William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation
The William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2020 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, arts and culture, workers’ rights, legal services, and housing. The foundation stated that it had decided to terminate, liquidated its assets, and distributed its remaining cash to organizations listed in its filing.
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation at a glance
In short: William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation gave $283K across 47 grants in 2020 (avg $6K), mostly in California. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $283,000
- +1032.0% vs 2019
- Grants made (2020)
- 47
- +4600.0% vs 2019
- Average grant
- $6,021
- -75.9% vs 2019
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Primary geography
- California (69% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026.
How to apply to William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing lists written letters as the application material and no deadline. The filing lists no restrictions on awards. The foundation also stated that it had decided to terminate and had distributed all its cash by December 31, 2020.
- Contact
Application contact: Dorothy Meyers
Mailing address: 330 Cliff Drive Apt 302, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: (949) 677-4968
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was The My Hero Project ($125K). Together the top 10 received $220K.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 48 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2020 grant dollars were reported across recipient states as follows: California, 69%; Illinois, 25%; Missouri, 4%; New York, 3%; and the District of Columbia, 0%. The listed grants include recipients in Chicago, Laguna Beach, Berkeley, Sacramento, and Los Angeles.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2019) to $283K (2020). In 2020 it made 47 grants totaling $283K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The My Hero Project Laguna Beach, CA | General UES | $125,000 |
| Francis W Parker School Scholarship Fund Chicago, IL | General Use | $50,000 |
| Washington University Saint Louis, MO | General Use | $10,000 |
| Center for Workers Rights Sacramento, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| East Bay Community Law Center Berkeley, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| Laguna Art Museum Laguna Beach, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| Legal Aid at Work San Francisco, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| Los Angeles Room & Board Los Angeles, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| The Model School Berkeley, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| University of Chicago Master of Arts Program in Social Sciences Chicago, IL | General Use | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | — | $9,129 | $288,465 | $283,000 | 47 | $7,172 | $12,839 |
| 2019 | $279,336 | $9,495 | $27,675 | $25,000 | 1 | $9,433 | $13,867 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K for 2020 — 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 2020 grantees included organizations with a range of missions. The My Hero Project describes its work as maintaining a freely accessible online archive of stories, artwork, and films celebrating heroes and promoting literacy and cross-cultural communication. Legal Aid at Work says it helps people understand and assert workplace rights and advocates for systems that empower low-paid workers and marginalized communities. Los Angeles Room & Board describes its mission as providing affordable transitional housing to help California community college students pursue their education.
Other supported organizations included the Center for Workers’ Rights, which says it works to improve conditions and address workplace injustices for low-wage workers; East Bay Community Law Center, which describes providing legal services, policy advocacy, and law training; and Laguna Art Museum, which focuses on California art and its role in American culture.
Grantmaking
In 2020, the foundation reported 47 grants totaling $283,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $125,000, with a median of $2,500. In 2019, it reported one grant totaling $25,000.
The largest reported 2020 grants included $125,000 to The My Hero Project, $50,000 to Francis W. Parker School Scholarship Fund, and $10,000 to Washington University. Other notable grants were $5,000 each to the Center for Workers’ Rights, East Bay Community Law Center, Laguna Art Museum, Legal Aid at Work, Los Angeles Room & Board, The Model School, and the University of Chicago Master of Arts Program in Social Sciences.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2020 filing lists Dorothy K. Meyers, Lynn B. Meyers, and Jeane Meyers as directors.
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's 2020 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2020 report compensation.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Dorothy K. Meyers
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeane Meyers
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Lynn B. Meyers
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2020. "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 William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation
How much does William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation give each year?
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation gave $283K across 47 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $25K across 1 grant.
What is William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's typical grant size?
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $2,500, and its average grant was $6,021, across 47 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation give grants?
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation gives mostly in California: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Laguna Beach, CA (9 grants), Los Angeles, CA (7 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's 2020 grants with a stated purpose (47 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's largest grantees?
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include The My Hero Project ($125,000), Francis W Parker School Scholarship Fund ($50,000) and Washington University ($10,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
What does William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2020 grantees included organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's EIN?
William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3397316. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2020.
Does William & Dorothy Meyers Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2020
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