Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation
The Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation is a private foundation based in Ames, Iowa. In its 2025 filing, it reported 25 charitable grants totaling $25,300 to organizations in Iowa and other states.
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation gave $25K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), top state Iowa. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $25,300
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +47.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,012
- -29.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $650
- Total assets
- $452,779
- +17.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (5 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2243 227Th Place, Ames, IA 50014
Phone: (515) 236-0099
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Carlisle Parks ($6K). Together the top 10 received $18K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 148 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 43% of grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa, 20% to Colorado, 16% to the District of Columbia, 9% to Minnesota, and 6% to California. The listed grants also included recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 25 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $412; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $950 repeat.
- 44% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 76% 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 $24K (2019) to $33K (2020). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $25K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Carlisle Parks Carlisle, IA | Charitable | $6,000 |
| Feeding America Washington, DC | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Food Bank of Rockies Denver, CO | Charitable | $1,500 |
| National Park Foundation Washington, DC | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Volunteers of America Denver, CO | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Food at First Ames, IA | Charitable | $1,250 |
| Breakthrough T1D New York, NY | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Second Harvest Heartland Brooklyn Park, MN | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Laguna Hills, CA | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Wild Animal Sanctuary Keenesburg, CO | Charitable | $1,000 |
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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 | $452,779 | $105,579 | $37,738 | $25,300 | 25 | $25,300 | $95,385 | $33,216 |
| 2024 | $384,938 | $47,778 | $33,825 | $24,350 | 17 | $24,350 | $40,564 | $28,942 |
| 2023 | $370,985 | $43,208 | $38,279 | $30,710 | 32 | $30,710 | $36,989 | $26,036 |
| 2022 | $366,056 | $29,920 | $35,434 | $26,625 | 37 | $26,625 | $23,537 | $26,985 |
| 2021 | $371,570 | $49,542 | $36,635 | $28,425 | 37 | $28,425 | $42,905 | $27,325 |
| 2020 | $358,663 | $28,224 | $40,053 | $32,783 | 37 | — | $22,123 | $24,242 |
| 2019 | $370,492 | $26,940 | $32,204 | $24,350 | 26 | — | $1,854 | $25,035 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation reported a distributable amount of $33K 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 available grant records show support for organizations working in areas including food assistance, national parks and wildlife, climate education, literacy, and type 1 diabetes. These are grantees’ areas of work, not a stated mission of the foundation.
For example, Food at First describes its work as providing food pantry and meal services to people in need in central Iowa. The National Park Foundation says it works to protect, preserve, and restore America’s national parks and their resources. Breakthrough T1D describes its mission as accelerating breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications. Other supported organizations include Second Harvest Heartland, which says its mission is to end hunger together, and Climate Generation, which works to enable educators, youth, and communities to act on systems perpetuating the climate crisis.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $25,300. Grants ranged from $150 to $6,000, with a median grant of $650.
Among the largest listed grants were $6,000 to Friends of Carlisle Parks; $2,500 to Feeding America; $1,500 each to Food Bank of Rockies, the National Park Foundation, and Volunteers of America; and $1,250 to Food at First. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Breakthrough T1D, Second Harvest Heartland, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, and Wild Animal Sanctuary.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dalene Dahl Dabb, Lisa Ann Dahl, Roberta Lynn Dahl Dietrick, and Vincent Dahl as trustees.
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dalene Dahl Dabb
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$430 (2019) → $430 (2025)
Lisa Ann Dahl
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$430 (2019) → $430 (2025)
Roberta Lynn Dahl Dietrick
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$430 (2019) → $430 (2025)
Vincent Dahl
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$430 (2019) → $430 (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Shirley Dahl (2019–2023) — 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 $430, to Dalene Dahl Dabb (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation
How much does Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation give each year?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation gave $25K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $24K across 17 grants.
What is Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $650, and its average grant was $1,012, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation that year got $412 on average.
Where does Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation give grants?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's top state is Iowa, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (20%) and District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (4 grants), Boone, IA (4 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Ames, IA (2 grants).
Does Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (25 grants).
Who are Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Carlisle Parks ($6,000), Feeding America ($2,500) and Food Bank of Rockies ($1,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation reported $453K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $25K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (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 V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation fund?
The available grant records show support for organizations working in areas including food assistance, national parks and wildlife, climate education, literacy, and type 1 diabetes. These are grantees’ areas of work, not a stated mission of the foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's EIN?
Robert V & Shirley V Dahl Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1901994. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Robert V & Shirley V Dahl 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 26, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Figures come from Robert V & Shirley V Dahl 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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