent, 

electric or other utilities, burial or medical expenses, or 

other emergencies. 

• SWFLCF has entered into a partnership agreement with 

United Way 211 to oversee the distribution of funds 

from the Good Samaritan Fund. At the beginning of 

each month, SWFLCF makes a $2,500 grant out of the 

Good Samaritan Fund to United Way 211 to help with 

these types of emergency financial needs. United Way 

leverages our grant with other funding to potentially 

stretch our funding further for the greatest community 

impact. To ensure accountability, the United Way 

provides a monthly report on the expenditure of funds, 

which is reported to the SWFLCF Board of Trustees. 

• SWFLCF also has an established fund to help Sanibel 

Island and Captiva Island residents and workers. 

Requests for assistance are made to various agencies on 

the islands and are then forwarded to the Community 

Foundation. 

• The James Harper Marshall Good Samaritan Fund has 

been established for the benefit of those in the Greater 

Bonita Springs area who need assistance. Requests are 

received from nonprofits serving residents who then 

submit requests to the Community Foundation. 

Unity throUgh oUr grants 


Jake* is an operation Iraqi Freedom combat 

veteran who recently finished active duty in the 

Middle East. Returning home to ohio, Jake supported 

his wife and three small children with his 

savings while searching for work. Unsuccessful in 

ohio, Jake was eventually offered a construction 

job in Fort Myers, Florida. He packed all of the 

family belongings into and onto the family van 

and happily headed to Florida. 

When the family arrived in Florida, Jake found 

that the job had fallen through. With no home and 

very little money left, Jake searched frantically for 

help, living in hotels and even out of the family 

van. 

one day, while driving past the local Red Cross 

building, Jake felt compelled to stop in and ask 

for help. Fortunately, the Red Cross had recently 

hired an Armed Services Coordinator to handle 

cases like Jake’s, a position that was created with 

the help of a $20,000 grant from the Southwest 

Florida Community Foundation. 

Jake received some cash to get food for his family 

and fuel for their van. Then, the Red Cross was 

able to get him plugged in to other services to 

keep him afloat while he searched for work. 

Today, Jake and his wife both have full-time jobs 

and a home here in Florida. 

(*Name changed to protect privacy) 


oUr 2010/2011 ComPetitive grant reCiPients 

Arts & Attractions Grants 

ArtFest Fort Myers, Inc. 

Arts For ACT 

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum 

BIG Arts 

Bonita Springs Concert Band 

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, Inc. 

Center for the Arts 

City of Bonita Springs & Friends of the Nature Place, Inc. 

Cultural Park Theatre Company Inc. 

ECHO, Inc. 

Florida Arts, Inc. 

Florida Repertory Theatre 

Friends of the Lakes Regional Library 

Gulf Coast Symphony 

Gulfcoast Dance, Inc. 

Imaginarium Hands-on Museum & Aquarium Agency 

Lee County Alliance for the Arts 

Music Foundation of Southwest Florida 

River District Alliance (Fort Myers Art Walk) 

Sanibel Music Festival, Inc. 

Southwest Florida Attractions Association 

Southwest Florida Museum of History Foundation, Inc 

Southwest Florida Symphony 

The Nature Park Environmental Education Foundation, Inc. 

Theatre Conspiracy 

Uncommon Friends Foundation 

Young Artists Awards, Inc. 

Bonta Springs Annual Grants 

Abuse Counseling & Treatment, Inc. 

Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast Florida, Inc. 

LARC, Inc. 

Meals on Wheels of Bonita Springs, Inc. 

Pinewoods Elementary School 

Spring Creek Elementary School 

Inititative Grant 

Center for Abuse & Rape Emergencies of Charlotte 

County (CARE, Inc.) 

The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools, Inc. 

Capacity Grants 

Bonita Springs Concert Band 

Broadway Community Church 

Brookwood Florida 

Center For Independent Living of SWFL, Inc. 

Charlotte County Healthy Start Coalition, Inc. 

Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Children's Advocacy Center of SWFL, Inc. 

Children's Network of Southwest Florida 

Christ United Methodist Church 

Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. 

Ebenezer Christian Academy of Fort Myers, Inc. 

Estero Community Improvement Foundation, Inc. 

Eternal Home and Wecare Outreach Ministry, Inc. 

First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Inc. 

Footsteps To The Future 

Fort Myers Rescue Mission 

Girl Scouts of Gulf Coast Florida, Inc. 

Guardian Angels for Special Populations 

Habitat for Humanity of Lee County, Inc. 

Harlem Heights Improvement Association 

Healthy Start Coalition of SWFL, Inc. 

Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida 

House of Prayer Food Bank 

Invest in America's Veterans Foundation 

Island Coast Aids Network, Inc. 

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation 

Lee County Housing Development Corporation 

Literacy Council Gulf Coast, Inc. 

Literacy Volunteers of Lee County 

Old Punta Gorda Inc. 

Our Lady of Light Conference of the Society of St. 

Vincent de Paul 

Our Mother's Home of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Partners for Breast Cancer Care 

Pine Manor Improvement Assoc. Inc. 

Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Southwest Florida Addiction Services, Inc. 



The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry, and Glades 

Uncommon Friends Foundation 

Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic 

Voices for Kids of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Wings of Shelter Int'l, Inc. 

Young Artists Awards, Inc. 

Major Annual Grant 

Animal Refuge Center, Inc. 

Abuse Counseling & Treatment, Inc. 

Agape Home, Inc. 

Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer's Resource Center 

American Red Cross of Lee County 

Beacon of HOPE 

Bonita Springs Lions Club Eye Clinic Inc. 

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice 

Child Care of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Clewiston Christian School 

Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. 

Creative Resources Works, Inc. 

Easter Seals Florida, Inc. 

ECHO, Inc. 

Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, Inc. 

Hope Clubhouse of Southwest Florida 

Literacy Volunteers of Lee County 

PACE Center for Girls of Lee County 

Pine Manor Improvement Association, Inc. 

Special Equestrians, Inc. 


The Salvation Army of Lee, Hendry, and Glades 

Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic 

oUr 2010/2011 ComPetitive grant reCiPients 


Unity throUgh oUr sChoLarshiPs 

Why I Love Scholarships 

by Bob da Frota, Senior Advisory Trustee, Southwest Florida Community Foundation 

From my experience, I can attest that Southwest 

Floridians are incredibly generous and are 

committed to helping others succeed through 

higher education. What qualifies me to make such a 

statement? Well, for the last twelve years, I have been a 

trustee of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. 

Additionally, for the past three years, I have had the 

privilege of overseeing the Community Foundation’s 

scholarship committee, which is comprised of volunteers 

who are tasked with assisting in the organization’s 

awarding of scholarships to some of Southwest Florida’s 

deserving students. This task is not only a lot of work, it is 

also emotionally painful, and yet every year we continue 

to do this necessary work. Why do we do it? I can only 

speak for myself. 

The scholarship review process is something that is time 

intensive, and is almost entirely done by volunteers. 

Once the Community Foundation staff has assembled 

all of the completed scholarship applications, a group 

of community volunteers are assigned to read the 

applications. These scholarship readers, who come from 

a wide variety of professional backgrounds, review each 

application analytically as well as intuitively. Each award 

recipient must meet the wishes of the scholarship’s donor, 

something that each reader works hard to ensure. After all 

applications have been reviewed, the readers make their 

recommendations. Some chosen applicants go on to be 

interviewed by Community Foundation trustees. When 

this process is complete, the Community Foundation is 

then able to notify the scholarship award recipients. 

The challenge of every year is that all of our applicants are 

already winners. They are products of their own unique 

backgrounds and stories, having overcome many types of 

challenges, and they are all deserving. As readers, we sit 

around a table and feel the pain of recommending one 

student over another. In April, at the end of this process 

of awarding scholarships, we committee members are 

emotionally exhausted. So, why do I do it? 

I reflect on the fact that donors not only entrust us to 

carry out their wishes, but also make it possible through 

their vision and generosity for very special people in our 

community to pursue their dreams. The donors gave 

their money, and surely, I can give my time. 

