The William H Donner Foundation Inc
The William H. Donner Foundation is a family foundation headquartered in Tarrytown, New York. Established in 1962, it traces its roots to the International Cancer Research Foundation, founded by William Henry Donner following the 1929 death of his son from lung cancer. Today, the foundation is steered by the third, fourth, and fifth generations of the Donner family and invests in creative solutions to critical problems at community, national, and international levels.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$200.7M
-0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.4M
-25.8% YoY
Grant Count
288
-17.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
-10.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William H Donner Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $10.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a wide range of charitable work across multiple focus areas:
- Education
- Environmental conservation and animal welfare
- Global security
- Civic engagement and democracy
- Disease research
- Arts and culture
- Human services
- Health and medical research
- Global development
The foundation does not articulate specific goals or priorities within these areas. Instead, the foundation's trustees and staff work to identify "opportunities to make positive change."
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $555,000, with a median grant amount of $20,000.
How to Apply
** The William H. Donner Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation prefers a proactive approach to grantmaking, identifying and approaching organizations directly.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is national in scope, with particular activity in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $200,687,998 (as of most recent filing)
Total Giving: $10,419,567 (most recent year)
Total Revenues: $5,639,373 (2024)
Total Expenses: $2,934,733 (2024)
The foundation's revenue includes investment income and dividends, as well as net gains from the sale of non-inventory assets.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $200,687,998 | $201,537,754 | $212,281,903 |
| Revenue | $6,118,383 | $7,089,554 | $21,761,180 |
| Expenses | $15,048,262 | $18,288,671 | $13,007,537 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,612,056 | $14,895,435 | $9,242,238 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,262,753 | $4,002,875 | $18,126,964 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,055,055 | $10,500,189 | $10,971,169 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation ($175,000), Catholic Health Initiatives Colorado Foundation ($120,000), Amazon Watch ($110,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5-ELEVEN HOOPS LONG BEACH, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| 60 PLUS FOUNDATION INC ALEXANDRIA, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,000 |
| ABANDONED PET RESCUE INC FT LAUDERDALE, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| ADVENTURERS AND SCIENTISTS FOR CONSERVATION BOZEMAN, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $175,000 |
| AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF MARIN SAN RAFAEL, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AHED INTERNATIONAL INC IRVING, TX | PALESTINE AID | $10,000 |
| AMAZON WATCH OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $110,000 |
| AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATRE FOUNDATION SAN FRANSISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR CAPITAL FORMATION CENTER FOR POLICY RESEARCH WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY COUNCIL WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by family trustees, including:
- David W. Donner (Trustee, President)
- Christopher Roosevelt (Trustee, Vice President)
- Suzanne L. Spencer (Trustee, Treasurer)
- Kaila Spencer (Trustee, Secretary)
- Timothy J. Donner (Trustee)
- William Edwards III (Trustee)
- Donner Hanson (Trustee)
- Ashley Lainhart (Trustee)
- Eliza Winsor (Trustee)
- Athena Washburn (Trustee)
- Nicholas Roosevelt (Trustee)
- Anita Winsor (Trustee)
- Alexa C. Donner (Trustee)
- Alexander Donner (Trustee)
- Ava Donner (Trustee)
- Deborah Donner (Trustee)
- Joseph W. Donner III (Trustee)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTOPHER ROOSEVELT | TRUSTEE, VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SUZANNE L SPENCER | TRUSTEE, TREASURER | 1 | — |
| KAILA SPENCER | TRUSTEE, SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DAVID W DONNER | TRUSTEE, PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| TIMOTHY J DONNER | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM EDWARDS III | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| DONNER HANSON | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| ASHLEY LAINHART | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| ELIZA WINSOR | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| ATHENA WASHBURN | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| NICHOLAS ROOSEVELT | TRUSTEE AS OF 10/19/24 | 0.5 | — |
| ANITA WINSOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ALEXA C DONNER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ALEXANDER DONNER ESQ | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| AVA DONNER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DEBORAH DONNER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JOSEPH W DONNER III | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| TIMOTHY E DONNER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| STEPHANIE HANSON | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SHARON W LAINHART | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| BRITTANY D ROY | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DILLON ROY | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| AARON SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| HUNTER SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN D SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| PARKER SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ROBERT D SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SHANE SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| CRISTINA WINSOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| HON CURTIN WINSOR JR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DEVON WINSOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MONICA WINSOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| REBECCA D WINSOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| SOPHIA WASHBURN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| HELEN MCLEAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grants have supported organizations including Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, the Tides Foundation's Movement Voter Project, Sogorea Te Land Trust, and Three Generations, among others.
Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs Awarded Grant from The William H. DonnerSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The William H Donner Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation supports a wide range of charitable work across multiple focus areas: • Education • Environmental conservation and animal welfare • Global security • Civic engagement and democracy • Disease research • Arts and culture • Human services • Health and medical research • Global development The foundation does not articulate specific goals or priorities within these areas. Instead, the foundation's trustees and staff work to identify "opportunities to make positive change."
How do I apply for a grant from The William H Donner Foundation Inc?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $555,000, with a median grant amount of $20,000. **Recent Activity:** The foundation made 288 grants in its most recent filing period, with total giving of $10,419,567. **Application Process:** The William H. Donner Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation prefers a proactive approach to grantmaking, identifying and approaching organizations directly.
Where does The William H Donner Foundation Inc make grants?
Grantmaking is national in scope, with particular activity in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The William H Donner Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The William H Donner Foundation Inc awarded 288 grants totaling $10.4M — an average of about $36K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The William H Donner Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The William H Donner Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $10.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The William H Donner Foundation Inc's EIN?
The William H Donner Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-1611346. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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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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