John Dawson Foundation
The John Dawson Foundation is a private foundation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It reported 22 grants totaling $1,215,000 in filing year 2024, with most grant dollars going to organizations in Arizona.
John Dawson Foundation at a glance
In short: John Dawson Foundation gave $1.2M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $55K), mostly in Arizona. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,215,000
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $55,227
- -17.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $29,870,164
- -2.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (8 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John Dawson 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7098 E Cochise Road 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Phone: (480) 951-7400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John Dawson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Boys and Girls Club of the Valley Inc ($150K). Together the top 10 received $850K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 19 grants of 50 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona. The remaining reported shares went to recipients in Washington, DC (4%), Virginia (4%), Michigan (3%), and Utah (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John Dawson Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 22 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $46K; repeat grants $61K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% 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 (2022–2024). 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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $500K (2022) to $1.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys and Girls Club of the Valley Inc Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $150,000 |
| Arizona Friends of Foster Children Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Goldwater Institute Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Jazz in Arizona Inc DBA the Nash Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation Arizona Chapter Phoenix, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Mindfulness First Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Arizona Freedom Foundation Gilbert, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| Arizona Liberty Network Gilbert, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| Cato Institute Washington, DC | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,870,164 | $855,847 | $1,535,208 | $1,215,000 | 22 | $1,330,854 | $663,180 | $1,481,835 |
| 2023 | $30,548,161 | $2,919,931 | $1,474,800 | $1,200,000 | 18 | $1,291,969 | $574,095 | $1,312,654 |
| 2022 | $29,103,030 | $4,072,892 | $607,879 | $500,000 | 10 | $503,987 | $477,892 | $1,209,757 |
| 2021 | $25,638,017 | $25,668,830 | $34,291 | — | — | $2,522 | $414,235 | $518,325 |
| 2020 | $3,478 | — | $5,010 | — | — | — | — | $283 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Dawson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include supporting children and youth in foster care, promoting mental health and well-being, fostering independent journalism, and advancing civil liberties. For example, Arizona Friends of Foster Children says it funds social, athletic, and educational activities for children and youth in foster care; Mindfulness First says it teaches practical skills for lifelong mental health and well-being; and the Institute for Justice describes its work as advancing individual liberties through litigation, training, communication, activism, and research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 22 grants totaling $1,215,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $150,000, with a median of $50,000. Its largest grant was $150,000 to Boys and Girls Club of the Valley. Other $100,000 grants went to Arizona Friends of Foster Children, Goldwater Institute, Jazz in Arizona, Make-A-Wish Foundation Arizona Chapter, and Mindfulness First.
Other reported 2024 grants included $50,000 to Arizona Freedom Foundation, Arizona Liberty Network, Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission, Cato Institute, East Valley Institute of Technology Foundation, Executive Council Charities, Institute for Justice, and Fiesta Events. The grantees describe work that includes youth support, journalism, education, community events, and civil liberties.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David Lunt as president/director, and Sean P. Sachs and Charles Inderieden as directors.
John Dawson Foundation is led by David Lunt, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Lunt
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$107K (2023) → $120K (2024)
Sean P. Sachs
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
$10K (2023) → $14K (2024)
Charles Inderieden
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $120K, to David Lunt (President/Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about John Dawson Foundation
How much does John Dawson Foundation give each year?
John Dawson Foundation gave $1.2M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 18 grants.
What is John Dawson Foundation's typical grant size?
John Dawson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $55,227, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John Dawson Foundation that year got $46K on average.
Where does John Dawson Foundation give grants?
John Dawson Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (9 grants), Scottsdale, AZ (3 grants) and Gilbert, AZ (2 grants).
Who are John Dawson Foundation's largest grantees?
John Dawson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Boys and Girls Club of the Valley Inc ($150,000), Arizona Friends of Foster Children ($100,000) and Goldwater Institute ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is John Dawson Foundation?
John Dawson Foundation reported $29.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (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 John Dawson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include supporting children and youth in foster care, promoting mental health and well-being, fostering independent journalism, and advancing civil liberties. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John Dawson Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John Dawson Foundation's EIN?
John Dawson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-1011524. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does John Dawson 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work John Dawson Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in John Dawson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John Dawson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-dawson-foundation-morg_9f9d5e9f738e43e4808c6f37d7979f87
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_861011524_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John Dawson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-dawson-foundation-morg_9f9d5e9f738e43e4808c6f37d7979f87},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. 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 John Dawson 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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