Jessie Ball duPont Fund

The Jessie Ball duPont Fund is an American charitable foundation headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It was created from the estate of Jessie Ball duPont, a philanthropist whose giving supported education, religious institutions, social services, culture, historic preservation, health, and community organizations across the United States. The Fund's distinctive mandate is rooted in continuity: it continues to support many organizations and communities that received assistance from duPont during the early 1960s, while also adapting her philanthropic legacy to contemporary social conditions. Jessie Ball began giving away money while working as a teacher in San Diego, using her personal savings to provide college scholarships to students with financial need. Over time, she supported more than 100 scholarship recipients. After marrying Alfred I. duPont in 1921, she expanded her charitable activity considerably. Following his death in 1935, she became the principal beneficiary of his estate and was associated with numerous institutions and foundations. Her brother Edward Ball handled much of the related business and administrative work, allowing her to concentrate on grantmaking and personal engagement with beneficiaries. During roughly five decades of philanthropy, duPont funded colleges and universities, libraries, churches of different denominations, children's homes, museums, historic properties, schools, medical organizations, youth programs, and civic and cultural groups. Her giving reached both prominent institutions and smaller organizations in communities throughout the United States. Her approach was personal and relationship-based, and her often-quoted view was that giving should be understood as an obligation rather than merely as charity. DuPont died on September 26, 1970. Most of her estate, then estimated at approximately $42 million, was placed into the Jessie Ball duPont Religious, Charitable and Educational Fund. The estate settlement took more than six years. The organization received tax-exempt status in April 1973, and its first trustee meeting was held in January 1977. In its initial year of grantmaking, trustees approved 113 grants totaling $4.2 million, based in part on recommendations from Hazel Williams, duPont's longtime secretary, who understood how duPont had selected beneficiaries and determined grant amounts. The Fund has gradually modernized its governance and operating model. In 2003, judicial approval allowed the number of trustees to increase from four to seven, broadening the board's composition. It later adopted formal investment-policy goals and guidelines. A professional staff evaluates grant requests and presents recommendations to the trustees, who have historically awarded approximately $10 million in grants annually, subject to changing assets, priorities, and approvals. Its current philanthropic framework emphasizes equitable access to opportunities and resources for people historically excluded from them, placemaking that strengthens communities and gives meaningful voice to residents, and investment intended to produce positive impact in the communities served. The Fund supports a broad range of nonprofit and civic activity rather than selling conventional products or services. The organization also developed a real-estate initiative to address the shortage of affordable office space for nonprofit groups in Jacksonville. In 2013 it purchased a former library property through JBDF LLC and converted it into the Jessie Ball duPont Center, a shared philanthropic and nonprofit facility. The center opened in 2015 and was designed to encourage collaboration, reduce operating costs for tenants, and demonstrate environmentally responsible building practices. The Fund remains an active grantmaking institution whose identity combines stewardship of a historical donor mandate with efforts to improve equity, community participation, and nonprofit capacity.

Jessie Ball duPont's philanthropic career began before the creation of the Fund. While working as a teacher in San Diego, she used her savings to provide college scholarships to students with limited means. After her marriage to Alfred I. duPont in 1921, her giving expanded. When Alfred died in 1935, Jessie became the principal beneficiary of his estate and devoted much of her life to charitable activity, while her brother Edward Ball managed many business and administrative responsibilities. Her giving covered a wide institutional spectrum. She supported colleges, universities, libraries, churches, children's homes, schools, museums, historic properties, medical institutions, youth organizations, social-service agencies, and civic and cultural groups. Beneficiaries included nationally recognized institutions as well as organizations in small communities. The Fund's later mandate was shaped by this history: it was intended to continue supporting organizations that had received assistance from Jessie Ball duPont during the early 1960s. DuPont died on September 26, 1970. Most of her estate was dedicated to the Jessie Ball duPont Religious, Charitable and Educational Fund. The estate required more than six years to settle. The Fund obtained tax-exempt status in April 1973, but its first trustees' meeting did not occur until January 1977. The original trustees were Edward Ball, charitable adviser William Mills, the Rev. Sandy Juhan, and Irvin Golden of Florida National Bank, which served as corporate executor. Hazel Williams, duPont's personal secretary, was also invited because she understood the donor's historical grantmaking decisions. In the first year, trustees approved 113 grants totaling $4.2 million. The organization's governance evolved over time. Its original structure provided for four trustees, including a clerical trustee appointed through the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, and included a retirement rule for trustees at age 70. In 2003, the Fund received judicial permission to expand its board to seven trustees in order to diversify its composition. In early 2004, the board adopted a formal statement of investment-policy goals and guidelines. From 1993 to 2018, Dr. Sherry P. Magill served as president. Mari Kuraishi became president in 2019. The Fund uses professional staff to review applications and recommend awards to trustees. Its grantmaking has continued to serve legacy beneficiaries while developing broader priorities around equitable access, community placemaking, and impact investment. A major institutional project was the creation of the Jessie Ball duPont Center. The Fund had operated from approximately 6,500 square feet in Jacksonville's Wells Fargo Center but identified a need for more affordable space for nonprofit organizations. In June 2013, it purchased a former library property through JBDF LLC. Plans called for renovation of a substantial portion of the building, shared services, and conservation measures intended to support environmentally efficient operations. The Jessie Ball duPont Center opened in 2015 as a collaborative home for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. This project extended the Fund's role beyond grantmaking into nonprofit infrastructure and community development.

