The William B. Dietrich Foundation concentrates on capital and preservation projects for Philadelphia-area cultural, historic and educational institutions. Its grants fund building restoration, exterior repairs, gallery and exhibit construction, and site-specific conservation work for museums, historic houses, cemeteries, churches and schools. Awards are project-driven and often provided as multi-installment support for large restoration campaigns of landmark properties.
William B Dietrich Foundation’s recent giving is defined by large, project-based support for Philadelphia institutions that are restoring and expanding important buildings, collections, and cultural spaces. The single largest recent award in the data was $1,300,000 to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for the construction and establishment of the Egypt & Nubia Research Center at the museum, a signal of how the foundation backs major capital work rather than short-term program spending. Other large grants show the same pattern: $1,160,000 to Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries for restoration of the gatehouse, and $864,000 to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for exterior restoration and lighting in installment support. The foundation also funds collection galleries and structural repairs at institutions such as The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and Saint Mark’s Church. Across the recent grants list, the emphasis stays on preservation, construction, and renewal of landmark properties and educational spaces.
A clear theme is historic preservation for Philadelphia landmark buildings. William B Dietrich Foundation gave $765,481 to Saint Mark’s Church for masonry work and lighting of the Lady Chapel, and $745,000 to Curtis Institute of Music for window replacement and exterior restoration at 1726 Locust Street. Museum and collections projects are another major area. The foundation awarded $500,000 to The Franklin Institute for the Hamilton Collections Gallery and $275,000 to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University for the Bengal Tiger Diorama in Asia Hall. It also supports capital work at schools and campus institutions, including $450,000 to Germantown Friends School for renovation and construction of improvements on campus and $270,000 to Williamson College of the Trades for doors and windows at Derrickson Cottage. Cemetery and heritage-site preservation appears as well through work at Laurel Hill and West Laurel Hill Cemeteries.
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $155,000 at the median, and $431,000 at the 75th percentile, showing a spread from smaller operating awards to large capital commitments. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Saint Mark’s Church, Surrey Services for Seniors, New Horizons Senior Center, and Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries, which points to repeat support rather than one-off funding only. The foundation is a private grantmaker with no indication of individual giving or program-related investments in the provided data. Recent awards also include installment language such as first, second, and third installments on major projects, consistent with phased capital support.
$3.2M
$72.7M
$8.2M
$3.9M
Most grants fall between $10K and $431K, with a median of $155K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$155K
75th Percentile
$431K
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Relatively small portfolio of large, project-specific capital grants concentrated in the Philadelphia region; frequent multi-installment support to the same restoration campaigns and recurring funding to landmark institutions rather than many small or general operating grants.
Notable grantees: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries, Curtis Institute of Music, The Franklin Institute
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Pennsylvania, with 95% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Philadelphia is the main recipient city, but the foundation also funded organizations in Media, Ardmore, Mechanicsburg, Doylestown, Berwyn, Narberth, and Warwick, Rhode Island. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the recent grants data. This gives the foundation a local profile with most awards landing in the Philadelphia area.
The foundation funds capital and preservation projects, especially exterior restoration, masonry, lighting, window replacement, gallery construction, and site conservation. Recent awards include work for museums, historic houses, cemeteries, churches, schools, and performing arts institutions.
The typical grant size in the data ranges from $10,000 at the 25th percentile to a median of $155,000 and a 75th percentile of $431,000. Recent awards include both smaller general-purpose gifts and much larger project grants tied to construction or restoration.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Saint Mark’s Church, Surrey Services for Seniors, New Horizons Senior Center, and Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries. Some awards are explicitly labeled as installment payments for multi-phase projects.
Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania, which accounts for 95% of grants in the data. Philadelphia is the primary recipient city, with additional grants in nearby Pennsylvania communities such as Media, Ardmore, Mechanicsburg, Doylestown, Berwyn, and Narberth.
