Dodson Foundation Inc.

The Dodson Foundation Inc. is a closely held family philanthropy established in Inverness, Illinois in February 1992. It is governed by six board members — all bearing the Dodson surname or close family ties — who collectively oversee a $27.3 million asset base built largely from a pivotal 2015 capital infusion of $20.6 million in contributions that transformed the foundation from a $3.9 million operation into a mid-tier national funder almost overnight. J. Michael Dodson serves as President and Mark R. Dodson as Treasurer and primary external contact, with Mark receiving the highest officer compensation at $100,000 annually. This family concentration is the single most important strategic fact for applicants: every access point runs through the Dodson family, and personal relationships determine outcomes far more than any written proposal.

The foundation operates on a strictly preselected-only basis. It has no public application portal, no published eligibility guidelines, and its formerly listed website (dodsonfoundation.org) has lapsed entirely — the domain now redirects to an unrelated commercial site. This is not administrative neglect; it reflects the foundation's deliberate posture of not soliciting unsolicited applications. The foundation builds its portfolio through direct board relationships, referrals from existing grantees, and sustained engagement with causes the family cares about personally.

First-time applicants should not expect cold inquiries to succeed. Among the top 50 grantees on record, 77% have received grants in two or three consecutive cycles, signaling a strong preference for sustained relationships over one-time transactions. The clearest pathway for a new entrant is a personal introduction from an existing grantee — particularly a food bank, a Catholic service organization, a scholarship fund, or a human services nonprofit already in the portfolio.

The foundation's giving philosophy centers on unrestricted general operating support. The terms 'general operating expenses' and 'unrestricted charitable gift' appear in the grant-purpose field across virtually every grantee, signaling a high-trust model where the foundation gives without restrictions and expects recipients to deploy funds as needed. Organizations accustomed to project-restricted grants should reframe their case entirely around organizational strength, financial stewardship, and community track record.

The Dodson family's Catholic affiliation is evident in multi-year grants to Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph, Benedictine Daughters of the Divine Will, Pontifical College Josephinum, Home of the Mother, St. Coletta's of Illinois Foundation, and Wyoming Catholic College. Faith-based organizations — particularly those with Catholic roots — carry a distinct structural advantage. Non-religious nonprofits should compensate by demonstrating exceptional depth of service in food security, healthcare access, homelessness prevention, or scholarship programs.

The Dodson Foundation's grant-making has grown substantially over the past five years. Annual grants paid rose from $1.55 million in FY2019 to $2.11 million in FY2022 and FY2023, and total charitable disbursements reached approximately $2.71–2.75 million in FY2024 — a 75-77% increase over five years. The foundation reported 82 grants awarded in FY2024, up from 73 tracked grants in recent prior cycles. Total foundation assets stood at $27.3 million as of FY2024, down from a peak of $31.9 million in FY2021, reflecting a period where disbursements consistently exceed net investment income (which runs $528,000–$648,000 annually).

Individual grant sizes cluster in a well-defined band. The foundation's own 73-grant sample shows a median of $20,000, an average of $23,288, and a stated typical range of $10,000–$75,000. The broader 223-grant dataset yields a slightly higher average of $26,547. FY2024 data from Instrumentl indicates the top award reached $180,000 — likely reflecting the Louis-Dodson Scholarship at Ithaca High School, which has accumulated $420,000 across three grant cycles (implying individual annual grants in the $100,000–$140,000 range). The smallest awards appear to be in the $5,000–$15,000 range for newer or smaller community organizations.

Geographically, Florida leads all states with 39 grants on record, followed by Washington State (27), Texas (26), Arizona (20), Illinois (19), Ohio (16), Wisconsin (14), California (12), Maryland (9), and New York (8). This national spread across 10+ states reflects the Dodson family's personal and professional connections rather than a formal regional strategy.

By program area, food security and hunger relief is the dominant theme: St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance ($185,000 cumulative), North Texas Food Bank ($125,000), Luthern Social Services Food Pantry ($115,000), Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida ($80,000), and Issaquah Food Bank ($57,500) collectively represent a core, multi-year commitment to basic needs. Human services and homelessness prevention follow closely — Wilkinson Center ($135,000), White Rock Center of Hope ($125,000), Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington ($110,000), and St. Matthew's House ($90,000) each receive consistent multi-year support. Education and scholarships form the third pillar, anchored by the Louis-Dodson Scholarship and supplemented by gifts to Stout University Foundation ($120,000), Hillside College ($90,000), Indiana University Foundation ($75,000), and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Foundation ($50,000). Health and cancer research complete the picture: Pelotonia Fund for Cancer Research ($150,000), Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation ($150,000), Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America ($150,000), and Lee Health Foundation ($100,000) all receive multi-year commitments. Catholic and faith-based organizations appear across all categories and constitute an estimated 25-30% of total giving by dollar value.

