What kinds of organizations does ADA Foundation fund?

Its active programs show support for state dental associations, dental schools and students, researchers in preventive dentistry, registered Give Kids A Smile events, and dentists and their families facing hardship. Recent grants also went to public-support recipients in Chicago, Washington, DC, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

What is the typical grant size?

The foundation’s grant distribution is relatively large: the 25th percentile is $169,138, the median is $332,799, and the 75th percentile is $495,572. The recent grant list includes both major public-support awards and smaller program awards, such as a $5,000 leadership award.

Does ADA Foundation accept unsolicited requests?

Yes. Every active program listed is marked as accepting unsolicited requests, including the Dental Student Scholarship Program, ADAF Charitable Assistance Grants, ADAF Disaster Relief Fund, Crest and Oral-B Promising Researcher Award, and the Give Kids A Smile product donation programs.

Where do ADA Foundation grants go?

All grants in the provided distribution went to U.S. recipients, and 100% of grants were to organizations in Illinois. Chicago is the most visible city in the recent grant list, with additional recipients in Somerville, Washington, DC, Lahnham, and Needham.

Ada Foundation

Name: Ada Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActivePublic CharityMedical Research

Chicago, ILWebsite

About Ada Foundation

Encouraging hope and health in our communities through philanthropy, professional development and recognizing promising leaders in the dental profession.

Focus Areas

Oral health care for underserved childrenOral health care for veteransEmergency financial assistance for dentists and dependentsDental research (preventive dentistry)Professional leadership developmentDisaster relief for dental communities

Who They Fund

general publicpublic-serving nonprofitscommunity organizations

Funding Style

public supportgeneral public benefit funding

About Ada Foundation

The ADA Foundation’s recent giving is anchored in dental-profession infrastructure and public support, with its largest listed grant going to the American Dental Association for $658,345 in 2023. That same year, it also awarded $332,799 to the ADA Science and Research Institute LLC, showing a second major channel into professional support and dental research. In the 2025 file, the foundation continued to fund organizations connected to oral health, leadership, education, and emergency assistance, including the ADA Forsyth Institute, Howard University, Disable Veterans National Foundation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and the National Council of Dentist Health Programs. Its active programs match that pattern: scholarships for dental students, leadership development support, charitable assistance for dentists and their families, disaster relief for state dental associations, and product-based support for Give Kids A Smile events. The foundation also describes its work as encouraging hope and health through philanthropy, professional development, and recognition of promising leaders in the dental profession. That combination points to a funder that supports both the field itself and specific oral-health needs in the community.

What Ada Foundation Funds

Oral health access appears across several program lines. Through Give Kids A Smile product donation support, the foundation backs registered events serving underserved children with education, screening, preventive, and restorative kits. In disaster response, the ADAF Disaster Relief Fund provides grants to state dental associations and affiliated foundations to help dentists in states affected by a disaster. The foundation also supports dental education and leadership. The Dental Student Scholarship Program assists students facing financial barriers to dental school, while the Dr. David Whiston Leadership Award provides $5,000 for attendance at an ADAF-approved leadership program or another approved course. Research is another visible theme: the Crest and Oral-B Promising Researcher Award gives $5,000 to a promising researcher focused on preventive dentistry, with funds usable for conference costs.

How Ada Foundation Gives

The typical grant size is substantial: p25 is $169,138, median grant size is $332,799, and p75 is $495,572. The recent record also shows a strong public-support pattern, with one large recurring grant to the American Dental Association in 2023 and a smaller grant to the same recipient in 2025. The foundation is a public charity, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its active programs are all listed with unsolicited access as true, including scholarship, assistance, disaster relief, research, and product-donation programs.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$102K

Total Assets

$16.7M

Total Revenue

$2.1M

Total Expenses

$3M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $169K and $496K, with a median of $333K.

25th Percentile

$169K

Median

$333K

75th Percentile

$496K

Geographic Reach

Regional4 states funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

Unlock Deep Analysis

Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.

Get Started Free

See Similar Funders

Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.

Get Started Free

Explore related grant guides

Health Grants Health Grants in Illinois Grants in Illinois

Want a Personalized Pitch for Ada Foundation?

Get Started Free View Pricing

Free plan available

No contracts

Cancel anytime

Ada Foundation

About Ada Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About Ada Foundation

What Ada Foundation Funds

How Ada Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Deep Analysis

Unlock Deep Analysis

Similar Funders

See Similar Funders

Explore related grant guides

Want a Personalized Pitch for Ada Foundation?

Topics

Where Ada Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Ada Foundation

What kinds of organizations does ADA Foundation fund?

What is the typical grant size?

Does ADA Foundation accept unsolicited requests?

What areas of oral health does ADA Foundation emphasize?

Where do ADA Foundation grants go?

Recent Grants

Open Grant Opportunities

Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) — Product Donation / Event Support

Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
American Dental Association	Chicago, IL	$43,187	2025	Public Support
ADA Forsyth Institute	Somerville, MA	$28,406	2025	PUBLIC SUPPORT
Howard University	Washington, DC	$15,000	2025	PUBLIC SUPPORT
Disable Veterans National Foundation	Lahnham, MD	$10,000	2025	Public Support
National Council of Dentist Health Programs	Needham, MA	$5,000	2025	PUBLIC SUPPORT
American Dental Association	Chicago, IL	$658,345	2023	PUBLIC SUPPORT
ADA Science and Research Institute LLC	Chicago, IL	$332,799	2023	PUBLIC SUPPORT
Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago	Chicago, IL	$5,478	2023	PUBLIC SUPPORT

Ada Foundation

About Ada Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About Ada Foundation

What Ada Foundation Funds

How Ada Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Unlock Deep Analysis

See Similar Funders

Explore related grant guides

Want a Personalized Pitch for Ada Foundation?

The Grant Brief

Topics

Where Ada Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Ada Foundation

What kinds of organizations does ADA Foundation fund?

What is the typical grant size?

Does ADA Foundation accept unsolicited requests?

What areas of oral health does ADA Foundation emphasize?

Where do ADA Foundation grants go?

Recent Grants

Open Grant Opportunities

Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) — Product Donation / Event Support