Donors Trust Inc
Donors Trust Inc is a donor-advised fund (DAF) provider based in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 1999, it operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity and serves as a philanthropic vehicle for donors committed to promoting liberty and free society principles. The organization provides an alternative to private foundations by offering tax-efficient charitable giving management with reduced regulatory burden and administrative costs.
Key facts about Donors Trust Inc
- EIN
- 52-2166327
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $282,061,852
- Grants made (2024)
- 919
- Average grant
- $306,923
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (228 of 715, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,364,601,090
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- Donors Trust does not accept unsolicited requests for contributions. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 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.
Who Donors Trust Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Donors Trust Inc's 919 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (33%), Virginia (19%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (111 grants), New York, NY (65 grants), Arlington, VA (39 grants) and Chicago, IL (21 grants). 58% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "for historical building preservation" (23 grants), "for museum exhibits" (17 grants) and "for historical education programs" (7 grants).
Is Donors Trust Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 228 of 715 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $285K; repeat grants $446K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $70K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Next steps with Donors Trust Inc
- How to evaluate Donors Trust Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4B
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$282.1M
-19.2% YoY
Grant Count
919
+18.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$307K
-31.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Donors Trust's mission is to provide a reliable philanthropic vehicle for donors who wish to promote liberty, with assurance that their charitable intent will be honored both during their lives and beyond.
The organization supports charities and sponsors programs that alleviate society's most pervasive needs through education, research, and private initiatives. Primary focus areas include:
- Social welfare
- Health
- Environment
- Economics
- Governance
- Foreign relations
- Arts and culture
A core principle of Donors Trust is encouraging private philanthropy and individual giving as opposed to governmental solutions to societal problems. The organization is guided by ideals of limited government, personal responsibility, and free enterprise.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Donors Trust Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Donors Trust's grantmaking focuses primarily on Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 919 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $1,364,601,090
- Total revenue: $294,438,756
- Total expenses: $291,549,081
- Total liabilities: $1,840,000
Staffing:
- 18 employees (as of 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,364,601,090 | $1,291,166,098 | $1,387,471,760 |
| Revenue | $294,438,756 | $158,252,948 | $323,050,038 |
| Expenses | $291,549,081 | $357,941,924 | $248,109,953 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $62,331,329 | $-67,793,665 | $19,787,816 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
3,800 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include MedStar Georgetown University Hospital ($36,000,000 across 2 grants), America First Legal Foundation ($21,285,450 across 5 grants), State Policy Network ($9,810,658 across 5 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Washington, DC | for the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute | $35,000,000 |
| America First Legal Foundation Washington, DC | for general operations | $20,734,450 |
| State Policy Network Arlington, VA | for general operations | $7,000,128 |
| Institute for Justice Arlington, VA | for general operations | $6,999,880 |
| Consumers' Research Inc Vienna, VA | for general operations | $5,053,100 |
| Texas A&M Foundation College Station, TX | for the Center on the Structural Constitution | $5,000,000 |
| Reason Foundation Los Angeles, CA | for general operations | $4,987,225 |
| Teneo Network Inc Austin, TX | for general operations | $4,433,000 |
| Real Clear Foundation Northbrook, IL | for general operations | $4,150,000 |
| GMU Foundation Arlington, VA | for the Law & Economics Center | $3,750,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Peter Lipsett – Vice President. Lipsett leads Donors Trust's Novus Society, a network of donors under 40 committed to growing their philanthropic knowledge. He holds a dual degree in political science and theater from Davidson College and an MBA from George Mason University.
Stephen Johnson – Chief Technology Officer
George Coates – Board Member
Donors Trust Inc is led by Lawson R Bader, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 8 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lawson R Bader
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
42 hrs/week
$390K (2020) → $400K (2024)
Kimberly O Dennis
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George G H Coates Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas E Beach
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher D Renner
Controller
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$140K (2020) → $163K (2024)
Jeffrey C Zysik
CFO, COO & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
42 hrs/week
$278K (2020) → $312K (2024)
Peter A Lipsett
Vice President
Vice President & Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$215K (2020) → $241K (2024)
Gregory P Conko
Vice President of Programs
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$204K (2022) → $236K (2024)
Lukas C Dwelly
Philanthropic Advisor
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$106K (2022) → $186K (2024)
Stephanie L Giovanetti
Philanthropic Advisor
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$148K (2022) → $171K (2024)
Stephen M Johnson
CTO
On filings since 2022
45 hrs/week
$108K (2022) → $188K (2024)
James Piereson
Vice Chair
Chair → Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Elia J Peterson (2023) — Assistant Controller
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact Information
Address: 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 280 Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone: (703) 535-3563
Fax: (703) 535-3564
EIN: 52-2166327
Website: www.donorstrust.org
Media Inquiries: media@donorstrust.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Donors Trust Inc fund?
Donors Trust's mission is to provide a reliable philanthropic vehicle for donors who wish to promote liberty, with assurance that their charitable intent will be honored both during their lives and beyond. The organization supports charities and sponsors programs that alleviate society's most pervasive needs through education, research, and private initiatives. Primary focus areas include: • Social welfare • Health • Environment • Economics • Governance • Foreign relations • Arts and culture A …
How do I apply for a grant from Donors Trust Inc?
Donors Trust does not accept unsolicited requests for contributions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Donors Trust Inc make grants?
Donors Trust's grantmaking focuses primarily on Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York.
What size grants does Donors Trust Inc award?
In 2024, Donors Trust Inc awarded 919 grants totaling $282.1M — an average of about $307K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Donors Trust Inc's EIN?
Donors Trust Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2166327. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Donors Trust Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Browse active grant opportunities in Donors Trust Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.