← Back to US Funders Directory

Frank Dimino Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.0M
Grant Range
$200K - $9.8M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,045,000 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $200,000 - $9,800,000 (based on documented gifts)
  • Average Grant: ~$670,000
  • Number of Awards: 9 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Florida and California
  • Assets: $108,265,176 (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 15645 Bellanca Lane, Wellington, FL 33414

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. They only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

Founded in 2019, the Frank Dimino Family Foundation is a private family foundation established by Frank DiMino, a Sicilian immigrant who built a successful construction and real estate empire in Rochester, New York before relocating to Wellington, Florida in 2015. At age 92 in 2018, DiMino retired from active business management and devoted his time and considerable estate to philanthropy. The foundation's mission centers on education and equity, with particular focus on transformational gifts to educational institutions and healthcare programs. With total assets exceeding $108 million and annual giving of approximately $6 million, the foundation has made several record-breaking gifts, including what is thought to be the largest donation in Palm Beach State College's 87-year history and a $9.8 million gift to Ohlone College—the fifth-largest donation ever given to a California Community College.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes substantial, transformational grants rather than numerous smaller awards. Based on 2023 activity, the foundation distributed 9 grants totaling $6,045,000, resulting in an average grant size of approximately $670,000.

Grant Types:

  • Major capital projects (building construction and naming opportunities)
  • Program endowments (engineering programs, early childhood centers)
  • Healthcare education facilities and equipment
  • Academic centers focused on equity and inclusion

Priority Areas

Education (Primary Focus):

  • Higher education, particularly community colleges and health sciences education
  • K-12 education, including engineering & technology programs, science centers
  • Early childhood education centers
  • Academic infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities

Healthcare Education:

  • Medical innovation centers
  • Health sciences initiatives with 21st century technology
  • Healthcare education and career preparation programs

Equity and Inclusion:

  • Programming that encourages engagement with access, equity, inclusion, justice, and service
  • Support for initiatives that help young adults reach their potential

Geographic Focus

While based in Wellington, Florida, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to fund transformational projects beyond Florida:

  • Florida: Primary focus in Palm Beach County (Wellington, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee Groves)
  • California: Significant giving to Ohlone College (over $10 million total)
  • New York: Historical ties to Rochester area through founder's business roots

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's giving pattern suggests:

  • They do not make small grants (documented grants range from $200,000 to multi-million dollars)
  • They focus on capital projects and program endowments rather than operating support
  • They do not support organizations outside their preselected relationships

Governance and Leadership

Founder: Frank DiMino (Francesco DiMino)

Frank DiMino immigrated to the United States from Grotte, Sicily in 1934, settling in Rochester, New York. After his father returned to Sicily, DiMino became the primary support for his mother and siblings, sparking his lifelong passion for entrepreneurship. Over his 80-year business career, he founded Frank DiMino Co. (later Sealand Construction) in 1960, focusing on large-scale highway construction. At the peak of his entrepreneurial activity, Frank owned a boarding facility for thoroughbred horses, an 18-hole golf course, apartment complexes, a construction company, and the largest active landfill in New York State. He moved to Wellington, Florida in 2015 and retired from active business management in 2018 at age 92.

Foundation Staff: The foundation employs three staff members.

Leadership Philosophy: Frank DiMino stated: "Investing in our future begins with helping young adults reach their potential today." He characterized himself as "strong and self-made" and approached philanthropy with the same entrepreneurial spirit that built his business empire, welcoming challenges and learning throughout his career.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Frank Dimino Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The foundation proactively identifies and selects the organizations it wishes to support rather than accepting applications from interested nonprofits.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on the foundation's strategic interests in education and healthcare.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to invitation-only grantmaking model.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation made 9 grants in 2023, all to preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Frank Dimino Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, success in securing funding depends on being proactively identified by the foundation. Based on documented grants, the foundation appears to prioritize:

Transformational Impact: The foundation makes large, naming-opportunity-level gifts that create lasting legacy. Examples include:

  • Palm Beach State College: Seven-figure gift (largest in college's 87-year history) for the Frank DiMino Center for Medical Innovation
  • Ohlone College: $9.8 million gift in 2018 for the Frank DiMino Academic Core Complex, including three named buildings
  • The King's Academy: Major gift for construction of the Frank DiMino Early Childhood Center

Education and Equity Alignment: Organizations must align with the foundation's core mission statement of "education and equity" and DiMino's belief in "helping young adults reach their potential."

Capital Projects with Lasting Infrastructure: The foundation favors funding:

  • New building construction with naming opportunities
  • State-of-the-art facilities and equipment
  • Program endowments that sustain initiatives long-term
  • Academic infrastructure that serves students for decades

Healthcare Education: Strong interest in health sciences, medical innovation, and programs that prepare students for healthcare careers using 21st century technology.

Community Impact: The foundation supports institutions that serve diverse populations, particularly community colleges and schools focused on access and inclusion.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. They identify and approach organizations they wish to support.
  • Large, Transformational Gifts: Grant sizes are substantial ($200,000 to nearly $10 million), focusing on major capital projects and endowments rather than smaller program grants.
  • Education-Focused: All documented grants support educational institutions, from early childhood through higher education, with particular emphasis on community colleges.
  • Naming Opportunities: The foundation appears interested in legacy giving with naming rights for buildings, centers, and programs.
  • Geographic Flexibility: While based in Florida, the foundation has made major gifts in California, suggesting openness to transformational projects beyond their home state.
  • Healthcare Education Priority: Strong interest in medical innovation centers, health sciences facilities, and programs preparing students for healthcare careers.
  • Founder's Values: Frank DiMino's immigrant success story and self-made entrepreneurial spirit inform the foundation's focus on helping young people reach their potential through education.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory