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Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$8.0M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M

Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7.95 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $114.7 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly (examples: $10,000 - $1,000,000+)
  • Geographic Focus: Florida (particularly Central/Northeast Florida)
  • Number of Grants: 42 grants (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 5000 Sawgrass Village Cir Ste 32, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082-5042

Phone: 407-730-0866

EIN: 13-3675579

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Contact information is provided for reference only.

Overview

The Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation Inc was established in 1993 and has been tax-exempt since December 1992. Named for Rollins College alumni Warren Hume '39 '70H and Augusta Yust Hume '39, the foundation reflects the couple's lifelong commitment to education, particularly early childhood development. With total assets of $114.7 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed approximately $7.95 million in grants during that year. Beginning in the early 1990s, the Humes concentrated their giving on early childhood education, particularly programs serving children with disabilities. The foundation operates as a private family foundation with leadership including the founders' daughter Christina Hume as Vice President and Dr. Nicholas Hume as President/Chairman. The foundation has demonstrated significant support for institutions in Central and Northeast Florida, particularly Rollins College, where the couple maintained lifelong ties, as well as projects addressing housing insecurity, the arts, and leadership development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with defined application cycles. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of trustees to preselected organizations.

Recent Major Grants Include:

  • Mercy Support Services (2024): $1 million toward Mercy Village, a 63-unit housing complex for families and unaccompanied youth in Clay County
  • University of North Florida (2025): Major endowment for the Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation Endowed Professorship in Leadership and the Hume Foundation Excellence in Leadership Fund
  • Rollins College: Lead donor for the Hume House Child Development & Student Research Center (2017), a 5,050-square-foot facility; ongoing support for childcare programs for students
  • Orlando Museum of Art: $10,000 for exhibition season sponsorship

Priority Areas

Based on documented grants, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Early Childhood Education: Particularly programs serving children ages 2-5, including those with disabilities (Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders)
  • Higher Education Leadership Development: Endowed professorships, faculty development, research support
  • Social Services: Housing for vulnerable populations, including families, single mothers, and unaccompanied youth
  • Arts and Culture: Support for museums and cultural institutions
  • Community Engagement: Programs that combine education with community service

Quote from Christina Hume (daughter of founders): "They knew that beginning education at the pre-K level is critical, along with learning to read so one can read to learn."

What They Don't Fund

No explicit exclusions are publicly documented, but the foundation's pattern suggests:

  • Organizations outside Florida (nearly all documented grants are Florida-based)
  • Projects unrelated to education, social services, or arts/culture
  • General operating support appears less common than major capital or endowment gifts

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Dr. Nicholas Hume - President/Chairman
  • Christina Hume - Vice President/Director (daughter of founders Warren and Augusta Hume)
  • G Russell Creighton (also known as "Rusty" Creighton) - CEO/Treasurer/Director
  • W Graham White - Secretary/Director
  • Anthony Brooks - Director
  • Janice J Hume - Director
  • Harold A Ward III - Director

Officer Compensation: Minimal ($14,000 total in 2024), indicating the foundation is governed primarily by family members and volunteers.

About the Founders: Warren Hume '39 '70H and Augusta Yust Hume '39 graduated from Rollins College in 1939 (they married on graduation day) and maintained lifelong ties to the institution. Warren served for many years as a Rollins trustee. The couple settled in Chappaqua, New York, before retiring to Winter Park, Florida in the 1990s. Augusta Hume passed away in April 2022 at age 104. Augusta's father, William Frederick Yust, served as Rollins' librarian beginning in the 1930s.

Note on Rusty Creighton: G Russell "Rusty" Creighton, the foundation's CEO, has been instrumental in directing the foundation's major gifts. He recommended the Hume Foundation serve as the first major donor for Mercy Village's capital campaign in 2024.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's trustees based on their own research and identification of organizations aligned with the founders' values and the foundation's mission.

Getting on Their Radar

Rollins College Connection: The foundation has the strongest documented ties to Rollins College, where both founders graduated in 1939. Organizations connected to Rollins or addressing similar priorities (early childhood education, disability inclusion) may align with foundation interests.

Geographic Proximity: The foundation's documented giving heavily favors Central Florida (Winter Park/Orlando area) and Northeast Florida (Jacksonville/Clay County/Ponte Vedra area). Being based in these regions may increase alignment.

Mercy Support Services Relationship: The foundation has been a key supporter of Mercy Support Services since 2016, indicating the foundation builds long-term relationships with select organizations.

Board Member Connections: With CEO Rusty Creighton actively involved in identifying grant opportunities, relationships with board members could potentially lead to consideration, though this should not be interpreted as an invitation to solicit.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, organizations that have received support share these characteristics:

Alignment with Founders' Values:

  • Early childhood education focus, particularly serving children ages 2-5
  • Inclusion of children with disabilities
  • Programs combining education with hands-on learning or community service

Sustained Community Impact:

  • The foundation supported Rollins' Child Development Center for decades, enabling it to "include children with disabilities, pay summer stipends for camp" and expand community training
  • Mercy Support Services received multi-year support (since 2016) before the major $1 million gift in 2024

Leadership Development: Recent support for University of North Florida's leadership initiatives suggests interest in developing the next generation of community leaders

Transformational Projects: The foundation appears to prefer major gifts that create lasting change:

  • State-of-the-art facilities (Hume House at Rollins)
  • Endowed professorships (UNF)
  • Capital campaigns (Mercy Village)

Quote from Grant Recipient: Regarding the Mercy Village donation, news coverage noted that Rusty Creighton recommended the Hume Foundation be the first major donor, demonstrating the CEO's active role in identifying strategic giving opportunities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals - Do not submit applications or letters of inquiry
  • Build long-term relationships: The foundation has supported organizations like Mercy Support Services since 2016 before making a major seven-figure gift
  • Early childhood education and disability inclusion are core priorities: These themes run throughout the foundation's documented giving history
  • Florida focus: Virtually all documented grants benefit Florida organizations, particularly in Central and Northeast Florida
  • Think transformational, not transactional: Recent grants suggest preference for major capital projects, endowments, and initiatives that create lasting institutional change
  • Family foundation with clear values: As a family foundation led by the founders' children, giving reflects Warren and Augusta Hume's belief that "beginning education at the pre-K level is critical"
  • Proactive grant-making: The CEO and board actively identify opportunities rather than responding to solicitations

References

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