I think about the parents, families, friends, and teachers 

who have instilled the qualities that have brought our 

children to this point in their lives. They are to be 

commended for giving these kids the support, guidance, 

and encouragement that they needed. Having done their 

part, then, I keep doing mine. 

I know I have grown from the camaraderie of my fellow 

trustees and readers and donors. We have weathered 

countless hours and the emotional ups and downs 

together. Yet, during the interview process, we are 

inspired by the students’ sparkling eyes, enthusiasm, and 

confidence. 

Of the many stories we could relate, one reflects it all— 

the story of a young woman who was interviewed for the 

John M. and Mary A. Shanley Memorial Scholarship. It is 

a four -year scholarship for those pursuing medicine, law, 

dentistry, math, and science education. The scholarship 

is worth $5,000 per year for a total of $20,000. 

When this young lady was interviewed, she brightened 

the whole room and made us feel happier. She had 

the composure of a winner, not just because of her 

valedictorian rank and acceptance to an Ivy League 

university, but for her radiant smile. Her main success was 

in overcoming obstacles. She overcame language barriers 

to learn English as a teen, was the first of her migrant 

family, which frequently moved, to attend school, and 

she worked to support herself and her siblings. 

Despite all the challenges I may have in my world, they 

are minor compared to what many of our scholarship 

candidates have overcome. They move forward, keeping 

their eyes on their dreams, with composure and 

exuberance. They give me hope. 

I guess that’s why I do this. As I sign up to be a scholarship 

reader for next year, I embrace this quote from Mother 

Theresa: “It is not how much we do, but how much love 

we put into doing. It is not how much we give, but how 

much love we put into giving.” 


2011 Scholarship Fund Recipients 

AAuW & Sue gottcent memorial 

Mandy-Ellen Goldenberg 

Chelsea Birczak 

Jordan Abdo & michael Bluett 

Kristin Kuhlman 

Judge Isaac Anderson 

Shanessa Stewart 

Jane Berktold 

Dana Pagano 

Emily Lowman 

James Bilder 

Michelle Roman 

Jordin Lamb 

Thalia Stanberry 

Carl e. Brooks 

Karl Dufrenne 

Stephanie Desgazon 

John & ruth Childe 

Ethan Jansen 

Couse-gram 

Ever Velasquez 

d & A Florida 

Ever Velasquez 

dash Nursing 

Anie Charles 

dunbar heritage 

Shanessa Stewart 

Anne m. Fassett 

Ana Abarca 

Paul & Aline Flynn 

Amelia Rosen 

Jessica Williams 

Lindsay Laden 

Juliet Reilly 

doris Frey 

Jennifer Bromwell 

Alana Yallof 

Christopher Clarke 

William graddy 

Mitchell Cooper 

Frances h. gresham 

Carolina Lerma 

Chip Johnson 

Andres Boral 

Sherzod Tokamov 

Andrea Mordue 

george e. Judd 

Sydney Bell 

Daniel Talavera 

Joseph Calderone, Jr. 

Abigail McMahon 

Thalia Stanberry 

doc Keen memorial 

Ashley Cox 

Kelsie Hansen 

Isabel Kirkpatrick 

Michelle Roman 

robert A. Kleckner 

Sara Martin 

Carol Patti mcLaughlin 

Juliet Reilly 

ruth messmer 


Julie Willard mikell 

Kaitlyn Rieser 

Judge William J. Nelson 

Constance Hackler 

robert & dorothy Pence 

Morgan Brown 

Chet & Janett Perry rotary 

Sara Martin 

Faye Lynn roberts 

Amanda Brink 

david robinson Arts 

Sydney Bell 


Unity throUgh oUr sChoLarshiPs 

Sanibel Community Church 

Marjorie McCann 

robert & margaret Schikora 

Amanda Brink 

John & mary Shanley 

Desiree Goenaga 

Jessica LeSan 

Paslene Pericles 

Satcha Sanon 

ellen Sheppard 

Jannette Bautista 

SWFL Sheriffs deputy 

Abigail Owiesny 

Alexis Lytle 

edna Swain 

Arthur Green 

Latisha Fields 

Dominque DeLoach 

John & madeleine taeni 

Amanda Brink 

Alana Yalloff 

Thompson memorial 

Hao Tran 

Alexander Ragonese 

Morgan Brown 

Katie Melich 


Unity throUgh oUr FUnds 

Community 

Anonymous Fund #7 (2005) 


daniel J. & Jane h. Berktold Fund (2007) 

John S. & Jane C. Bleakly Fund (2003) 

margaret t. & raymond L. Bray Fund (2002) 

Joan du Bane Caldwell Fund (1996) 

Bernice C. Chipley Fund (2001) 

Community Fund for greater Bonita Springs (2008) 

marguerite m. Covington Fund (1992) 

Cregar Family Bonita Springs Community Fund (2007) 

Vern & meryl eriksson Fund (2006) 

Ivan t. Fleming Fund (1992) 

Fund for Southwest Florida (2007) 

dorothy S. & ellis A. galleher Fund (2003) 

good Neighbor Community Fund (2008) 

The Family of J.r. griffin, Sr. Fund (2009) 

Walter A. & Johanne Bertha hagens Fund (1991) 

david & Patricia halley Fund (1991) 

A.W.d. & Frances A. harris Fund (1988) 

houkom Family Fund in honor of erling, 

Betty & Sarah houkom (2008) 

herbert e. hussey memorial Fund (1986) 

Joan & Thomas Krick Fund (2006) 

Walter B. & dorothy LaChicotte Fund (2003) 

Ione e. Peters Fund (2004) 

Alan J. robertson Board of trustees Fund (1997) 

Stephen John Schupert memorial Fund (2000) 

rebecca C. Smoot Fund in memory of J.t. 

Smoot & martha Smoot helgemo (1995) 

William r. Spear Fund (1998) 

William C. tepfer Charitable Fund (2008) 

Adelyn C. Thornton Fund (2003) 

robert L. tysar Fund (1996) 

elias & dorothy Van Krugel Fund (2005) 

dorothy V. Zobrist Fund (1996) 

Designated 

The Ladonna & hal Abelson Fund (2006) 

for Community Cooperative Ministries 

daniel J. & Jane Berktold habitat for humanity Fund 

(2007) for Habitat for Humanity of Lee County, Inc. 

Jane h. Berktold Parkinson Fund (2008) for 

National Parkinson Foundation 

Wilfred & edith Berman Fund (2007) for All 

Faiths Unitarian Congregation; Big Brothers/Big 

Sisters of SWFL; Hemlock Foundation of 

Florida, Inc.; Quality Life Center; Temple Beth 

EL; Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers 

John S. & Jane C. Bleakly Fund (2003) for 

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Florida 

Suncoast Chapter 

Briggs Arts Fund (1999) for Lee County Alliance 

of the Arts Children’s Art Program 

Briggs musical Appreciation Fund (1998) for The 

Young Artists Program at the Southwest Florida 

Symphony Orchestra; The Fort Myers 

Community Concerts Association Inc. 

Joan du Bane Caldwell Fund (1996) for Center for 

Spiritual Living Cape Coral; The Salvation Army 

in Lee County 

Cornelius huijer Caloosa humane Society Fund 

(1997) for Caloosa Humane Society 

The Jean & Joseph Christen Fund for Animals 

(2010) for Animal Refuge Center of North Fort 

Myers; Humane Society of Lee County; Octagon 

Wildlife Sanctuary in Charlotte County 

Arthur & ruth Clark Wake up America Fund (2001) 

for Wake up America of Southwest Florida 

dr. Frank & Julie A. Colunga Fund (1999) for 

Charlotte Country Day School; Marine Military 

Academy 

Isabella Curtis Fund for Animals (2001) for 

Animal Rescue Center of La Belle 

dr. Phyllis J. douglass Fund (2001) for Clinic for 

the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) 

Cora mae Williams gable Fund (1997) for First 

Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers 

marguerite & guy howard Fund (2002) for St. 

