The Dobson Foundation Inc
The Dobson Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports 29 grants totaling $241,750 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in horse-racing history, civil liberties, conservation, and youth services.
The Dobson Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Dobson Foundation Inc gave $242K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), top state New York. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $241,750
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -12.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,336
- +17.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,982,914
- +41.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (9 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (44% 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 The Dobson Foundation Inc
- 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: 55 North School Lane, Lancaster, PA 17603
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Dobson Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Museum of Racing ($35K). Together the top 10 received $163K.
Grant Size Distribution
175 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 174 grants of 175 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (44%), Maine (20%), Pennsylvania (15%), California (8%), and Maryland (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Dobson Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 29 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 3% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $235K (2024) to $478K (2021). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $242K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Museum of Racing Saratoga Springs, NY | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $35,000 |
| Yale University Boothbay, ME | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $22,700 |
| Cornell Lab of Orinthology Santa Barbara, CA | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $20,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union New York, NY | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $20,000 |
| Lancaster County Historical Society Lancaster, PA | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $15,350 |
| National Audubon Society New York, NY | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $10,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster Lancaster, PA | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $10,000 |
| Earthjustice New York, NY | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of NYC New York, NY | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $10,000 |
| Lancaster Conservancy Annapolis, MD | To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose | $10,000 |
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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 | $4,982,914 | $249,186 | $301,048 | $241,750 | 29 | $6,070 | $199,958 | $206,829 |
| 2024 | $3,529,091 | $186,653 | $264,555 | $234,770 | 33 | $234,770 | $156,868 | $191,166 |
| 2023 | $4,167,771 | $92,403 | $346,108 | $250,650 | 43 | $250,650 | $58,854 | $245,854 |
| 2022 | $4,591,967 | $240,729 | $324,482 | $237,505 | 48 | $237,505 | $154,002 | $246,177 |
| 2021 | $4,693,315 | $369,205 | $583,932 | $477,525 | 22 | $477,525 | $272,672 | $292,135 |
| 2020 | $5,060,981 | $177,979 | $337,453 | $238,000 | 35 | — | $85,443 | $257,255 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dobson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $207K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a range of organizations. The National Museum of Racing describes its mission as conserving objects related to the horse-racing industry. The ACLU says its mission is to maintain and advance civil liberties and rights in the United States and its jurisdictions. The National Audubon Society says it works toward a future where birds thrive across the Americas through conservation.
Other 2025 recipients include the Amazon Conservation Association, which describes its work as protecting the Amazon through science, technology, and partnerships with local communities and governments; Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, which says it cares for the lands, waters, and communities of Maine’s Damariscotta-Pemaquid Region; and Friends of Lopez Island Pool, which says it works to support health, water safety, and community through an indoor swim center.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $241,750. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $35,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest reported grants included $35,000 to the National Museum of Racing; $22,700 to Yale University; $20,000 each to Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Civil Liberties Union; and $15,350 to Lancaster County Historical Society. Other grants of $10,000 went to National Audubon Society, Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster, Earthjustice, Planned Parenthood of NYC, Lancaster Conservancy, the Peregrine Fund, and Seabird Institute.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sarah Jeffords Esq as president and Kenneth Totilo as treasurer.
The Dobson Foundation Inc is led by Sarah Jeffords Esq., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah Jeffords Esq.
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Totilo
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/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.
Frequently asked questions about The Dobson Foundation Inc
How much does The Dobson Foundation Inc give each year?
The Dobson Foundation Inc gave $242K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $235K across 33 grants.
What is The Dobson Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Dobson Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,336, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Dobson Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Dobson Foundation Inc give grants?
The Dobson Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maine (20%) and Pennsylvania (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Lancaster, PA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Dobson Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on The Dobson Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Accomplish 501C3 Purpose" (29 grants).
Who are The Dobson Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Dobson Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include National Museum of Racing ($35,000), Yale University ($22,700) and Cornell Lab of Orinthology ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Dobson Foundation Inc?
The Dobson Foundation Inc reported $5.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $207K (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 The Dobson Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a range of organizations. The National Museum of Racing describes its mission as conserving objects related to the horse-racing industry. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Dobson Foundation Inc?
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 Dobson Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Dobson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6168259. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Dobson Foundation Inc 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Dobson Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Dobson Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-dobson-foundation-inc-morg_dd6632ddea724fce9ce8f4bfd24425c1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136168259_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Dobson Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-dobson-foundation-inc-morg_dd6632ddea724fce9ce8f4bfd24425c1},
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 Dobson Foundation Inc'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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