Philanthropy with Precision: How One Family Foundation Is Quietly Changing Lives

At The Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation, philanthropy is personal, precise, and deeply rooted in family legacy. Based in Naples, Florida, the Foundation may not be among the largest in the country, but its approach to giving—focused, program-specific, and high-impact—has helped it carve out a powerful role in the nonprofit space.

Founded by Brooks and Joan Fortune and now run by their descendants, the Foundation is led by Dr. John Fortune, with his wife Jan serving as Vice President. The board comprises the couple’s grandchildren, and Executive Director Tina Killoran—the only non-family member involved—who plays a critical role in making sure the Foundation fulfills its mission.

“The Foundation got to a point where it was really too big for one person to manage,” Tina says. “John was juggling two other businesses in addition to his role here, and when we first spoke, it wasn’t even about the Foundation, it was about one of those other roles. But then he said ‘Hey, I have this foundation too. Do you think you could help me with that?’ And I said, ‘Sure, I can figure that out.’”

That was four years ago. Since then, Tina has become the Foundation’s operational backbone, overseeing everything from initial grant applications to final board decisions. What distinguishes the Foundation’s model is its firm focus on project-specific or program-specific giving—grants that deliver immediate, tangible results, especially in the fields of education, the arts, and community outreach.

“We like to see direct and immediate impact,” Tina says. “It’s not about general fundraising. It’s about supporting the part of your program that makes a difference right now.”

One recent example she shared involved a research center in Oklahoma hosting an art contest for high school students.

“They reached out for help funding the contest, and we gave $3,000…three $1,000 gift cards that went directly to the winning students’ art teachers,” Tina says. “Those teachers then used the funds to buy art supplies for their incoming classes.”

Another project the Foundation supports annually is a mobile school supply bus operated by Washington Township in Indianapolis.

“It’s essentially a mobile store where teachers can shop for the supplies they need,” Tina says. “We love that model—immediate support, directly where it’s needed.”

The Foundation also funded the Indianapolis Art Center’s veterans community art troupe, a program that provides creative outlets for veterans and their families through workshops and classes.

While the Foundation began in Indianapolis, it has since shifted operations to Naples, Florida—a city known for its wealth and robust philanthropic activity. Tina sees this as both a contrast and a strength.

“There was a recent silent auction here in Naples where one event raised $32 million in a single evening,” Tina says. “That’s incredible, but it also means smaller requests, like $5,000 or $10,000, can get lost. What sets us apart is that we welcome those smaller grants. We want to be the Foundation that says yes to a $3,000 art program or a $5,000 classroom project.”

But with a growing number of applications—often in the hundreds each year—there’s no avoiding tough choices.

“The hardest part is having to say no,” Tina says. “We get so many worthy applications, but we can only do so much. Some proposals are international, which we don’t fund at all, but others are right in our wheelhouse and still have to be declined because of limited resources.”

Still, for Tina and the Foundation, the most fulfilling moments come from seeing the ripple effects of their support.

“Getting those thank-you emails or handwritten notes means the world,” Tina says. “It could be a $2,000 grant or a $50,000 one. What matters is knowing that it made a real difference.”

To streamline and broaden their reach, the Foundation uses GrantStation and Foundant as key platforms. These tools have helped the team discover and support new organizations they may never have found otherwise.

“John used to be scrambling at the end of the year to meet IRS giving requirements,” Tina says. “These platforms helped us open up our process and connect with groups we’d never have known about. Joan would have loved that…finding little organizations that just need a helping hand.”

Tina plays a vital role in this process. She’s the first to read all letters of intent, vetting applications to ensure they align with the Foundation’s mission before passing them along to Dr. Fortune and then to the board for final decisions.

“Please read the questions we ask,” Tina says. “We’re very clear that we fund specific programs and projects. A lot of times, applicants just copy and paste generic fundraising language, and it doesn’t give us what we need to make a decision.”

In a world where big numbers often dominate philanthropic headlines, the Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation stands out for its belief in the power of small, focused giving. With Tina’s practical leadership and the Fortune family’s generational commitment to meaningful support, the Foundation is proving that even modest grants can spark lasting change—especially when they land in the right hands, at the right time.

“We’re not trying to put the Fortune name on buildings,” Tina said. “We’re just trying to help the people doing real, hands-on work, and make sure they know someone sees them.”