Luke’s Episcopal Church, Fort Myers; Florida 

Gulf Coast University; The Shell Museum 

and Educational Foundation, Inc., Sanibel; 

The Salvation Army, Fort Myers 

Clinic for the rehabilitation of Wildlife (2011) 

Knipe Family memorial music Fund (2004) for 

Music Foundation of Southwest Florida 

The Legacy Society at Shell Point retirement 

Community Fund (2003) 

mary & Jack mcNairy Fund (2007) for United Way 

of Lee County for Bonita Springs 

James d. & eleanor F. Newton uncommon 

Friends Fund (2004) for Uncommon Friends 

Foundation, Inc. 

North Fort myers Lions Civic Association Fund 

(2007) for Lions Eye Institute for Transplant 


and Research Foundation; Visually Impaired 

Persons Center of Southwest Florida 

Bardo & Jennie Nicolosi take Stock in Children 

Fund (2003) for The Foundation for Lee 

County Public Schools 

Jillian Prescott memorial history Award Fund 

(2002) for Florida Historical Society 

Jillian Prescott memorial music Fund (1999) for 

Southwest Florida Symphony Society 

John e. Presser Charitable remainder unitrust 

Fund (2006) for Shriners Hospital for Children 

Charles J. & mary Puzzo Family endowment Fund 

(1998) for Hope Hospice of Lee County; 

Leukemia Society of America; Crohn’s & Colitis 

Foundation 

John h. & robert S. Sanderson Fund (2009) for 

Southwest Florida Boy Scout Council, Inc. 

St. Columbkille Catholic Church designated Fund 

(2011) for St. Columbkille Catholic Church 

Carl “Bud” Vietor memorial Brightest horizons 

designated Fund (2010) for Brightest Horizons 

Child Development Center 

J. harold & h. Virginia Wand memorial Fund 

(1996) for Covenant Presbyterian Church. 

Betty Suter Whistler endowment Fund (2001) for 

Brightest Horizons Child Development Center 

Louise Zmuda Charitabe Fund (2004) for Florida 

Lions Clonkin Center for the Blind 

Field of Interest 

dorothy m. Beall good Samaritan Fund (1991) 

Helps needy persons who have suffered some 

loss, or have need of Christian charity. 

Beryl Berry Fund (1988) Assists abused women or 

children, or charitable agencies that assist them. 

Charles & roberta Church Fund (1995) Benefits 

needy and disabled citizens of Lee County. 

Arthur A. & ruth W. Clark Fund (1997) Provides 

educational materials to improve the 

education and quality of life to migrant workers, 

needy persons in homeless shelters, children’s 

orphanages, and battered women’s shelters. 

Also provides assistance to community food 

pantries, food banks, and distribution of food to 

the poor; assistance in food salvaging 

programs; as well as assistance in providing 

building materials for urban renewal programs 

for needy persons to acquire a home. 


Curry Fund (2002) Provides assistance for health 

issues for active or retired captains of charter 

boats who are residents of the State of Florida 

who have or who have had a United States 

Coast Guard Master License and who are 

members of and have maintained membership 

in the National Party Boat Association, while 

they were party boat captains. 

marjorie P. dowell Fund (2000) Supports 

Alzheimer’s research and grants to needy 

individuals suffering from the disease, as well 

as health organizations which support funding 

and research related to eye care, in particular 

the diseases of macular degeneration and 

cataracts. 

Sigourney esty Fund (2003) Provides for the 

care, treatment, and general welfare of 

domestic and wild animals in Charlotte and 

Lee Counties. 

Joyce Lee eudy Charitable Fund (2006) Benefits 

children and families in Southwest Florida 

affected by autism and other developmental 

disorders, and to research the cure and 

treatment for these diseases. 

Fossils Fund (2010) Assists with the healthcare 

and medical needs of residents of Sanibel and 

Captiva. 

Carl C. graham memorial Fund (2010) Supports 

literacy for children and arts education for 

children, including drama, music, painting, 

and dance. 

Beatrice C. heesch Fund (1994) Provides medical 

assistance to the elderly (over 65) in Fort Myers. 

Sadako Judd Fund for the Arts (2000) Benefits 

the arts in Southwest Florida. 

howard L. and marilyn t. Leland Christian Charity 

Fund (2005) Benefits Christian organizations 

and charities which further the work and 

ministry of Jesus Christ. 

Annie Lohr memorial Fund (2007) Supports the 

needy and neglected, especially foster children 

and battered women. 

James harper marshall good Samaritan Fund (2001) 

Supports a Bonita Springs resident or worker in 

an emergency situation on a one-time basis. 

margarete matheisen Fund (2008) Assists the 

poor and/or homeless individuals of Lee County. 



Patricia B. murray Charitable Fund for the 

humane treatment of Animals (2004) Provides 

assistance for the care, preservation and 

humane treatment of animals in Lee County. 

Bardo & Jennie Nicolosi Children’s Fund (2003) 

Supports children’s charities and programs in 

Lee County. 

Nonprofit training and development (2007) Assist 

Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry and Glades Counties 

nonprofits in leadership development, grantwriting skills, 

financial management, and other pertinent employment 

seminars and training as recommended by the staff of the 

Southwest Florida Community Foundation. 

dr. earl F. & Ann A. riggs memorial Fund (1990) A 

“Good Samaritan” fund helps families with catastrophic 

or immediate needs, and gives assistance to the elderly in 

Lee County. 

Leonard Santini Fund (1979) Helps a variety of causes in 

Lee County, including, food, medical care, education, and 

housing for needy children, children with special needs, 

and children with emotional problems, with preference 

given to Catholic-related charities. 

St. Joseph Foundation health & human Services Fund 

(2005) Benefits qualified charitable organizations in 

Charlotte County or contiguous counties for the purposes 

of healthcare, medical education for residents of Florida, 

human services, and disease management and prevention. 

The Jeanette g. Shepherd Fund (2009) Benefits 

underpriviledged people in Lee County. 

richard & Katherine Simpson Fund (2010) Provides for 

orthodontic procedures for children of families who are 

legal and responsible citizens of this country. 

Fred S. & geraldine Willard ‘good Samaritan’ Fund 

(1989) Assists families in Southwest Florida who are in 

dire or immediate need. 

Women’s Legacy Fund (2008) Enables women in Southwest 

Florida to direct their giving in focused, strategic ways, 

and the fund’s mission is to improve the quality of life in 

Southwest Florida from a woman’s perspective. 

Designated Principal 

Captiva Chapel by the Sea designated Principal Fund 

(2003) 

Captiva Chapel by the Sea historic Preservation Fund 

(2004) 

Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve Fund (2002) 

greater Fort myers Chamber of Commerce education 

Fund (2000) 

our mothers home Building & maintenance Fund 

(2006) 

Sanibel Community Church - mina tamblyn Fund (2000) 

Sanibel School designated Principal Fund (2000) 

united Way of Lee County designated Principal Fund (2001) 

Donor-advised 

Alderman Family Fund (2005) 

All the Children of Christ Fund (2007) 




Arts & Attractions of Lee County Fund (2004) 

Aubuchon Family Fund (2008) 

The Bailey Family Charitable Fund (2005) 

Barbara’s Friends Fund (2002) 

Susan & Phil Bennett Fund (1999) 

The Bireley Family Foundation Arts Fund (2005) 

Casper Family Charitable Foundation Fund (2006) 

The Charlotte harbor Fund (1999) 

Cherrill & richard Cregar Fund (2005) 

Sidney & Berne davis Fund (1995) 

ding darling Wildlife Society Fund (2002) 

Charles & Ann dodson Charitable Fund (1998) 

drs. Ira & udaya dash Fund (1999) 

The Norman marcus & dawn-marie driscoll Family Fund (2005) 

richard & Patricia driscoll Fund (2006) 

