Donum Dei Foundation concentrates its giving on Catholic faith-based institutions and services, prioritizing support for religious communities, Catholic primary/secondary schools, and parish-based charitable programs. Grants are predominantly unrestricted/general operating support and often sizable, with a mix of local New Jersey beneficiaries and mission-oriented international partners. The foundation appears to favor established organizations (several repeat recipients) that sustain religious life, education, and direct social services like soup kitchens.
Donum Dei Foundation Inc gives at a high-dollar, relationship-driven level to Catholic institutions that sustain religious life, education, and parish-based charity. Its recent grants show repeated support for monasteries and Dominican communities, along with schools and parishes that carry out direct service. The largest single award in the data is $1,000,000 to Friends of Newark Monastry Inc for general support, signaling how central monastic sustainability is to its portfolio. Another major grant went to St John's Soup Kitchen in Newark for $500,000, reflecting a parallel commitment to food access through church-linked service. The foundation’s pattern is not limited to one type of institution. It has backed Catholic schools such as Saint Francis Xavier School and Mount Saint Mary Academy, as well as religious orders including Dominican Nuns and the Dominican Foundation. It also uses donor-advised and pass-through charitable vehicles, alongside grants made directly to named faith-based organizations. The mix suggests a funder focused on sustaining established Catholic organizations that support worship, formation, and direct aid, often through unrestricted grants rather than project-only awards.
A clear theme in the grant record is support for Catholic education. Donum Dei Foundation Inc gave $300,000 to Saint Francis Xavier School in Winooski, Vermont for general support, then followed with additional awards of $200,000 to the same school in Washington, Vermont and Winooski in later years. Religious communities also receive steady backing. The foundation awarded $250,000 to Mount Saint Mary Academy for general support and $250,000 to Seton Hall Prep, both in 2025, while Dominican Nuns in Summit received multiple grants, including $200,000 and $150,000. Direct relief appears through parish-linked services. St John's Soup Kitchen in Newark received $500,000 for general support, and St John Vianney Parish in Colonia received $100,000. Mission and diocesan support is another thread, including $225,000 to Trinity Missions and $200,000 to Friends of the Diocese of Tshumbe.
Typical awards cluster at a sizable level: the grant-size distribution is $28,500 at the 25th percentile, $70,000 at the median, and $127,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes several six-figure grants and repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Saint Francis Xavier School, Trinity Missions, and Dominican Nuns. That pattern points to relationship-based funding rather than one-off transactions. The foundation appears to give directly to operating charities and religious institutions, and the presence of a donor-advised fund recipient indicates it also uses pass-through giving vehicles.
$2.3M
$34.3M
$2.1M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $29K and $128K, with a median of $70K.
25th Percentile
$29K
Median
$70K
75th Percentile
$128K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small set of faith-based organizations with several repeat recipients; predominantly general operating support rather than project-specific funding; mix of local/regional NJ focus and some international mission backing.
Notable grantees: Friends of Newark Monastery, Inc., Saint Francis Xavier School, St. John's Soup Kitchen, Dominican Nuns, Friends of the Diocese of Tshumbe
Grant recipients are national, but the heaviest concentration is in New York state. Recent awards also land in New Jersey cities such as Newark, Summit, Colonia, South Orange, and Watchung, showing a strong nearby footprint even though the HQ is not in the top-giving state. Vermont appears repeatedly through Saint Francis Xavier School and Our Lady of the Lake Parish. Other named recipient locations include Boston, Silver Spring, Sioux Falls, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.
The recent grant record centers on Catholic parishes, monastic communities, Catholic schools, parish-based direct service, and mission or diocesan support. Examples include monastery support, soup kitchen funding, grants to Catholic academies and prep schools, and support for Dominican and missionary organizations.
The distribution is $28,500 at the 25th percentile, $70,000 at the median, and $127,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger six-figure grants, including a $1,000,000 award and several $200,000 to $300,000 grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Saint Francis Xavier School, Trinity Missions, Dominican Nuns, Fidelity Charitable Donor Advised Fund, and Dominican Foundation. The repeated awards suggest ongoing relationships rather than isolated grants.
By grant count, New York is the top state. New Jersey also receives a substantial share of grants, including recipients in Newark, Summit, Colonia, South Orange, and Watchung, while the overall scope of giving is national.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNT SAINT MARY ACADEMY | WATCHUNG, NJ | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SETON HALL PREP | WEST ORAGNE, NJ | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL | WINOOSKI, VT | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN NUNS | SUMMIT, NJ | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN NUNS | SUMMIT, NJ | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF THE DIOCESE OF TSHUMBE | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $140,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $135,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OUR LADY OF THE LAKE PARISH | ALBURGH, VT | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS | MARYKNOLL, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WORLD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE RENEWAL | NEWARK, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS | MARYKNOLL, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MERCY CHEFS | PORTSMOUTH, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN | NEWARK, NJ | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL | WINOOSKI, VT | $300,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, VT | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $105,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $105,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ST JOHN VIANNEY PARISH | COLONIA, NJ | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SUPPORT OUR AGING RELIGIOUS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $70,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $70,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN | NEWARK, NJ | $55,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN | LANHAM, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN NUNS | SUMMIT, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF NEWARK MONASTRY INC | SOUTH ORANGE, NJ | $1,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND | BOSTON, MA | $300,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| TRINITY MISSIONS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $225,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| CATHOLIC FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $175,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN NUNS | SUMMIT, NJ | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| DOMINICAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS | MARYKNOLL, NY | $65,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN | NEWARK, NJ | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES | DES PLAINES, IL | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | BOONE, IA | $40,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE | NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ | $30,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $27,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
MOUNT SAINT MARY ACADEMY
$250,000GENERAL
SETON HALL PREP
$250,000GENERAL
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN NUNS
$200,000GENERAL
FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$200,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN NUNS
$200,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF THE DIOCESE OF TSHUMBE
GENERAL
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
$140,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$135,000GENERAL
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE PARISH
$100,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
$100,000GENERAL
MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS
$50,000GENERAL
WORLD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES
$50,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$40,000GENERAL
FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE RENEWAL
$20,000GENERAL
MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS
$10,000GENERAL
LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS
$10,000GENERAL
ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN
$500,000GENERAL
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
$300,000GENERAL
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL
LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS
$150,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$105,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$105,000GENERAL
ST JOHN VIANNEY PARISH
$100,000GENERAL
FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$100,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$70,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$70,000GENERAL
ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN
$55,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$50,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$50,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$20,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN NUNS
$10,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF NEWARK MONASTRY INC
$1,000,000GENERAL
FIDELITY CHARITABLE DONOR ADVISED FUND
$300,000GENERAL
TRINITY MISSIONS
$225,000GENERAL
CATHOLIC FOUNDATION FOR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
$175,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN NUNS
$150,000GENERAL
DOMINICAN FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL
MARYKNOLL FATHERS & BROTHERS
$65,000GENERAL
ST JOHN'S SOUP KITCHEN
$50,000GENERAL
WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES
$50,000GENERAL
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$40,000GENERAL
ACADEMY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE
$30,000GENERAL
LITTLE WORKERS OF THE SACRED HEARTS
$27,000GENERAL