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

Members of the George Jenkins Foundation’s board of directors are conservative political donors. ²

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. ³

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. ⁶

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. ⁷ 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. ⁸

Leslie Fancelli Sonatori is a conservative political donor who made contributions to support Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. ⁹

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. ¹⁰ Parsons made donations to PACs supporting then-President Donald Trump in 2018. ¹¹

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. ¹²

1. “Jenkins Family.” Forbes, December 16, 2020. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/profile/jenkins/?sh=691f4b7860e8.
2. “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.
3.  George Jenkins Foundation Inc, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021, Part XIV, Line 3.
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. “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.
7. “Board of Trustees.” Academy Prep Center of Lakeland. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://lakeland.academyprep.org/boardoftrustees.
8. “Individual Contributions: Gregory Fancelli.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Gregory+Fancelli.
9. “Individual Contributions: Leslie Fancelli.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Leslie+Fancelli.
10. “Board of Trustees.” Academy Prep Center of Lakeland. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://lakeland.academyprep.org/boardoftrustees.
11. “Individual Contributions: Marianne Parsons.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Marianne+Parsons.
12. 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.