Christopher S. earle memorial Fund (2001) 

edouard & mary Quigley eller Fund (1986) 

empowerment Alliance of Southwest Florida Fund (2002) 

erwin Family Fund (2002) 

Jan eustis Children’s Services Fund (2006) 

The Fletcher Fund for organ transplantation (2005) 

galloway Family of dealerships Charitable Fund (2002) 

Chip & Nanette graddy Family Charitable Fund (2004) 

greater Bonita Springs Children’s Fund (2008) 

Velma Strattan green Family Fund (2002) 

Sheila & robert hague Fund (2004) 

roan heffington Family Fund (2001) 

hilliard Family Foundation Fund (2002) 

Jacard Fund (1998) 

Jubilee Fund (2002) 

Barbara harris Kite Fund (1999) 

Kiwanis Club of Fort myers metro-mcgregor, Inc. (2000) 

The Peter d. & eleanore A. Kleist Foundation Fund (2002) 

dr. harvey & Nora Krieger Fund (1994) 


Walter B. & dorothy LaChicotte Fund (2003) 

Lee County emergency Workers Fund (2002) 

Lee trust for historic Preservation Fund (2000) 

Alfred J. & Frances m. Luessenhop Fund (2006) 

madden Family Fund (2001) 

James harper marshall Fund (1995) 

Bob & Pam martin Foundation (2006) 

The mediterra Foundation Fund (2004) 

The mavis & t. Wayne miller Fund (2002) 

Jordan moguil memorial Fund (1996) 

Namm Family Fund (2004) 

Near Family Fund (2001) 

Sarah g. & Frank A. Prather Fund (1997) 

Paige Prator-Collins endowment Fund (1992) 

Premier Properties Fund (2000) 

Jack & Shirley rasmussen Fund (1997) 

Patricia rentz memorial Fund (2003) 

don & Nancy rolley Fund (2010) 

Shellenbarger Community Fund (2005) 

John & ellen Sheppard Family Children’s Fund (1993) 

Spanish Wells golf & Country Club Fund (2006) 

Jeremiah & Barbara Sullivan Foundation (2006) 

dewey & Brenda tate Fund (2005) 

Jeanne marie Franziska telep Fund (2005) 

Sanibel trails in motion Fund (2005) 

Stephen & marie tranovich Fund (2004) 

The twin eagles Fund (2006) 

unto the Least of These Christian Fund (1998) 

Verandah Fund (2006) 

Warfield Family Fund (1998) 

Betty J. Waters Fund (2001) 

Wichmann-Friede Foundation Fund (1999) 

Patricia & Joseph Wolf Fund (1996) 

Scholarship Funds 

American Association of university Women Sue gottcent 

memorial Scholarship Fund (2006) For Lee County 

women who are enrolled in accredited programs of study 

at either 2- or 4-year accredited institutions. Preference to 

women 25 and older. 

Jordan Abdo/michael Bluett memorial Fund (2002) For a 

North Fort Myers High School student athlete with a GPA 

of 3.0 to 3.5. 

Judge Isaac Anderson, Jr. Scholarship Fund (2008) For 

a Lee County high school senior who can demonstrate 


financial need with a GPA of 3.0+ and strong ties to the 

community through extracurricular activities, religious 

endeavors, or community service. 

Lewis B. Barber memorial Scholarship Fund (1986) For 

students pursuing either of the following educational 

paths: 1) certification to teach the deaf and blind; 

2) seminary or pre-seminary school to study church, 

Christian music, or Christian education. 

daniel J. & Jane h. Berktold Columbia College 

Scholarship Fund (2007) For a student who 

demonstrates financial need and is attending Columbia 

College. 

Jane h. Berktold Scholarship (2008) For graduates of Lee 

County public high schools who are in need of financial 

assistance. 

James Bilder Scholarship Fund (1992) For Lee County 

high school students to pursue higher education with 

preference given to students attending vocational/ 

technical schools. 

Jane Cavanna Bleakly Scholarship Fund (2003) For a 

Haddonfield New Jersey High School student to pursue 

higher educational studies. 

John S. Bleakly Scholarship Fund (2003) For a Rutgers 

School of Law student. 

Carl e. Brooks Scholarship Fund (1998) For collegebound 

students of one or more immigrant parents. 

Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce/ralph A. 

richardson Fund (2001) For an Estero High School 

graduate continuing his or her education at a Florida 

college or university. 

John & ruth Childe Scholarship Fund (2003) For a 

Lee County student with a physical disability to pursue 

higher education in a college, university, or technical 

school. 

Couse-gram Scholarship Fund (2006) For a Moore 

Haven High School student pursuing post-secondary 

education. 

Certified Public Accountants’ Scholarship Fund (2008) 

For tuition, books, and/or fees for an undergraduate 

or graduate student from Southwest Florida majoring 

in accounting and planning to attend a post-secondary 

institution in the five-county area of Lee, Charlotte, 

Hendry, Glades, or Collier counties. 

d & A Scholarship Fund (2003) For a high school 

senior or undergraduate student with a GPA of 3.5+ 

with financial need, attending one of the following 

schools: FGCU, UF-Gainesville, FSU-Tallahassee, 

Flagler College, Stetson University, University of Miami, 

University of Tampa, or Embry Riddle Aeronautical 

University/Daytona Beach. 



drs Ira and udaya dash Nursing Scholarship Fund 

(2007) For a student studying nursing at Edison State 

College or FGCU. 

dunbar heritage Scholarship Fund (2000) For a Dunbar 

High School graduate of African-American descent to 

pursue a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college. 

Anne m. Fassett Scholarship Fund (2000) For posthigh 

school educational opportunities at the college, 

community college, or technical school level for men and 

women with a physical disability who use a wheelchair. 

Paul B. & Aline Flynn Scholarship Fund (2007) For 

students pursuing a degree from a 4-year accredited 

college in communications or journalism. 

Charles & margaret Foster Scholarship Fund (2006) 

For two high school seniors; one who will be attending 

the University of Florida and studying environmental 

studies or environmental education and one who will be 

attending Florida State University and studying music 

doris W. Frey memorial Scholarship Fund (2003) For 

students studying Christian ministry/youth ministry, 

Christian counseling, nursing, or medicine. 

Bruce t. gora Photography Scholarship Fund (2010) For 

a high school senior or a college student at an accredited 

Florida college, university, or applicable technical school 

who is a Fine Arts Major concentrating in photography. 

William L. graddy Law School Scholarship Fund (1998) 

For students who have completed the first year at an 

accredited law school. 

Francis harris gresham Scholarship Fund (1998) Tuition 

for college bound seniors from Lee County high schools. 

matt harmon memorial Scholarship Fund (1997) Books 

and tuition for college-bound baseball players. 

high tech Center Central Scholarship Fund (2000) For 

students/clients of Cornerstone Ministries and Teen 

Challenge. 

hotchkiss Scholarship Fund (2004) For Florida Prepaid 

scholarships to sixth grade students upon successful 

completion of a mentoring program and graduation from 

high school. 

Chip Johnson memorial Scholarship Fund (1991) For 

students who have completed 60 hours of college and 

plan to attend Barry University, FGCU, Nova, Edison 

State College, or Hodges University. 

george e. Judd Scholarship Fund (1989) Tuition for 

graduating Lee County seniors pursuing higher education 

in the fine or performing arts. 

Keen Family Nursing Scholarship Fund (1996) For 

students at Edison State College who are motivated and 

academically qualified but are without the means to 

pursue an education in nursing. 

doc Keen memorial Scholarship Fund (2006) For a high 

school student who was an active member of 4-H or FFA 

for two consecutive years and attended a Clewiston or 

LaBelle High School, pursuing higher education. 

Isabel mayer Kirkpatrick Scholarship Fund (1983) 

Tuition for Lee County high school graduates with a “B” 

average (3.0 - 3.7). 

robert Kleckner Scholarship Fund (2006) For a financially 

needy high school, undergraduate, or graduate student 

pursuing a career in finance or accounting. 

