About John Dawson Foundation
The John Dawson Foundation concentrates its giving in Arizona, prioritizing youth-focused services and local cultural institutions. Its grants fund after‑school and youth development programs, pediatric wish‑granting, and regional arts (notably jazz performance), with a smaller allocation to state public policy research. The foundation makes relatively few, sizeable grants and occasionally repeats funding to core local partners.
Focus Areas
After‑school youth development and Boys & Girls Clubs in the Phoenix/Valley areaPediatric wish‑granting and life‑changing experiences for children with serious illnesses (Make‑A‑Wish Arizona)Regional jazz performance venue support and local arts infrastructure (The Nash/Jazz in Arizona)Arizona-focused public policy and research (Goldwater Institute)
Who They Fund
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Giving Approach
Concentrated giving: a small number of large grants (several six‑figure gifts) with repeat support to at least one core youth services provider; primarily Arizona‑based beneficiaries.
Funding Style
About John Dawson Foundation
A repeated pattern of large grants to Arizona organizations defines John Dawson Foundation’s recent giving. The foundation has supported Make-A-Wish Arizona with a $250,000 grant in 2024 and Boys and Girls Club of the Valley with grants of $150,000 in 2025 and $125,000 in 2024, showing a preference for substantial awards rather than broad dispersal. Its recent portfolio also includes support for jazz performance through Jazz in Arizona dba The Nash, along with funding for youth-serving groups, pediatric wish-granting, and selected policy and research organizations. The grant list shows a mix of local Phoenix-area nonprofits and a smaller set of national policy institutions, including Goldwater Institute, Cato Institute, and Institute for Justice. Several recipients appear more than once across the recent-grants table, suggesting the foundation sometimes returns to the same organizations in consecutive years. The structure is straightforward: charitable-purpose grants, typically sized well above ordinary small grants, with giving that is concentrated and relationship-based rather than widely distributed across many fields.
What John Dawson Foundation Funds
Youth and after-school programming are a clear priority. John Dawson Foundation gave $150,000 in 2025 and $125,000 in 2024 to Boys and Girls Club of the Valley Inc in Phoenix, and also awarded $50,000 in both 2024 and 2025 to East Valley Inst of Technology Foundation in Mesa. Pediatric wish-granting is another visible theme, with $250,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025 to Make-a-wish Foundation Arizona Chapter in Phoenix. The foundation also supports arts and civic institutions. It granted $150,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025 to Jazz in Arizona Inc dba The Nash in Phoenix, and $50,000 in 2025 to Fiesta Events Inc in Scottsdale. On the policy side, grants of $100,000 in 2023, $100,000 in 2024, and $100,000 in 2025 went to Goldwater Institute in Phoenix, while Cato Institute in Washington, DC received $50,000 in 2023, $50,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2025.
How John Dawson Foundation Gives
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $75,000 at the 75th percentile, with a recent portfolio that also includes larger six-figure awards. Recipients often appear in more than one year: several organizations receive repeated support across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The grantmaking is charitable-purpose based and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Awards are generally made in round amounts, with a few larger anchor grants standing out from a broader set of $50,000 and $75,000 gifts.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.2M
Total Assets
$29.9M
Total Revenue
$856K
Total Expenses
$1.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $75K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$75K
Geographic Reach
Regional9 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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