George Jenkins Foundation

The George Jenkins Foundation is a private foundation based in Lakeland, Florida. George Jenkins was the founder of Publix Supermarkets. In 2020, Forbes estimated the Jenkins family’s net worth to be $8.8 billion. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation
Issue Areas: Healthcare Policy, Education Policy
Formation:

2003

President:

Julia J. Fancelli

President’s Salary (2021):

$0 2

Location: Lakeland, FL View on map
Tax ID: 59-3753198
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $12,898,385 Revenue: $6,574,967 Expenses: $7,535,707

Contents

    Members of the George Jenkins Foundation’s board of directors are conservative political donors. 3

    Grantmaking

    The George Jenkins Foundation makes charitable donations to many organizations in Florida, especially in the Lakeland area. Many of these donations are to organizations supporting education, scholarships, hunger, health, and other social services. 4

    In 2021, the George Jenkins Foundation also made contributions to right-of-center and right-leaning advocacy organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom ($500,000), America’s Future ($500,000), Judicial Watch ($100,000), The Leadership Institute ($660,000), and Moms for America ($1.375 million). 4

    Board of Directors

    Julia Fancelli is the president of and a financial contributor to the George Jenkins Foundation ($4.2 million in 2020). 5 Fancelli is daughter of Publix founder George Jenkins and is a conservative political donor. In addition to contributing to Republican candidates and state Republican parties, in 2020, Fancelli made PAC contributions of $500,000 to America First Action, $250,000 to the Voter Accountability Project, and $565,000 to the Trump Victory Fund. 3

    Gregory Fancelli is the son of Julia Fancelli, manager of the Prestige WorldWide Group, and sits on the board of the Academy Prep Center of Lakeland. 6 Fancelli is a conservative political donor who has contributed to the 2020 Congressional campaigns of Republicans including Scott Franklin, Laura Loomer, and Kim Klacik. Fancelli has also contributed to the WinRed PAC and the Trump Victory Fund. 7

    Leslie Fancelli Sonatori is a conservative political donor who made contributions to support Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. 8

    Marianne Parsons is the secretary and treasurer of board of the George Jenkins Foundation and sits on the board of the Academy Prep Center of Lakeland. 6 Parsons made donations to PACs supporting then-President Donald Trump in 2018. 9

    Controversy

    In December 2021, the Washington Post reported that Julia Fancelli, president of the board of the George Jenkins Foundation, made $650,000 in contributions to several organizations that it claimed had helped organize protests of the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. These donations include $300,000 to Women for America First, $150,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association, and $200,000 to the State Tea Party Express. 10

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $12,898,385 $6,574,967 $7,535,707 View
    2023 $14,202,813 $7,461,367 $13,827,107 View
    2022 $19,166,443 $999,750 $6,747,668 View
    2021 $30,240,242 $4,640,014 $7,483,344 View
    2020 $33,337,044 $4,996,895 $3,485,589 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Expenses Detail

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $51,895,482
    • Number of Grants: 247
    • Number of Recipients: 93