Lee County Library Sciences Scholarship Fund (2005) 

Beginning in the year 2015, this fund will provide 

scholarships for Lee County residents pursuing a Bachelor 

or Masters degree in Library Science. 

Love of Bonita empowerment Scholarship Fund (2002) 

Books, tuition, and/or course fees for Bonita Springs 

residents who have been out of school for at least two 

years to attend a college or technical school. 

Carol Patti mcLaughlin Scholarship Fund (2008) For 

a student pursuing a 4-year degree at an accredited 

college or university who has a GPA of 3.3 or higher, 

demonstrates community service, and is from Lee, 

Charlotte, Glades, or Hendry 

ruth messmer Scholarship Fund (2000) For women 

pursuing a business career in college. 

Julie Willard mikell Fund (2010) For a financially needy 

Lee County high school senior to attend a 2- or 4-year 

regionally accredited college or university. 

Judge William J. Nelson Scholarship Fund (2006) For a 

high school senior who will be attending the University of 

Florida. 

James d. and eleanor F. Newton Children’s Fund (2004) 

For the winners of the Edison Science and Inventors’ Fair. 

Joanne olmsted Scholarship Fund (2004) For Florida 

Prepaid scholarships to sixth grade students upon 

successful completion of a mentoring program and 

graduation from high school. 

robert B. and dorothy Pence Scholarship Fund (1997) 

For economically disadvantaged Lee County students to 

attend college or technical school. 

Chet and Janett Perry Scholarship Fund (2006) For a 

student pursuing a career in accounting. 

Faye Lynn roberts education Scholarship Fund (2002) 

For women pursuing a career in technical studies, court 

reporting, computer training, or nursing. 

david g. robinson Arts Scholarship Fund (1999) Tuition 

for Lee County high school seniors who plan to study the 

arts in an accredited school. 

Sanibel Community Church Scholarship Fund: Next 

generation Fund trust (2008) For child or grandchild of 

a member of Sanibel Community Church. 


City of Sanibel employee dependent Scholarship Fund 

(2005) For dependents of Sanibel City employees to 

attend a college or university. 

robert C. & margaret A. Schikora Scholarship Fund 

(1988) For needy students who have previously graduated 

from high schools in Lee County to pursue postsecondary 

educational opportunities. 

John m. & mary A. Shanley memorial Scholarship 

(2001) For a 4-year scholarship to students studying 

medicine, law, dentistry, teaching (math & science), 

ministry, engineering, accounting, agriculture, 

architecture, or computer science. 

ellen Sheppard Scholarship Fund (2010) For a Lee County 

high school senior or a graduate currently enrolled in 

an accredited college or university pursuing a degree in 

art (specifically visual arts—painting, photography, or 

sculpture) or nursing. 

Jay Sheppard memorial Scholarship Fund (1980) For a 

Bishop Verot student in financial need. 

Anne Sturrock Nursing Scholarship Fund (2001) For a 

student pursuing nursing who is a member, or a child of a 

member, of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Cape Coral. 

edna & Felix Swain Scholarship Fund (2003) For a 

student going to college who is a parishioner of Mount 

Olive Church. 

Southwest Florida deputy Sheriffs Association Fund 

(2006) For high school students who are dependents of 

law enforcement officers. 

John I. & madeleine r. taeni Scholarship Fund (2002) 

For students pursuing degrees in teaching, nursing, 

paramedic training, or emergency medical technician 

training. 

Quality Life Center/emma Lee Thomas memorial 

Scholarship Fund (1999) For high school graduates 

affiliated with Quality Life Center to pursue further 

education. 

richard S. Thompson and marion L. Thompson 

memorial Fund (2008) For Lee County students 

pursuing a post high school science education. 

united Christian giving/hodges university Scholarship 

Fund (2005) For a Hodges University student from 

a Christian nonprofit supported by United Christian 

Giving. 

Frances h. Waldron Scholarship Fund (2010) For a high 

school graduate of Immokalee High School in the current 

school year with a grade point average within the range of 

(and including) 3.2 to 3.4. 


Agency Endowment 

Adonis Autism Assistance Foundation, Inc. (1997) 

Art League of Bonita Springs (2000) 

BAt yAm temple of the Islands (2001) 

Bonita Springs Assistance office (2000) 

Bonita Springs elementary School (2000) 

Brightest horizons Child development Center Noel 

Fund (1994) 

Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium (1999) 

Candlelighters of SW Florida endowment Fund (1999) 

Canterbury School (1994) 

Captiva Chapel By the Sea endowment Fund (2003) 

Center for Abuse and rape emergencies of Charlotte 

County Fund (2002) 

Cape Coral Caring Center, Inc. Fund (1999) 

Cape Coral Police dept. Police Benevolent Assoc. youth 

Intervention Project Fund (1995) 

Charlotte Country day School (1999) 

Charlotte County homeless Coalition (2001) 

Child evangelism Fellowship of Lee County (1999) 

Children’s Advocacy Center of SW Florida, Inc. (2000) 

Children’s hospital (1999) 

Christian Financial Counseling (2000) 

Clinic for rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) (2000) 

Community Congregational united Church of Christ of 

Bonita Springs (1998) 

Community Cooperative ministries, Inc. (1994) 

Cornerstone ministries (1999) 

Covenant Presbyterian Church endowment Fund (2002) 

Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church (2000) 

Jocelyn diehl Literacy for Literacy Volunteers of America, 

Lee County (1999) 

The Alvin A. dubin Alzheimer’s resource Center (1997) 

earth Shine Institute Agency endowment Fund (2000) 

eCho (1996) 

edison-Ford Winter estates Foundation (2002) 

evangelical Christian School (1999) 

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2001) 

First Congregational Community Church, Cape Coral 

(2000) 

The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools (1997) 

Fort myers Christian School, Inc. endowment Fund 

(1995) 

Fort myers Community Concert Association (1994) 

Fort myers rescue mission (2000) 



gabriel house, Inc. (2000) 

girl Scouts of gulf Coast Florida, Inc. (2001) 

good Wheels endowment Fund (2001) 

goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. (1994) 

greater Fort myers Chamber of Commerce (1994) 

guadalupe Center of Immokalee (1999) 

gulf Coast humane Society Fund (2002) 

harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida (2000) 

hope hospice (1996) 

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (2001) 

Jacobi endowment Fund for Lee County “Pulling 

together” (2001) 

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (1999) 

dr. harvery & Nora Krieger Fund for Animal refuge 

Center (2004) 

Learning Village Preschool (1999) 

Lee County Alliance of the Arts Scholarship Fund (1995) 

Lee County medical Society Alliance and Foundation 

“reaching out” endowment Fund (2002) 

Lee County ymCA (1998) 

Lee healthcare resources (1994) 

Lehigh Community Service endowment Fund (2002) 

Life Choice Pregnancy Center (2001) 

Lifeline Family Center (1998) 

Literacy Council of Bonita Springs (2000) 

Alice Lockmiller Fund for Special equestrians (2000) 

meals on Wheels of Bonita Springs (2000) 

rhea B. mike endowment for Child Care of Southwest 

Florida (1996) 

mt. hermon Christian School (1999) 

The music Foundation of Southwest Florida (2000) 

Nations Association Fund (2000) 

New horizons of Southwest Florida Agency endowment 

Fund (2007) 

octagon Sequence of eight, Inc. (1994) 

dr. Piper Center for Social Services (1994) 

Planned Parenthood Association of Southwest Florida, 

Inc. (1996) 

Providence Christian School (1999) 

renaissance School Fund (2000) 

Church of the resurrection endowment Fund (2001) 

ronald mcdonald house of Southwest Florida (1998) 

royal Palm Baptist Association (2000) 

ruth Cooper Center/Serenity Center for Lee mental 

health Center (1994) 

The Salvation Army of Lee County (2001) 

Sanibel Community Church youth Fund (2000) 

Sanibel Community Association Fund (2000) 

Sanibel School Fund (2000) 

Senior Friendship Centers (1998) 

Sonshine Christian Academy (2000) 

