The Dods Foundation
The Dods Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Established in 2016, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting nonprofits and charitable causes primarily in Hawaii and Missouri.
Key facts about The Dods Foundation
- EIN
- 47-5440930
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,582,924
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- Average grant
- $71,951
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (6 of 22, 2024)
- Total assets
- $5,512,089
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Dods Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Dods Foundation's 22 itemized 2024 grants were Hawaii (87%) and Missouri (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Honolulu, HI (18 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Dods Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 22 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 238% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 466% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Dods Foundation
- How to evaluate The Dods Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.5M
-9.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+4.8% YoY
Grant Count
22
+10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
-4.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Dods Foundation reported a distributable amount of $339K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Science and STEM Education
- Community Health
Grantmaking
The foundation made 14 grants in 2024, with total giving of $1,582,924. In 2023, the foundation made 20 grants totaling approximately $1.5 million.
Grant Range
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Hawaii and Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 22 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $5,512,089
- Total Revenue: $1,807,790
- Total Expenses: $1,640,285
- Net Income: $167,505
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants and contributions: $839,328
- Investment income and dividends: $160,764
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $807,698
The foundation operates with no employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,512,089 | $6,060,669 | $6,323,041 |
| Revenue | $1,807,790 | $1,201,626 | $2,619,528 |
| Expenses | $1,640,285 | $1,551,260 | $460,012 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,582,924 | $1,511,000 | $448,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $911,101 | $1,163,825 | $96,086 |
| Distributable Amount | $339,414 | $311,447 | $234,369 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include University of Hawaii Foundation ($1,096,424), Saint Louis School ($200,000), Mid-Pacific Institute ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,096,424 |
| SAINT LOUIS SCHOOL Saint Louis, MO | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $200,000 |
| MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| DYNAMIC COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Waianae, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF HAWAII FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| STRAUB FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| ALOHA UNITED WAY Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY OF HONOLULU Honolulu, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| CHILD & FAMILY SERVICE Ewa Beach, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| DONKEY MILL ART CENTER Holualoa, HI | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's trustees include:
- Walter A Dods Jr.
- Walter A Dods III
- Christopher L Dods
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter a Dods Jr | Chairman/Pres/Treas/Sec/Dir | 1 | — |
| Walter a Dods III | Vice President/Director | 1 | — |
| Christoper L Dods | Vice President/Director | 1 | — |
| Peter D Dods | Vice President/Director | 1 | — |
| Lauren S Dods | Vice President/Director | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Dods Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Science and STEM Education • Community Health
How do I apply for a grant from The Dods Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 14 grants in 2024, with total giving of $1,582,924. In 2023, the foundation made 20 grants totaling approximately $1.5 million. **Grant Sizes:** • Typical award range: $1,000 to $1,096,424 • Median grant amount: $5,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • University of Hawaii Foundation: $1,096,424 (General Operations) • Mid-Pacific Institute: $100,000 (General Operations) • Dynamic Community Solutions: $50,000 (General Operations) The foundation also made grants …
Where does The Dods Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Hawaii and Missouri.
What size grants does The Dods Foundation award?
In 2024, The Dods Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Dods Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Dods Foundation reported a distributable amount of $339K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Dods Foundation's EIN?
The Dods Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5440930. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.