The Flannery Fund was established by Captain John Flannery (1835 – 1910), a prominent banker and civic leader in Savannah, Georgia. A brief biography is given in the Hall of Fame..

The initial donation of $50,000 was increased to $100,000 shortly before he died; a significant sum of money at the time. The fund is managed by a board of trustees, and the income is used to benefit various Catholic institutions in Georgia.