Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation

INCLINE VILLAGE, NV EIN: 47-4279721 Website

The Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation (DCDF) is a private charitable foundation based in Incline Village, Nevada, founded in 2016. The foundation represents the Duffield family's commitment to philanthropic giving across multiple cause areas, building on decades of charitable work that began with the creation of Maddie's Fund in 1994.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$887.3M

+1.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$9.7M

-17.4% YoY

Grant Count

-57.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$690K

+94.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation reported a distributable amount of $34.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

DCDF focuses on funding transformational services and programs in three primary areas:

Support for U.S. Veterans with disabilities, particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Companion animal well-being and welfare
Organizations with which the founders have personal connections, including educational institutions

The foundation's flagship initiative is Liberty Dogs™, a national Service Dog training and placement program for U.S. military Veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Liberty Dogs operates a Service Dog campus based in Reno, Nevada, where Veterans spend two weeks on-site training with their Service Dogs before returning home with their new companions.

Grantmaking

The foundation awards grants for program sponsorships, community relief efforts, conference attendance support, and collaborative initiatives. Recent examples include sponsorships of animal welfare conferences, disaster relief funding, and educational partnerships.

Grant Types

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. states, with documented funding activity in California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin. The foundation maintains a particular focus on Nevada and the local Incline Village community.

Grant Distribution by State

Nevada $22.9M (55%)

New York $10.2M (24%)

Hawaii $3.4M (8%)

California $2.8M (7%)

Florida $1.2M (3%)

Tennessee $445K (1%)

District of Columbia $270K (1%)

Utah $180K (0%)

+12 more states

States

Arizona California Colorado District of Columbia Florida Hawaii Iowa Massachusetts New Jersey Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Cities

ArcadiaArlingtonAuburnBrentwoodCarson CityCentral PointChicoColorado SpringsDavisDiamond SpringsEl Dorado HillsElyEnglewoodEurekaFallonGainesvilleGardenaGardervilleGardnervilleGrass Valley

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $873.6 million
Total revenue: $356.2 million
Total expenses: $12.3 million
Total liabilities: $6.28 million

Staffing: The foundation employs 6 staff members across administrative, finance, and general management functions.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$887,295,166	$873,591,286	$502,904,867
Revenue	$45,815,899	$356,161,570	$132,057,271
Expenses	$15,209,975	$12,345,569	$16,598,230
Qualifying Distributions	$135,584,642	$60,877,681	$26,987,796
Net Investment Income	$268,835,690	$86,678,073	$76,731,718
Distributable Amount	$34,070,707	$25,574,708	$20,089,935

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

179 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Liberty Dogs Foundation ($3,675,557), Cornell University ($2,830,000), Washoe County School District ($1,000,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL (ADI) MAUMEE, OH	ADI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP	$10,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NORTH LAKE TAHOE KINGS BEACH, CA	DUFFIELD YOUTH PROGRAM, PROVIDING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING	$387,500
CANINES WITH A CAUSE HOLLADAY, UT	PRISON PROGRAM MENTORSHIP	$34,800
CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY	DUFFIELD INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL BEHAVIOR	$2,830,000
DOGTREE PINES SENIOR DOG SANCTUARY PRESCOTT, AZ	HONORARY DONATION	$25,000
INCLINE EDUCATION FUND INCLINE VILLAGE, NV	INCLINE STAR FOLLIES PRODUCTION	$25,000
INCLINE HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS INCLINE VILLAGE, NV	HIGHLANDER HOME GALA SPONSOR, CRAB FEED SPONSORSHIP, FUND-A-NEED MATCHING GRANT	$147,325
K9'S FOR WARRIORS PONTE VEDRA, FL	VETERINARY CLINIC	$600,000
LIBERTY DOGS FOUNDATION INCLINE VILLAGE, NV	OPERATING GRANT	$3,675,557
MAUI HUMANE SOCIETY PUUNENE, HI	COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS GRANT	$604,074

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Dave Duffield – Board Member and Co-Founder
Cheryl Duffield – Board Member and Co-Founder
James Dugdale – President
Chris Watts – Co-President and Treasurer

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JAMES DUGDALE	PRESIDENT (THRU 5/31/24)	40	$516,612
CHERYL DUFFIELD	BOARD MEMBER	1	—
CHRIS WATTS	TREASURER	12	$170,750
DAVID DUFFIELD	BOARD MEMBER	1	—
AMY ZEIFANG	BOARD MEMBER/CO-PRESIDENT	5.5	$37,500
LAURIE PEEK	BOARD MEMBER	1	—
SEAN O'CONNELL	SECRETARY	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has announced the **Duffield Challenge**, an ambitious collaborative initiative with BISSELL Pet Foundation aimed at completing 600,000 spay and neuter surgeries over three years with $6 million in investment. This reflects the foundation's continued commitment to companion animal welfare and innovation in the animal care industry.

The foundation maintains an active social media presence and regularly updates stakeholders on its initiatives and impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation fund?

DCDF focuses on funding transformational services and programs in three primary areas: • **Support for U.S. Veterans with disabilities**, particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • **Companion animal well-being and welfare** • **Organizations with which the founders have personal connections**, including educational institutions The foundation's flagship initiative is **Liberty Dogs™**, a national Service Dog training and placement program for U.S. military Veterans diagnos…

How do I apply for a grant from Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in recent fiscal year: approximately $9.6 million to $12.3 million • Typical grant awards range from $1,200 to $3.9 million • Recent grants have supported organizations including Pet Network Humane Society ($3.4 million in 2023), Maui Humane Society ($2.5 million in 2023), and Cornell University **Grant Types:** The foundation awards grants for program sponsorships, community relief efforts, conference attendance support, and collaborative initiatives. Recent …

Where does Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation make grants?

What size grants does Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation award?

In 2024, Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $9.7M — an average of about $690K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation reported a distributable amount of $34.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation's EIN?

Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4279721. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.