Dover Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 56-0769897 · since 1945doverfoundationinc.com·Cleveland County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $40,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$10,000

Typical grant (median)

61 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Organisations based in Cleveland County get the highest priority, and an organisation based elsewhere should apply only if its proposed grant specifically benefits Cleveland County residents.
Its nonprofit grants support faith-based, education and human-service work with a meaningful, lasting impact on county residents, and it does not fund individuals, mass mailings, advertising, political causes, gala tickets, or churches and church trips outside the county.
Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 180 grants fall between $1,000 and $40,000, and half are $10,000 or less, so a request near $10,000 is a realistic starting point; the largest grant was about $150,000, so that typical band is not a ceiling.
Each organisation may submit one request per calendar year online, by one of the quarterly cutoffs of 15 December, 15 March, 15 June or 15 September.
Repeat giving is strong, with 79% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in an earlier filing, so a first-time applicant should expect to compete for a share of the funds that already go to familiar grantees.

Overview

Dover Foundation is a US private foundation based in Shelby, NC.

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 Dover Foundation supports faith-based, educational and human-service organisations through nonprofit grants, merit-based scholarships, and resources and support for area charitable organisations. Its nonprofit grants back charitable organisations working in faith-based initiatives, education and human services, seeking programmes and projects with a meaningful, lasting impact on Cleveland County residents’ well-being. Nonprofit organisations in Cleveland County receive highest priority; those based elsewhere are considered only when a proposed grant specifically benefits Cleveland County residents. Its merit-based scholarship programme serves graduating seniors at high schools in the county.

Themes

Faith-based initiatives
Education
Human services

Geographic Focus

Priority: Cleveland County.

What They Don't Fund

Grants or loans to individuals or loans to charitable organizations
Mass mailings
Advertising
Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns
Dinner, gala, or raffle tickets
College scholarships (outside Dover Foundation’s scholarship program)
Churches outside Cleveland County
Church trips outside Cleveland County
Organizations that use their tax exempt status to make those funds available to non-eligible organizations

How to apply

Tax-exempt organisations may submit one request per calendar year using the online application process.

Deadlines: Quarterly submission cutoffs are 15 December, 15 March, 15 June and 15 September.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 180 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The foundation gives highest priority to nonprofit organisations in Cleveland County.
Organisations located outside Cleveland County are considered only if their proposed grant specifically benefits Cleveland County residents.
It supports charitable organisations working in faith-based initiatives, education and human services.
It supports nonprofit organisations with the potential to make a meaningful and lasting impact on Cleveland County residents’ well-being.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

North Carolina97%

South Carolina1%

Florida<1%

Louisiana<1%

Tennessee<1%

Pennsylvania<1%

1 other state: <1%

The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Dover Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

61 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $10,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 61 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k3%

$1k–$2.5k15%

$2.5k–$5k10%

$5k–$10k16%

$10k–$25k34%

$25k–$50k15%

$50k–$100k3%

$100k–$250k3%

Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Cleveland County Family YMCA · General Support
$151,0002024 tax year
Community Foundation of Western NC · General Support
$100,0002024 tax year
Salvation Army · Emergency social services & food pantry
$70,0002024 tax year
NCBM Shelby Mission Camp · Construction Ministry
$60,0002024 tax year
Gardner-Webb University · Scholarship
$47,0002024 tax year
Turning Point Academy · Thanksgiving Dinner & Student Needs
$40,2002024 tax year
Children's Homes of Cleveland County · General Support
$40,0002024 tax year
Boys Girls Club of Cleveland Co · After school and summer camp programs
$40,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Dr Katie Borders — Secretary
Linton Suttle — Director
Cynthia Buckingham — Director
Mary Raudez — Director
Charles Hamrick — Treasurer
Justin Merritt — Director
Kathleen H Wilson — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$1,107,826	$848,276	$0	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,196,835	$929,947	$0	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$1,372,371	$1,071,283	$0	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.