Funders › Pennsylvania

The Francis J Dixon Foundation

Lebanon, PA · EIN 25-1600852. Reported 158 grants totalling $5,282,047 to 83 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$10,000median grant
$5,282,047granted, 2021-2025
83recipients, as named on its returns
59%of grantees funded again the next year
$34.8Massets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Francis J Dixon Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $30,000; the smallest was $100 and the largest $738,350. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
21 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
11 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
46 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
32 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
21 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
13 grants
$100,000 and Up
14 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Volunteers in MedicineLebanon, PA$1,706,438552025
Wellspan Gsh Health Services FoundationLebanon, PA$332,466442024
Foundation for Enhancing CommunitiesHarrisburg, PA$325,000112021
Union Community CareLebanon, PA$300,000332025
American Endowment FoundationHudson, OH$262,500112024
Lebanon YMCALebanon, PA$230,500552025
United Way of Lebanon CountyLebanon, PA$224,000552025
Wepa Empowerment CenterLebanon, PA$194,500332025
Thaddeus Stevens College of TechnolgyLancaster, PA$100,000112023
Salvation Army LebanonLebanon, PA$97,950332025
Susquehanna Service DogsGrantville, PA$93,186222023
Power Packs ProjectLancaster, PA$90,159332025
Lebanon Area FairLebanon, PA$86,000552025
Lebanon FoundationLebanon, PA$85,000112022
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg, PA$81,200222023
SarccLebanon, PA$78,300552025
Lebanon County Firefighters AssociationLebanon, PA$70,000222024
The Caring CupboardPalmyra, PA$60,000222025
Lebanon County Library SystemLebanon, PA$55,200332025
Anville Free LibraryAnnville, PA$55,000112022
Developmental & Disability Services of Lebanon ValleyLebanon, PA$40,000222025
Lancaster Cleft Palate ClinicLancaster, PA$35,750332025
Neversink Fire CompanyLebanon, PA$30,000222025
Domestic Violence Intervention of Lebanon CountyLebanon, PA$27,450332025
Lebanon County Cristian MinistriesLebanon, PA$27,000332025
Lebanon School DistLebanon, PA$27,000112025
CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon CountyLancaster, PA$25,000332025
Lebanon County Firemans AssociationLebanon, PA$25,000112021
Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency ServicesJonestown, PA$25,000112023
Washington Band of AnvilleAnnville, PA$24,000112025
Girls on the Run of Lancaster and LebanonLancaster, PA$23,000332023
St James Players Community TheatreLebanon, PA$22,250222025
Making a Difference of Lebanon PaLebanon, PA$22,050222025
William D Lebo Memorial FoundationLebanon, PA$21,120332025
Elco Emt Training InstituteMyerstown, PA$20,700442025
LuthercareLebanon, PA$20,000222025
Girls on the Run Lancaster - LebanonLebanon, PA$17,500112025
Halcyon Activity CenterLebanon, PA$15,000222022
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation DistrictsHarrisburg, PA$15,000112025
Probe LebanonLebanon, PA$15,000222025
Lebanon Family Health ServicesLebanon, PA$14,720332025
Cadence Music and Arts ProgramsJonestown, PA$14,000222025
Special OlympicsLebanon, PA$12,000442024
Compeer of Lebanon CountyLebanon, PA$10,600222024
Nick ServicesLebanon, PA$10,300112025
Big Brothers Big Sisters of AmericaTampa, FL$10,000222025
Cornwall Community CatsCornwall, PA$10,000222025
Lebanon County Community Concert AssociationLebanon, PA$10,000222024
Lebanon County Historical SocietyLebanon, PA$10,000112025
Lebanon County Youth Ag & Community ClubsLebanon, PA$10,000112025
Mentor a Mother Community Health Councel of Lebanon CountyLebanon, PA$10,000112024
Pennsylvania Dutch CouncilLititz, PA$10,000112025
Lebanon Coummunity TheaterLebanon, PA$9,658112024
Palmyra Public LibraryPalmyra, PA$9,000112025
Community Health CouncilLebanon, PA$8,500112025
Elco Caring ClosetLebanon, PA$8,400112025
Palmyra Education FoundationPalmyra, PA$8,150112025
Lebanon 4-H FriendsLebanon, PA$8,000222025
Lacaster Lebanon IU13Lebanon, PA$7,850112025
Falcon FoundationLebanon, PA$7,775112025
Literancy Council of Lancaster LebanonLebanon, PA$7,500112025
First Aid and Safety PatrolLebanon, PA$6,000112025
Lebanon County Special OlympicsLebanon, PA$6,000112025
Cedar ClosetLebanon, PA$5,000112024
Humane Society of LebanonMyerstown, PA$5,000112022
Jonestown Food BankJonestown, PA$5,000112022
Lebanon City Fire DepartmentLebanon, PA$5,000112024
Lebanon Raider Youth FootballLebanon, PA$5,000112024
Lebanon Valley College LvepAnnville, PA$5,000112023
Literacy Council of Lancaster LebanonLebanon, PA$5,000112023
Nl MinistriesJonestown, PA$5,000112024
The Caring Cupboard - Palmyra Food BankPalmyra, PA$5,000112022
Zion Lutheran Church Lebanon PaLebanon, PA$5,000112023
Palmyra-Hershey Sertoma ClubPalmyra, PA$2,000442025
American Heart AssociationDallas, TX$1,550222024
Cedar FoundationLebanon, PA$1,350222025
James Biever Police Community AllianceCornwall, PA$750112025
PerseveranceLebanon, PA$750112025
Jubilee MinistriesLebanon, PA$500112023
Lhs Alumni Scholarship FundLebanon, PA$500112021
Palmyra Sertoma ClubPalmyra, PA$500112021
Humane Society of Lebanon CountyMyerstown, PA$375112025
Mt Gretna School of ArtMt Gretna, PA$100112021

40 of 83 (48%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 59%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 64 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.

Human Services
13 grants
Health Care
11 grants
Education
8 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
7 grants
Diseases & Disorders
7 grants
Public Safety & Disaster Relief
5 grants
Arts & Culture
5 grants
Animal Welfare
3 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202117$721,300$1,100
202222$770,643$5,000
202329$1,460,991$13,000
202440$1,119,952$10,000
202550$1,209,161$10,000

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

95% of its giving went to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.

Pennsylvania
$5.0M
Ohio
$262K
Florida
$10K
Texas
$2K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund10 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program9 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc8 shared recipientsLancaster County Community Foundation8 shared recipientsThe Foundation for Enhancing Communities8 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc6 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding human services in PennsylvaniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding education in PennsylvaniaEvery funder in this group

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from The Francis J Dixon Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.

Address of record on the latest return: P O Box 333, Lebanon, PA, 17042. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 25-1600852 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.