Mutual/Membership Benefit Foundations & Grantmakers
129 grantmakers focused on mutual/membership benefit reported grants on their latest 990s. The 30 that made at least 5 grants gave $25.7M. The largest by giving are G O Forward Charitable Trust, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Inc and Dooley Family Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
129
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$25.7M
from the 30 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$15K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$47K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G O Forward Charitable Trust | Eagan, MN | $18.6M | 18 |
| 2 | Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Inc | Miramar Beach, FL | $2.5M | 12 |
| 3 | Dooley Family Foundation | New York, NY | $839K | 15 |
| 4 | North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation | Raleigh, NC | $585K | 36 |
| 5 | Van Dykebilly Foundation | Hopkins, MN | $500K | 41 |
| 6 | Credit Builders Alliance Inc | Washington, DC | $385K | 21 |
| 7 | The Mead Lake Foundation | Buffalo, WY | $230K | 10 |
| 8 | Appna South Texas Chapter | Sugar Land, TX | $226K | 9 |
| 9 | Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks 1246 | Summit, NJ | $203K | 19 |
| 10 | The Lords Great Commission East | Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | $171K | 11 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 21 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- New York 15 · $1.2M
- Pennsylvania 12 · —
- California 10 · $171K
- Illinois 7 · —
- Florida 5 · $2.6M
- Texas 5 · $331K
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 30 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
G O Forward Charitable Trust
Eagan, MN
Assets
$302.7M
Grants
18
Total Given
$18.6M
Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Inc
Miramar Beach, FL
Assets
$4.4M
Grants
12
Total Given
$2.5M
Dooley Family Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$9.3M
Grants
15
Total Given
$839K
North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation
Raleigh, NC
Assets
$2.4B
Grants
36
Total Given
$585K
Van Dykebilly Foundation
Hopkins, MN
Assets
$9.0M
Grants
41
Total Given
$500K
Credit Builders Alliance Inc
Washington, DC
Assets
$8.6M
Grants
21
Total Given
$385K
The Mead Lake Foundation
Buffalo, WY
Assets
$23K
Grants
10
Total Given
$230K
Appna South Texas Chapter
Sugar Land, TX
Assets
$105K
Grants
9
Total Given
$226K
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks 1246
Summit, NJ
Assets
$4.4M
Grants
19
Total Given
$203K
The Lords Great Commission East
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Assets
$531K
Grants
11
Total Given
$171K
Mestre Charitable Trust
New York, NY
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
7
Total Given
$160K
Fredrickson Family Foundation
Virginia Beach, VA
Assets
$540K
Grants
18
Total Given
$152K
Grace Foundation
Excelsior, MN
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
5
Total Given
$150K
The Statesman Foundation Inc
Pleasantville, NY
Assets
$63K
Grants
8
Total Given
$107K
Richmond Lodge No 1 of the Good Lions Inc
Richmond, VA
Assets
$227K
Grants
7
Total Given
$99K
Michele & Brad Moore Family Foundation
Austin, TX
Assets
$28K
Grants
35
Total Given
$95K
Knights of Columbus Council 5677
Cedar Rapids, IA
Assets
$341K
Grants
5
Total Given
$92K
Chaparral Foundation
Shreveport, LA
Assets
$2.3M
Grants
19
Total Given
$82K
Kansas Scottish Rite Foundation Inc
Wichita, KS
Assets
$2.8M
Grants
5
Total Given
$79K
Chesapeake Employers' Insurance Company
Towson, MD
Assets
—
Grants
5
Total Given
$76K
Stepanski Family Charitable Trust
Palm Beach, FL
Assets
$689K
Grants
15
Total Given
$75K
The Leslie Family Foundation
Spalding, NE
Assets
$1.0M
Grants
19
Total Given
$70K
Kyrias Foundation Inc
Phelps, NY
Assets
$1.0M
Grants
8
Total Given
$53K
Marc & Aileen Grebow Family Foundation Inc
Ocean Ridge, FL
Assets
$929K
Grants
21
Total Given
$44K
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
What are the largest mutual/membership benefit foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are G O Forward Charitable Trust ($18.6M across 18 grants), Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Inc ($2.5M) and Dooley Family Foundation ($839K). Together the top 10 account for 94% of the $25.7M given by the 30 grantmakers focused on mutual/membership benefit that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $15K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $47K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in New York (15), Pennsylvania (12) and California (10). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.