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The Patterson Foundation

Annual Giving
$5.9M
Grant Range
$100K - $3.0M

The Patterson Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,932,256 (2023)
  • Endowment: Over $300 million
  • Geographic Focus: Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto Counties, Florida
  • Application Process: No public application process; invitation-only/proactive partnerships
  • Founded: 1997

Contact Details

Address: 2 North Tamiami Trail, Suite 206, Sarasota, FL 34236

Website: https://www.thepattersonfoundation.org

Key Contact: Debra M. Jacobs, President and CEO

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests or proposals. Limited opportunities exist through specific programs (see below).

Overview

The Patterson Foundation was established in 1997 by Dorothy Patterson in honor of her late husband, Jim Patterson, a West Point graduate. Founded with an initial corpus of $3 million, the foundation grew to over $200 million when Dorothy passed away in 2008, making one of the 10 largest charitable bequests in the United States that year. Today, with assets exceeding $300 million, the foundation distributes approximately 5% of its endowment annually. Unlike traditional grantmakers, The Patterson Foundation operates as a collaborative partner, focusing on strengthening communities through long-term engagement rather than traditional grant cycles. The foundation emphasizes "helping people engage with each other, providing expertise, encouraging learning, and sharing promising practices." The foundation is governed by Northern Trust as trustee, with a Designation Committee chaired by John T. Berteau and including Dan Bailey and Ric Gregoria.

Funding Priorities

Strategic Approach

The Patterson Foundation operates approximately 24 active initiatives at any given time, focusing on collaborative partnerships rather than responsive grantmaking. President and CEO Debra Jacobs describes their philosophy: "Government funds good and philanthropy funds imaginative excellence."

Priority Areas

Community Development & Civic Engagement

  • Aspirations to Actions (building community trust through facilitated conversations)
  • North River Initiative (empowering residents in Florida's fastest-growing region)
  • DeSoto County Ahead (community-driven action planning)
  • Community Impact (developing connections across four-county region)

Disaster Response & Resilience

  • Community Preparedness, Recovery, and Resiliency
  • Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund (long-term recovery support)
  • Center for Disaster Philanthropy partnership

Education & Digital Access

  • Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (early literacy focus)
  • Digital Access for All
  • Digital Navigator Program
  • The Gap (low-cost internet and devices for underserved populations)

Leadership & Nonprofit Development

  • Advancing Philanthropic Leadership (partnership with Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy)
  • Nonprofit Internship Program
  • Nonprofit Thrivability (sustainable operating models and revenue generation)
  • Margin & Mission Ignition

Signature Programs

  • Season of Sharing (25+ year community assistance program)
  • Giving Challenge (annual fundraising event)
  • Patriot Plaza
  • The Bay (environmental initiative)
  • Voter Education

Grant Range

The foundation made 9 awards totaling $5,932,256 in 2023, averaging approximately $659,000 per grant. However, grant sizes vary significantly based on initiative and partnership structure. Recent examples include:

  • Up to $3 million for Hurricane Milton disaster relief and recovery (2024)
  • $1 million immediate gift to Season of Sharing (2024)
  • $500,000 seed funding to Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund (2024)
  • $500,000 total for Turkey/Syria earthquake relief (2023)
  • $250,000 to Center for Disaster Philanthropy's Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund (2024)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does not fund through:

  • Traditional grant cycles or requests for proposals (RFPs)
  • Responsive grantmaking to unsolicited applications
  • One-time project grants outside existing initiatives

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Debra M. Jacobs, President and CEO (since January 2009)

  • Previously President of the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation
  • Former Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Ringling College of Art and Design
  • Former Executive Vice President at SunTrust Bank, Gulf Coast
  • MBA from University of Rochester; Graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking
  • Quote: "At The Patterson Foundation, partnerships are based on alignment of leadership, willingness, readiness, capacity and culture."

Key Staff

Beth Duda - Director, Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading; award-winning playwright and educator with 20+ years in Florida schools

Andrew Spector - Senior Fellow (2023/25); directs strategy and special projects including AI implementation and impact investing strategies

Ericia Henry - TPF Fellow (2024/25); Master's in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University

Nancy Henry - Office Manager (since July 2010)

Stacey Gadeken - Administrative Support

Kiarra Louis - Leadership Support Coordinator

Stacy Sternberg - Communications Coordinator

Governance Structure

Trustee: Northern Trust

Designation Committee:

  • John T. Berteau (Chair)
  • Dan Bailey
  • Ric Gregoria

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Patterson Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "does not accept funding requests or unsolicited proposals from individuals or organizations."

