Jessie Ball duPont Fund
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund, "Florida's leading national foundation",[1] is a charitable foundation that issues grants to organizations that received support from Jessie Ball duPont during the years 1960-1964 inclusive. When she died on September 26, 1970, the bulk of her estimated $42 million estate, one of the largest in Florida history, became the Jessie Ball duPont Religious, Charitable and Educational Fund.[2]
The beginning
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/75/Jessiedupont.jpg)
When Jessie Ball was a teacher in San Diego, California, she invested profitably in the stock market and real estate which she used to fund need-based college scholarships, which eventually exceeded 100.[2] After her marriage to Alfred I. duPont in 1921, she continued making charitable gifts, but on a larger scale. When her husband died in 1935, she was his primary beneficiary and became president or board member to many groups and foundations. However, she turned over most of those responsibilities to her brother, Edward Ball. She preferred to spend her time on philanthropy and let Edward handle the business dealings, which he did for the next 35 years.[2]
Her personal generosity lasted for half a century, during which she provided scholarships for hundreds of college students (mostly in the southeast), made gifts to colleges and universities (numerous libraries were built), assisted hundreds of churches (all denominations), major charities, children's homes, historic buildings and art museums.[2]
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund of today continues to assist the 325+ "eligible institutions" that received financial support from Jessie Ball duPont during the first half of the 1960s. The entities include names familiar to everyone as well as groups in small towns known only to local residents. Among the recipients are 65 colleges & universities, 84 churches, 14 religious entities, 18 schools, 37 social service agencies, 9 youth organizations, 24 preservation associations, 31 medical, 11 cultural and 33 civic groups. The recipients are located all over the United States.[3]
Eligible Organizations Organization name Agnes Scott College Alfred I. duPont Awards Foundation Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Awards Alfred I. duPont Foundation Allen Temple A.M.E. Church Alliance for Christian Media American Cancer Society - Duval County Unit American Cancer Society, South Atlantic Division, Inc. American Diabetes Association - Del/Mar Area American Foundation for the Blind American Heart Association - Florida/Puerto Rico Affiliate American Heart Association - Pennsylvania Delaware Affiliate American Lung Association of Delaware American Mothers Inc. American Nurses Foundation American Printing House for the Blind American Red Cross - Northumberland County Chapter American Red Cross - River Counties Chapter American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula American School of Classical Studies at Athens (The) Annabella R. Jenkins Foundation Archdiocese of Miami Arthritis Foundation - Delaware Chapter Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter Northeast Region Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities Auburn University Augustine Parish Bach Festival Society Baptist Health Baptist Health Foundation Barter Theatre Beaches Aquatic Association Inc. Beebe Medical Center Berea College Bethel United Methodist Church Bethune-Cookman College Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware Inc. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Blue Ridge School Bluefield College Bluff Point United Methodist Church Bolles School Boy Scouts of America - North Florida Council # Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, Inc. Boys' Home Inc. Brandywine Valley Association Bridgewater College Calvary United Methodist Church Catholic Charities Bureau Inc. Child Welfare League of America Inc. Children's Home Society of Florida Children's National Medical Center Christ Church Christiana Hundred Christ Episcopal Church Christchurch School Christian Herald Association Inc. Christiana Care Health System Christmas Shop (The) Church of Christ Church of God in Christ Church of the Good Shepherd City of Jacksonville Clara White Mission College of William & Mary (The) Community Church Inc. (The) Community Connections of Jacksonville Community Foundation in Jacksonville (The) Cople Parish, Yeocomico Church Corrottoman Baptist Church Currioman Baptist Church Cuttyhunk Union Methodist Church Daniel Daniel Joseph Jenkins Institute for Children Davidson College Delaware Academy of Medicine Delaware Art Museum Delaware Humane Association Delaware Symphony Association Diocese of Delaware Diocese of Eau Claire Diocese of Southern Ohio Diocese of Virginia Drew University Easter Seals Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore Edward Waters College Elmira College Emmanuel United Methodist Church Emory and Henry College Epiphany Episcopal Church Episcopal Diocese of Florida Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas Episcopal High SchoolFalls Church (The) Family Foundations Inc. Fay School Ferrum College First Baptist Church First Baptist Church of White City First Church of the Nazarene, Port St. Joe, Florida First