Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc
Chichester duPont Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It supports charitable programs, with particular emphasis on the environment, education, health care, and social services, and on giving that plays a pivotal role in a program’s success.
Key facts about Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc
In short: Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc gave $2.1M across 64 grants in 2024 (avg $33K), mostly in Delaware. 46% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 51-6011641
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,140,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 64
- Average grant
- $33,445
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (29 of 63, 2024)
- Total assets
- $47,940,933
- Primary geography
- Delaware (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- The application page says the 2026 process opens by March 1, with a June 1 deadline for consideration at the Fall 2026…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$47.9M
+6.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
-5.5% YoY
Grant Count
64
-12.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
+7.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 29 of 63 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $44K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 37% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated aim is to help provide positive, sustained change. It gives preference to new initiatives, special projects, expansion of existing programs, and capital improvements.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of supported work. Children’s Beach House describes its mission as helping children, youth, families, and communities identify and use their strengths, talents, and resources. First State Educate says it works toward well-equipped school boards and thriving schools. Delaware College Scholars describes its work as preparing under-resourced Delaware public high school students for four-year colleges. Other grantees include organizations whose stated missions address child-abuse prevention, reproductive health, Idaho rivers, and support for people transitioning back into employment and community life.
Grantmaking
Review Cycle
The application page says the 2026 process opens by March 1, with a June 1 deadline for consideration at the Fall 2026 board meeting. The foundation’s 2024 filing lists September 1 as the deadline.
How to Apply
.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation does not consider requests for programs outside the United States. In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Delaware; other recipient-state shares were Idaho 5%, Maryland 3%, Pennsylvania 1%, and Connecticut 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2020) to $2.3M (2023). In 2024 it made 64 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Children's Beach House ($876K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
296 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 287 grants of 296 (97%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Beach House Wilmington, DE | Funding Operation of the Children's Beach House | $626,000 |
| Children's Beach House Wilmington, DE | Matching of Challenge Grant from the Ma-Ran Endowment | $250,000 |
| First State Educate Hockessin, DE | Funding program to increase public engagement in school governance | $50,000 |
| Central Delaware Housing Dover, DE | Funding Emergencey Shelter for Homeless Single Women | $30,000 |
| Claymont Community Center Claymont, DE | Funding Community Market and Garden | $30,000 |
| Delaware College Scholars Wilmington, DE | Funding Summer Camp Program | $30,000 |
| Food Bank Newark, DE | Funding Backpack Program | $30,000 |
| Idaho Rivers United Boise, ID | Funding to Educate the Public Regarding Proposed Mining | $30,000 |
| Leading Youth Through Empowerment Wilmington, DE | Funding programs in middle and high schools for low income families | $30,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Delaware Wilmington, DE | Funding Youth Programs for Reproductive Health Education | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $47,940,933 | $3,232,519 | $2,772,997 | $2,140,500 | 64 |
| 2023 | $45,145,374 | $1,304,331 | $2,871,260 | $2,264,627 | 73 |
| 2022 | $43,350,130 | $765,958 | $2,637,583 | $2,002,980 | 58 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $47,940,933 | $45,145,374 | $43,350,130 |
| Revenue | $3,232,519 | $1,304,331 | $765,958 |
| Expenses | $2,772,997 | $2,871,260 | $2,637,583 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,280,743 | $2,400,293 | $2,135,944 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,232,519 | $1,304,331 | $765,958 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,306,233 | $2,182,350 | $2,330,707 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing were Alexis Gahagan, president; Katharine Gahagan and Allaire Hummel, vice-presidents; Lynne L. Dorsey, treasurer; Gregory F. Fields, corporate secretary; and trustees Christopher T. DuPont, Caroline Prickett, Kathy C. Gahagan, Mary Mills Abel-Smith, and Sophie M. Derrickson.
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc is led by Alexis Gahagan, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 14 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexis Gahagan
President
Treasurer → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Caroline Prickett
Trustee
Vice President → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christopher T. Dupont
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kathy C. Gahagan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary Mills Abel-Smith
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sophie M. Derrickson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Elise Gahagan
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Emilie D. Crist
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Holley Dupont
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
William Prickett
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Allaire Hummel
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Gregory F. Fields
Corporate Secretary
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katharine Gahagan
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lynne L. Dorsey
Treasurer
President → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: Gregory F Fields Secretary
Mailing address: 5720 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807
Phone: (302) 658-5244
Email: gfields@eltoninc.com
Website: https://chichesterdupont.org
Frequently asked questions about Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc
How much does Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc give each year?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc gave $2.1M across 64 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.3M across 73 grants.
What is Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $33,445, across 64 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc that year got $22K on average.
Where does Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc give grants?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc gives mostly in Delaware: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, DE (29 grants), Dover, DE (4 grants), Hockessin, DE (3 grants) and Newark, DE (3 grants).
Does Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 64) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Children's Beach House ($876,000 across 2 grants), First State Educate ($50,000) and Central Delaware Housing ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc reported $47.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to help provide positive, sustained change. It gives preference to new initiatives, special projects, expansion of existing programs, and capital improvements. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check chichesterdupont.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's EIN?
Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-6011641. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Chichester Dupont Foundation Inc by hand.
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