The Francis J Dixon Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1989 and based in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The foundation provides grants to support education, healthcare, and community service initiatives, with a primary focus on Lebanon County. The foundation operates as a private non-operating foundation and is governed by a board of officers and trustees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$26.5M
+7.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-23.3% YoY
Grant Count
40
+37.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$28K
-44.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Francis J Dixon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Since its founding in 1989, the Francis J Dixon Foundation has provided tuition assistance grants for Lebanon County residents who enroll as full-time students at the Lebanon Campus of Harrisburg Area Community College. The foundation also provides scholarships to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) working for the Good Samaritan Health System who are enrolled in LPN to RN programs at the Lebanon Campus of Harrisburg Area Community College.
Beyond these core programs, the foundation provides grants to Lebanon County-based, non-sectarian charitable organizations and programs that focus on:
- Education
- Healthcare
- Community service
The foundation also seeks to participate in projects that maintain or improve the quality of life in Lebanon County through community building, community infrastructure, and opportunities for youth. The foundation makes a limited number of grants to projects of special interest to the Dixon family and its board of directors.
Primary funding areas include support for education, medical and community organizations, scholarships, and disaster relief.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not support:
Grant Range
s and Range
Average Grant
$42,000
Review Cycle
available
How to Apply
- Initial approach: One to two-page cover letter outlining grant request
Ready to take the next step with The Francis J Dixon Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation gives primarily in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, with limited multi-county scholarship programs. Grants have been distributed to organizations in Pennsylvania and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Income
- Total assets (2024): $26,537,814
- Total assets (2013): $11,365,712
- Total assets growth: From $11.6 million in 2011 to $26.5 million in 2024
Revenue and Expenses (2024)
- Total revenues: $3,491,013
- Total expenses: $1,658,180
- Total grants, contributions, etc.: $1,413,037
- Investment income and dividends: $746,981
- Net rental income: $227,161
Revenue and Expenses (2023)
- Total grants, contributions, etc.: $3,628,374
- Investment income and dividends: $705,823
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26,537,814 | $24,704,679 | $22,261,697 |
| Revenue | $3,491,013 | $4,242,442 | $8,221,805 |
| Expenses | $1,658,180 | $1,799,460 | $1,186,359 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,323,890 | $1,594,112 | $950,563 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,803,027 | $556,593 | $976,984 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,506,266 | $1,240,704 | $1,127,714 |
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
119 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Volunteers in Medicine ($306,050), American Endowment Foundation ($262,500), Wepa Empowerment Center ($69,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CASA OF LANCASTER AND LEBANON COUNTY LANCASTER, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| ELCO EMT TRAINING INSTITUTE MYERSTOWN, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| LEBANON AREA FAIR LEBANON, PA | EDUCATION | $23,000 |
| LEBANON COUNTY COMMUNITY CONCERT ASSOCIATION LEBANON, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $5,000 |
| LEBANON COUNTY CRISTIAN MINISTRIES LEBANON, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $16,500 |
| LEBANON COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION LEBANON, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $20,000 |
| LEBANON YMCA LEBANON, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $50,500 |
| PALMYRA-HERSHEY SERTOMA CLUB PALMYRA, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $500 |
| POWER PACKS PROJECT LANCASTER, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $35,248 |
| SALVATION ARMY LEBANON LEBANON, PA | QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES | $28,450 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Stephan Vegoe - Principal Officer
- Sherry Cassel - Director
- Daniel Dixon - Director
- David Dixon - Director
- Frank Dixon - Chairman Emeritus
- JoAnn White - Treasurer
- Richard Scott - Chairman
- Robert J Phillips - President
- Thomas Dixon - Director
- Thomas Siegel - Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOANN WHITE | DIRECTOR | 5 | $2,000 |
| TIMOTHY HUBER | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
| THOMAS SIEGEL | TREASURER | 1 | $2,000 |
| DAVID DIXON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
| THOMAS DIXON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
| ROBERT J PHILLIPS | PRESIDENT | 5 | $2,000 |
| DANIEL SIEGEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
| RICHARD SCOTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 333, Lebanon, PA 17042-0333
- Phone: (717) 272-4581 or (717) 270-6338 or (717) 389-0995
- Fax: (717) 272-9690
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: No official website
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Francis J Dixon Foundation fund?
Since its founding in 1989, the Francis J Dixon Foundation has provided tuition assistance grants for Lebanon County residents who enroll as full-time students at the Lebanon Campus of Harrisburg Area Community College. The foundation also provides scholarships to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) working for the Good Samaritan Health System who are enrolled in LPN to RN programs at the Lebanon Campus of Harrisburg Area Community College. Beyond these core programs, the foundation provides grant…
How do I apply for a grant from The Francis J Dixon Foundation?
• Grant range: $500 to $2,000,000 • Median grant: $1,000 to $5,000 • Average grant: $42,000 • Smallest grant on record: $100 • Largest grant on record: $738,350 • Total giving (2024): $1,119,952 • Annual giving range: $770,643 to $1,323,890 • Historical annual giving grew from $554,000 in 2020 to $1.5 million in 2023 • Highest grantmaking activity in 2022 with $1.5 million distributed across 44 grants • Total grants made (2020-2024): 101 grants totaling $4.3 million **HACC Tuition Assistance Gr…
Where does The Francis J Dixon Foundation make grants?
The foundation gives primarily in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, with limited multi-county scholarship programs. Grants have been distributed to organizations in Pennsylvania and Texas.
What size grants does The Francis J Dixon Foundation award?
In 2024, The Francis J Dixon Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $28K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Francis J Dixon Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Francis J Dixon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Francis J Dixon Foundation's EIN?
The Francis J Dixon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1600852. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Francis J Dixon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Wolf Creek Operating Foundation
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA
Assets
$7.1M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
The Best Little Cat House in PA
HARRISBURG, PA
Assets
$281K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation
LANCASTER, PA
Assets
$9.4M
Grants
35
Total Given
$304K
The Irene P Sorbara Charitable Foundation
PITTSBURGH, PA
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
2
Total Given
$131K
Howmet Aerospace Foundation
PITTSBURGH, PA
Assets
$141.5M
Grants
209
Total Given
$8.4M
Penn and Lisa Seiple Conservancy
SUNBURY, PA
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Francis J Dixon Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Francis J Dixon Foundation to a real strategy.