Moore Charitable Foundation

The Big Nova Foundation — formally registered as Moore Charitable Foundation (EIN 92-2765938) — is a Central Florida family foundation with an unusually deep community history. The Moore family has maintained a presence in Sanford and Seminole County for six generations spanning nearly 100 years, and in October 2023 they formalized this legacy into an institutional philanthropic vehicle endowed with $75 million. This is not a passive wealth-preservation vehicle: the foundation moved from $10,000 in inaugural grants (FY2023) to approximately $3.9 million across 34+ grants in just its second year (FY2024), signaling genuine urgency to deploy capital and community commitment.

The foundation's identity is anchored in the BIG NOVA brand, with a mission that emphasizes empowering organizations that "protect the planet, uplift those in need, inspire change through research, and strive to make communities better." The tagline — "Caring hearts, stronger communities" — reflects a warmth-forward, relationship-driven giving philosophy. Grant decisions appear to flow from the Moore family's personal community relationships rather than a staff-driven review process.

Governance is tightly family-held: Thomas Moore serves as President, Sally Moore as Vice President, and Stephen Moore as Secretary — all without compensation. Sarah Asma serves as Treasurer (also uncompensated). CFO Michael Trees is the foundation's sole paid employee at $177,620/year and the primary operational contact.

For first-time grantees, the essential insight is that this foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. No grants portal, application form, or RFP cycle exists. The path to a grant runs exclusively through demonstrated community credibility in Sanford and Seminole County and a personal introduction to the Moore family or Michael Trees. Organizations with existing partnerships with current grantees — IDignity, Conservation Florida, SALT Outreach, or Rescue Outreach Mission — hold a structural advantage.

The foundation's emphasis on "partnerships" signals that they favor collaborative organizations with strong inter-agency relationships. National organizations without on-the-ground Central Florida operations are unlikely to receive consideration. The sweet spot is deeply rooted, community-trusted nonprofits operating in the Sanford-to-Orlando corridor that can articulate how their work builds local partnerships and strengthens vulnerable populations or the natural environment.

Big Nova Foundation's grantmaking trajectory is remarkable for a foundation barely two years old. FY2023 (the inaugural year) produced only $10,000 in total grants — consistent with a new foundation still formalizing operations after receiving its $75,010,000 endowment contribution. By FY2024, giving reached approximately $3.9 million across 34 or more grants, representing a 38,900% single-year escalation.

Confirmed FY2024 grants and sizes: - IDignity (permanent operational headquarters): $1,000,000 - Rescue Outreach Mission (three-year case management gift): $1,000,000 total commitment (~$333K/year) - Conservation Florida (D Ranch Preserve Nature Center): $600,000 - SALT Outreach (Orlando Mobile Drop-In Center bridge funding): $300,000

With ~$3.9M distributed across 34+ grants, the implied average grant is approximately $115,000. The distribution is clearly top-heavy, with two anchor grants of $1M each and a $600K capital grant, alongside a portfolio of presumably smaller grants in the $25,000–$100,000 range completing the $3.9M total.

Financially, the foundation's $75,927,351 in assets (FY2024) generated $3,333,660 in total revenues — implying a ~4.4% annual yield on the investment portfolio. Total expenses of $4,514,557 in FY2024 slightly exceeded revenues, drawing modestly on principal — a common pattern for foundations front-loading early community investment. At the federally required 5% minimum distribution rate, the foundation's annual grantmaking obligation is approximately $3.8 million, which FY2024 activity appears to satisfy.

Programmatically, grants span three visible categories: (1) social services for vulnerable populations, including homeless services, case management, and identity-document assistance; (2) environmental conservation, specifically land and nature preserve projects; and (3) community infrastructure capital projects. No formal program areas or priority percentages have been publicly announced. Geographically, all confirmed grantees are in Seminole County or the Orlando metro area. The foundation appears equally receptive to capital requests (IDignity HQ, Conservation Florida nature center) and operational/programmatic bridge funding (SALT Outreach), with multi-year commitments (Rescue Outreach Mission's three-year gift) also on record.

