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Lowell S And Betty L Dunn Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.5M

Lowell S And Betty L Dunn Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,287,500 (2023)
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: N/A (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $450,000
  • Median Grant: $40,000
  • Geographic Focus: Florida (primarily South Florida) and national
  • Total Assets: $312.9 million

Contact Details

Website: https://lbdff.org/

Address: Hialeah Gardens, FL

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Lowell S And Betty L Dunn Family Foundation was established in March 2010 (received tax-exempt status) by Betty Louise Dunn and her late husband Lowell Swilling Dunn, a prominent South Florida real estate developer and contractor who passed away in November 2006. Betty L. Dunn served as the foundation's President until her passing in January 2025 at age 90. The foundation is a private family foundation with assets of $312.9 million as of 2023, representing one of South Florida's significant philanthropic entities. The foundation is designed to create multi-generational impact through strategic giving, with family members serving in all leadership positions. In 2023, the foundation distributed $2.3 million across 25 grants, focusing primarily on healthcare, children's services, animal welfare, military assistance, and rescue missions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-discretionary grantmaking without formal application cycles. All grants are classified as "General Purpose" support, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $450,000 and a median grant size of $40,000 (2023 data).

2023 Top Grant Recipients:

  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN): $450,000
  • UM Diabetes Research Institute (Miami, FL): $450,000
  • Neighbors 4 Neighbors (Doral, FL): $175,000
  • Baptist Health Foundation (Coral Gables, FL): $150,000
  • Miami Rescue Mission (Miami, FL): $150,000

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant history, the foundation supports:

  • Healthcare & Medical Research: Hospital care, children's hospital care, diabetes research, and in-patient medical care
  • Children's Services: Children's hospitals and research institutions
  • Community Services: Rescue missions and community support organizations
  • Animal Welfare: Organizations supporting animal care
  • Military Support: Organizations assisting veterans and military families

The foundation demonstrates a strong preference for established, well-known institutions alongside local South Florida community organizations.

Geographic Focus

While the foundation is based in South Florida and shows significant support for Miami-area organizations, it also makes grants to national institutions (e.g., St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee).

What They Don't Fund

As the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, they effectively do not fund:

  • First-time applicants or organizations without existing relationships
  • Unsolicited requests from any organization
  • Organizations outside their established areas of interest

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed entirely by family members of the Dunn family:

  • Betty L Dunn - President (served until her passing in January 2025)
  • Loretta S Dunn - Vice President (daughter; also known as "Susi" Dunn-Moorhead)
  • Lowell Dunn II - Secretary (son)
  • Lizbeth Dunn Arencibia - Treasurer (daughter)

All officers report zero compensation from the foundation.

Family Legacy: According to Lowell Dunn II, "Mom was always an equal partner with dad, in both life and in the building of all of the Dunn family developments and projects." This partnership extended to their philanthropic vision through the foundation.

The Dunn family built their wealth through the Lowell Dunn Company, a real estate development and commercial property business operating primarily in South Florida, with Betty Dunn serving as president and CEO of the company following her husband's death.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are awarded at the discretion of the family trustees to organizations they have already identified and selected for support.

Organizations cannot apply for funding through any application portal, letter of inquiry, or other formal process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on a trustee-discretionary basis without publicized decision cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation awarded 25 grants in 2023, 28 grants in 2022, and 29 grants in 2021, all to preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept initial applications or reapplications from organizations.

Application Success Factors

Note: Given that this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, based on documented grant patterns, the foundation demonstrates the following preferences:

Preferred Organization Characteristics:

  • Established institutions with strong reputations (e.g., St. Jude, major hospital systems)
  • Local South Florida community organizations serving immediate needs
  • Organizations in healthcare, particularly related to children and diabetes research
  • General purpose support rather than restricted project funding

Grant Pattern Analysis: The foundation's two largest grants in 2023 ($450,000 each) went to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and UM Diabetes Research Institute, suggesting a particular interest in children's health and diabetes research. The diabetes focus may reflect personal connection or family experience with the disease.

The foundation supports both large national institutions and smaller local organizations, with the median grant ($40,000) suggesting most awards fall in the mid-range between $1,000 minimum and $450,000 maximum.

Memorial Guidance: Following Betty Dunn's passing in January 2025, the family requested that those wishing to honor her memory "celebrate her life by spending time with loved ones and helping local organizations in need," which reinforces the foundation's commitment to supporting community organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation Only: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - all grants go to preselected organizations chosen by family trustees
  • Relationship-Based: Organizations in the foundation's portfolio appear to have existing relationships with the Dunn family or their business interests
  • Strong Healthcare Focus: Approximately half of major grants support healthcare institutions, particularly children's hospitals and diabetes research
  • South Florida Connection: While the foundation makes some national grants, there is significant focus on South Florida community organizations
  • Family Governance: All decisions are made by four family members, with no outside trustees or professional staff
  • General Support Model: All documented grants are for "general purpose," suggesting the foundation prefers unrestricted funding over project-specific requests
  • Substantial Assets: With over $312 million in assets, this is a significant family foundation, though annual giving ($2.3M) represents a conservative spend rate

References

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