Dortone Esser Foundation
Dortone Esser Foundation is a private foundation, based in Bryn Mawr, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $5.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $395K. Net investment income was $226K.
Dortone Esser Foundation at a glance
In short: Dortone Esser Foundation gave $395K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $56K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $395,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,429
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $5,940,360
- -0.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Dortone Esser Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Give Well ($100K). Together the top 7 received $395K.
Grant Size Distribution
35 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 23 grants of 35 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
How Dortone Esser Foundation gives
- Giving grew 114% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $97K (2019) to $395K (2025). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $395K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Give Well Brooklyn, NY | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $100,000 |
| Animal Charity Evaluators - Recommended Charity Fund Covina, CA | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $75,000 |
| Giving Green Research Group Inc San Francisco, CA | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $75,000 |
| Givedirectly New York, NY | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $50,000 |
| Doctor Without Borders New York, NY | To Support the Organization's Medical Exempt Purpose | $40,000 |
| Care USA Atlanta, GA | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $35,000 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | To Support the Organization's Charitable Exempt Purpose | $20,000 |
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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 | $5,940,360 | $376,346 | $403,083 | $395,000 | 7 | $399,462 | $226,346 | $362,656 |
| 2024 | $5,967,097 | $631,722 | $403,612 | $395,000 | 7 | $398,915 | $231,722 | $348,132 |
| 2023 | $5,738,987 | $572,787 | $354,553 | $350,000 | 7 | $353,777 | $222,787 | $340,977 |
| 2022 | $5,520,753 | $378,928 | $187,031 | $185,000 | 8 | $187,031 | $93,928 | $370,092 |
| 2021 | $5,366,719 | $4,651,667 | $103,180 | $100,000 | 6 | $103,155 | $31,635 | $166,162 |
| 2020 | $831,808 | $159,401 | $118,231 | $109,500 | 10 | — | $33,821 | $141,042 |
| 2019 | $790,638 | $250,984 | $100,988 | $96,500 | 11 | — | $150,930 | $114,913 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dortone Esser Foundation reported a distributable amount of $363K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Dortone Esser Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dana L. Dortone
Trustee & Part-Time
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen F. Esser
Trustee & Part-Time
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Dortone Esser Foundation
How much does Dortone Esser Foundation give each year?
Dortone Esser Foundation gave $395K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $395K across 7 grants.
What is Dortone Esser Foundation's typical grant size?
Dortone Esser Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $56,429, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dortone Esser Foundation give grants?
Dortone Esser Foundation gives mostly in New York: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (38%) and Georgia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Who are Dortone Esser Foundation's largest grantees?
Dortone Esser Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Give Well ($100,000), Animal Charity Evaluators - Recommended Charity Fund ($75,000) and Giving Green Research Group Inc ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dortone Esser Foundation?
Dortone Esser Foundation reported $5.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $399K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $363K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Dortone Esser Foundation's EIN?
Dortone Esser Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6851025. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 28, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 4, 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 May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 4, 2024)
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