The following table compares Big Nova Foundation to peer private foundations of similar asset scale, with emphasis on Florida-based funders. All peer figures are approximate, based on public 990 filings and foundation websites.

Big Nova Foundation sits mid-range in assets among Florida's private foundations but stands apart in two respects: its extraordinary speed of grantmaking ramp-up (zero to $3.9M in two fiscal years) and its complete absence of a public application process. Unlike the Jessie Ball duPont Fund or Arthur Vining Davis Foundations — which have decades of established priorities, published annual reports, and accessible application guidelines — Big Nova is actively building its grantmaking identity, making early relationship access a rare and valuable competitive advantage for prospective grantees right now. At its FY2024 payout rate of roughly 5.1% of assets, Big Nova already meets or exceeds the federal minimum distribution requirement, affirming serious founder intent to deploy capital rather than accumulate it.

Big Nova Foundation's most significant recent activities reflect a foundation in rapid emergence:

• October 2023: Received IRS 501(c)(3) ruling; endowment funded with $75,010,000 in initial contributions; made $10,000 in inaugural grants.
• FY2024: Distributed approximately $3.9 million across 34+ grants — a nearly 39,000% increase over Year 1.
• Anchor grants announced: IDignity received $1,000,000 for a permanent organizational headquarters; Conservation Florida received $600,000 for the D Ranch Preserve Nature Center; SALT Outreach received $300,000 for bridge funding for an Orlando Mobile Drop-In Center.
• Rescue Outreach Mission commitment (announced via Seminole County Chamber of Commerce): $1,000,000 over three years to enhance case management programs — the largest confirmed multi-year commitment on record.
• Staffing: CFO Michael Trees (compensation: $177,620) became the foundation's sole paid employee, indicating modest but real operational infrastructure investment.
• Social media: The foundation launched a public Facebook page (@Big Nova Foundation) as an early community visibility effort.

No leadership changes, formal program strategy announcements, or new board members have been identified in public sources through April 2026. The foundation's public profile remains minimal given its family governance model. Prospective grantees should monitor the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Seminole County, and the foundation's Facebook page for future announcements.

The central challenge — and opportunity — in approaching Big Nova Foundation is the complete absence of a formal application channel. No grants portal, published guidelines, application deadline, or RFP cycle exists. For a $75.9M foundation distributing nearly $4M annually, this is a significant opportunity accessible only through relationship-based community engagement.

What the grantee list reveals about fit: IDignity (identity documents for the underserved), SALT Outreach (mobile homeless services), and Rescue Outreach Mission (case management) all address acute needs for marginalized populations in Seminole County. Conservation Florida's $600K capital grant confirms that environmental land conservation in Central Florida is an equal priority — this is not a purely human-services funder. Capital projects (headquarters, nature centers) sit alongside operational funding, and multi-year commitments have been made, so budget requests can be ambitious.

Timing and approach: There is no known grant cycle or deadline. Relationship outreach can happen year-round. The Seminole County Chamber of Commerce — where the Rescue Outreach Mission grant was publicly announced — is an active community channel. United Way of Seminole County and local conservation networks (Florida Wildlife Federation, Florida Trail Association) are natural relationship-building venues.

Language that resonates: Use the foundation's own vocabulary: "community partnerships," "caring hearts, stronger communities," "protecting the planet," and "uplifting those in need." Reference the Moore family's six-generation Central Florida legacy when describing your own community roots — longevity and place-based commitment matter to this funder.

Common mistakes to avoid: Do not submit an unsolicited proposal — there is no mechanism to receive or review it. Do not approach from outside Seminole County or the Orlando metro without established local operations. Do not lead with national scale or metrics — local community impact is the frame that matters here. Avoid abstract research or policy framing without a direct community services hook.

Optimal first contact: A warm introduction through a current grantee (IDignity, Conservation Florida, SALT Outreach, or Rescue Outreach Mission) to Thomas Moore (President) or Michael Trees, CFO — reachable at (321) 966-5661 — is the most effective path. Request an introductory conversation to learn about the foundation's priorities, not to pitch. Listen first.