Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$83.8M
+1.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.5M
-63.6% YoY
Grant Count
3
-78.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.2M
+70.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $4.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's funding priorities include:
- Arts and culture
- Science and education
- Health, including children's health
- Human services and human rights
- Social justice
- Reproductive rights
- Brain health research and Alzheimer's disease research
- Stem cell research
- Democracy and voting rights
- Aging issues
Following Ray Dolby's death in 2013 from Alzheimer's disease, the foundation strengthened its commitment to brain health research. In 2017, Dagmar Dolby became a signatory of The Giving Pledge, committing the major part of the family's estate to charitable causes. Dagmar has become a national champion for reproductive freedom and has expanded the foundation's portfolio to include democracy and voting rights organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than specific formal grant programs.
Grant Range
$106,000 to $2,000,000
Ready to take the next step with Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, with selected national organizations also supported.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total assets: $82.8 million
- Total revenues: $2.4 million
- Total expenses: $5.6 million
- Total liabilities: $8.17 million
Historical Asset Trends: The foundation's assets have fluctuated over the past decade, ranging from approximately $86.8 million (2022) to $141.2 million (2017).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $83,766,045 | $82,825,769 | $86,767,121 |
| Revenue | $4,008,434 | $2,400,659 | $458,104 |
| Expenses | $873,885 | $5,638,225 | $11,647,355 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,905,621 | $9,976,290 | $6,684,830 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,499,462 | $2,313,279 | $3,417,511 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,002,644 | $4,255,035 | $4,563,092 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ucsf Foundation ($1,291,700), Zuckerberg Sf General Hospital ($1,175,045), Barack Obama Foundation ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,291,700 |
| ZUCKERBERG SF GENERAL HOSPITAL SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,175,045 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Dagmar Dolby: In Care of Name (foundation contact)
- David Dolby: Chief Financial Officer
- Jen Lynch: Assistant Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAGMAR DOLBY | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| THOMAS DOLBY | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DAVID DOLBY | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 1 | — |
| JEN LYNCH | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| NATASHA DOLBY | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported innovative initiatives in the arts and media, including the Dolby Family Fellowship program in partnership with Sundance Institute and Dolby Institute, which has supported filmmakers working on projects with significant sound design elements.
A Ray Dolby–Marshall Scholarship Fund was announced to support third-year doctoral research, demonstrating the foundation's commitment to advanced education and research initiatives.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund fund?
The foundation's funding priorities include: • Arts and culture • Science and education • Health, including children's health • Human services and human rights • Social justice • Reproductive rights • Brain health research and Alzheimer's disease research • Stem cell research • Democracy and voting rights • Aging issues Following Ray Dolby's death in 2013 from Alzheimer's disease, the foundation strengthened its commitment to brain health research. In 2017, Dagmar Dolby became a signatory of Th…
How do I apply for a grant from Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund?
The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than specific formal grant programs. **Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $106,000 to $2,000,000 • Median grant: $500,000 • Types of support: General operating support **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • Total giving: $9.5 million across 14 awards • Notable recipients included: • Gladstone Institutes: $2,000,000 • UCSF Foundation Investment Company: $1,787,698 • Kaiser Foundation Hospitals: $1,291,373
Where does Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund make grants?
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, with selected national organizations also supported.
What size grants does Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund award?
In 2024, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund awarded 3 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $1.2M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $4.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund's EIN?
Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2159332. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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