The DDK Foundation
The DDK Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its 2024 grants supported organizations in Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut, including educational, charitable, religious, and arts recipients.
The DDK Foundation at a glance
In short: The DDK Foundation gave $51K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 64% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $50,800
- +25.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -21.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,618
- +59.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $541,777
- -4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (7 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The DDK Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. The 2024 filing says to contact Donald R. Kardon with a letter containing information about the applicant and its need. It lists no application deadline and states that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Donald R Kardon
Mailing address: 440 S Broad Street Unit 2302, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Phone: (215) 735-1606
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The DDK Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was PCMS ($16K). Together the top 10 received $50K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 72 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 7% to New York, and 2% to Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The DDK Foundation open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 11 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 18% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 147% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $35K (2023) to $59K (2021). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $51K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PCMS Phialadelphia, PA | Educational | $15,500 |
| Barnes Foundation Philadelphia, PA | Educational | $12,000 |
| Foreign Policy Research Philadelphia, PA | Educational | $10,000 |
| Philadelphia Orchestra Philadelphia, PA | Charitable | $3,500 |
| Rodeph Shalom Philadelphia, PA | Religious | $2,800 |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia, PA | Charitable | $2,500 |
| Ballet X Philadelphia, PA | ARTS | $1,000 |
| Jewish Fed of Greater Phila Philadelphia, PA | Charitable | $1,000 |
| Whyy Philadelphia, PA | Educational | $1,000 |
| Yale University Hew Haven, CT | Educational | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The DDK Foundation?
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 | $541,777 | $24,218 | $51,916 | $50,800 | 11 | $50,800 | $24,218 | $34,511 |
| 2024 | $569,475 | $26,314 | $48,137 | $40,450 | 14 | $40,450 | $26,314 | $33,076 |
| 2023 | $620,252 | $-19,585 | $44,780 | $34,680 | 15 | $34,680 | $27,631 | $31,011 |
| 2022 | $718,156 | $31,565 | $51,833 | $43,775 | 14 | $43,775 | $23,507 | $33,295 |
| 2021 | $719,171 | $54,520 | $67,451 | $59,115 | 18 | $59,115 | $46,184 | $37,444 |
| 2020 | $777,522 | $58,748 | $63,338 | $54,035 | 18 | — | $23,437 | $34,876 |
| 2019 | $779,224 | $40,433 | $62,133 | $50,058 | 18 | — | $28,029 | $35,683 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The DDK Foundation reported a distributable amount of $35K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with educational, charitable, religious, and arts purposes. One recipient, the an individual recipient Research Institute, describes its own mission as producing scholarship and nonpartisan policy analysis on U.S. foreign policy and national security, and educating policymakers and the public through history, geography, and culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $40,450. Grants ranged from $250 to $15,000, with a median grant of $1,750. Notable awards included $15,000 to PCMS and $7,000 to the Barnes Foundation, both for educational purposes; $3,500 to the Philadelphia Orchestra for charitable purposes; and $2,900 to the an individual recipient Research Institute for educational purposes. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 11 grants totaling $50,800.
Other listed 2024 grants included $2,800 to an individual recipient, $2,750 to the Metropolitan Opera, $2,500 to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, $1,000 each to Yale University and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, and $500 each to an individual recipient, WHYY, and Ballet X.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Donald R. Kardon and Dorothy R. Kardon as trustees.
The DDK Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Donald R. Kardon
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy R. Kardon
Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The DDK Foundation
How much does The DDK Foundation give each year?
The DDK Foundation gave $51K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $40K across 14 grants.
What is The DDK Foundation's typical grant size?
The DDK Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,618, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The DDK Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The DDK Foundation give grants?
The DDK Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (9 grants).
Does The DDK Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The DDK Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (6 grants) and "Charitable" (3 grants).
Who are The DDK Foundation's largest grantees?
The DDK Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include PCMS ($15,500), Barnes Foundation ($12,000) and Foreign Policy Research ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The DDK Foundation?
The DDK Foundation reported $542K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $51K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $35K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The DDK Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with educational, charitable, religious, and arts purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The DDK Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The DDK Foundation's EIN?
The DDK Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8305387. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The DDK Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 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
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The DDK Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The DDK Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The DDK Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ddk-foundation-morg_d4069f7136484c8d837915b588fd82b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208305387_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The DDK Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ddk-foundation-morg_d4069f7136484c8d837915b588fd82b6},
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 The DDK 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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