Established by The St. Joe Company (JOE) in 1999, The St. Joe Community Foundation, Inc., (“Foundation”) is a private 501 (C) 3 nonprofit dedicated to enriching the quality of life for the people who live, work, and play in Northwest Florida.

The Foundation was born from the desire to enrich the quality of life for the people of Northwest Florida. Established as a 501(C)(3) private foundation, the Foundation is dedicated to creating a legacy of value for the community in this wonderful area that we all call “home.”

The Foundation currently serves Northwest Florida with a focus on Bay and Walton counties.

The Foundation is funded exclusively by a transfer fee of one half of 1 percent on the sale price of real estate in certain residential communities The St. Joe Company develops. The St. Joe Company contributes this fee the first time a property is sold, and buyers remit payment with each resale.

The Foundation has established a process for collecting funds on the transfer of real estate for designated communities whereby the Foundation receives ½ of 1% (.005) of the sales price of the initial sale of property from The St. Joe Company. Subsequent sales of the property generate a payment through recorded deed covenants, requiring the buyer to pay a Transfer Fee to the Foundation at closing.

Each individual’s tax situation is different. You will need to consult with your own tax adviser or the IRS to determine if the Transfer Fee is tax deductible by you

The Foundation welcomes suggestions from all community members concerning potential grant recipients. Please contact April Wilkes, Executive Director, at 850-231-6435 or via email at april.wilkes@joe.com to discuss your grant suggestions and grant application.

The Foundation invests its funding toward education, the environment, healthcare and cultural arts in Northwest Florida, with a focus on Bay and Walton Counties.

The Board of Trustees oversees the grant making decisions at scheduled Board meetings and the Executive Director oversees the administrative decisions for the Foundation.

The Board of Trustees are guided first by the IRS requirements for gifting 501(C)3 organizations. Based on those requirements the Foundation has established guidelines and criteria to determine the viability of applications. Grant guidelines and the grant application are available at www.joefoundation.com. For additional information, please contact April Wilkes, Executive Director at 850-231-6435 or April.Wilkes@joe.com.

Visit the Board of Trustees page for a list of current board members, none of whom receives compensation from the Foundation.

The Conflict of Interest Policy can be found via this link.