To say that Delores Barr Weaver is the No. 1 philanthropist in the history of Jacksonville is not an exaggeration.
She and her husband, Wayne Weaver, started giving to myriad causes as soon as they became co-owners of the Jacksonville Jaguars more than 30 years ago.
Since her $50 million gift in 2012 establishing the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund, she has partnered with The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida on her philanthropy through numerous multimillion-dollar gifts, including the Foundation’s largest-ever gift of $61 million in 2023.
In the past 12 years, Weaver’s philanthropic contributions total more than $220 million, representing support to more than 300 organizations, according to The Community Foundation.
“She is the most impactful donor. This is her labor of love. She looks at past grantmaking and offers tailored, strategic support to organizations receiving funds, setting them up for long-term success,” Community Foundation President Isaiah Oliver said.
The goal of Weaver’s Legacy 2024 grantmaking plan is to provide strategic support to organizations.
The process began by reviewing Weaver’s past grants to identify nonprofits that have exceptional track records of achieving results for the community. Weaver then worked with Community Foundation staff to determine what funding would help them grow beyond Weaver’s support.
“I am deeply grateful for the hard work that our Legacy 2024 agencies do every day. They share an unwavering commitment to making our world a better place for all. The work they do comes directly from the heart,” Weaver said.
Amy Crane, Community Foundation vice president of programs, said one of Weaver’s favorite strategies is the challenge grant. Weaver pledges up to the amount that the organization can raise from other sources, leveraging her philanthropy to as much as double her gift.
“She likes to stimulate philanthropy and have other people join her,” Crane said.
“She works to bring in donors at every level. She loves when people run a grassroots campaign with donations of $10 or $50 or $100. She cares about how individuals can engage in philanthropy.”
In April, the Community Foundation presented Weaver its Prize for Civic Engagement. It was created in 2006 to recognize citizens of Northeast Florida who possess qualities that are not often publicly acclaimed and advance actions that enhance the public good.
Weaver is the third person and first woman to receive the award in the foundation’s 60-year history.
“Delores Barr Weaver is nationally renowned for her unprecedented philanthropy in our region. The prize recognizes her equally remarkable legacy of using her voice and platform to spark thoughtful community dialogue around important and under-recognized issues,” Community Foundation board chair Michael DuBow said.
In addition to her substantial monetary contributions to hundreds of organizations of all sizes during the past 30 years, Weaver has had an impact on the people who work in the nonprofit sector.
“It has been an honor to work with Delores Barr Weaver, who is the hardest-working philanthropist I have ever known. She looks at philanthropy as a joy, but also a burden, because she is so committed to thoughtful grant making that makes the greatest positive impact on the community.
“She works full-time at this, which is something I’ve not seen in any other individual donor,” Nina Waters, past president of The Community Foundation, said.