Steiner endowment Fund for the Jewish Federation 

(2001) 

Steiner endowment Fund for temple Judea (2001) 

Southwest Florida Addiction Services (1994) 

mark Sweet memorial Fund for Lee memorial hospital 

Library (1995) 

Southwest Florida Community Foundation 

Administrative endowment Fund (2002) 

Southwest Florida Children’s home in memory of 

Katherine m. Flynn (1999) 

Southwest Florida Christian Academy to honor rev. Jim 

& Jean holbrook (1998) 

Southwest Florida museum of history Foundation Fund 

(2001) 

The Southwest Florida Symphony orchestra & Chorus 

Association (1994) 

teen Challenge of Florida (1998) 

Thomas edison regional Science & Inventors Fair (2001) 

united Christian giving, A Christ-Centered Fund (2001) 

The united Way of Lee County (1995) 

Verity Pregnancy & medical resource Center (1999) 

Visually Impaired Persons (1994) 

Wake up America (2004) 


honorariums 

in honor of 

Janet eustis, Lee Schilling, 

Pam Putnam, gary Schirmer, 

Phil Schirmer, Judi meddoun, 

& Jack eustis 

Allen & Lee Cohen 

in honor of 

Bonnie Prator 

Edward & Virgnia Pinckard 

in honor of 

Salvation Army of 

Lee, hendry & glades 

Counties, Inc. 

Ross & Stephanie Webb 

in honor of 

Julia east’s birthday 

Patricia Bell 

Norman Marcus & 


in honor of 

dawn-marie driscoll 

James Nathan/United Way of 

Lee, Hendry & Glades 

Counties, Inc. 

in honor of 

richard & ginny hassett 

Marty & Judith Freling 

in honor of 

hank hochstetler 

Maria Karl Expressions, LLC 

in honor of 

Sam Sverdlik 

Robert & Judith Korostoff 

memorials 

in memory of 

Nancy eustis 


in memory of 

richard & maureen Bayha’s 

cat, Jennifer 

Dennis & Nancy Buttacavoli 

in memory of 

Paul Flynn 

James & Karen Nathan 

Ruslan & Olena Maksimov 

Aline Flynn 

in memory of 

Andrew Aliprandi 

Jackie Aliprandi 

in memory of 

Bob mcgrath 

Kathleen McGrath 

in memory of 

Chesley “mike” Perry 

Jill Rickman 

in memory of 

Christine mcAllister 

Mary Jane Cleveland 

Kathy Wilson 

Glen & Linnie Cary 

Michael McCain & Debra 

Freeman 

Betty Prather Hyde 

Gene R. Soloman, CPA 

Costello & Royston 

Sunshine Tooke Bobo 

Patricia Brice 

Roger McAllister 

Lynn Barrett Shunk 

Margie Willis 

Joseph & Sara Morgan 

Rande A. McAllister Attorney 

at Law 

Dan McAllister 

Joseph & Phyllis 

McGee - CPA, PL 

Sam & Betty Speier 

James & Sharlene Hamel Dozier 

Virginia Barnard 

Lynne Taylor 

William Ward 

Robert & Marie Hogue 

in memory of 

robert Arnall 

Sarah Arnall 

in memory of 

george derrick 

Ruth Derrick 

in memory of 

gerald mader 

Barbara Murphy 

in memory of 

Arnold Sarlo 

Margie Willis 



in honor and memory 

in memory of 

mike Leavitt 

Norman Marcus & Dawn- 

Marie Driscoll 

in memory of 

ray gilbert 


in memory of 

robert Arnall 


in memory of 

Lillian o’harra Beyer 


in memory of 

margarete roberts 

Pat Strauss 

Vaughn & Jeanne Cornele 

Louise Torri 

Beverly Dommerich 

Jamie Gates 

in memory of 

Anne Fassett 


Estelena Heusted Gill 


in memory of 

Louise ruke 

Margie Willis 

Geraldine Brooks 

in memory of 

maria Furia 

Alan & Joan Klutch 

in memory of 

martha Freedman 


Norman Marcus & Dawn- 

Marie Driscoll 


in memory of 

rachel Byrd 

& Paige Prator Collins 

Claire Miles 

in memory of 

Sam galloway Sr. 

Suzanne Galloway 

in memory of 

William raizik 



Unity throUgh oUr sUPPorters 

Hal & La Donna Abelson 

Richard & Sue Ackert 

Marie Ackord 

Daniel & Kathy Adams 

Robert & Marilyn Adkins 

Rene Affourtit 

Jackie Aliprandi 

American Association of University Women Lee County 

Branch 


James Anderson & Bernadine Stuefer-Anderson 

Sarah Arnall 

Rep. Gary & Andrea Aubuchon 


Andrew & Emilie Barnette 

Carl & Sandy Barraco 

Joseph & Phyllis Battagliese 

Bruce & Pamela Templeton 

James & Gail Baumgarten 

Barbara Oski Beane 

Patricia Bell 

Bob Beville 

Jean Bidwell 

Bireley Family Foundation 

Sunshine Tooke Bobo 

Roy & Karen Borrego 

Jurg & Deborah Braendle 

Jay Brett & Kimby Hegwood 

Patricia Brice 

William & Norma Hand Brill 

Robert & Ruth Bringer 

Geraldine Brooks 

Bill Tanner & Rusty Brown 

Roger & Dian Brownell 

Alice Brunner 

Mary Jo Burke 

Peter Burkert 

Claudia Burns 

Robert Burns 

Allen Busch, Jr. 

Donna Caruso 

Glenn & Linnie Cary 

Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry 

Margaret Chamberlin 

Randy Kirk & Mei-Mei Chan 

Chaos Productions 

City of Fort Myers 

City of Sanibel 

Gerald & Delores Ann Clancy 

Thomas & Suzanne Clapp 

Margaret Clarke 

Mary Jane Cleveland 

Close Friend Foundation 

Cohen Family LTD Partnership 


Robert & Sally Coleman 

Christin Collins 

Herbert & Carolyn Conant 

Danah Harper Cooper 

Vaughn & Jeanne Cornele 

Cosas Buenas Baratas, Inc. 

Ellen Costa 

Costello & Royston 

Frederick & Nancy Costello 

Susan Costello 

Richard & Roberta Cox 

Jan Crocker 

Amanda Cross 

Clinic for Rehabilitation of Wildlife 

CSL & G Development, LTD 

The Daniel R. and Anne M. Harper Foundation, Inc. 

Gholi & Georgia Darehshori 

Ira Dash 

Bernese Davis 

H. Fred & Carolyn Day 


David & Margaret Depew 

Ruth Derrick 

Richard & Nancy Diamond 

Victor & Carolyn Dix 

Patricia Dobbins 

Beverly Dommerich 

James Dozier & Sharlene Hamel Dozier 

Norman Marcus & Dawn-Marie Driscoll 

Beth Drouin 

Warren & Dorothy Durling 

Henri & Josephine Dyner 

Geoff Campbell & Julia East 

Edison Festival of Light 

Edison National Bank 

Joseph & Sandy English 

Equilibrium, LLC 

Grant & Susan Erickson 


Cheryl Fausel 

Aline Flynn 

Maria Foley 

Craig & Margaret Folk 

Fort Myers Community Concert Association 

John & Maggie Foskett 

Fowler White Boggs, P.A. 

Marty & Judith Freling 


Sam & Kathy Galloway, Jr. 

Suzanne Galloway 

Gannett Foundation/The Matching Gift Center 

Anton & Ruth Gapp 

D. Fred Garner 

Gary Aubuchon Campaign 

Jamie Gates 

Gene R. Solomon 

Pat & Barbara Geraghty 

Dennis Gerhart 

Thomas & Mary Ann Gilhooley 

J. Robert Gillette 

William & Mardi Glenn 

Peter & Amy Gravina 

Scott Vickrey & Peg Gray-Vickrey 

Charles & Katherine Green 

Mark & Sandy Greenberg 

Scott & Brenda Gregory 

Gulf Coast Society of Fundraising Executives, Inc 

Beulah Gustafson 

Elly Hagen 

Robert Hague 

Edward & Sharon Hannon 

James & Patti Hardin 

Hon. Archie Hayward, Jr. 

