John & Clara Dolan Foundation
The John & Clara Dolan Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1984 and based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on philanthropic giving primarily to Roman Catholic agencies and related charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-2.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$130K
+29.6% YoY
Grant Count
34
+36.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-4.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily to Roman Catholic agencies. According to recent grant history, the foundation's giving is distributed across multiple sectors:
- Religion: 53% of grants
- Social & Human Services: 23% of grants
- Education: 12% of grants
Recent grants have supported organizations including Catholic Relief Services, Diocese, International Rescue Committee, Catholic Eldercare, and Elevate Life.
Grantmaking
The foundation only makes continuations to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Applicants must contact the foundation directly for the application process. There are no deadlines.
Grant Range
$17 (based on 5,993 total grants in previous year)
Average Grant
$17 (based on 5,993 total grants in previous year)
Review Cycle
.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Approximately 75% of grants remain in Minnesota. Four other states receive a significant number of grants: Michigan, Maryland, Arizona, and California. The foundation also supports organizations in additional states including New York, Texas, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $1,686,677 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $641,375 (most recent fiscal year)
- Total Expenses: $109,572 (most recent fiscal year)
- Total Liabilities: $0
Assets increased 2.6% from the previous year.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,649,704 | $1,686,677 | $1,154,874 |
| Revenue | $99,502 | $641,375 | $68,132 |
| Expenses | $136,475 | $109,572 | $104,857 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $129,700 | $100,100 | $98,700 |
| Net Investment Income | $97,288 | $78,585 | $63,393 |
| Distributable Amount | $80,806 | $101,400 | $90,274 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mary Lou Thue - President
- Dan Thue - Secretary/Treasurer
- Ann Jensen - Director
- Teresa Dolan - Director
- Dean Dolan - Director
- John F. Dolan - Founder/Donor
The foundation is managed by a small team with minimal hours and modest compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAN THUE | SECRETARY/TR | 2 | $600 |
| MARY LOU THUE | PRESIDENT | 3 | $800 |
| ANN JENSEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | $600 |
| TERESA DOLAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | $600 |
| DEAN DOLAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | $600 |
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Clearway Minnesota (sm)
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—
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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