Dorothy Lemelson Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected, and the filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to succeed; organisations without an invitation should not send one.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $130,000, but that band is typical rather than a ceiling, the largest grant was $1,000,000, and half its grants are $25,000 or less, so a modest request is the safer size to plan around.
- Around 41% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so existing relationships carry real weight.
- Its stated purposes cover arts and culture, education, youth services, food assistance, mental-health support, health care and disaster response, so check whether your work matches one of these; the filing states no geographic focus, so location alone should not decide whether you approach it.
- The filing gives no deadlines or application steps, so there is no set timetable to plan around.
Overview
Dorothy Lemelson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Reno, NV.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings show grants to charitable organisations and a public school district, including universities, museums, a food bank and youth-serving charities. Their stated purposes range from general operating support and educational projects to arts and culture, youth services, food assistance, mental-health support, disaster response and health care. The record shows that Washington, DC, Nevada and Oregon received the largest shares of grants, with the remaining grants spread across other states. The application information says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations and unsolicited requests are not accepted; it gives no further eligibility criteria or application steps.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, Nevada, Oregon, Georgia and California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 41% 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 82 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
3 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 41% of grant dollars went to organisations Dorothy Lemelson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 33 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- The National Musuem Of American History Smithsonian Institution · Provided archival materials to be used for standard museum purposes for education and nonproift activities$600,0002024 tax year
- Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund · Support for the baby bonds pilot program$500,0002024 tax year
- Washoe County School District · $146,906 support for 2024-2025 stem coordinator at the dorothy lemelson stem academy (any excess is to be used in furtherance of educational programming)$30,000 support for 2024-2025 school supplies for students of the dorothy lemelson stem academy$8,110 support for 5th grade grizzly creek ranch field trip$1,600 support for 2024 graduation books for students$186,6162024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood Cascade Willamette · Support for the eastern oregon education expansion$125,0002024 tax year
- Holla School · Support for the school counselor position$112,0002024 tax year
- Bridge Meadows · $30,000 of support for the project manager position$75,000 of support for the community support specialist position$105,0002024 tax year
- University of Nevada, Reno · Support for dean's future scholars$100,0002024 tax year
- Willamette University · Support for the dorothy lemelson foundation grant fund at the university's pacific northwest college of the arts$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Zoe Luh Morse Lemelson — Secretary / Director / Programs Executive
- Jennifer Bruml — President / Director / Partnerships Executive
- Caryn Swobe — VP / Treasurer / Director / Operations Executive
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,776,196 | $1,216,405 | $27,445,254 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,610,155 | $1,964,551 | $43,066,865 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,388,352 | $2,537,616 | $46,005,466 | 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.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Dorothy Lemelson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Reno, NV
Applying to Dorothy Lemelson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Reno, NV