Scott & Helen Heffington 

Gwenda Hiett-Clements 

Larry & Debra Hobbs 

Kathleen Hoffay 

Dilmus & Patricia Hogan 

Robert & Marie Hogue 

Kay Holloway 

William & Andrea Horowitz 

Mary Elizabeth Houkom Estate 

Marguerite Howard 

John & Martha Howard 

Francis & Connie Howington 

Adrian & Carol Hudler 

Robert & Janis Hughes 

James & Nancy Humphrey 

Elmo & Betty Hurst 

Betty Prather Hyde 

John & Suzanne Jack 

Franklyn & Elena Johnson 

Liddy Johnson 

Richard & Carol Johnson 

Robert & Elizabeth Jones 

Karen Benson Interior Design, Inc. 

Robert & Donna Kaye 

Jane Kelly 

Kathryn Kelly 


Kevin L. Erwin Consulting Ecologist, Inc. 

Edith Kingsley 

James & Leslie Kinsey, Jr. 

D. Hugh & Elizabeth Kinsey, Sr. 

Robert & Peggy Kleckner 


Marilyn Kloosterman 

Alan & Joan Klutch 

Wilbert Knipe 

Arlene Knox 

Joyce Koons 

Robert & Judith Korostoff 

Mary Lou Krukar 

Michael & Susan Kyle 

Tom & Bert Lammert 

LaMotte Family Foundation 

Arlyn & Marcia Lanting 

Lee County Board of County Commissioners 

Jonathan & Holly Leland 

Howard & Marilyn Leland 

Darla Letourneau 

Alan & Ann Levinsohn 

Beth Lobdell 

Hugh & Bonnie Lombardi 

Norman & Mary Love 

Clive & Sonia Lubner 

David & Linda Lucas 

Ruslan & Olena Maksimov 

Louise Mangieri 

Frank & Mary Lee Mann 

George & Jena Mann, Jr. 

Maria Karl Expressions, LLC 


Gail Markham 

Richard & Doris Mascott 

Joan Maupin 

W. Michael & Barbara Maxwell 

Victor & Katherine Mayeron 

Dan McAllister 

Rande A. McAllister 

Roger McAllister 

Michael & Debra Freeman 

Jim & Ann McCaughan 

Diane McClay 

D. Todd McGee 

Kathleen McGrath 

Bette McGruder 

Donald McKee 

Michael McNally & Beth Drouin 

Corey & Susy Mertz 

Rhea Mike 



Claire Miles 

Lorraine Miller 

Michael & Mary Miller 

Mills-Price & Associates, Inc. 

Roberta Mills-Price 

Ralph & Martha Mixon 

Thomas & Joan Moehring 

Cora Molloy 

Tara Molloy 

Scott & Mary Moore 


Joseph & Sarah Morgan 

Margaret Eiluned Morgan 

Richard & Florence Morris 

Shirley Mueller 

Barbara Murphy 

Mary Murphy 

Patricia Murray 

James & Karen Nathan 

Norman & Edith Nichols 

North American Group, Inc. 

Roberta O’Brad 

Organ Transplant Recipients of Southwest Florida, Inc. 

Wayne & Patty Ormsby 

Ladd & Barbara Orr 

Bonita Bay Trianon 

Don & Nina Paight 

Ronald Victor & Tara Paluck 

Jane Parker 

Foster & Sherry Pate 

Robert & Janet Pease 

Donald & Virginia Peters 

Edward & Virginia Pinckard 

Steven & Lou Pontius 

Margaret Porter-Hoel 

F. Allen & Cecilia Prather, Jr. 

Richard Prescott 

John Price 

Promotional Incentives, Inc. 

The Prudential Foundation Matching Gifts 

Pamela Putnam 

Karen Quanstrom 


Susan Raver 

RC Otter’s Captiva, LLC 

Mike & Jennifer Reese 

Hugh & Mary Richardson 

Robert & Dorothy Richardson 

Jill Rickman 

Phyllis Rieser 

John & Jerry Risk 

Kristin Ritts 

Alexander & Patty Robinson, Jr. 

David & Suzanne Robinson 

Geoffrey & Robbie Roepstorff 

Bill & Carolyn Rogers and Family 

Michael & Martha Rolland 

Anne Rose 

Gerald & Marjorie Rubacky 

Klaus & Mary Ann Saegebarth 

John & Nancy Sampson 

Amy Sanford 

Sanibel Community Church 

William Sartoris 

Insight Strategies 

Gayle Schmidt Sheets 

Walter & Mary Scholer, Jr. 

Thomas & Sally Schreck 

Kenneth V. Scobie Estate 

Scott White Advisors LLC 

James & Diann Seals 

David & Kathie Shellenbarger 

Daniel & Lita Sheppard, Sr. 


Martin & Betteann Sherman 

Steven & Kathy Shimp 

Robert Shrader & Shirley Gerstenberger 


Melissa Simontis 

Katherine Simpson 

Paul & Janice Smart 

J. Tom & Lourdes Smoot, III 

J. Tom & Ann Smoot, Jr. 

Southwest Florida Christian Foundation 

Howard & Juanita Spanogle 

Sam & Betty Speier 

Halcyon St. Hill 

Gene Bilotti & Marjorie Starnes-Bilotti 

Charlie & Jean States 

Pumfey Steffens 

Betty Stewart 

John & Brenda Stewart 

Stillwell Management 

Donald & Karen Strang 

Pat Strauss 

Ed & Virginia Stringer 

Radford & Kathy Sturgis 

Jeremiah & Barbara Sullivan 

Susan Bennett Marketing & Media, L.C. 

SWFLA Workforce Development Board, Inc. 


Dewey & Brenda Tate 


Anne Tatler 

Lee Anne Tauck 

Charles & Emmie Taylor 

Lois Taylor 

Lynne Taylor 

Ione Tedder 

Teen Challenge 

Bruce Bauman & Pamela Templeton 

Gay Thompson 

Jon & Beverly Thompson 

Sharon Thompson 

William & Liz Thorndike 

Virginia Tisdall 

John Toggweiler 

TOTI Media, Inc. 

Louise Torri 

Don & Connie Tucker 

Twin Eagles Community Association, Inc. 

J. Thomas & Linda Uhler 

The United Way of Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties, Inc. 

Lorraine Vail 

Elias Van Krugel 

Gary & Mary Van Sciver 

Clyde Varner Estate 

Verandah Community Association, Inc. 

Roy & Myra Walters 

Wellington & Barbara Ward, Jr. 

William Ward 

Gloria Wasmund 

Webb’s Fort Myers Prescription Shop, Inc. 

Ross & Stephanie Webb 

Ron & Marry Ann Weber 

Nanelle Wehmann 

A. Scott & Adriana White 

Guy Whitesman & Ilene Safron 

Steven & Melissa Whitley 

Robert Wigley & Ann Moran 

Donald Wildman 

Chuck & Paula Williamsen 

Margie Willis 

J. Lawrence & Barbara Wilson 

John Wilson 

Kathy Wilson 

Wiltshire, Whitley, Richardson & English, PA 

James & Natalie Wismar 


Laurence & Polly Wright 

Ginny Yates 

Judith Yevick 

Patricia A. Zambuto 



trUstees and staFF 

our Board 

officers 

Dawn-Marie Driscoll, Chair 

Joe Mazurkiewicz, Ph.D, Vice Chair 

Sandy Robinson, Secretary-Treasurer 

Jay A. Brett, Immediate Past Chair 

trustees 

Marie M. Ackord 

Rep. Gary Aubuchon 

Roy Borrego, CFM 

Patricia K. Dobbins 

Kevin L. Erwin 

Craig Folk 

Hon. Archie B. Hayward, Jr. 

