The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation
The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1982 by partners of Dorsey & Whitney LLP. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Foundation is funded primarily by Dorsey partners and operates as a donor-advised fund. It supports a wide variety of charitable organizations, programs, and projects that contribute to the cultural, civic, educational, and social welfare of communities where Dorsey attorneys and their families live and work.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$324K
+7.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$726K
-66.0% YoY
Grant Count
48
-15.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-59.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation supports tax-exempt charitable and educational organizations with particular emphasis on:
- Organizations that provide legal services to the disadvantaged
- Organizations in which Dorsey partners and other attorneys participate actively as board members and volunteers
- Cultural, civic, educational, and social welfare initiatives
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
The organizations supported by the Foundation reflect the diversity of interests and talents of Dorsey attorneys and demonstrate their commitment to the well-being and cultural vitality of their communities.
Grantmaking
The Foundation makes direct grants to approximately 200 organizations across North America annually, in addition to supporting hundreds more organizations through its partner and non-partner attorney matching program.
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,210 to $510,000.
Invitation Only
** The Foundation Board meets twice a year to consider grant requests. External applications are by invitation only.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation funds organizations primarily in Minnesota, Washington, and Utah, with grantmaking extending across North America.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $301,000
- Total Revenue: $2.37 million
- Total Expenses: $2.41 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $323,824
- Total Giving: $1,005,433
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $323,824 | $300,635 | $346,225 |
| Revenue | $1,028,899 | $2,365,566 | $2,417,287 |
| Expenses | $1,005,709 | $2,411,156 | $2,414,145 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $28,899 | $31 | $34 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
242 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Greater Twin Cities United Way ($150,000), Fund for the Legal Aid Society ($80,690), Advocates for Human Rights ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Advocates for Human Rights Minneapolis, MN | General Support | $30,000 |
| After-School All-Stars North Texas Dallas, TX | General Support | $7,500 |
| American Bar Ass'n Fund for Justice & Education Chicago, IL | General Support | $10,000 |
| And Justice for All Salt Lake City, UT | General Support | $25,000 |
| Breakthrough T1D Hagerstown, MD | General Support | $11,290 |
| Brigham Young University Provo, UT | General Support and Support for BYU Law School & BYU School of Family Life | $6,460 |
| Caroline Kline Galland Home Seattle, WA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Center for Family Representation New York, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
| Children's Museum of Denver Denver, CO | General Support | $12,000 |
| China Institute in America New York, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theresa Mielke | Chair & Director | 2 | — |
| Jennifer Ede | Sec/Treasurer & Director | 0.3 | — |
| Ellen Bickal | Director | 0.3 | — |
| Jay Riffkin | Director | 0.3 | — |
| Layne Smith | Director | 0.3 | — |
| Katie Cownie | Director | 0.3 | — |
| Brian Burke | Director | 0.3 | — |
| Michael Rowe | Director | 0.3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation has supported National History Day, a nonprofit education organization that engages over half a million middle- and high-school students annually in conducting original research on historical topics. The Foundation is listed as a sponsor through the WEM 2000 Foundation of the Dorsey & Whitney Foundation.
[PDF] Paul Williams hosts The ASCAP Foundation Awards CeremonyFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation fund?
The Foundation supports tax-exempt charitable and educational organizations with particular emphasis on: • Organizations that provide legal services to the disadvantaged • Organizations in which Dorsey partners and other attorneys participate actively as board members and volunteers • Cultural, civic, educational, and social welfare initiatives • Education • Human services • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking The organizations supported by the Foundation reflect the diversity of interes…
How do I apply for a grant from The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation?
The Foundation makes direct grants to approximately 200 organizations across North America annually, in addition to supporting hundreds more organizations through its partner and non-partner attorney matching program. **Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $5,210 to $510,000. **Application Process:** The Foundation Board meets twice a year to consider grant requests. External applications are by invitation only. **Contact:** The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation, dorsey.com
Where does The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation make grants?
The Foundation funds organizations primarily in Minnesota, Washington, and Utah, with grantmaking extending across North America.
What size grants does The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation award?
In 2024, The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $726K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation's EIN?
The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1424522. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Dorsey & Whitney Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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