The Dear Foundation
The Dear Foundation is a private foundation located in Bethesda, Maryland. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in environmental conservation, community service, and homelessness services.
The Dear Foundation at a glance
In short: The Dear Foundation gave $83K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $82,500
- +65.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +900.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,250
- -83.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,938,804
- +101.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Maryland (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Dear Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 7501 Wisconsin Ave Suite 400E, Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 664-8148
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Dear Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Adkins Arboretum ($10K). Together the top 10 received $83K.
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 11 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 64% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, 24% to recipients in the District of Columbia, and 12% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Dear Foundation gives
- In 2024 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2023) to $83K (2024). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $83K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adkins Arboretum Ridgely, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Building African Minds Easton, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage Chester, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Red Wiggler Foundation Clarksburg, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Society of St Vincent De Paul Easton, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Thrive DC Waswhington, DC | Provide Support for Generaloperating Expenses | $10,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Father McKenna Center Wawshington, DC | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $5,000 |
| Project Giveback Community Service Org Washington, DC | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $5,000 |
| Phillips Wharf Environmental Center Easton, MD | Provide Support for General Operating Expenses | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Dear 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,938,804 | $1,061,618 | $87,510 | $82,500 | 10 | $84,969 | $59,149 | $72,360 |
| 2023 | $964,696 | $1,006,296 | $51,600 | $50,000 | 1 | $50,500 | $5,196 | $7,490 |
| 2022 | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | — | — | — | — | $21 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dear Foundation reported a distributable amount of $72K for 2024 — 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 whose stated missions include maintaining and developing an arboretum (Adkins Arboretum), restoring and protecting wildlife habitat and improving water quality (Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage), and conserving lands and waters (The Nature Conservancy). Other recipients include Thrive DC, which says it works to prevent and end homelessness by providing services to help vulnerable individuals stabilize their lives, and Project Giveback Community Service Org, whose stated mission is to coordinate programs that help less fortunate individuals and families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $82,500 through 10 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $10,000, with a median of $10,000. Recipients included Adkins Arboretum, Building African Minds, Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, Red Wiggler Foundation, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Thrive DC, and The Nature Conservancy, each receiving $10,000; Father McKenna Center and Project Giveback Community Service Org, each receiving $5,000; and Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, which received $2,500. The filing lists the grants as support for general operating expenses.
In 2023, the foundation reported one grant totaling $50,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Hormel as chairman; J. Randolph Taylor as treasurer; Nyle Leddy as secretary; and Edward Vlach, Tristan Magee, and Graeme Leddy as board members.
The Dear Foundation is led by Elizabeth Hormel, Chairman on every filing since 2022; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth Hormel
Chairman
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward Vlach
Board Memeber
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Graeme Leddy
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Randolph Taylor
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nyle Leddy
Secretary
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tristan Magee
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "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 Dear Foundation
How much does The Dear Foundation give each year?
The Dear Foundation gave $83K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $50K across 1 grant.
What is The Dear Foundation's typical grant size?
The Dear Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,250, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Dear Foundation give grants?
The Dear Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (24%) and Virginia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Easton, MD (3 grants).
Does The Dear Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of The Dear Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Dear Foundation's largest grantees?
The Dear Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Adkins Arboretum ($10,000), Building African Minds ($10,000) and Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Dear Foundation?
The Dear Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $85K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $72K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Dear Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Dear Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Dear Foundation's EIN?
The Dear Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-3660579. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Does The Dear 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Dear Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-dear-foundation-morg_7ea9408ba62841bc9e40d36fb3c58fe6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_883660579_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Dear Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-dear-foundation-morg_7ea9408ba62841bc9e40d36fb3c58fe6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Dear 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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