The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2025, it gave $681,500 through 28 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in experiential education, the arts, civic participation, food assistance, and parks.
Key facts about The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc
In short: The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc gave $682K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $24K), mostly in California. 46% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-1266221
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $681,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $24,339
- Median grant
- $6,250
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (12 of 26, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,573,433
- Primary geography
- California (72% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
-11.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$682K
+1026.4% YoY
Grant Count
28
+300.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
+181.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $301K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 26 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 12% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 237% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Outward Bound California describes its work as experiential learning programs that build self-confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art says it shares contemporary art through collections, exhibitions, and public programs. Voter Registration Project describes its work as nonpartisan voter registration and support for other nonprofits’ voter-registration programs.
Other 2025 recipients include Tinworks Art, which says it brings artists and community together in evolving spaces; Citizen Film, which collaborates with cultural and community organizations on films and online media to foster civic and cultural engagement; and the San Francisco Food Bank, which works to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin counties.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $681,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median grant of $6,250. The largest grants included $250,000 to Outward Bound California for a Joshua Tree base camp; $112,500 to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for its general operating fund, Photo accessions, and art of today exhibition fund; and $100,000 to Voter Registration Project for general and unrestricted purposes. Other notable awards were $40,000 to Tinworks Art and $25,000 to Citizen Film.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (72%), Washington, DC (15%), Montana (6%), New York (2%), and Massachusetts (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $61K (2024) to $974K (2022). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $682K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Outward Bound California ($250K). Together the top 10 received $612K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 99 grants of 115 (86%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Outward Bound California San Francisco, CA | Joshua Tree base camp | $250,000 |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art San Francisco, CA | general operating fund, Photo accessions, and art of today exhibition fund | $112,500 |
| Voter Registration Project Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Tinworks Art Bozeman, MT | General & Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Citizen Film Inc San Francisco, CA | Chicago WP American Creed Project | $25,000 |
| San Francisco Food Bank San Francisco, CA | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art San Francisco, CA | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy San Francisco, CA | General & Unrestricted | $12,500 |
| The Philanthropy Workshop Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $12,000 |
| American Conservatory Theatre Foundation San Francisco, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,573,433 | $267,822 | $722,133 | $681,500 | 28 |
| 2024 | $4,027,744 | $307,686 | $93,759 | $60,500 | 7 |
| 2023 | $3,813,817 | $1,383,496 | $736,188 | $708,000 | 29 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,573,433 | $4,027,744 | $3,813,817 |
| Revenue | $267,822 | $307,686 | $1,383,496 |
| Expenses | $722,133 | $93,759 | $736,188 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $712,721 | $84,218 | $726,446 |
| Net Investment Income | $260,726 | $281,736 | $443,634 |
| Distributable Amount | $300,785 | $214,547 | $174,250 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Winnifred Ellis as director and vice president, and David L Mahoney as president, director, and secretary.
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc is led by David L Mahoney, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David L Mahoney
President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Winnifred Ellis
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Frequently asked questions about The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc
How much does The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc give each year?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc gave $682K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $61K across 7 grants.
What is The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $6,250, and its average grant was $24,339, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc give grants?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and Montana (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (14 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Pasadena, CA (2 grants).
Does The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 82% of The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Outward Bound California ($250,000), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ($132,500 across 2 grants) and Voter Registration Project ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $713K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $301K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Outward Bound California describes its work as experiential learning programs that build self-confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1266221. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Black Dog Private Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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