Grants to More Than 500 Local Non-Profits Awarded Since Inception

The St. Joe Community Foundation (“Foundation”) recently surpassed 25 years of operation and funding of local non-profit organizations. Established in 1999 with a mission to enrich the quality of life of the people who live, work and play in Northwest Florida, the Foundation has now provided grants to more than 500 local 501(c)(3) organizations over the past 25 years. Totaling more than $47 million, grants since the Foundation’s inception have provided support in the areas of education, environmental stewardship, cultural arts and building healthier communities.

“These grants make a real difference for the dedicated organizations who serve the people in our local communities,” said April Wilkes, Executive Director of The St. Joe Community Foundation. “From providing funding for teacher professional development and new high-tech medical equipment, to sponsorships for free public cultural arts events and beds for children who have never had one, the Foundation is truly improving the quality of life in our communities through these great organizations, and we are committed to doing so well into the future.”
Bay Education Foundation, Seaside Neighborhood School and the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County were the first non-profit organizations to receive a grant from the Foundation in 1999 and are still operating and supported by the Foundation to this day. These, and several other longstanding beneficiaries, like the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, are featured in a series of videos to be released over the next several months detailing the impact of the Foundation’s support.

“The Biophilia Center is an environmental education facility that educates our fourth through seventh grade students from the five surrounding counties about the natural ecosystem around their homes,” explained Dalton Allen, President and Executive Director of the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center. “The center is something very special for the Panhandle and without the funds donated to us by the St. Joe Community Foundation, a lot of students might not be able to experience our educational opportunities.”

In addition to the grants program and bolstering one of its pillars of support—education—the Foundation established in 2021 an annual scholarship for high school seniors attending a public or charter school and residing in Bay or Walton counties. The No Ordinary JOE® scholarship program has awarded 120 students more than $230,000 since the first awards to graduating seniors in 2022. Funding for the scholarship is provided to the Bay Education Foundation and Walton Education Foundation for administration and distribution to recipients.

“I’m proud the Foundation is able to provide support through our grants and scholarship program to reward the good work being done by so many people to bring visions of a better life to reality” said Jorge Gonzalez, President and CEO of The St. Joe Company and Member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. “We firmly believe that ‘the rising tide lifts all boats’ and that is especially evident in the achievements of these organizations in which our Foundation is honored to be involved.”

To view the first video of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary video series, click here.

To apply for a grant, or to learn more about the Foundation visit www.JoeFoundation.com. A full list of The St. Joe Community Foundation’s giving can be found on the website.

About The St. Joe Community Foundation: The St Joe Community Foundation’s mission is to enrich the quality of life of the people who live, work, and play in Northwest Florida. Created in 1999, the Foundation provides grants to other 501(C)(3) entities for the areas of education, environmental stewardship, building healthier communities, and programs that honor the cultural arts. The Foundation is funded exclusively by a transfer fee on the sale of real estate in certain communities and resorts The St. Joe Company develops. This fee applies the first time a property is sold, and on each resale. The Foundation is a separate entity from The St. Joe Company and has a separate Board of Directors. www.JoeFoundation.com

Foundation Contact:
April Wilkes
Executive Director
The St. Joe Community Foundation
April.wilkes@joe.com