• 2019

  Mari Kuraishi becomes president

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Kuraishi succeeded Sherry P. Magill as president.

• 2015

  Jessie Ball duPont Center opens

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Following renovation, the shared nonprofit and philanthropic facility opened in Jacksonville.

• 2013

  Former library property purchased

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  The Fund completed the purchase of a Jacksonville property intended to become an affordable shared center for nonprofit organizations.

• 2004

  Investment policy formalized

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  The board adopted investment-policy goals and guidelines on January 9.

• 2003

  Board expansion approved

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Judicial permission increased the number of trustees from four to seven to broaden board representation.

• 1977

  First trustee meeting and initial grants

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Trustees met for the first time in January and approved 113 grants totaling $4.2 million during the first year.

• 1973

  Tax-exempt status is granted

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  The successor charitable fund received tax-exempt status in April.

• 1970

  Jessie Ball duPont dies

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Her death led to the establishment of a charitable, religious, and educational fund from the bulk of her estate.

• 1935

  Alfred I. duPont dies

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  Jessie Ball duPont became the principal beneficiary of her husband's estate and focused much of her life on philanthropy.

• 1921

  Jessie Ball marries Alfred I. duPont

  [1]Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org

  The marriage preceded a substantial expansion of Jessie's philanthropic activity and connected her charitable work with the duPont estate.

A legacy-based, place-conscious philanthropic foundation that combines continuing support for Jessie Ball duPont's historic beneficiaries with contemporary grantmaking focused on equity, community voice, and nonprofit effectiveness.

• Charitable grants · 1977

  Legacy grantmaking

  The Fund's central activity is awarding grants to organizations and communities connected to Jessie Ball duPont's historical giving, including educational, religious, social-service, cultural, medical, civic, youth, and preservation institutions. The program preserves continuity with the donor's early-1960s beneficiary relationships while allowing grantmaking to respond to current community needs.

• Philanthropic program

  Equitable access initiatives

  This priority supports efforts to expand access to opportunities and resources for people who have historically been excluded. It reflects the Fund's contemporary interpretation of its philanthropic mission and complements its continuing support for legacy organizations.

• Nonprofit infrastructure · 2015

  Jessie Ball duPont Center

  The Jessie Ball duPont Center is a Jacksonville facility created to provide reasonably priced office space for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. Its shared setting is intended to encourage collaboration, lower operating costs through common services and purchasing, and strengthen the local nonprofit ecosystem.

• 2019

  Leadership transition and contemporary philanthropic focusStrategy

  Background

  After Sherry P. Magill's presidency from 1993 through 2018, the Fund entered a new leadership period while retaining its historical grantmaking mandate.

  Action taken

  Mari Kuraishi was appointed president, with the Fund emphasizing equitable access, placemaking, and community impact.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued operating as a national grantmaking foundation while interpreting Jessie Ball duPont's legacy through current equity and community-building priorities.

  Source

• 2013

  Purchase and conversion of a nonprofit centerOther

  Background

  The Fund needed more office space, while Jacksonville nonprofit organizations faced a shortage of reasonably priced facilities.

  Action taken

  Through JBDF LLC, the Fund purchased a former library property and planned a large-scale renovation with shared nonprofit occupancy and conservation features.

  Aftermath

  The Jessie Ball duPont Center opened in 2015 and became a shared base for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.

  Property purchase price. $2.2 million (June 19, 2013)

  Source

• 2003

  Expand the trustee boardStrategy

  Background

  The original governance structure had four trustees. The Fund sought a more diverse board composition.

  Action taken

  The organization obtained judicial permission to increase the number of trustees to seven.

  Aftermath

  The change broadened the formal governance structure and was followed by the adoption of investment-policy guidelines in 2004.

  Source

1. 1Jessie Ball duPont Funden.wikipedia.org
2. 2Jessie Ball duPont Fund official websitedupontfund.org