Dorset Foundation Inc
Dorset Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Sherman, Texas. It makes contributions to exempt charitable organizations for use in carrying out their exempt purposes, rather than providing direct charitable activity itself. In 2024, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Texas.
Dorset Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Dorset Foundation Inc gave $349K across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Texas. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $349,000
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- -6.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,633
- +2.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,683,670
- +11.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (3 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dorset Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should be made by letter describing the organization and the nature of the request. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Martha Q Sanderson
Mailing address: 2309 Turtle Creek, Sherman, TX 75092
Phone: (903) 821-5965
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dorset Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was CASA of Grayson County Inc ($25K). Together the top 10 received $201K.
Grant Size Distribution
154 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 154 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Texas. Listed 2024 recipients include organizations in Sherman and Denison.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Dorset Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 30 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 90% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $275K (2020) to $362K (2023). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $349K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CASA of Grayson County Inc Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $25,000 |
| Grand Central Station Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $25,000 |
| Masterkey Ministries Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $21,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $20,000 |
| Child and Family Guidance Center Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $20,000 |
| Crisis Center Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $20,000 |
| Home Hospice Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $20,000 |
| Women Rock Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $20,000 |
| Childrens Advocacy Center Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $15,000 |
| Four Rivers Outreach Sherman, TX | To Assist in Operations | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dorset Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,683,670 | $613,541 | $396,316 | $349,000 | 30 | $396,316 | $566,225 | $393,503 |
| 2023 | $2,416,071 | $270,708 | $407,655 | $362,000 | 32 | $407,655 | $225,053 | $394,597 |
| 2022 | $2,776,382 | $237,308 | $375,655 | $330,000 | 33 | $375,655 | $191,653 | $407,813 |
| 2021 | $2,915,402 | $319,541 | $343,514 | $300,000 | 30 | $343,514 | $276,027 | $377,592 |
| 2020 | $2,928,334 | $256,593 | $310,136 | $275,000 | 29 | — | $221,457 | $330,778 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dorset Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $394K for 2024 — 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 does not state a separate mission in the information provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations with varied purposes. CASA of Grayson County describes its work as training and equipping the community to protect children, empower families, and advocate for children in the child welfare system. Women Rock describes providing free mammograms in the Texoma region and support for breast cancer victims and survivors. House of Eli describes its work as job training, educational opportunities, and transitional living for young men. Other 2024 grantees describe work in child-abuse evaluation, community services and skills training, liberal arts education, family shelter, and musical and educational activities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $349,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest reported awards included $25,000 each to CASA of Grayson County and Grand Central Station; $21,000 to Masterkey Ministries; and $20,000 each to Boys and Girls Club, Child and Family Guidance Center, Crisis Center, Home Hospice, and Women Rock. The listed grant purposes were to assist recipients in their operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Martha Q Sanderson as president, Judge Jim Fallon as vice president and treasurer, and Kay Ellen Kirby as secretary.
Dorset Foundation Inc is led by Martha Q. Sanderson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Martha Q. Sanderson
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Judge Jim Fallon
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kay Ellen Kirby
Secretary
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.
Frequently asked questions about Dorset Foundation Inc
How much does Dorset Foundation Inc give each year?
Dorset Foundation Inc gave $349K across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $362K across 32 grants.
What is Dorset Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Dorset Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,633, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dorset Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Dorset Foundation Inc give grants?
Dorset Foundation Inc gives mostly in Texas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sherman, TX (28 grants) and Denison, TX (2 grants).
Does Dorset Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Dorset Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Assist in Operations" (28 grants).
Who are Dorset Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Dorset Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include CASA of Grayson County Inc ($25,000), Grand Central Station ($25,000) and Masterkey Ministries ($21,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Dorset Foundation Inc?
Dorset Foundation Inc reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $396K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $394K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dorset Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation does not state a separate mission in the information provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dorset Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dorset Foundation Inc's EIN?
Dorset Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6013384. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dorset Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dorset-foundation-inc-morg_2b4722019ff74b7ab231e23b7609ea99
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756013384_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dorset Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dorset-foundation-inc-morg_2b4722019ff74b7ab231e23b7609ea99},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Dorset Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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