Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation
The AY McDonald Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Dubuque, Iowa. It made 60 grants totaling $878,618 in 2024, supporting organizations with educational, human services, and public affairs purposes, among others shown in its grant records.
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation gave $879K across 60 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in Iowa. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $878,618
- +67.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 60
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,644
- +67.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $8,577,638
- +7.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (19 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4800 Chavenelle Rd, Dubuque, IA 52004-0508
Phone: (563) 583-7311
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was YMCA-YWCA ($300K). Together the top 10 received $711K.
Grant Size Distribution
297 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 284 grants of 297 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa, 4% to Wisconsin, 4% to Illinois, 1% to North Carolina, and less than 1% to Tennessee, as reported. Dubuque, Iowa, recipients include the YMCA-YWCA, Holy Family Catholic School, Hills & Dales, and the University of Dubuque.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 60 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 161% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 226% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $337K (2021) to $879K (2024). In 2024 it made 60 grants totaling $879K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YMCA-YWCA Dubuque, IA | Public Affairs | $300,000 |
| Holy Family Catholic School Dubuque, IA | Educational | $120,000 |
| Hills & Dales Dubuque, IA | Human Services | $56,200 |
| St Columbkille's Elementary School and Parish Dubuque, IA | Educational | $50,000 |
| United Way Dubuque, IA | Human Services | $50,000 |
| University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA | Educational | $40,833 |
| Foundry Education Foundation Schaumburg, IL | Educational | $28,500 |
| Dickeyville Park Foundation Dickeyville, WI | Public Affairs | $25,000 |
| Hillcrest Family Services Dubuque, IA | Public Affairs | $20,230 |
| Loras College Dubuque, IA | Educational | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,577,638 | $1,351,547 | $930,332 | $878,618 | 60 | $879,462 | $948,611 | $388,399 |
| 2023 | $8,018,971 | $1,294,584 | $578,220 | $523,922 | 60 | $524,440 | $1,019,418 | $351,504 |
| 2022 | $7,393,505 | $228,450 | $500,667 | $453,949 | 62 | $454,621 | $182,404 | $390,158 |
| 2021 | $9,193,449 | $419,737 | $420,874 | $337,123 | 49 | $337,597 | $367,060 | $432,953 |
| 2020 | $8,352,273 | $1,287,230 | $612,684 | $566,948 | 66 | — | $1,241,883 | $356,675 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $388K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for educational institutions, human services organizations, and projects classified as public affairs. The University of Dubuque describes its work as offering educational opportunities intended to educate and form the whole person. Hillcrest Family Services says it provides care for children, adults, and families in need, while Loras College describes itself as a Catholic liberal arts college focused on learning, ethical decision-making, and responsible contribution.
Other 2024 recipients include Dubuque Regional Humane Society, whose stated mission is to protect and promote animal well-being; St Mark Youth Enrichment, which says it cultivates the educational and social-emotional growth of youth and families; and Opening Doors, which says it provides emergency and transitional housing for women, including those with children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 60 grants totaling $878,618. Grants ranged from $250 to $300,000, with a median of $2,500. Notable awards included $300,000 to YMCA-YWCA in Dubuque for public affairs; $120,000 to Holy Family Catholic School for educational purposes; $56,200 to Hills & Dales for human services; and $50,000 each to St. Columbkille’s Elementary School and Parish for educational purposes and United Way in Dubuque for human services. The University of Dubuque received $40,833 for educational purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert D McDonald II as president; Chad A Huntington as director; Scott A Knapp as vice president; and Andrew D Wickham as CFO, treasurer, and secretary.
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation is led by Robert D. McDonald II, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert D. McDonald II
President
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Chad A. Huntington
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Scott A. Knapp
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Andrew D. Wickham
CFO, Treasurer & Secretary
Treasurer & Secretary → CFO, Treasurer & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Steve R. Tefft (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: John K. Schmidt (2023) — Director
- Former: Michael D. Sullivan (2020–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation
How much does Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation give each year?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation gave $879K across 60 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $524K across 60 grants.
What is Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $14,644, across 60 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation give grants?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Dubuque, IA (36 grants), Platteville, WI (3 grants) and Des Moines, IA (2 grants).
Does Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 60 grants with a stated purpose on Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Affairs" (19 grants), "Educational" (13 grants) and "Human Services" (11 grants).
Who are Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include YMCA-YWCA ($300,000), Holy Family Catholic School ($120,000) and Hills & Dales ($56,200), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation reported $8.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $879K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $388K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for educational institutions, human services organizations, and projects classified as public affairs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6119514. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ay-mcdonald-charitable-foundation-morg_f2aed6b7e099463ebd99d1e1f35e1040
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_426119514_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ay-mcdonald-charitable-foundation-morg_f2aed6b7e099463ebd99d1e1f35e1040},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ay McDonald Charitable Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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