Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing reports 10 grants totaling $46,000 to charitable organizations, including recipients working in health and medical research, animal welfare, homelessness services, wildlife and nature, education, and the arts.
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable at a glance
In short: Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable gave $46K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state California. 70% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $46,000
- -8.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,600
- -17.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $330,371
- -10.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (7 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2023 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 0634, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0634
Phone: (617) 726-7286
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation ($10K). Together the top 10 received $46K.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 45 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in California (43%), Florida (23%), Minnesota (22%), Massachusetts (4%), and New York (4%). The listed 2025 grants also include a $1,500 grant to Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 10 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 120% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $36K (2021) to $52K (2023). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $46K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation Fullerton, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | Bladder cancer and heart disease fund | $10,000 |
| Pegasus Rising Project RCHO Santa Fe, CA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| William H Isacoff MD Research Foundfor Gastrointes Los Angeles, CA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Jacksonville Humane Society Jacksonville, FL | General & Unrestricted | $4,000 |
| Mission House Inc Jacksonville Beach, FL | General & Unrestricted | $4,000 |
| Jacksonville Zoological Society Inc Jacksonville, FL | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc Boston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Hadassah the Womens Zionist Organization of Americ New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Currier Museum of Art Manchester, NH | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $330,371 | $39,325 | $78,566 | $46,000 | 10 | $75,762 | $36,981 | $63,140 |
| 2024 | $369,612 | $24,987 | $74,124 | $50,000 | 9 | $56,058 | $6,920 | $60,577 |
| 2023 | $418,750 | $36,685 | $81,196 | $52,000 | 9 | $59,204 | $15,177 | $56,928 |
| 2022 | $463,261 | $56,910 | $79,702 | $50,000 | 9 | $57,401 | $35,077 | $59,059 |
| 2021 | $486,050 | $57,723 | $66,721 | $36,000 | 8 | — | $35,309 | $58,168 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable reported a distributable amount of $63K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for general and unrestricted purposes, as well as a $10,000 grant to Mayo Clinic for a bladder cancer and heart disease fund. The supported organizations describe their own work in varied terms: Mayo Clinic says it aims to improve health and well-being through clinical care, education, and research; Jacksonville Humane Society says it provides care and compassion to animals in need; and Mission House says it supports people affected by homelessness in the Beaches area with services including food, clothing, and medical care.
Other 2025 recipients include the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, whose stated mission is to connect its community with wildlife and wild places, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Foundation, which describes its work as supporting medical research, instruction, and activities to improve public health.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 10 grants totaling $46,000. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $10,000, with a median of $4,000. Its largest grants were $10,000 each to Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation for general and unrestricted purposes and to Mayo Clinic for a bladder cancer and heart disease fund. Other grants included $5,000 each to Pegasus Rising Project and the William H. Isacoff MD Research Foundation for Gastrointestinal Cancer; $4,000 each to Jacksonville Humane Society and Mission House; and $2,500 to Jacksonville Zoological Society.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rachel D. Chi and Jill Dorson as trustees.
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jill Dorson
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$10K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Rachel D Chi
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$5K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Boston Trust Walden (2021–2024) — Invest Advisor
- Former: Marilyn Dorson (2021–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $10K, to Rachel D Chi (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable
How much does Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable give each year?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable gave $46K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 9 grants.
What is Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's typical grant size?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,600, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable that year got $4K on average.
Where does Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable give grants?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's top state is California, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (23%) and Minnesota (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jacksonville, FL (2 grants).
Does Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's largest grantees?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation ($10,000), Mayo Clinic ($10,000) and Pegasus Rising Project ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable reported $330K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $76K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $63K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for general and unrestricted purposes, as well as a $10,000 grant to Mayo Clinic for a bladder cancer and heart disease fund. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable?
The foundation states on its 2023 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's EIN?
Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6607402. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable 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 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Figures come from Ben and Zelma Dorson Family Charitable'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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