The Dunn Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Dunn Foundation funds work on classical liberalism, market capitalism, free enterprise, individual liberty, property rights, education and persuasion, and civil liberties, so it is only worth approaching if your charity's work sits squarely within those themes.
- It does not accept unsolicited applications or letters of inquiry; instead it contacts organisations directly and/or invites a formal application, so there is no application form to send in cold, and the relationship is led by the Foundation rather than by prospective grantees.
- A realistic request would be modest: about 8 in 10 of its 201 grants to organisations fall between $10,000 and $260,000, with a median grant of $50,000, though the largest grant was $2,500,000.
- Bear in mind that 92% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded before, so it tends to keep supporting the same organisations rather than open up to many new ones, though this should not put off an organisation that has not yet received funding.
- Any applicant must qualify as a 501(c)(3) public charity or equivalent organisation under IRS guidelines for charitable purposes.
Overview
The Dunn Foundation is a US private foundation based in Collegeville, PA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Dunn Foundation supports public charities that pursue its vision of liberty and opportunity. Its mission is to advance the understanding and practice of classical liberalism, market capitalism, free enterprise, and individual political and economic liberty, principally through education and persuasion. It also seeks to reduce the impact of threats of force by coercive public and private organisations against people in America and around the world. The Foundation describes work on protecting property rights, improving educational outcomes, developing classical liberal ideas among the next generation, enabling free markets, defending entrepreneurs and protecting civil liberties. Its grants are directed to public charities aligned with those aims.
Themes
- Classical liberalism
- Market capitalism
- Free enterprise
- Individual liberty
- Education and persuasion
- Property rights
- Civil liberties
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida and Virginia.
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations that do not qualify as a 501(c)(3) public charity or equivalent organization per IRS guidelines which define charitable purposes
How to apply
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or letters of inquiry. When it wants to learn more about an organisation, it contacts the organisation directly and/or invites it to submit a formal application.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 92% 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 TY2025 filings, half of its 201 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Grant purposes must be consistent with the Foundation's mission, and an organisation must qualify as a 501(c)(3) public charity or equivalent under IRS guidelines for charitable purposes.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 12%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 5%
- The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations The Dunn Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 76 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $47,500 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Conservative Partnership Institute · Patriots row$2,000,0002025 tax year
- Turning Point USA · General support$1,000,0002025 tax year
- Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives · General support$550,0002025 tax year
- Prager University Foundation · General support$500,0002025 tax year
- Fairness Center · General support$400,0002025 tax year
- Alliance Defending Freedom · General support$400,0002025 tax year
- Foundation for Government Accountability · General support$400,0002025 tax year
- Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression · General support$300,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Rebecca Walter Dunn — Trustee
- David Dreyer — Trustee
- Tom Beach — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $9,779,269 | $8,852,000 | $104,501,535 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $10,570,080 | $10,077,000 | $95,843,855 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $9,747,969 | $9,262,912 | $97,619,515 | Filing for 2025 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Dunn Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- admin@dunnfoundation.org
- Collegeville, PA
- dunnfoundation.org
Applying to The Dunn Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- admin@dunnfoundation.org
- Collegeville, PA
- dunnfoundation.org