Dorothy Lemelson Foundation
The Dorothy Lemelson Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in February 2013 and based in Reno, Nevada. Named for philanthropist Dorothy Ginsberg Lemelson (1926-2021), the foundation carries forward her passion for supporting at-risk youth and teachers in public schools. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and maintains a staff of three employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+29.2% YoY
Grant Count
33
+37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$77K
-6.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's work reflects Dorothy Lemelson's commitment to serving vulnerable young people. Primary funding areas include:
- STEM education and science teacher support
- Services for homeless and at-risk youth
- Educational resources for underserved students
- Human services
The foundation does not maintain a public website or published grant guidelines. Instead, it makes strategic grants by invitation or through relationships developed by foundation leadership.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not offer structured grant programs with published guidelines. Grant decisions are made through an invitation-only process, with decision timelines and success rates not publicly available.
Grant Range
$900 to $1,000,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Nevada (particularly Reno and Washoe County)
- Oregon (particularly Portland)
Additional funding activity has been documented in California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, New York, and Pennsylvania, with grants made to organizations in cities including Compton, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Salem, Sandy Hook, Sparks, Washington, and Winston-Salem.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $41,125,100
- Total revenue: $4,179,998
- Total expenses: $3,388,352
- Total giving: $2,537,616
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $40.3 million
- Total revenue: $14 million
- Total expenses: $2.61 million
- Total liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
133 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Caryn Swobe (Director and Program Officer)
- Jennifer Bruml (Director and Program Officer)
- Zoe Luh Morse Lemelson (Director and Program Officer)
Each serves 15 hours per week with annual compensation of $60,000.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARYN SWOBE | VP/TR/DIRECTOR/OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE | 15 | $61,731 |
| JENNIFER BRUML | PRES/DIRECTOR/PARTNERSHIPS EXECUTIVE | 15 | $61,731 |
| ZOE LUH MORSE LEMELSON | SECY/DIRECTOR/PROGRAMS EXECUTIVE | 15 | $61,731 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated ongoing commitment to its core mission through sustained grantmaking. Notable institutional recognitions of the foundation's impact include:
A public school for at-risk students in Nevada named the Dorothy Lemelson STEM Academy
A residential facility for girls in transition from homelessness in Portland named the Dorothy Lemelson House
The foundation has supported institutions such as the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum since 2009.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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