Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc
The Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation is a private foundation based in Dunstable, Massachusetts. It supports nonprofit organizations, primarily in New Jersey, with programs and projects intended to improve the quality of life of children and individuals who are physically, mentally, or economically disadvantaged.
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc gave $762K across 88 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in New Jersey. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $761,500
- -5.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 88
- -16.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,653
- +12.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $17,262,061
- +11.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (23 of 86, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applicants are directed to review the foundation’s funding guidelines, complete an application, and submit it with the requested information. Trustees review applications five times each year—in January, March, May, August, and November. The foundation may request a site visit. After board review, applicants receive an acknowledgment stating the decision, award amount if applicable, funded project, and grant mailing timing. Recipients must submit an evaluation form after implementing the program or project.
- Contact
Application contact: The Robert And Joan Dircks Foundati
Mailing address: PO Box 559, Dunstable, MA 01827
Phone: (978) 449-0072
Website: https://dircksfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc
Who Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Emmanuel Cancer Foundation ($25K). Together the top 10 received $195K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
466 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 465 grants of 466 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its geographic focus is primarily New Jersey, as well as locations of its trustees. In 2025, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey, 12% to Pennsylvania, 10% to Massachusetts, 4% to New York, and 4% to Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 88 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 23 of 86 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 $621K (2019) to $805K (2024). In 2025 it made 88 grants totaling $762K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel Cancer Foundation Clark, NJ | Pediatric Cancer Family Services Program | $25,000 |
| Plan-NJ Somerville, NJ | Promoting Independent Living for Individuals with Disabilities | $25,000 |
| Why ME Inc Worcester, MA | Support service to families with children dealing with cancer | $25,000 |
| Adler Aphasia Center Maywood, NJ | Caregiver Support Virtual Therapeutic Programming | $20,000 |
| Home of the Sparrow Exton, PA | Graduate Outreach Program | $20,000 |
| Quest Therapeutic Services West Chester, PA | Support children with developmental delays & disabilities in improving mobility | $20,000 |
| Anshe Emeth CDC of Central Jersey New Brunswick, NJ | Collaborate with Others to Provide Community Based Services | $15,000 |
| Embrace Kids Foundation New Brunswick, NJ | Pediatric Palliative Care Program | $15,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $25,000 |
| Homesharing Inc Bridgewater, NJ | Shared Affordable Housing | $15,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17,262,061 | $301,534 | $877,579 | $761,500 | 88 | $807,932 | $231,887 | $841,868 |
| 2024 | $15,529,095 | $326,014 | $959,237 | $804,500 | 105 | $866,133 | $236,025 | $759,254 |
| 2023 | $13,967,360 | $321,900 | $868,022 | $758,000 | 99 | $802,009 | $255,650 | $659,431 |
| 2022 | $12,688,307 | $279,848 | $889,394 | $717,250 | 85 | $786,108 | $176,564 | $713,580 |
| 2021 | $17,217,968 | $1,365,245 | $924,064 | $774,500 | 89 | $834,415 | $1,275,506 | $734,304 |
| 2020 | $14,672,844 | $810,507 | $782,035 | $635,050 | 82 | — | $722,316 | $635,568 |
| 2019 | $13,166,233 | $585,374 | $722,786 | $621,000 | 77 | — | $523,273 | $608,924 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $842K 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 foundation’s mission is to support nonprofits that enrich and improve quality of life, primarily for people in New Jersey. Its stated focus is on innovative programs and projects benefiting children and individuals who are physically, mentally, or economically disadvantaged.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for services related to childhood cancer, disability, health, family support, and housing. For example, W.H.Y. M.E. describes its work as providing services to ease the isolation and stress experienced by children and families coping with childhood cancer. Quest Therapeutic Services says it provides pediatric therapy for children with special needs, while the Adler Aphasia Center describes programs for people living with aphasia and their caregivers.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 88 grants totaling $761,500 in 2025. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $25,000, with a median of $7,500. Its filing says awards are typically $1,000–$15,000 and are for one year.
Among the largest reported 2025 awards were $25,000 to Emmanuel Cancer Foundation for a pediatric cancer family services program, $25,000 to PLAN-NJ for promoting independent living for people with disabilities, and $25,000 to W.H.Y. M.E. for services to families dealing with childhood cancer. Other awards included $20,000 to the Adler Aphasia Center for caregiver support programming and $20,000 to Quest Therapeutic Services to support children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Applicants must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), and the foundation may award an organization no more than one grant in a calendar year. It does not fund political or lobbying activities, operating budgets, deficit or debt reduction, loans, housing projects, or programs of national or international scope. Deadline: None stated.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert E. Dircks, Joan Walsh, Carolyn Van Riper, and William C. Dircks as trustees.
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carolyn Van Riper
Trustee
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$40K (2019) → $65K (2025)
Joan Walsh
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$22K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Robert E. Dircks
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$22K (2019) → $41K (2025)
William C. Dircks
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Thomas C. Dircks (2019–2024) — Trustee
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 $65K, to Carolyn Van Riper (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc
How much does Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc give each year?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc gave $762K across 88 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $805K across 105 grants.
What is Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $8,653, across 88 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc give grants?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc gives mostly in New Jersey: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (12%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Morristown, NJ (5 grants), West Chester, PA (4 grants), New Brunswick, NJ (2 grants) and Worcester, MA (2 grants).
Does Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 88 grants with a stated purpose on Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Emmanuel Cancer Foundation ($25,000), Plan-NJ ($25,000) and Why ME Inc ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($30,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc reported $17.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $808K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $842K (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 Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support nonprofits that enrich and improve quality of life, primarily for people in New Jersey. Its stated focus is on innovative programs and projects benefiting children and individuals who are physically, mentally, or economically disadvantaged. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc?
Applicants are directed to review the foundation’s funding guidelines, complete an application, and submit it with the requested information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's EIN?
Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3135737. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 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 October 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-joan-dircks-foundation-inc-morg_78d1fc8e9c85436285ea31d1549b5c05
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223135737_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert \& Joan Dircks Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-joan-dircks-foundation-inc-morg_78d1fc8e9c85436285ea31d1549b5c05},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Robert & Joan Dircks Foundation Inc'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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