Recent grants support museum expansion and exhibit development, historic building and site restoration, conservation of architectural features, exterior lighting and site improvements, and performing arts or community facility renovation. Named projects include gallery construction, gatehouse restoration, diorama work, and campus improvements.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRIENDS OF LAUREL HILL & WEST LAUREL HILL CEMETERIES | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,160,000 | 2025 | RESTORATION OF GATEHOUSE |
| THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500,000 | 2025 | HAMILTON COLLECTIONS GALLERY |
| MORRIS ARBORETUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $340,000 | 2025 | RENOVATION & REPAIR OF THE STEP FOUNTAIN |
| PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LANDMARKS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $330,000 | 2025 | GRUMBLETHORPE HISTORIC TENANT HOUSE RESTORATION PROJECTI |
| WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES | MEDIA, PA | $270,000 | 2025 | DOORS & WINDOWS FOR EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF DERRICKSON COTTAGE |
| TOWNSHIP OF LOWER MERION | ARDMORE, PA | $255,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| US SQUASH RACQUETS ASSOCIATION INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $240,000 | 2025 | DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW RECEPTION AREA AT THE ARMORY |
| SAINT MARK'S CHURCH | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $54,700 | 2025 | MASONRY WORK & EXTERIOR LIGHTING OF THE LADY CHAPEL |
| NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER | NARBERTH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| SURREY SERVICES FOR SENIORS | BERWYN, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,300,000 | 2024 | CONSTRUCTION & ESTABLISMENT OF THE EGYPT & NUBIA RESEARHC CENTER AT THE MUSEUM |
| SAINT MARK'S CHURCH | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $765,481 | 2024 | MASONRY WORK & LIGHTING OF THE LADY CHAPEL |
| GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $450,000 | 2024 | RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS ON CAMPUS |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $431,000 | 2024 | EXTERIOR RESTORATION & LIGHTING (3RD OF 3 INSTALLMENTS) |
| CONGREGATION RODEPH SHALOM | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $155,000 | 2024 | STAINED GLASS WINDOW RESTORATION |
| THREEFOLD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION | MECHANICSBURG, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | PROJECT AT MT. ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH BUILDING |
| CALLED TO SERVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2024 | PROJECT AT REV. LEON H. SULLIVAN COMMUNITY IMPACT CENTER |
| SURREY SERVICES FOR SENIORS | BERWYN, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER | NARBERTH, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $864,000 | 2023 | EXTERIOR RESTORATION & LIGHTING (1ST & 2ND OF 3 INSTALLMENTS) |
| CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $745,000 | 2023 | WINDOW REPLACEMENT & EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF 1726 LOCUST STREET |
| THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $317,000 | 2023 | RESTORATION OF BROAD ST & LOCUST ST BALCONIES (3RD OF 3 INSTALLMENTS) |
| ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF DREXEL UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $275,000 | 2023 | BENGAL TIGER DIORAMA (ASIA HALL) |
| SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $250,000 | 2023 | RENOVATION OF RECREATIONAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS |
| THE BARNES FOUNDATION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $200,000 | 2023 | SECOND CENTURY CAMPAIGN |
| COUNTY THEATER INC | DOYLESTOWN, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | EXPANSION PROJECT |
| PHILADELPHIA CLEF CLUB OF JAZZ & PERFORMING ARTS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| SURREY SERVICES FOR SENIORS | BERWYN, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER | NARBERTH, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| VANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM | WARWICK, RI | $10,000 | 2023 | WILLIAM B DIETRICH FUND |
| JEANNE RUDDY AND DANCERS INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $3,600 | 2023 | MAINTENANCE EXPENSES |
FRIENDS OF LAUREL HILL & WEST LAUREL HILL CEMETERIES
$1,160,000RESTORATION OF GATEHOUSE
RENOVATION & REPAIR OF THE STEP FOUNTAIN
PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LANDMARKS
$330,000GRUMBLETHORPE HISTORIC TENANT HOUSE RESTORATION PROJECTI
WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES
$270,000DOORS & WINDOWS FOR EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF DERRICKSON COTTAGE
TOWNSHIP OF LOWER MERION
$255,000GENERAL PURPOSES
US SQUASH RACQUETS ASSOCIATION INC
$240,000DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW RECEPTION AREA AT THE ARMORY
SAINT MARK'S CHURCH
$54,700MASONRY WORK & EXTERIOR LIGHTING OF THE LADY CHAPEL
NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CONSTRUCTION & ESTABLISMENT OF THE EGYPT & NUBIA RESEARHC CENTER AT THE MUSEUM
SAINT MARK'S CHURCH
$765,481MASONRY WORK & LIGHTING OF THE LADY CHAPEL
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL
$450,000RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS ON CAMPUS
EXTERIOR RESTORATION & LIGHTING (3RD OF 3 INSTALLMENTS)
CONGREGATION RODEPH SHALOM
$155,000STAINED GLASS WINDOW RESTORATION
THREEFOLD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
$50,000PROJECT AT MT. ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH BUILDING
CALLED TO SERVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP
$25,000PROJECT AT REV. LEON H. SULLIVAN COMMUNITY IMPACT CENTER
NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
EXTERIOR RESTORATION & LIGHTING (1ST & 2ND OF 3 INSTALLMENTS)
CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC
$745,000WINDOW REPLACEMENT & EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF 1726 LOCUST STREET
THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
$317,000RESTORATION OF BROAD ST & LOCUST ST BALCONIES (3RD OF 3 INSTALLMENTS)
BENGAL TIGER DIORAMA (ASIA HALL)
SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY
$250,000RENOVATION OF RECREATIONAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
COUNTY THEATER INC
$15,000EXPANSION PROJECT
PHILADELPHIA CLEF CLUB OF JAZZ & PERFORMING ARTS
$15,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
NEW HORIZONS SENIOR CENTER
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES
JEANNE RUDDY AND DANCERS INC
$3,600MAINTENANCE EXPENSES