Majeed Foundation Inc.

The Majeed Foundation Inc. is a family-controlled private foundation led by Kamal N. Majeed (President), Najla T. Majeed (Secretary/Treasurer), and Christina M. Majeed (Vice President), all serving without compensation. This structure signals a highly personal, relationship-driven philanthropy — not an institutionalized program with open grant cycles. Since receiving its tax-exempt ruling in September 2016, the foundation has grown from $1.9M in assets to $18.9M, funded primarily through Kamal Majeed's own contributions ($250,000–$4.25M in family infusions across documented years).

The foundation's stated philosophy is to be "driven by a single goal; to do our part in making the world a better place for all," with a commitment to "take action with urgency." In practice, this translates into tangible, place-based investments in the St. Petersburg, Florida, community: public parks, waterfront beautification, youth recreation, arts access, and hunger relief. The Majeed Discovery Garden, the St. Pete Pier splash pad and coastal thicket walkway, and the "Swings at St. Pete Waterfront" are all foundation-branded projects — a level of identity investment that distinguishes this funder from pass-through foundations and signals genuine civic pride in the St. Pete community.

This is not a foundation that publishes RFPs or runs competitive grant cycles. Its preselection-only status in grant databases reflects the reality: the Majeed family identifies and cultivates grantees through existing civic and community relationships. The top three grantees — Florida Botanical Gardens ($1,019,243), City of St. Petersburg ($600,000), and Waterfront Parks Foundation ($143,000) — have each received three separate grants, confirming a preference for long-term partnerships over one-time gifts.

Faith community ties are also meaningful here: Syriac Orthodox churches in Florida and New Jersey have received a combined $131,000, suggesting the family's personal network extends to the Syrian diaspora community. First-time applicants without existing Majeed ties should prioritize relationship-building over paperwork — seeking introductions through the Pinellas Community Foundation (a $100,000 Majeed grantee) or other St. Pete civic organizations is the most credible pathway in.

Across 32 documented grants totaling $2,272,691, the Majeed Foundation's average grant is $71,022 per grant transaction, with a recently noted median of approximately $71,500. The range is substantial: a low of $2,500 (Florida Orchestra Guild, one-time) to a cumulative total of $1,019,243 to Florida Botanical Gardens across three grants. For individual grant transactions, documented amounts span $5,000 to $102,000, with anchor investments to flagship partners delivered in tranches across multiple fiscal years.

Annual grants paid have varied significantly with the timing of family capital infusions: $77,500 (2015), $544,900 (2019), $351,000 (2020), $653,000 (2021), $433,340 (2022), $1,055,011 (2023), and $458,996 (2024, 6 awards). The 2023 peak coincided with $2M in contributions received that year; the 2024 pullback likely reflects grant-cycle timing rather than withdrawal, as $2.515M in fresh capital entered the foundation in FY2024.

By geography: 23 of 32 grants (72%) went to Florida organizations, almost exclusively in the St. Pete/Tampa Bay metro. The remaining 9 grants reached Maryland (3), Michigan (2), North Carolina (2), New Jersey (1), and Illinois (1) — typically smaller, faith-related gifts to Syriac Orthodox institutions.

By program area (estimated from grantee purposes): parks, environment, and public-space beautification account for approximately 78% of total documented giving ($1.76M+), driven by the Florida Botanical Gardens and City of St. Petersburg commitments. Faith-based organizations represent about 5.8% ($131,000). Food security accounts for 4.5% ($102,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay). Arts and culture represent approximately 1.7% ($38,500 across James Museum, Dali Museum, and Florida Orchestra Guild). Health research accounts for less than 1% ($17,948 combined), and education/research approximately 0.5% ($11,000).

With $18.9M in assets, minimal overhead (zero staff compensation), and $2.515M in new FY2024 contributions, the foundation has strong capacity for continued giving in 2025–2026.

