Doogood Foundation Inc.

Doogood Foundation Inc. is a Miami-based family philanthropy established in 2021 and granted IRS tax-exempt status in June 2023. Leadership consists entirely of five Doogan family directors — Declan, Dorothy, Jonathan, Paul, and Stephen Doogan — none of whom draw compensation. Declan and Stephen each commit five hours per week; Dorothy, Paul, and Jonathan each contribute one hour. This is a closely-held family foundation where grant decisions reflect personal values and relationships, not competitive review cycles.

The single most critical strategic reality: the foundation formally operates on a preselected-only basis, explicitly indicating on its IRS Form 990-PF that it 'only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.' Cold submissions, portal uploads, and unsolicited LOIs will not be reviewed.

Despite this closed posture, the foundation's rapid expansion — from 6 grants totaling $312,000 in FY2022 to 28 grants totaling $1.62M in FY2024 — signals active, ongoing portfolio growth. The Doogan family is clearly adding new organizations, but exclusively through trusted channels. The optimal first-time approach is through an existing grantee relationship or shared board connection.

The 2022 grantee portfolio illuminates the founding family's core values: Direct Relief (international humanitarian aid), The Bail Project (criminal justice reform), Good Deed Law Project (legal access and social equity), Forming Sustainable Development Foundation (international development, $100,000 — the single largest grant on record), and Celtic FC Foundation Inc. ($12,000 — community sports). Organizations working in these thematic lanes, particularly those with international reach, social justice orientation, or community legal services, are best positioned for eventual inclusion.

The Doogan family's Irish heritage — reflected in the Celtic FC Foundation grant and the family surnames — suggests potential affinities within Irish-American philanthropy, Catholic social services institutions, and transatlantic charitable networks. The foundation also made a $50,000 grant to a Goldman Sachs Donor Advised Fund in 2022, indicating flexible use of philanthropic vehicles to extend giving reach.

First-time applicants should approach through relationship pathways: mutual board members, shared programmatic networks, or direct introduction from a current grantee. Any direct correspondence should be concise — a two-page organizational overview focused on mission alignment, not a formal proposal.

The Doogood Foundation's grantmaking has grown substantially and consistently since its 2021 founding:

• FY2021: $0 in grants; foundation in startup phase with $12.3M in initial contributions received
• FY2022: $312,000 across 6 grants; average $52,000; range $12,000–$100,000
• FY2023: 20 grants awarded (aggregate dollar amounts not yet available in public 990 filings)
• FY2024: $1,616,789 across 28 grants; median $10,000; range $500–$280,000

The FY2022 data reveals a distinctive structure: four grants at exactly $50,000 each (Direct Relief, Goldman Sachs DAF, Good Deed Law Project, The Bail Project), one anchor investment of $100,000 (Forming Sustainable Development Foundation), and one smaller relationship grant of $12,000 (Celtic FC Foundation). The equal-amount structure for four of six grants suggests $50,000 may function as a default unit size for established grantee relationships.

By FY2024, the grant range widened dramatically — from a floor of $12,000 to a floor of $500, and from a ceiling of $100,000 to a ceiling of $280,000. The median of $10,000 indicates the portfolio is weighted toward a larger volume of smaller grants, with select major awards well above the median likely reserved for flagship relationships.

Geographically, Connecticut, Florida, and Washington constitute the primary grant states. The 2024 cohort extended to California, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia — a significantly broader national footprint than the 2022 data.

Total assets have remained stable at $27–29M since 2022. Net investment income in FY2022 reached $16,996,547, indicating a substantial endowment return that year. Revenue in FY2024 totaled $1,657,065, composed of dividends ($593,755), other income ($857,991), and asset sales ($205,319). The foundation distributed $1.62M against $27.4M in assets in FY2024 — a 5.9% payout rate, modestly above the IRS-required 5% minimum for private foundations.

The table below compares Doogood Foundation Inc. to its four closest asset-size peers in the Philanthropy & Grantmaking (NTEE T) category. All five foundations hold assets in the $27.4M band.

Among this peer cohort, Doogood Foundation Inc. stands out for both its disclosed giving volume and programmatic breadth. At $1.62M in annual distributions across 28 grants spanning 10+ states, it is a significantly more active deployer of capital than typical foundations in this asset band. Most private foundations at the $27M asset level distribute at or near the 5% minimum with minimal programmatic disclosure; Doogood's 5.9% distribution rate, rapidly expanding grant count, and documented thematic priorities signal a foundation in active growth mode. Of the five peers, only the Hrbt Foundation lists a public website (hrbtfoundation.com), and none of the four comparison foundations disclose specific grantee data in publicly accessible form.

No press releases, media coverage, or formal announcements from Doogood Foundation Inc. were identified through web searches conducted in June 2026. This is consistent with the low public profile typical of preselected-only family foundations, which generally do not publicize grantmaking through press channels.

The most recent documented activity is the foundation's Form 990-PF filing for FY2024, submitted to the IRS on November 17, 2025. This filing reported 28 grants totaling $1,616,789 — the foundation's highest giving year on record — and total assets of $27,386,987. Charitable disbursements of $1,645,286 represented 81.2% of the foundation's $2,026,656 in total FY2024 expenses.

The foundation's IRS tax-exempt ruling date is June 2023, though it has operated since 2021. Board composition has remained stable across all available filings — all five Doogan family directors (Declan, Dorothy, Stephen, Paul, Jonathan) have served since inception without changes. No new leadership appointments or departures have been identified.

Important note for researchers: the domain www.doogood.org resolves to a German volunteer coordination platform, Doogood gemeinnützige GmbH, which is completely unrelated to the Miami-based Doogood Foundation Inc. The Miami foundation does not appear to maintain an active public website as of June 2026, which further limits its discoverability outside of IRS and nonprofit database filings.

Because Doogood Foundation Inc. formally operates on a preselected basis and explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications, conventional grant-seeking tactics — portal submissions, cold LOIs, program officer outreach — will not work here. The following tips are tailored specifically to this funder's operating model.

Pursue warm introductions through existing grantees. Direct Relief, The Bail Project, Good Deed Law Project, and Forming Sustainable Development Foundation all have publicly available leadership rosters. If your organization has board members, executives, or programmatic partnerships with any of these groups, those connections are your highest-value entry point. A trusted introduction from a current grantee carries disproportionate weight with preselected-only family foundations.

Align on geography. Connecticut, Florida, and Washington dominate the grant portfolio. Organizations based in greater Miami, the Fairfield County or Hartford, CT corridor, or the Pacific Northwest should ensure their work is visible in local philanthropic circles where the Doogan family may be engaged.

Demonstrate alignment, not need. When preselected funders do initiate contact, they are confirming existing alignment — not evaluating a pitch. Ensure your public materials (Form 990, website, Candid/GuideStar profile) clearly articulate work in education, criminal justice reform, humanitarian aid, legal access, or sustainable international development.

Do not call the registered phone number. The Connecticut phone number on file ((860) 501-2121) is a registered agent line, not a program officer. Cold calls signal a misunderstanding of the foundation's model.

Track new grantees annually. The FY2024 990 introduced approximately 22 new grantee relationships relative to 2022. As the portfolio expands, new relationship pathways open. Checking ProPublica (EIN 86-3748793) each November for the latest 990-PF filing is the single most actionable ongoing intelligence strategy for organizations seeking entrée.