Dolphin Charitable Foundation
Dolphin Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2020 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it has terminated or is winding down. The filing says the foundation made donations to U.S. charitable organizations for charitable purposes.
Dolphin Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Dolphin Charitable Foundation gave $13.5M across 28 grants in 2020 (avg $482K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $13,490,904
- +3066.9% vs 2019
- Grants made (2020)
- 28
- +33.3% vs 2019
- Average grant
- $481,818
- +2275.2% vs 2019
- Median grant
- $16,500
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (99% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Dolphin Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its 2020 filing is marked as its final return.
- Contact
Mailing address: Fiduciary Trust- 53 State St, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 574-3404
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dolphin Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was Fiduciary Trust Charitable ($12.9M). Together the top 10 received $13.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 49 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2020, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 1% to recipients in Ohio. The filing also reports shares rounded to 0% for Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
How Dolphin Charitable Foundation gives
- 61% of 2020 grantees were also funded in 2019. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020). 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 2019 to 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $426K (2019) to $13.5M (2020). In 2020 it made 28 grants totaling $13.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fiduciary Trust Charitable Boston, MA | General | $12,924,336 |
| One Health Organization Cleveland, OH | General | $118,856 |
| Silent Spring Newton, MA | General | $50,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Boston, MA | General | $50,000 |
| Western Reserve Land Conservancy Moreland Hills, OH | General | $25,000 |
| Lawrence University Appleton, WI | General | $25,000 |
| Tenacity Boston, MA | General | $25,000 |
| The Second Step Newtonville, MA | General | $25,000 |
| Concord Land Conservation Trust Concord, MA | General | $22,000 |
| Buzzards Bay Coalition New Bedford, MA | General | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | $-101,763 | $13,581,362 | $13,490,904 | 28 | $25,017 | $492,963 |
| 2019 | $11,690,475 | $125,398 | $510,270 | $426,000 | 21 | $158,996 | $578,653 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dolphin Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $493K for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a separate mission. Its grants went to organizations working in areas including conservation and environmental protection, animal welfare, youth development, domestic-violence services, and homelessness. For example, One Health Organization describes its work as expanding access to veterinary care so families and their pets can stay healthy and together. The Second Step says it helps survivors of domestic violence heal and thrive in safe, supportive communities; Tenacity describes its work as youth and life-skills development; and Pine Street Inn says its mission is to end homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2020, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $13,490,904. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $12,924,336, with a median of $16,500. The largest award, $12,924,336, went to Fiduciary Trust Charitable for general purposes. Other notable grants included $118,856 to One Health Organization, $50,000 each to Silent Spring and Environmental Defense Fund, and $25,000 each to Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Lawrence University, Tenacity, and The Second Step.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2020 filing lists Barbara Baker, Bonnie Pohlig, and Edward Baker as trustees.
Dolphin Charitable Foundation's 2020 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2020 report compensation.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Barbara Baker
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie Pohlig
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward Baker
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2020. "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 Dolphin Charitable Foundation
How much does Dolphin Charitable Foundation give each year?
Dolphin Charitable Foundation gave $13.5M across 28 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $426K across 21 grants.
What is Dolphin Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Dolphin Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $16,500, and its average grant was $481,818, across 28 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dolphin Charitable Foundation give grants?
Dolphin Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (6 grants), Concord, MA (4 grants), Sudbury, MA (3 grants) and New Bedford, MA (2 grants).
Does Dolphin Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Dolphin Charitable Foundation's 2020 grants with a stated purpose (28 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Dolphin Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Dolphin Charitable Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include Fiduciary Trust Charitable ($12,924,336), One Health Organization ($118,856) and Silent Spring ($50,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
What does Dolphin Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a separate mission. Its grants went to organizations working in areas including conservation and environmental protection, animal welfare, youth development, domestic-violence services, and homelessness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dolphin Charitable Foundation?
The foundation stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Dolphin Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, Dolphin Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $493K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Dolphin Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Dolphin Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5217352. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2020.
Does Dolphin Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 28, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
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Dolphin Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?