Presbyterian Church First United Methodist Church Florida Historical Society (The) Florida Orchestra Guild, St. Petersburg (The) Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Inc. Florida Southern College Florida State University Fork Union Military Academy Former Agents of the FBI Foundation Foster Drive Baptist Church Foundation for Historic Christ Church Inc. Fraternal Order of Police Jacksonville - Consolidated Lodge – Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge Fuqua School Garden Club of Jacksonville Inc. (The) Garden Club of Port St. Joe (The) Gen. Douglas MacArthur Foundation Georgetown University Gilpin Hall Girl Scouts of the USA. Girls and Boys Town Goucher College Grace Episcopal Church – CT Grace Episcopal Church – DE Hampden-Sydney College Harbor Christian Fellowship Hathaway Children and Family Services Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association Henderson United Methodist Church Highland View Baptist Church Highland View Church of God Historic St. Luke's Restoration Historical Society of Delaware Inc. (The) Hollins University Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church Foundation Inc. Home of Merciful Rest Society Inc. Hope Family Worship Center Hope Haven Children's Clinic and Family Center Hospital for Special Surgery Howertons Baptist Church Immanuel Church, Highlands International Social Service - American Branch Inc. Irvington Baptist Church Jacksonville Humane Society Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Jacksonville University James Madison University James Monroe Memorial Foundation Junior Achievement of Florida's First Coast Kennedy Krieger Institute Kilmarnock Baptist Church Kilmarnock United Methodist Church Kilmarnock-Lancaster County Volunteer Rescue Squad King and Queen County Historical Society Knights of Columbus - Father Maher Council, No. Lakewood United Methodist Church Lancaster Community Library Lee-Jackson Educational Foundation (The) Lewes Historical Society Little Sisters of the Poor, Jeanne Jugan Residence Long Avenue Baptist Church Longwood Foundation Longwood University Lynchburg College Mary Baldwin College Mary Ball Washington Museum & Library Mary Washington College Massachusetts General Hospital Mattaponi Baptist Church McDaniel College MCP Hahnemann University Medical College of Virginia Foundation Menninger Foundation (The) Mental Health Association of Northeast Florida Inc. Meredith College Milligan College Mississippi Valley State University Morattico Baptist Church Mountain Mission School National Audubon Society (The) National Conference for Community and Justice (The) National Council on Crime and Delinquency National Jewish Medical and Research Center National Juvenile Court Foundation, Inc. National Society of the Colonial Dames of America – Delaware National Society of the Colonial Dames of America – Florida National Society of the Colonial Dames of America – Virginia National Society of the DAR - Colonel David Hall Chapter National Society of the DAR - San Diego Chapter National Trust for Historic Preservation Nemours Foundation (The) New Bethel A.M.E. Church New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Nordica Memorial Association Inc. Northeast Florida Safety Council, Inc. Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society Northumberland County Rescue Squad Inc. Oak Grove Assembly of God Oceanway Volunteer Fire Department No. Old Dartmouth Historical Society Old Salem Inc. Old Trinity Church Opportunity Center Inc. Ortega United Methodist Church Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Osborne Association (The) Parish of St. Pius X Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation Peninsula United Methodist Homes Inc. Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia Orchestra (The) Philadelphia Primitive Baptist Church Piney Woods School (The) Porter-Gaud School Presbyterian Home & Family Services Inc. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School Radford University Randolph College Randolph-Macon College Recreation Promotion & Service, Inc. Rehoboth United Methodist Church Robert E. Lee Memorial Association Rollins College Rotary Club of Jacksonville Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church Saint Leo University Saint Mary's Hall Saints William/Sylvester Church Salvation Army (The) San Antonio College San Jose Episcopal Church San Jose Episcopal Day School Scotchtown, Home of Patrick Henry Shands Jacksonville Properties Sheltering Arms Hospital Shiloh Baptist Church Shippensburg University Sisters of St. Benedict—St. Gertrude Monastery Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province Sisters of St. Mary, St. Mary's Convent Society for Values in Higher Education Sons of Confederate Veterans Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (The) Speech & Hearing Center Inc. