Dorsey Foundation Inc
Dorsey Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports 56 grants totaling $913,000, with most grant dollars going to organizations in Indiana.
Dorsey Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Dorsey Foundation Inc gave $913K across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Indiana. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $913,000
- +7.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,304
- -0.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $10,364,565
- -0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (18 of 56, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Dorsey Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5868 E 71St Street E-217, Indianapolis, IN 46220
Phone: (317) 753-5640
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dorsey Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Indianapolis Zoo ($106K). Together the top 10 received $486K.
Grant Size Distribution
254 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 254 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana. The remaining reported shares went to California (5%), Illinois (3%), Ohio (2%), and Texas (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Dorsey Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 56 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 162% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $725K (2020) to $1.1M (2021). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $913K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Zoo Indianapolis, IN | General | $106,000 |
| Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Inc Indianapolis, IN | General | $75,000 |
| New Story Inc San Francisco, CA | General | $50,000 |
| Village of Merici Indianapolis, IN | General | $50,000 |
| Eskenazi Health Foundation Indianapolis, IN | General | $50,000 |
| Benjamin Harrison Presidental Site Indianapolis, IN | General | $45,000 |
| Binford Redevelopment & Growth (Brag) Indianapolis, IN | General | $30,000 |
| Indianapolis Golf Foundation Indianapolis, IN | General | $30,000 |
| Christel House Indianapolis, IN | General | $25,000 |
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis, IN | General | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,364,565 | $962,579 | $1,011,370 | $913,000 | 56 | $929,214 | $880,423 | $573,341 |
| 2024 | $10,422,266 | $695,166 | $946,208 | $851,000 | 52 | $866,150 | $555,680 | $571,386 |
| 2023 | $10,689,948 | $257,512 | $967,366 | $860,950 | 52 | $876,792 | $184,176 | $533,543 |
| 2022 | $11,401,924 | $100,318 | $1,071,714 | $839,000 | 44 | $857,561 | $128,675 | $359,666 |
| 2021 | $12,380,716 | $7,899,721 | $1,204,298 | $1,132,000 | 50 | $1,140,306 | $4,845,191 | $495,373 |
| 2020 | $8,165,216 | $582,821 | $794,722 | $725,000 | 38 | — | $524,329 | $452,756 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dorsey Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $573K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose work includes hunger relief, services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, health, public spaces, art and nature, economic development, youth mentoring, and access to the venture capital industry. For example, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana describes its mission as fighting hunger by improving equitable access to nutritious food and addressing conditions that cause food insecurity. Village of Merici describes its work as supporting independent living for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 56 grants totaling $913,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $106,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed awards included $106,000 to Indianapolis Zoo, $75,000 to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, and $50,000 each to New Story, Village of Merici, and Eskenazi Health Foundation. Other 2025 recipients included Newfields, which received $25,000, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, which received $10,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jane Dorsey as director, Erin Dorsey as president, Scott Dorsey as treasurer, and Lillian Dorsey as secretary.
Dorsey Foundation Inc is led by Erin Dorsey, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Erin Dorsey
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Dorsey
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Dorsey
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lillian Dorsey
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Carol Dorsey (2020–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Dorsey Foundation Inc
How much does Dorsey Foundation Inc give each year?
Dorsey Foundation Inc gave $913K across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $851K across 52 grants.
What is Dorsey Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Dorsey Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,304, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dorsey Foundation Inc that year got $8K on average.
Where does Dorsey Foundation Inc give grants?
Dorsey Foundation Inc gives mostly in Indiana: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (46 grants) and Carmel, IN (2 grants).
Does Dorsey Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Dorsey Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (56 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Dorsey Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Dorsey Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Indianapolis Zoo ($106,000), Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Inc ($75,000) and New Story Inc ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dorsey Foundation Inc?
Dorsey Foundation Inc reported $10.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $929K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $573K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dorsey Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dorsey Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dorsey Foundation Inc's EIN?
Dorsey Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3002776. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Dorsey Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dorsey Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dorsey Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dorsey-foundation-inc-morg_2e151bd2cb2a4ba7b2519fd85fa70e90
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463002776_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dorsey Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dorsey-foundation-inc-morg_2e151bd2cb2a4ba7b2519fd85fa70e90},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Dorsey 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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