Mccune Family Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The McCune Family Foundation is a trust-based private foundation established in 2008 to continue the philanthropic legacy of Frank and Mae McCune. Administered by Northern Trust Company in Chicago as institutional trustee, the foundation operates without a website or dedicated staff, reflecting a passive trust structure where grantmaking decisions follow the donors' original charitable intent.

The foundation's three-pillar mission is distinctive in its specificity: (1) oceanographic research, (2) rehabilitation of troubled or at-risk youth, and (3) assistance to the visually impaired and disabled. In practice, the at-risk youth pillar dominates current grantmaking, with the vast majority of 2024 grants going to youth-serving organizations in Florida and Georgia.

The geographic concentration in the Sarasota/Tampa/Bradenton corridor of Florida and the Atlanta/Tyrone area of Georgia likely reflects the McCune family's personal connections and residential history. This is not a foundation that responds to proposals or emerging needs — it is a trust that directs funds to a relatively stable portfolio of preselected organizations that align with the founders' original vision. Northern Trust Company, as trustee, receives $238,000 annually (about 12% of total expenses) for managing the trust's investments and disbursements.

The foundation's classification as "Educational Institutions and Related Activities" on its IRS filing underscores the educational dimension of its youth-focused grantmaking — many recipients operate schools, academies, or structured learning programs for underserved young people.

## Funding Patterns

The McCune Family Foundation maintains stable annual giving of approximately $1.8-2.0 million across 25-30 grants, funded entirely by its endowment investment returns.

2024 Financial Overview: - Total Assets: $38.3 million - Total Revenue: $2.28 million (56.7% dividends, 27.4% asset sales, 15.9% other income) - Total Expenses: $1.99 million - Charitable Disbursements: $1.89 million (95% of expenses) - Northern Trust Trustee Compensation: $238,152 (12% of expenses) - Contributions Received: $0 (fully endowed)

Grant Distribution (2024): - Number of Grants: 26 - Grant Range: $40,000 to $200,000 - Median Grant: $72,500 - Total Giving: ~$1.9 million

Top 2024 Recipients: - Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Inc: $200,000 (roof project) - Create Your Dreams Inc (Atlanta, GA): $100,000 - Academy Prep Center (Tampa, FL): $100,000 - Wellspring Living Inc (Tyrone, GA): $100,000

Geographic Concentration: - Primary: Sarasota, Tampa, and Bradenton, Florida - Secondary: Atlanta and Tyrone, Georgia - Most grants serve the Gulf Coast of Florida

Historical Stability: The foundation has maintained assets between $25.7M and $39.3M over its filing history, with annual giving consistently in the $1.7-2.0M range. This stability reflects conservative investment management by Northern Trust and disciplined adherence to the required distribution rate. With 196 total grants tracked across all available years, the foundation supports approximately the same set of organizations year after year.

## Peer Comparison

The McCune Family Foundation operates in the at-risk youth and human services space in Florida, alongside several other foundations serving similar populations:

Positioning: The McCune Family Foundation is a mid-sized funder in the Florida youth services landscape. It is dwarfed by community foundations like Gulf Coast and Tampa Bay, but its focus on at-risk youth organizations gives it outsized impact in a specific niche. Unlike community foundations that run competitive grant cycles, the McCune Family Foundation's trust structure means it maintains long-term relationships with a stable group of grantees. Organizations like Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches ($200K), Academy Prep ($100K), and Wellspring Living ($100K) likely receive recurring annual support, making the McCune Family Foundation a reliable funding partner for organizations fortunate enough to be in its portfolio.

## Recent Activity

2024 Grantmaking: The foundation made 26 grants totaling approximately $1.9 million, consistent with its historical pattern. The largest single grant — $200,000 to Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches for a roof project — represents a capital/infrastructure investment, which is notable for a foundation that typically funds programs and operations.

Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches: This is the foundation's marquee grantee. Founded in 1957, FSYR operates six residential child-care campuses across Florida, providing homes and comprehensive services to troubled and at-risk children. The organization's four-pillar philosophy of Work, Study, Play, and Pray aligns closely with the McCune family's vision for youth rehabilitation.

Academy Prep Center of Tampa ($100,000): Academy Prep operates intensive college-preparatory middle schools for underrepresented students, with students attending up to 11 hours a day, 6 days a week, 11 months a year. The McCune Foundation's support reflects the educational dimension of its youth-focused mission.

Wellspring Living ($100,000): Based in Tyrone, Georgia, Wellspring Living provides housing, education, and therapeutic services to domestic sex trafficking survivors, including young women. This grant represents the foundation's commitment to rehabilitating vulnerable youth populations.

Create Your Dreams Inc ($100,000): An Atlanta-based youth development organization. This, along with the Wellspring Living grant, shows the foundation's secondary geographic focus on the Atlanta metro area.

Financial Health: With $38.3 million in assets generating $2.28 million in revenue against $1.99 million in expenses, the foundation is financially stable with a slight surplus. Assets have fluctuated between $25.7M and $39.3M historically, reflecting market conditions rather than spending patterns, suggesting the trust will sustain its current giving level indefinitely.

## Application Tips

Critical Note: The McCune Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Understanding How to Potentially Engage:

1. Geography is paramount. The overwhelming majority of grants go to organizations in the Sarasota-Tampa-Bradenton corridor of Florida's Gulf Coast and the Atlanta metro area of Georgia. Organizations outside these regions have virtually no chance of receiving funding.

2. Youth services is the primary lane. While the foundation's mission includes oceanographic research and services for the visually impaired/disabled, the vast majority of 2024 grants went to youth-serving organizations. Groups working with at-risk youth, youth in residential care, college-preparatory education for underserved students, and trafficking survivors are most aligned.

3. Northern Trust is the gatekeeper. As institutional trustee, Northern Trust Company manages the foundation and likely plays a role in grant recommendations. Building relationships with Northern Trust's philanthropic advisory team in Chicago could be valuable for organizations seeking to enter the foundation's portfolio.

4. Long-term relationships matter most. With 196 grants over approximately 7 years of filing history and only 26 grants per year, the foundation appears to support a relatively stable roster of grantees. New additions to the portfolio are rare. Organizations should focus on demonstrating sustained, measurable impact in youth services before attempting to engage.

5. Capital requests are acceptable. The $200,000 roof grant to Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches shows the foundation will fund capital and infrastructure needs, not just program expenses. Organizations with critical facility needs may find this an important distinction.

6. Grant amounts cluster around $72,500-$100,000. The median grant is $72,500, with several organizations receiving $100,000. New grantees (if any are added) should calibrate asks to this range rather than requesting the maximum $200,000.

7. No website, no application portal, no public contact. The foundation operates through Northern Trust Company (PO Box 803878, Chicago, IL 60680-3878). There is no foundation website — the mccune.org domain belongs to the unrelated McCune Foundation in Santa Fe, NM. Monitor 990-PF filings for current giving patterns.