All five peer foundations share the T20 NTEE classification (Private Grantmaking Foundations) and occupy the same asset band (~$18.9M), but Majeed Foundation stands apart in several meaningful ways.

Majeed Foundation is the most geographically concentrated foundation in its peer group: 72% of documented grants go to a single metro area (St. Petersburg, FL), while comparable family foundations at this asset level typically diversify more broadly. It also has the most visible public identity — its website names specific branded projects (the Discovery Garden, the Pier splash pad, the waterfront swings) — unlike three of the four peers, which lack public websites entirely. Of note, Idol Family Foundation (NY, $18.9M) is the only peer with a public web presence, suggesting it may have a more formalized grantmaking process. Annual giving data for peers was not publicly available in sufficient detail for direct comparison; the 5% minimum distribution rule would suggest peers give roughly $945K/year from a $18.9M base if fully endowed, though Majeed's distributions are supplemented by ongoing family contributions rather than endowment income alone.

No press releases, news articles, or dated announcements from 2025 or 2026 were found through web searches or on the foundation's website. The media page returned no content. The foundation's Instagram account (@majeedfoundation) is its primary public communication channel but was not accessible for specific recent posts through this research.

The most significant recent financial event is the FY2024 IRS Form 990 filing (publicly available via ProPublica in 2025): total revenue reached $2,782,268, with $2,515,000 (90.4%) from new family contributions and $275,501 in dividend income. Net assets reached $18.9M — the highest recorded in the foundation's history. Charitable disbursements were $458,996 across 6 awards.

Looking at the foundation's largest documented multi-year commitments: Florida Botanical Gardens has received $1,019,243 across 3 grants for educational programs and the Majeed Discovery Garden. The City of St. Petersburg received $600,000 across 3 grants for the Splash Pad and Walkway at the St. Pete Pier. Waterfront Parks Foundation received $143,000 across 3 grants for historic waterfront park preservation.

In FY2023, the foundation distributed its highest single-year total — $1,055,011 — supported by $2M in new family contributions. Given that $2.515M in fresh capital entered the foundation in FY2024 and assets are at a record high, there is reasonable basis to expect FY2025–2026 giving to equal or exceed the 2023 peak, though no public announcements confirm new initiatives.

No formal grant application portal, published deadlines, or standardized LOI template exists for the Majeed Foundation — there is no grants page on the foundation's website and no application form is referenced in any public database. This makes relationship-building the non-negotiable prerequisite.

Build a connection before making an ask. The Pinellas Community Foundation ($100,000 Majeed grantee) is the most natural community bridge — engaging in their events, programs, or peer networks puts your organization in the same philanthropic ecosystem as the Majeed family. Board-level connections to Florida Botanical Gardens, Waterfront Parks Foundation, or the Dali Museum offer similar proximity.

Lead with visible, named community impact. Every major Majeed investment has a physical, branded manifestation (the Discovery Garden, the Pier splash pad, the waterfront swings). When approaching this foundation, emphasize the tangible public good your project will create — ideally something that could carry a name or be physically experienced by St. Petersburg residents. Abstract programmatic language will not resonate with this funder.

Align language with the foundation's own mission framing. Use phrases consistent with their stated values: "making the world a better place," "serve people who need them most," "urgency," and "taking action." These are not boilerplate — they are the Majeed family's actual words.

Scale your initial ask appropriately. Documented individual grants range from $2,500 to $102,000, with a median around $71,500. For a first-time relationship, a $25,000–$50,000 request is more likely to succeed than leading with a $100,000+ ask. The foundation has demonstrated willingness to increase gift size with established partners across multiple grant cycles.

Timing is opportunistic, not calendar-driven. With $18.9M in assets and $2.515M in fresh FY2024 contributions, the foundation has capacity — but there is no published grant cycle. Outreach can happen at any time; follow up once after 4–6 weeks if no response.

Contact: Email info@majeedfoundation.org or call (727) 410-7187 — the foundation lists contact as "% Kamal Majeed" at 2060 Brightwaters Blvd NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33704.