The James and Judith K Dimon Foundation

• This foundation funds by invitation only and states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a speculative approach is unlikely to succeed.
• Its geographic focus is Priority: New York City, and its strategic grantmaking centres on bolstering career-connected learning for students in grades 9 through 14 in New York City public schools and on strengthening the transition from high school to college to high-demand careers, so work of this kind in that area is the closest fit.
• A realistic request should be modest, as half of its grants to organisations were $25,000 or less, though about eight in ten grants fall between $5,000 and $505,000, and the largest grant recorded was $2,000,000.
• Sixty per cent of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded previously, suggesting it leans towards continuing relationships rather than first-time applicants.
• Given the invitation-only approach, a grant writer's best use of time is building visibility and connections rather than preparing an unsolicited proposal.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Fund for Public Schools · Program support
  $1,456,3932024 tax year
• New Visions for Public Schools · Program support
  $1,288,0192024 tax year
• 92nd Street Y · Program support
  $1,100,2792024 tax year
• National Philanthropic Trust · Program support
  $1,073,4252024 tax year
• National Philanthropic Trust · Program support
  $1,023,4252024 tax year
• National Philanthropic Trust · Program support
  $1,023,4252024 tax year
• Big Picture Company · Program support
  $800,3862024 tax year
• CareerWise New York · Program support
  $500,1482024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.