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $2,700,0002023 Alliance Defending FreedomFOR ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM OPERATIONS
    $2,500,0002023 Leadership InstituteFOR THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE OPERATIONS
    $1,375,0002021 Moms for America IncCONTRIBUTION FOR OPERATIONS
    $1,000,0002024 Hillsdale CollegeGRANT FOR THE K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE PROVISION OF AMERICAN CLASSICAL EDUCATION
    $1,000,0002023 BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTYCAPITAL FUNDING FOR NEW BUILDING
    $910,0002024 Academy Prep Center of Lakeland IncFOR ACADEMY PREP OF LAKELAND OPERATIONS
    $905,0002024 United Way of Central FloridaGJ END HUNGER INITIATIVE AND VARIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
    $805,0002023 United Way of Central FloridaCONTRIBUTION FOR GEORGE JENKINS END HUNGER INITIATIVE
    $755,0002022 United Way of Central Florida$490,000 FOR THE GEORGE W. JENKINS END HUNGER INITIATIVE $265,000 FINAL INSTALLMENT ON OUTSTANDING PLEDGES (3)
    $706,0002023 Moms for AmericaFOR MOMS OF AMERICA OPERATIONS
    $662,5002020 Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation IncPAYMENTS FOR THREE PLEDGES
    $660,0002021 Leadership InstituteCONTRIBUTION FOR OPERATIONS
    $630,0002022 Leadership Institute$282,208 FIRST INSTALLMENT OF PLEDGE FOR THE FL BATTLE PLAN 2022$347,792 FINAL INSTALLMENT OF PLEDGE FOR THE FL BATTLE PLAN 2022
    $624,0002021 United Way of Central Florida$374,000 ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD DROPS OF THE GEORGE W. JENKINS END HUNGER INITIATIVE$100,000 FUNDING OF THE DIRECTOR POSITION AT THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL AT CRYSTAL LAKE$150,000 EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AND FAMILY FUNDAMENTALS PROGRAM
    $579,9102020 United Way of Central Florida$89,910 ASSISTANCE WITH FUNDING OF THE GEORGE W. JENKINS END HUNGER INITIATIVE$270,000 FOR FEEDING PROGRAM/ CHILDCARE TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN HEALTH CARE/ FIRST RESPONDERS$120,000 FOR FEEDING PROGRAM/ HOMELESS KIDS IN POLK SCHOOL SYSTEM$100,000 GRANT-FUND DIRECTOR POSITION FOR THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL AT CRYSTAL LAKE
    $575,0002021 Academy Prep Foundation IncFOR ACADEMY PREP OF LAKELAND OPERATIONS
    $562,5002024 Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation IncCAPITAL CAMPAIGN
    $562,5002022 Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation Inc$500,000 FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF $5,000,000 PLEDGE OVER 10 YEARS$62,500 THIRD INSTALLMENT OF ADDITIONAL $500,000 PLEDGE OVER 8 YEARS
    $562,5002021 Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation IncPAYMENTS FOR PLEDGES
    $550,0002022 Academy Prep Foundation IncFOR ACADEMY PREP OF LAKELAND OPERATIONS
    $525,0002020 Academy Prep Foundation IncFOR ACADEMY PREP OF LAKELAND
    $500,0002024 Young Men's Christian Association of West Central Florida, Inc.CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
    $500,0002023 Parker Street Ministries, Inc.FOR OPERATING EXPENSES/ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
    $500,0002022 Hillsdale CollegeGRANT FOR THE K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE PROVISION OF AMERICAN CLASSICAL EDUCATION
    $500,0002021 Alliance Defending FreedomMATCHING GRANT CONTRIBUTION FOR PROGRAMS

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Jenkins Family.” Forbes, December 16, 2020. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/profile/jenkins/?sh=691f4b7860e8.
    2. George Jenkins Foundation Inc, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021, Part VII, Line 1.
    3. “Individual Contributions: Julie Fancelli.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Julie+Fancelli&contributor_name=Julia+Fancelli.
    4.  George Jenkins Foundation Inc, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021, Part XIV, Line 3.
    5. George Jenkins Foundation Inc, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020, Schedule B, Part I.
    6. “Board of Trustees.” Academy Prep Center of Lakeland. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://lakeland.academyprep.org/boardoftrustees.
    7. “Individual Contributions: Gregory Fancelli.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Gregory+Fancelli.
    8. “Individual Contributions: Leslie Fancelli.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Leslie+Fancelli.
    9. “Individual Contributions: Marianne Parsons.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Marianne+Parsons.
    10. Reinhard, Beth, Alemany, Jacqueline, and Dawsey, Josh. “Low-profile heiress who ‘played a strong role’ in financing Jan. 6 rally is thrust into spotlight.” The Washington Post, December 8, 2021. Accessed August 8, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/publix-heiress-capitol-insurrection-fancelli/2021/12/08/5144fe1c-5219-11ec-8ad5-b5c50c1fb4d9_story.html.