William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc
The William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Washington, D.C. Established in 1994 by Dr. William Orr Dingwall, it supported students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees through Korean Ancestry Grants and fellowships for doctoral dissertation work on language and the nervous system.
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 102 grants in 2024 (avg $11K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,083,000
- +12.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 102
- +1.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,618
- +11.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,132,884
- -47.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (19% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Applications are no longer being accepted. The foundation’s past process required online applications and supporting materials.
- Review Cycle
- The application cycles described in the available materials were for 2024 and are past. The 2024 filing listed March 15 for Korean Ancestry Grant applications and April 1 for dissertation fellowship applications; the website’s 2024 guidelines listed April 1 for the Korean Ancestry Grant and May 1 for the fellowship.
- Deadline
- The application cycles described in the available materials were for 2024 and are past.
- Contact
Application contact: William Orr Dingwall Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 57088, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 223-3730
Email: kag@dingwallfoundation.org
Website: https://dingwallfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
497 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 497 grants of 497 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Washington, D.C. Its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states; the largest reported shares were California (19%), Texas (10%), Massachusetts (8%), Pennsylvania (6%), and Maryland (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 102 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc gives
- Giving grew 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $703K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 102 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $700,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,132,884 | $732,189 | $1,749,392 | $1,083,000 | 102 | $1,083,000 | $610,798 | $83,798 |
| 2023 | $2,150,087 | $188,189 | $1,302,152 | $963,750 | 101 | $963,750 | $64,620 | $150,810 |
| 2022 | $3,264,050 | $159,660 | $1,341,422 | $1,042,750 | 106 | $1,042,750 | $50,343 | $219,120 |
| 2021 | $4,445,812 | $535,762 | $1,018,497 | $789,250 | 98 | $789,250 | $432,974 | $291,042 |
| 2020 | $4,928,547 | $458,429 | $848,499 | $702,500 | 90 | — | $389,096 | $262,562 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $84K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation was established to support students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a variety of fields. Its two programs were the Korean Ancestry Grant and the Dissertation Fellowship in the Cognitive, Clinical, and Neural Foundations of Language.
The Korean Ancestry Grant supported undergraduate study at accredited U.S. universities. The foundation’s 2024 guidelines required applicants to have at least one Asian grandparent, expressed a strong preference for applicants of Korean ancestry, and set a minimum GPA of 3.50. The dissertation fellowship focused on research into the relationship between language and the structure or functions of the nervous system, for doctoral candidates completing dissertation requirements.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 102 grants totaling $1,083,000. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $22,500, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed grants were to individual recipients and were designated to defray educational expenses.
The foundation’s website says it no longer accepts applications. Historical application materials called for online submissions and supporting documentation. The 2024 filing described Korean Ancestry Grant applications as limited to undergraduate study at a four-year college or university and to students of Asian ancestry; it described the dissertation fellowship as limited to graduate students in the cognitive, clinical, and neural foundations of language who had completed all but their doctoral dissertation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John D. Ward, Esq., as president/director; Sheldon Steinbach, Esq., as treasurer/director; and Dr. Brenda Rapp, Dr. Mimi Ghim, and Dr. Randi Martin as board members.
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc is led by John D. Ward Esq., President & Director on every filing since 2020; all 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John D. Ward Esq.
President & Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $255K (2024)
Brenda Rapp
Board of Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $55K (2024)
Mimi Ghim
Board of Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $55K (2024)
Randi Martin
Board of Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $55K (2024)
Sheldon Steinbach Esq.
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $255K, to John D Ward ESQ (President/Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc
How much does William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc give each year?
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 102 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $964K across 101 grants.
What is William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,618, across 102 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc give grants?
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (10%) and Massachusetts (8%).
Does William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 102 grants with a stated purpose on William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Defray Educational Expenses Incurred by the Recipient" (101 grants).
How large is William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc?
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $84K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation was established to support students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a variety of fields. Its two programs were the Korean Ancestry Grant and the Dissertation Fellowship in the Cognitive, Clinical, and Neural Foundations of Language. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc?
Applications are no longer being accepted. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's EIN?
William Orr Dingwall Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1877552. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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