Halcyon Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,081,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $250,000
• Grant Median: $25,000
• Geographic Focus: National (United States), with emphasis on Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, and California
• Total Assets: $29.7 million

Contact Details

The Halcyon Foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries, as they do not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Location: Jacksonville, FL
EIN: 30-6462100

Overview

The Halcyon Foundation was established in 2015 as a private grantmaking foundation based in Jacksonville, Florida. With total assets of approximately $29.7 million and annual distributions of $1.08 million, the foundation supports educational, cultural, and policy-related organizations across the United States. The foundation is governed by trustees William H. Walton III and Theodora D. Walton. The foundation's grantmaking has grown steadily since inception, from 5 awards in 2020 to 24 grants in 2024. All grants are designated for general use purposes, providing unrestricted support to recipient organizations. The foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion, funding only preselected organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Halcyon Foundation does not operate formal grant programs. All funding decisions are made by the trustees on a discretionary basis. Grants are made for general use purposes.

• Grant Range: $1,000 to $250,000
• Median Grant: $25,000
• Total Grants Made in 2024: 24 grants totaling $1.08 million
• Application Method: Invitation only

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns (2024), the foundation supports:

• Higher Education: Major universities including Princeton University, University of Florida Foundation, and other educational institutions
• Arts and Sciences: American Academy of Sciences and Letters
• Cultural Organizations: Various cultural and educational institutions
• Policy and Research Organizations: Think tanks and policy research institutions

The foundation provides general use grants, offering unrestricted funding to recipient organizations rather than project-specific support.

Geographic Focus

While the foundation is based in Jacksonville, Florida, its grantmaking extends nationally across the United States, with significant grants to organizations in:

• Florida
• New Jersey
• Virginia
• California

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from any organization. They fund only preselected charitable organizations identified by the trustees.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• William H. Walton III: Co-Trustee. Mr. Walton is a real estate executive, Founding Managing Member of Rockpoint, and co-founder of Westbrook Real Estate Partners, L.L.C. He holds an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University (1974) and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School (1979). He previously served as a Managing Director in the real estate group at Morgan Stanley and has served on the boards of several public companies and Princeton University.
• Theodora D. Walton: Co-Trustee

Both trustees serve without compensation and dedicate approximately 1 hour per week to foundation governance.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Halcyon Foundation explicitly states that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

All grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified and selected in advance. There is no application portal, no application deadlines, and no process for organizations to submit proposals or letters of inquiry.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable. Organizations cannot apply for funding.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept applications or unsolicited requests.

Application Success Factors

Given that this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations receive funding through:

Trustee Discretion: All grants are awarded based on the personal philanthropic interests and connections of trustees William H. Walton III and Theodora D. Walton.

Existing Relationships: The foundation's grantmaking patterns suggest support for institutions with which the trustees have existing connections, particularly Princeton University (Mr. Walton's alma mater) and Florida-based organizations.

General Use Support: All grants are designated for general use rather than specific projects, indicating the trustees prefer to support organizations broadly rather than fund specific initiatives.

Institutional Focus: The majority of grants go to established educational, cultural, and policy institutions rather than smaller community-based organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant-seeking methods. They do not accept letters of inquiry, proposals, or unsolicited requests of any kind.
• Trustee-Driven Philanthropy: All funding decisions are made by William H. Walton III and Theodora D. Walton based on their personal philanthropic interests and existing relationships.
• Educational and Cultural Focus: Recent grantmaking shows strong support for higher education, arts and sciences, and cultural institutions.
• Unrestricted Support: The foundation provides general use grants, offering flexibility to recipient organizations.
• Significant Grant Range: Grants range from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median of $25,000, indicating the foundation supports both major and modest initiatives.
• Steady Growth: The foundation's grantmaking has expanded from 5 awards in 2020 to 24 in 2024, suggesting growing philanthropic activity.
• Not Accessible to Most Organizations: Unless your organization already has a connection to the trustees or is on their radar through their networks, it is extremely unlikely to receive funding from this foundation.

References

• Grantmakers.io Profile - Halcyon Foundation. Retrieved January 18, 2026. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/306462100-halcyon-foundation/
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Halcyon Foundation. Retrieved January 18, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/306462100
• Cause IQ - The Halcyon Foundation. Retrieved January 18, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/halcyon-foundation,306462100/
• SourceWatch - William H. Walton III. Retrieved January 18, 2026. https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/William_H._Walton_III
• Bloomberg Markets - William H Walton III Profile. Retrieved January 18, 2026.