Dunn-French Foundation
The Dunn-French Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. In its 2025 filing, it reported 98 grants totaling $391,500, with recipients including religious organizations, community and human-services organizations, health-care organizations, and educational institutions.
Dunn-French Foundation at a glance
In short: Dunn-French Foundation gave $392K across 98 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Alabama. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $391,500
- +14.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 98
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,995
- +14.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $6,750,085
- +7.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (17 of 98, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (88% 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 Dunn-French Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 247, Birmingham, AL 35201
Phone: (205) 592-8908
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dunn-French Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Episcopal Diocese of Alabama ($40K). Together the top 10 received $169K.
Grant Size Distribution
483 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 483 grants of 483 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama, 6% to Mississippi, 2% to Tennessee, and 1% each to Texas and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 98 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Dunn-French Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 98 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $220K (2019) to $392K (2025). In 2025 it made 98 grants totaling $392K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Episcopal Diocese of Alabama Birmingham, AL | To Support Religious Faith | $40,000 |
| Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Birmingham, AL | To support the programs, services, and partnerships of the birmingham botanical gardens | $30,000 |
| Mountain Brook Baptist Church Birmingham, AL | To glorify god by making disciples and serving the community | $20,000 |
| Grace House Fairfield, AL | To Provide Shelter to Assist Homeless Women | $15,000 |
| UAB Medicine Enterprise Birmingham, AL | To provide common management of healthcare delivery operations and support philanthropic initiatives benefiting uab | $15,000 |
| Church of Nativity Huntsville, AL | To Support Religious Faith | $10,000 |
| Mississippi State University Foundation Mississippi State, MS | To support Mississippi state university through fundraising and stewardship | $10,000 |
| Skyline Fdn Mentone, AL | To Support Community Development Through Charitable Initiatives | $10,000 |
| St Mary's on the Highlands Birmingham, AL | To worship god and serve the community through episcopal tradition | $10,000 |
| Children's of Alabama Birmingham, AL | To provide the finest pediatric health services to all children | $9,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dunn-French Foundation?
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 | $6,750,085 | $1,254,198 | $477,969 | $391,500 | 98 | $398,700 | $646,893 | $408,171 |
| 2024 | $6,290,111 | $1,725,887 | $419,087 | $342,000 | 98 | $354,800 | $1,023,601 | $353,592 |
| 2023 | $5,364,725 | $958,651 | $281,347 | $238,000 | 91 | $239,200 | $462,408 | $297,275 |
| 2022 | $4,952,819 | $634,771 | $327,099 | $277,500 | 99 | $280,000 | $387,611 | $278,515 |
| 2021 | $4,640,635 | $786,797 | $295,424 | $253,000 | 97 | $254,500 | $541,843 | $277,687 |
| 2020 | $4,149,275 | $491,678 | $315,458 | $276,000 | 94 | — | $438,585 | $219,330 |
| 2019 | $3,973,055 | $381,106 | $253,030 | $220,000 | 86 | — | $345,478 | $217,614 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dunn-French Foundation reported a distributable amount of $408K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including religious faith, community development, shelter, health care, education, and services for families facing serious childhood illness.
Grantees describe their own work in varied terms: Linly Heflin Unit says it provides scholarships to young women attending Alabama universities; Cornerstone Schools of Alabama says it offers quality education, fine-arts development, and faith-based character building to children in impoverished Birmingham-area neighborhoods. Children’s Harbor says it provides refuge, respite, and resources to families whose children have received a life-altering medical diagnosis. One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center says it coordinates a community response to domestic and sexual violence.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 98 grants totaling $391,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $40,000, with a median grant of $2,500.
Among the largest awards were $40,000 to Episcopal Diocese of Alabama to support religious faith; $30,000 to Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens for the garden’s programs, services, and partnerships; $20,000 to an individual recipient Baptist Church to support its mission of making disciples and serving the community; and $15,000 each to Grace House for shelter for homeless women and UAB Medicine Enterprise. Other notable awards included $10,000 to Church of Nativity, Mississippi State University Foundation, Skyline Fdn, and St Mary’s on the Highlands.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are William D French, president; Thomas Yerby, secretary/treasurer; Stephen Spann, Mary Dunn French, Beverly Hoyt, Lucy Spann, and Joseph SM French, vice-presidents.
Dunn-French Foundation is led by William D. French, President on every filing since 2019; 5 of 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William D. French
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beverly Hoyt
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2019) → $3K (2025)
Lucy Spann
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2019) → $3K (2025)
Mary Dunn French
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2019) → $3K (2025)
Stephen Spann
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$800 (2022) → $2K (2025)
Joseph Sm French
Vice President
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$3K (2024) → $3K (2025)
Thomas Yerby
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Judy Martin (2019–2022) — Secretary & Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $3K, to Mary Dunn French (Vice-President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Dunn-French Foundation
How much does Dunn-French Foundation give each year?
Dunn-French Foundation gave $392K across 98 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $342K across 98 grants.
What is Dunn-French Foundation's typical grant size?
Dunn-French Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,995, across 98 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dunn-French Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Dunn-French Foundation give grants?
Dunn-French Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Mississippi (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (63 grants), Jackson, MS (4 grants), Fairfield, AL (3 grants) and Mountain Brook, AL (3 grants).
Does Dunn-French Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 98 grants with a stated purpose on Dunn-French Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Religious Faith" (3 grants).
Who are Dunn-French Foundation's largest grantees?
Dunn-French Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Episcopal Diocese of Alabama ($40,000), Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens ($30,000) and Mountain Brook Baptist Church ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dunn-French Foundation?
Dunn-French Foundation reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $399K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $408K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Dunn-French Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including religious faith, community development, shelter, health care, education, and services for families facing serious childhood illness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dunn-French Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dunn-French Foundation's EIN?
Dunn-French Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 63-1234807. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Dunn-French Foundation 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 September 2026.
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 May 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dunn-French Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dunn-french-foundation-morg_d1b259825d7c470fa37788f57e9ffe9c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_631234807_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dunn-French Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dunn-french-foundation-morg_d1b259825d7c470fa37788f57e9ffe9c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Dunn-French Foundation'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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