Pérez Family Foundation Philanthropy Topped $350 Million
The donor-advised fund detailed its lifetime giving to South Florida arts and social programs.
Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Cultural
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The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation has surpassed $350 million in total lifetime philanthropic contributions across South Florida. The organization announced the milestone during the Sunshine Economy Summit held in Fort Lauderdale.
Why it matters
Since its establishment in 2015 as a donor-advised fund at The Miami Foundation, the organization has aimed to build an equitable cultural hub here. Their focus remains on scaling nonprofits that can leverage their initial grants into wider community support.
The foundation has directed $280 million toward arts and culture, including $16 million through its CreARTE initiative. Grantees leveraged those funds to secure an additional $22.7 million in outside support.
The players
Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation
A donor-advised fund established in 2015 that focuses on cultural and social equity in South Florida.
The Miami Foundation
The institution that hosts the donor-advised fund for the Pérez family.
Pérez Art Museum Miami
A cultural institution that received a $35 million naming gift from the family in 2011.
The details
The foundation functions as a donor-advised fund, providing capacity-building support to 56 nonprofits through the CreARTE initiative since 2019. In addition to arts funding, the family has invested $35 million in education, $21 million in health, and $7 million each in environmental and economic programs. Their previous commitments include a $35 million gift to rename the Pérez Art Museum Miami in 2011.
Timeline
2011: The family donated $35 million to rename the PAMM.
2015: The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation was established.
2019: The CreARTE flagship initiative was launched.
September 23, 2026: The philanthropy report was released.
Beyond the 305
This announcement follows the pattern set by the 2011 naming gift for the Pérez Art Museum Miami, which anchored the foundation's early involvement in the region's arts scene. The total giving now extends that initial investment to a broad range of equity-focused initiatives.
Local nonprofits and social programs can monitor the foundation’s future funding cycles for potential capacity-building grants. This support continues to influence the growth of local initiatives ranging from microloans for entrepreneurs to art programs.
The takeaway
The foundation's model emphasizes using philanthropic funds to attract further external investment for local nonprofits. Watch for how their continued support for the CreARTE initiative shapes local arts and economic development in the coming years.
Further reading
Explore the latest developments across our city's Cultural scene.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WLRN.
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