Dover Foundation Inc
Dover Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Shelby, North Carolina, dedicated to improving lives in Cleveland County. Founded in 1944 by Jack and Charles Dover, it supports faith-based, educational, and human service organizations through nonprofit grants, scholarships, and resources for charitable organizations.
Dover Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Dover Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 55 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in North Carolina. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,106,368
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 55
- -9.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,116
- +14.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,610
- Total assets
- $22,808,741
- +7.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (13 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (97% 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 Dover Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Submit a request through the online application portal. The filing lists Amanda Gragg as the contact and calls for detailed request information and a copy of the organization’s IRS exemption certificate.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists quarterly cutoff dates of December 15, 2025; March 15, 2026; June 15, 2026; and September 15, 2026. The foundation’s filing states that there are no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The website lists quarterly cutoff dates of December 15, 2025; March 15, 2026; June 15, 2026; and September 15, 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Amanda Gragg
Mailing address: P O Box 208, Shelby, NC 28151
Phone: (704) 487-8888
Website: https://doverfoundationinc.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Dover Foundation Inc
Who Dover Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cleveland Co Family YMCA ($151K). Together the top 10 received $569K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($40,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
289 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 264 grants of 289 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s highest priority is Cleveland County, North Carolina. It considers organizations outside the county only when the proposed grant specifically benefits Cleveland County residents. In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 2% to New York, and 1% to South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Dover Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 54 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% 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 $760K (2020) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 55 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Co Family YMCA Shelby, NC | Building Renovations | $151,000 |
| Salvation Army Shelby, NC | Emergency social services & food pantry | $60,000 |
| Paul Marion Ramseur Foundation Kingston, NC | Box Truck for Food Ministry | $55,000 |
| Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | Scholarship | $50,000 |
| NCBM Shelby Mission Camp Shelby, NC | Construction Ministry | $50,000 |
| Green Bethel Baptist Church Boiling Springs, NC | Metal Building for Food Ministry | $45,000 |
| Pentecostal Apostolic Church of Chr Shelby, NC | HVAC Upgrades | $43,000 |
| Boys Girls Club of Cleveland Co Shelby, NC | After school and summer camp programs | $40,000 |
| Cleveland Co Rescue Mission Shelby, NC | Emergency Winter Overnight Shelter Project | $40,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dover 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,808,741 | $940,686 | $1,372,494 | $1,106,368 | 55 | $1,181,340 | $822,544 | $1,055,763 |
| 2024 | $21,297,049 | $691,824 | $1,372,371 | $1,071,283 | 61 | $1,149,215 | $562,321 | $1,016,119 |
| 2023 | $19,971,095 | $996,552 | $1,196,835 | $929,947 | 64 | $1,007,106 | $886,246 | $920,450 |
| 2022 | $18,065,183 | $313,764 | $1,107,826 | $848,276 | 55 | $916,064 | $374,647 | $961,028 |
| 2021 | $23,098,687 | $1,398,449 | $1,286,164 | $1,050,492 | 54 | $1,114,681 | $1,292,018 | $1,082,352 |
| 2020 | $21,228,636 | $378,859 | $963,820 | $760,467 | 47 | — | $387,742 | $922,854 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dover Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — 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’s mission is to improve lives in its community by supporting faith-based, educational, and human service organizations. Its grantmaking includes support for projects and programs such as building renovations, food ministries, emergency services, youth programs, and scholarships.
Examples illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Gardner-Webb University describes its values as including Christian heritage, academic excellence, liberal arts, and community engagement. Community Math Academy says it provides math-focused programming for underserved youth in grades three through six. Cleveland Vocational Industries describes its work as providing training and employment opportunities for people facing barriers to employment. Cleveland Psychosocial Services describes programs for adults with chronic mental illness, including vocational, social, educational, and daily-living-skills development.
The foundation also operates a merit-based scholarship program for graduating seniors from the Cleveland County Schools system. Its website reports that it awarded $165,000 in scholarships in 2025. These scholarships are a separate program from grants to outside organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 55 grants totaling $1,106,368. Grants ranged from $300 to $151,000, with a median of $12,610. Among the largest were $151,000 to Cleveland Co Family YMCA for building renovations; $60,000 to Salvation Army in Shelby for emergency social services and a food pantry; and $55,000 to Paul Marion Ramseur Foundation for a food-ministry box truck. Other notable awards included $50,000 each to Gardner-Webb University for scholarships and NCBM Shelby Mission Camp for a construction ministry, and $40,000 each to Boys Girls Club of Cleveland Co for after-school and summer camp programs and Cleveland Co Rescue Mission for an emergency winter overnight shelter project.
The foundation says it awards grants four times a year and accepts one request per calendar year from a tax-exempt organization through its online application process. Its filing describes eligible applicants as 501(c)(3) organizations or scholarship recipients attending an eligible institution. The filing lists detailed request information and a copy of the IRS exemption certificate as application materials. The foundation does not make grants or loans to individuals, loans to charitable organizations, political contributions, advertising purchases, or payments for dinner, gala, or raffle tickets. It also says it will not award college scholarships outside its scholarship program, support churches or church trips outside Cleveland County, or fund organizations that pass funds to non-eligible organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kathleen H Wilson as president; Justin Merritt, Mary Raudez, Cynthia Buckingham, and Linton Suttle as directors; Charles Hamrick as treasurer; and Dr Katie Borders as secretary. The foundation’s website identifies Amanda T. Gragg as executive director.
Dover Foundation Inc is led by Kathleen H Wilson, President on every filing since 2020; all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kathleen H Wilson
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $4K (2025)
Cynthia Buckingham
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $4K (2025)
Linton Suttle
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $4K (2025)
Justin Merritt
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$3K (2022) → $4K (2025)
Mary Raudez
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$3K (2023) → $4K (2025)
Charles Hamrick
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $4K (2025)
Katie Borders
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $4K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Harvey Hamrick (2020–2022) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $4K, to Kathleen H Wilson (President). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Dover Foundation Inc
How much does Dover Foundation Inc give each year?
Dover Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 55 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 61 grants.
What is Dover Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Dover Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $12,610, and its average grant was $20,116, across 55 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dover Foundation Inc that year got $13K on average.
Where does Dover Foundation Inc give grants?
Dover Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Shelby, NC (42 grants) and Boiling Springs, NC (2 grants).
Does Dover Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 25% of Dover Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (6 grants) and "Building Renovations" (3 grants).
Who are Dover Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Dover Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Cleveland Co Family YMCA ($151,000), Salvation Army ($60,000) and Paul Marion Ramseur Foundation ($55,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($40,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dover Foundation Inc?
Dover Foundation Inc reported $22.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dover Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve lives in its community by supporting faith-based, educational, and human service organizations. Its grantmaking includes support for projects and programs such as building renovations, food ministries, emergency services, youth programs, and scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dover Foundation Inc?
Submit a request through the online application portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dover Foundation Inc's EIN?
Dover Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0769897. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dover Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dover Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dover-foundation-inc-morg_ab728c46e6844576a5678a004b215140
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_560769897_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dover Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dover-foundation-inc-morg_ab728c46e6844576a5678a004b215140},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Dover 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.
Dover Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?