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church – Florida St. Andrew's Episcopal Church – Virginia St. Andrews Presbyterian College St. Anthony's Health Care St. Augustine's Episcopal Church St. Catherine's School St. Elizabeth Catholic Church St. George's Episcopal Church St. James' Episcopal Church – Florida St. James's Episcopal Church – Virginia St. John's Cathedral (Jacksonville) St. Joseph Catholic Church St. Joseph on the Brandywine St. Luke's Health Systems Inc. St. Margaret's School St. Mary's Episcopal Church – Fleeton St. Mary's Episcopal Church and Outreach Ministries St. Mary's Whitechapel Episcopal Church St. Mathew's Reformed Episcopal Church St. Michael's School and Nursery St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church St. Stephens Baptist Church St. Timothy Catholic Church St. Vincent's Medical Center Stephens College Stetson University Stuart Hall Sweet Briar College Talleyville Fire Company Tappahannock Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc. Temple Beth El Temple University The Citadel Theatre Jacksonville Inc. Thompson Temple, First Born Church of the Living God Inc. Transylvania University Trinity Episcopal Church – Delaware Trinity Episcopal Church – Virginia United Way of Delaware United Way of Northeast Florida University of Delaware University of Florida University of Miami University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond University of the South University of Toronto University of Virginia University of Virginia School of Law Vauter's Church Villa Nazareth Orphanage Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Virginia Home Virginia Intermont College Virginia Military Institute Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia United Methodist Homes, Inc. Wake Forest University Washington & Lee University Washington College Washington Hospital Center Washington National Cathedral Wesley College Wesley Manor, Inc. Western Kentucky University White Stone United Methodist Church Wicomico Episcopal Church Wicomico United Methodist Church Wilmington Senior Center Inc. Wingate University Woman's Club of Jacksonville Woodberry Forest School Woodlawn Plantation Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center Foundation Inc. Yale University YMCA of Florida's First Coast Young Life Zion Fair Missionary Baptist Church
Fund established
More than six years passed between Jessie Ball duPont's death and her estate being settled. The fund was granted tax-exempt status in April, 1973,[4] but the first meeting of the trustees was not until January, 1977. Those four individuals were: Edward Ball, Jessie's brother; William Mills, Jessie's charitable advisor; Rev. "Sandy" Juhan, the Episcopal Bishop's son; and Irvin Golden from Florida National Bank, the corporate executor. Hazel Williams, Jessie's personal secretary, was invited because of her knowledge of the way Jessie determined who received gifts and the amount of the gift. That first year, Miss Williams suggested 113 grants for a total of $4.2 million, which the trustees approved. One of the will's provisions specified that the clerical trustee would be appointed by the acting bishop from the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. Another rule required trustees to retire from the board at age 70.[5]
Current operation
The present Jessie Ball duPont Fund has changed significantly. In order to diversify the composition of the board, the trust received judicial permission in 2003 to increase the number of trustees to seven instead of the original four.[5][6] Later that year, a Statement of Investment Policy Goals and Guidelines was formulated and adopted by the board on January 9, 2004.[7] Since 1993, the president of the fund has been Dr. Sherry P. Magill.[8] The value of the fund's assets as of 2007 was $286,534,736 and income for the year was $160,892,586.[4] A professional staff reviews and evaluates the requests from the 325 eligible entities and makes recommendations to the trustees, who award approximately $15 million in grants each year.[8] However, the recipients are encouraged to be innovative and think beyond the people they normally assist. According to their website, the Fund focuses on five areas:[9]
- Strengthening the Independent Sector
- Building Assets of People, Families and Communities
- Building the Capacity of Eligible Organizations
- Stimulating Community Problem Solving
- Helping People Hold their Communities Accountable
Jessie Ball duPont said, "Don't call it charity. I think it is an obligation." Those who work for the fund consider it a privilege.[2]
Trustees
Current
- Leroy Davis, Chair
- Thomas H. Jeavons, Vice Chair
- Mary Lynn Huntley, Trustee
- Rev. Eddie E. Jones Jr., Clerical Trustee
- Audrey McKibbin Moran, Trustee
- Mary K. Phillips, Trustee
- Stephen A. Lynch III, Corporate Trustee
Past
- Rev. "Sandy" Juhan, Clerical Trustee, 1977–1985
- Rev. George C. Bedell, Clerical Trustee, 1985–1998
- Rev. Frank S. Cerveny, Clerical Trustee, 1998–2003
- Jean W. Ludlow, Trustee 1985-2005
- Ed Ball, 1977–1981
- William B. Mills, 1977–1986
- Irvin Golden, Corporate Trustee 1977-
References
- ^ [1] Florida Community Loan Fund, Our Impact: Investor Stories
- ^ a b c d e [2] Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, History
- ^ [3] Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Organizations
- ^ a b [4] Tax Exempt World, Organization Search by City, Jacksonville, Florida
- ^ a b Kerr, Jessie-Lynn: [5] Florida Times-Union, September 19, 2003-Retiring bishop is new duPont trustee
- ^ [6] Florida Trend, July 1, 2003-Dupont fund seeks changes
- ^ [7] Council on Foundations, Jessie Ball duPont Fund
- ^ a b [8] Florida Philanthropic Network, Board of Directors
- ^ [9] Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, About