No peer foundation data was included in the foundation's database record, so the comparison below is constructed from publicly available Form 990 and aggregator data for family foundations of similar scale and focus. Asset and giving figures for peer foundations are approximate.

The Dodson Foundation sits in the upper tier of mid-size private family foundations with a multi-state scope. What distinguishes it from peers like the Albert Pick Jr. Fund is the complete absence of any letter-of-inquiry pathway — no public process exists at any stage. Unlike community foundations such as the Community Foundation of Collier County, which runs competitive open grant cycles, the Dodson Foundation does not publish RFPs or review windows. Its unrestricted grant structure is notably more generous than most peers at this asset level: most family foundations of $20-30M in assets attach program restrictions or milestones. The multi-year commitment pattern — with the average top grantee receiving 2.7 consecutive grants — signals a long-horizon partnership model that differentiates it sharply from one-time transactional funders. Organizations already in relationships with Galvin or similar Chicago-area family foundations may find natural warm-introduction pathways into the Dodson portfolio.

No press releases, media coverage, or public announcements were found for the Dodson Foundation Inc. for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains an extremely low public profile consistent with its invitation-only operating model. Its previously listed website — dodsonfoundation.org — has lapsed entirely as of mid-2026, with the domain repurposed as an unrelated commercial site. This is the most notable external development for grant seekers attempting initial contact, as email and web-form inquiries sent to that domain will not reach the foundation.

The most recent Form 990-PF on record was filed with the IRS on October 24, 2025, covering FY2024. That filing documents 82 grants totaling approximately $2.71 million, the foundation's highest recorded annual giving level. Total assets as of year-end 2024 stood at $27.3 million, representing a $1.9 million decline from FY2023's $29.2 million, reflecting the ongoing pattern of disbursements exceeding investment income that began around FY2020.

No board changes or leadership transitions were identified in public records for 2024 or 2025. All six board members — J. Michael Dodson (President), Mark R. Dodson (Treasurer), Mary Molofsky (Secretary/VP), Robert Dodson, Cynthia L. Gardner, and Susan Dodson Wollwert — appear consistent with prior filings. One notable grant in the recent record is to the Community Foundation of Collier County for 'Hurricane Relief,' indicating the board responds to disaster events in Florida with supplemental grants outside the regular cycle. The consistent pattern of annual support for the US Olympic Committee ($222,500 cumulative across three cycles) and Pelotonia Fund for Cancer Research ($150,000 cumulative) suggests these are standing board commitments renewed each cycle.

Given the foundation's strictly invitation-only posture and defunct website, the most effective application strategy is also the most unconventional: skip formal inquiry entirely and focus first on network access.

The practical first step is mapping your board, senior staff, and major donor network against the foundation's known grantee list. Organizations including St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance (Phoenix, AZ), Wilkinson Center (Dallas, TX), Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington (Seattle, WA), Issaquah Food Bank (Issaquah, WA), North Texas Food Bank (Dallas, TX), and Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida (Fort Myers, FL) have all received consecutive multi-year support. A personal introduction from any of these organizations' executive directors or board chairs — addressed to Mark R. Dodson (Treasurer) or J. Michael Dodson (President) — carries more weight than any cold submission. The foundation's contact address is 347 Plymouth Dr., Inverness, IL 60067-4627, and the phone on record is (312) 307-2326.

When framing any initial contact or follow-up: - Lead with general operating support framing, not project-specific asks. Nearly every grantee in the portfolio receives 'unrestricted charitable gift' language. Project language signals misalignment with the foundation's model. - If your organization has Catholic, faith-based, or spiritually rooted mission elements, lead with them. Catholic organizations receive some of the largest and most sustained grants in the portfolio. - Connect explicitly to one of the core funding themes: food security and hunger relief, homelessness prevention and human services, health and cancer research, or scholarship access. Proposals outside these themes face steep odds. - Do not contact dodsonfoundation.org — the domain is defunct as of 2026. All outreach should go via the Inverness, IL mailing address or (312) 307-2326. - Demonstrate operational longevity. The average top-50 grantee has been in the portfolio for multiple consecutive years. The foundation does not place one-time bets — it builds enduring partnerships. - Emphasize geography where relevant. Florida, Texas, Washington State, and Arizona account for 55% of all grants by count. Organizations operating primarily in these states have a structural advantage. - Avoid leading with a large first ask. The median grant is $20,000; starting in the $10,000–$25,000 range signals appropriate calibration and positions you for multi-year renewal. - Time outreach for fall (October-November). Many private family foundations with calendar-year fiscal years finalize grant decisions in Q4 for disbursement before year-end or in early Q1.