The DMK Foundation
The DMK Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. In its 2024 filing, it reported giving $1.1 million through 23 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working on ocean and wild-salmon conservation, education, the arts, and social services.
The DMK Foundation at a glance
In short: The DMK Foundation gave $1.1M across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), top state California. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,100,000
- +16.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- +15.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $47,826
- +1.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $23,609,863
- +14.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (9 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (25% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The DMK Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2708 Wilshire Blvd 268, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Phone: (310) 477-0450
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The DMK Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Oceana ($200K). Together the top 10 received $905K.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 96 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares by recipient state were California (25%), Washington, DC (23%), New York (16%), Oregon (16%), and Maine (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The DMK Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 22 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $42K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $670K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oceana Washington, DC | To Restore and Protect Ocean Abudance | $200,000 |
| Wild Salmon Center Portland, OR | To promote the conservation and sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystems | $175,000 |
| David Lynch Foundation New York, NY | To keep transcendental meditation accessible to those under extreme stress and trauma. | $150,000 |
| Colby College Charitable Tr Waterville, ME | Educational Support | $100,000 |
| Bodytraffic Los Angeles, CA | Dancer Fund Grant | $50,000 |
| Environmental Working Group Washington, DC | Drive Consumer Choice and Civic Action | $50,000 |
| Liberty Hill Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Ocean Defenders Alliance Huntington Beach, CA | To Aim for a Debris Free Sea | $50,000 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Hobey Baker '14 Head Men's Hockey | $30,000 |
| Belmont Hill School Inc Belmont, MA | Educational Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The DMK 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 | $23,609,863 | $2,182,027 | $1,344,844 | $1,100,000 | 23 | $1,118,450 | $1,684,405 | $1,079,537 |
| 2023 | $20,634,062 | $1,734,182 | $1,129,131 | $941,250 | 20 | $948,250 | $2,361,908 | $891,221 |
| 2022 | $17,742,515 | $4,117,934 | $993,863 | $825,000 | 18 | $831,755 | $1,667,357 | $815,126 |
| 2021 | $19,329,771 | $3,308,830 | $972,563 | $820,000 | 18 | $829,225 | $666,200 | $804,589 |
| 2020 | $15,091,931 | $496,911 | $795,678 | $670,000 | 17 | — | $385,550 | $657,919 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The DMK Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in areas including conservation, education, dance, and services for people in the arts and culture sector.
Among its grantees, Wild Salmon Center says its mission is to promote conservation and sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystems across the Pacific Rim. Environmental Working Group describes itself as a nonprofit research and advocacy organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in healthier environments. Ocean Defenders Alliance says it works to clean and protect marine ecosystems, primarily by reducing and removing man-made debris. Liberty Hill Foundation describes its work as advancing social justice through grants, leadership training, and campaigns. Laguna Dance Festival says it supports dance creation, preservation, and education, while The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to protecting and enabling enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $1,100,000. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $200,000, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest were $200,000 to Oceana for ocean restoration and protection; $175,000 to Wild Salmon Center for conservation and sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystems; and $150,000 to the David Lynch Foundation to keep Transcendental Meditation accessible to people experiencing extreme stress and trauma. Other grants included $100,000 to Colby College Charitable Trust for educational support and $50,000 each to Bodytraffic, Environmental Working Group, Liberty Hill Foundation, and Ocean Defenders Alliance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Warren Heilbronner as secretary, Ward Bukofsky as assistant secretary, and David E. Kelley and Michelle Kelley as trustees.
The DMK Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David E. Kelley
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Kelley
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ward Bukofsky
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Warren Heilbronner
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 DMK Foundation
How much does The DMK Foundation give each year?
The DMK Foundation gave $1.1M across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $941K across 20 grants.
What is The DMK Foundation's typical grant size?
The DMK Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $47,826, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The DMK Foundation that year got $42K on average.
Where does The DMK Foundation give grants?
The DMK Foundation's top state is California, with 25% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (23%) and New York (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (5 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Princeton, NJ (2 grants).
Does The DMK Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 26% of The DMK Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The DMK Foundation's largest grantees?
The DMK Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Oceana ($200,000), Wild Salmon Center ($175,000) and David Lynch Foundation ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The DMK Foundation?
The DMK Foundation reported $23.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The DMK Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations in areas including conservation, education, dance, and services for people in the arts and culture sector. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The DMK Foundation?
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 DMK Foundation's EIN?
The DMK Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1438237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The DMK 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 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The DMK Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The DMK Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-dmk-foundation-morg_bbaf0b2897ba4056a8ae63f51234209d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_611438237_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The DMK Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-dmk-foundation-morg_bbaf0b2897ba4056a8ae63f51234209d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 DMK 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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