The Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 20-5838578 · since 2009dresnerfoundation.org·Aspen, Denver, Michigan, Parachute, United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $125k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$12,500

Typical grant (median)

71 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

This foundation is likely to be a fit only for organisations working in its stated areas – MDS and related medical research, health access for underserved low-income people, youth self-empowerment and family strengthening, or animal welfare – and only within its stated geographic focus of Southeast Michigan, Michigan, Metropolitan Denver and the Aspen-Parachute Corridor, with medical research requests considered on a nationwide basis.
For most programmes, a modest request makes sense: about eight in ten of its 228 grants to organisations fall between $2,500 and $125,000, with a median grant of $20,000, though the largest grant was $475,000.
Medical research applicants should note the specific caps of up to $125,000 for Early Career Investigator awards and up to $250,000 for Established Investigators awards.
The approach is to review the relevant programme guidelines, contact the foundation to check fit, and submit a Letter of Inquiry; applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
With 76% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing going to groups it had also funded in the two filings before that, this looks like a relationship-led funder where a first approach should be made with care, and applicants should check their work against its stated exclusions, which include grants direct to individuals or units of government, religious activities (unless open to all regardless of religious belief), fundraising events, conferences or symposiums, debt or deficit relief, and programmes benefiting for-profit organisations, with further specific exclusions applying to its MDS Research Fund.

Overview

The Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation is a US private foundation based in Detroit, MI.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation funds health research and access, youth and family programmes, and animal welfare. Its health research support focuses on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and related research, particularly emerging research leaders; it also supports programmes improving health outcomes for vulnerable people, especially underserved, low-income people without adequate healthcare access. In youth and family, it supports self-empowerment and self-esteem through academic, artistic, personal or social enrichment, and services that strengthen families. For animal welfare, it supports organisations’ facilities and services, animal shelter and aid, treatment resources and public education. Applicants are US 501(c)(3) organisations; geographic eligibility includes Southeast Michigan, Metropolitan Denver and the Aspen-Parachute Corridor, while medical research requests are accepted nationwide.

Themes

MDS research
Health access
Youth self-discovery
Family strengthening
Animal welfare

Geographic Focus

Southeast Michigan; Michigan; Metropolitan Denver; Aspen-Parachute Corridor; nationwide basis.

What They Don't Fund

Directly to individuals or units of government
Religious activities (faith-based organizations may be eligible if they welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious belief)
Fundraising events
Conferences or symposiums
Debt/deficit relief or previously incurred obligations
Programs operated to benefit for-profit organizations
MDS Research Fund only: For the purchase of permanent equipment (defined as equipment expected to last at least three years) or for repair or service contract costs for institutional equipment; to cover any salary effort or expenses for a mentor; the construction or renovation of facilities; furniture; honoraria; membership dues; publication costs; subscriptions, books, or journals; a research project that is fully funded or already funded in full or in part by the foundation or by another funding agency or commercial entity; current grantees-investigators

How to apply

For the Youth and Family, Health Access, and Animal Welfare programmes, applicants should review the programme areas and guidelines, contact the Foundation to determine fit, and submit a Letter of Inquiry.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 76% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 228 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

MDS proposals should develop definitive findings about MDS biology, translational or clinical aspects, and early-career proposals should lead to higher-level funding.
Reviewers consider whether proposal goals are attainable with the Foundation’s funding, whether the project is independent, and its potential to improve MDS patients’ lives.
For Early Career Investigators, reviewers consider the project’s contribution to the researcher’s professional development.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Michigan58%

Colorado10%

Washington6%

California6%

New York4%

Massachusetts4%

6 other states: 11%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%

The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 76% of grant dollars went to organisations The Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

71 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $12,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 71 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k7%

$2.5k–$5k11%

$5k–$10k17%

$10k–$25k21%

$25k–$50k18%

$50k–$100k10%

$100k–$250k10%

$250k–$500k6%

Median $12,500 (tax year 2024)

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

Gleaners Community Food Bank · Program support
$400,0002024 tax year
Forgotten Harvest · Program support
$262,5002024 tax year
University of Washington Foundation · Research grant
$250,0002024 tax year
Oregon Health and Science University Foundation · Research grant
$250,0002024 tax year
University of Colorado Denver · Research grant
$125,0002024 tax year
Albert Einstein College of Medicine · Research grant
$125,0002024 tax year
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research · Research grant
$125,0002024 tax year
Brigham and Women's Hospital · Research grant
$125,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Virginia Romano — CEO
Mark S Cohn — Director / Secretary
Gary Weisman — Director / VP
Kevin Furlong — Director / CFO
Lori Dresner — Director / President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$8,877,182	$5,336,008	$141,096,446	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$8,495,641	$3,516,014	$148,343,603	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$9,386,395	$3,037,070	$155,239,462	Filing for 2024 tax year

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.