Larry A. Hobbs, MD 

Charles K. Idelson 

Howard Leland 

David Lucas 

Jacqueline “Jacke” McCurdy 

Sarah Owen 

Darren Robertshaw 


David Shellenbarger 

Gay Rebel Thompson 

Myra Hale Walters 

A. Scott White 

Guy E. Whitesman 

Steven R. Whitley, CPA 

Senior Advisory trustees 


Susan Bennett 

Joseph Catti 

Robert da Frota 

Guy S. Emerich 

M. William Frey 

Chris A. Gair 

Sam Galloway, Jr. 

Francis L. Howington 

Donna Kaye 

Melvin Morgan 

James R. Nathan 

William T. Prather 

David G. Robinson 


John W. Sheppard 

J. Tom Smoot, Jr. 

Gene Solomon 

trustees emeriti 

Robin Brown 

Jerry D. Hussey 

James W. McFadden 

Steve Pontius 

our Staff 

Sarah owen 

President and CEO 

ronald e. Penn 

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer 

ed Kominowski 

Director of Development and Planned Gifts 

Anne douglas 

Director of Programs 

Kate mcKenney 

Director of Finance and Operations 

Jacqueline ehlers 

Executive Assistant 

raven Kneally 

Accounting Assistant 

Janet remmel 

Operations Assistant 

Kim Williams 

Receptionist 

Every attempt has been made to ensure that the information provided 

in this report is accurate through June 30, 2011. We apologize for 

any errors or omissions. Please contact our office with any corrections. 

A copy of the official registration and financial information may be 

obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling 1 (800) 

435-7352 within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, 

approval or recommendation by the state. Registration #CH661 


2010-2011 FinanCiaLs 

our Last Fiscal Year 

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation (SWFLCF) was founded over 35 years ago on March 1, 1976 

with an initial donation of $500. Since our founding in 1976, the Community Foundation has received over 

$80 million in contributions and has distributed over $50 million in grants and scholarships. As of June 30, 

2011, our total assets amounted to $60,882,511. 

SWFLCF is governed by a volunteer board of trustees made up of community leaders who represent diverse areas of 

expertise in Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and Collier counties. 

Our Finance Committee, comprised of experienced trustees and senior advisors, oversees the financial affairs of 

SWFLCF. The Finance Committee meets at least quarterly to review investment results, administrative expenses, and 

general operating issues. 

As we receive contributions from active donors, as well as from wills, estates, and trusts, SWFLCF creates endowment 

funds to last into perpetuity. These funds are invested in accordance with an investment policy carried out by investment 

managers engaged and overseen by the Finance Committee. 

The primary, long-term investment objective of our investment policy is to preserve real (inflation-adjusted) purchasing 

power of Community Foundation assets and earnings after accounting for investment returns, spending, and inflation. 

To achieve this goal, the SWFLCF portfolio is invested in equities, fixed income, and alternative investments with 

multiple investment manager diversification in each of these categories. 

During the 2010-2011 fiscal year, we granted distributions out of our funds totaling over $3,053,000, which included 

over $2,716,000 for non-profit agencies and $337,000 for scholarships. We look forward to our next 35 years 

with hope for greater service to the communities of Southwest Florida. Special thanks are extended to our donors, 

who make our work so rewarding. 


soUthwest FLorida CommUnity FoUndation, inC. 

Comparative Statements of Financial Position as of June 30, 2011 June 30, 2010 

ASSetS 

Cash and equivalents $306,888 $404,192 

Contributions receivable 183,000 581,197 

Prepaid expenses 45,739 9,805 

Investments in securities 47,225,262 42,849,017 

Split interest agreements and remainder interests 

Remainder interests in trusts 10,600,900 8,982,023 

Charitable gift annuities 2,425,042 2,380,289 

Other remainder interests 52,509 43,082 

Property and equipment 43,171 12,494 

totAL ASSetS $60,882,511 $55,262,099 

LIABILItIeS & Net ASSetS 

Accrued payable and accrued expenses $39,537 $18,209 

Grants payable 481,576 500,263 

Funds held as agency endowments 3,956,375 3,461,981 

Annuity obligations 1,502,322 1,593,172 

Net Assets 54,902,701 49,688,474 

totAL LIABILItIeS ANd Net ASSetS $60,882,511 $55,262,099 

Comparative Statements of Activities 

and Changes in Net Assets for the Years Ended June 30, 2011 June 30, 2010 

reVeNueS ANd other SuPPort 

Contributions $1,009,656 $4,025,754 

Interest and dividends 860,174 875,340 

Realized gains/(losses) on investments 2,288,330 (172,007) 

Net unrealized gains/(losses) on investments 3,750,549 4,836,840 

Miscellaneous income (1,995) 44,446 

totAL reVeNueS ANd other SuPPort 7,906,714 9,610,373 

eXPeNSeS 

Grants and scholarships 3,053,133 2,830,064 

Administrative expenses 1,252,627 1,102,542 

Investment fees and expenses 158,695 142,270 

totAL eXPeNSeS 4,464,455 4,074,876 

Payments and change in value of split interest agreements 

and remainer interests 1,771,968 (165,847) 

Change in net assets 5,214,227 5,369,650 

Net Assets, beginning of year 49,688,474 44,318,824 

Net Assets, ending of year $54,902,701 $49,688,474 

Copies of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s IRS Form 990, IRS Form 990-T, if required, and the current annual audit report are available for your 

review online at www.floridacommunity.com or in our office by calling 239-274-5900, ext. 228. 


Investment objectives 

The primary, long-term investment objective of the 

Community Foundation is to preserve real (inflationadjusted) 

purchasing power of Community Foundation 

assets and earnings after accounting for investment 

returns, spending, and inflation. In order to achieve 

the preservation of assets, the annual spending rate 

determined by the Community Foundation will take 

into account the expected return on assets. The invested 

assets should earn a total rate of return that at a minimum 

equals or exceeds established benchmarks for each of the 

various classes of investments. 

Spending Policy 

The amount to be distributed (spent) from Community 

Foundation assets will be reviewed no less frequently than 

annually by the Finance Committee and appropriate 

recommendations made to the board of trustees. It is 

expected that the annual amount to be distributed from 

Community Foundation invested assets will be between 

3% and 5% of the average ending market values of the 

endowment funds for the previous 12 quarters. The 

distributions may be taken from current income or, 

if current income is less than planned spending, from 

principal. In addition, the Finance Committee will 

review and consider the appropriate amount to be held 

in highly liquid assets each year to ensure adequate cash 

flow. 

Asset Selection and Allocation 

The Community Foundation’s investments shall be 

diversified to limit the specific risk associated with any 

single security or class of securities. The diversification 

will be both by asset class and, within asset classes, by 

economic sector, industry, and market capitalization. 

Concentrations in one specific industry sector, stock, or 

fixed income investment must not exceed 25% or 4%, 

respectively. The asset classes shall consist of an equity 

portion, fixed income portion, and cash portion. The 

equity portion may consist of investments in common 

stock, domestic and foreign (including large cap, mid cap, 

and small cap), and other securities that are convertible 

into common stock which are traded on the U.S. Stock 

Exchanges. The cash portion shall consist of highly liquid 

investment inFormation 

short-term securities. From time to time, the Finance 

Committee will set asset allocation targets within the 

following ranges: Equities, 50% to 60% of the portfolio; 

Fixed Income, 30% to 45% of the portfolio; Alternative 

Investments, 0% to 20% of the portfolio. 

Responsibility for Policy Implementation 

The Finance Committee of the Community Foundation 

has the authority and responsibility to implement 

the Investment Policy and to oversee the Investment 

Managers. The Finance Committee also has the 

responsibility to make recommendations to the Board 

of Trustees regarding modification of the investment 

policy, and for the employment and/or dismissing of the 

Investment Manager. 

The Community Foundation’s investment manager 

for its invested assets is SEI Investments Company 

headquartered in Oaks, Pennsylvania. 

our Legal Name & Federal Tax I.D. #: 

Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Inc. 

#59-6580974

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