The foundation's approach is fundamentally different from traditional grantmakers. As noted on their website: "The Patterson Foundation's future work evolves from existing engagements and initiatives." Rather than responding to applications, the foundation proactively identifies partnership opportunities aligned with their strategic vision.

Limited Opportunities: Organizations may participate in existing programs including:

  • Giving Challenge - Annual fundraising event with matching funds (1:1 match up to $100 per donor, per organization)
  • Season of Sharing - Community assistance program for individuals/families in crisis
  • Margin & Mission Ignition - Nonprofit sustainability program
  • Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading - Early literacy initiative

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies partners through existing networks and long-term community relationships. Based on specific information about how The Patterson Foundation operates:

Strategic Partnership Model: The foundation looks for alignment on multiple dimensions: "leadership, willingness, readiness, capacity and culture." They prioritize organizations already engaged in their four-county focus area (Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties).

Connector Role: As President Debra Jacobs notes, "The Patterson Foundation knows good is happening -- often in silos. Being a connector and conversation starter can create new realities." Organizations that are active in collaborative community work and cross-sector partnerships are more likely to come to the foundation's attention.

Community Foundation Partnership: The Patterson Foundation has worked closely with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County since its inception. Organizations engaged with the Community Foundation or participating in their programs (like Giving Challenge or Season of Sharing) may develop visibility with Patterson Foundation staff.

Presentation Requests: Organizations wishing to learn more about the foundation's work can request a presentation using their Speaker Request Form on the website, with responses typically provided within two business days. While this doesn't guarantee funding, it opens dialogue and demonstrates the foundation's approach.

Learning Opportunities: The foundation offers book circles, summits, internships, and fellowships. Participating in these learning opportunities can build relationships with foundation staff and demonstrate organizational commitment to the foundation's values of collaboration and continuous learning.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on a traditional application-to-decision timeline. Partnerships evolve organically from existing relationships and initiatives.

Success Rates

Not applicable - without a public application process, traditional success rate metrics are not relevant.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no formal application or reapplication process.

Application Success Factors

Understanding Their Unique Model

Organizations should recognize that The Patterson Foundation operates fundamentally differently from traditional funders. Success comes not from crafting strong grant proposals, but from:

Alignment with Foundation Philosophy

  • The foundation champions "creative collaboration" and seeks partners who will "accelerate positive change by sharing fresh perspectives, contributing innovative ideas, and providing critical resources"
  • As Debra Jacobs emphasizes: "There is a commitment to not arriving with the answers, but learning from and with community"
  • Organizations must demonstrate willingness to engage in long-term collaborative work rather than seeking one-time project funding

Strategic Focus Areas

  • The foundation explicitly prioritizes work that addresses "common aspirations and foster[s] wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve"
  • Recent funding patterns show strong emphasis on disaster resilience, early childhood literacy, digital equity, nonprofit capacity building, and civic engagement
  • Geographic focus remains firmly on the four-county Suncoast region (Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties)

Demonstrated Community Impact

  • The foundation values organizations already making measurable differences in their communities
  • They look for partners with strong track records who can scale or deepen impact through collaborative work
  • Examples of funded work include multi-million dollar commitments to disaster recovery funds and sustained support for Season of Sharing (which grew from $1.5 million in 2010 to $7.19 million in 2025)

Partnership Readiness

  • The foundation explicitly evaluates "leadership, willingness, readiness, capacity and culture"
  • Organizations need operational stability and infrastructure to engage in collaborative, long-term work
  • The foundation's support for "Nonprofit Thrivability" initiatives suggests they value sustainable business models and revenue diversification

Innovation and Learning Orientation

  • The foundation's mission includes "doing philanthropic work in ways others cannot, will not, or are not doing"
  • They value organizations willing to experiment, share learnings, and contribute to the broader nonprofit ecosystem
  • Participation in foundation-sponsored learning opportunities (fellowships, book circles, summits) demonstrates this orientation

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Don't submit unsolicited proposals - The Patterson Foundation explicitly does not accept them; doing so demonstrates failure to understand their model
  • Focus on relationship building through existing programs - Participate in Giving Challenge, engage with Community Foundation of Sarasota County, attend foundation-sponsored learning events
  • Think partnership, not project funding - The foundation seeks long-term collaborative relationships aligned with their strategic initiatives, not one-off project grants
  • Geographic focus matters - Your organization must serve Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, or Sarasota counties in Florida
  • Demonstrate collaborative capacity - Show track record of working across sectors and willingness to share learnings with broader community
  • Align with existing initiatives - Study their 24 active initiatives; success comes from fitting into and strengthening ongoing work rather than proposing new directions
  • Embrace their philosophy - Understand and embody their belief that "government funds good and philanthropy funds imaginative excellence" - show how your work represents innovative approaches

References

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