The Greater Dover Foundation is a nonprofit, philanthropic endeavor created in 1992 by the Greater Dover Committee to assist in identifying emerging community issues and opportunities and to provide a lasting source of charitable funding to support the efforts of non-profit organizations and public institutions in the greater Dover area.

The Greater Dover Foundation is administered by the Delaware Community Foundation, a statewide non-profit organization that administers charitable endowment funds.  The Delaware Community Foundation was created in 1986 by community leaders from all parts of the state who established the Foundation’s mission to encourage increased philanthropic activity to benefit the people of Delaware.

This year's Grant Application is now available. Click here to download the application (MSWord). Click here to download the guidelines (PDF format).

Greater Dover Foundation Community Building
The Greater Dover Foundation has identified a need in Kent County for a Community Service Building. Following the example in Wilmington, The Greater Dover Foundation is leading the charge to create a similar facility located in the heart of Downtown Dover. Our mission is to bring together multiple non-profit organizations under one roof while providing the financial benefit of below-market lease rates for these 501c3 organizations. Some of the organizations that have expressed interest in leasing space in the Community Service Building are the United Way, Downtown Dover Partnership, and Greater Dover Committee.

The Community Service Building will be located at 101 West Loockerman Street. In addition to the financial benefit to our tenants, this building will be a symbol that reminds our community that charitable gifts have a direct impact on the future success of our community. Our efforts are also a giant step towards the revitalization of Downtown Dover since the non-profit organizations in the Community Services Building will work with thousands of Kent County citizens.

Click here to read an article from the Dover Post, or here for an article from the February 11 edition of the Delaware State News.

Endowing Dover’s Future

The Greater Dover Foundation has been established for two main reasons:

1. To provide a vehicle for charitable giving to the community:  Anyone can be a philanthropist through a gift, large or small, to the Greater Dover Foundation.

2. To work for the betterment of the greater Dover area and its residents:  Income from the Greater Dover Foundation will be directed to meet critical needs of the area and its residents.  The fund is flexible, able to direct grant making to new issues or opportunities as they arise.  The one constant is that the income generated by the Greater Dover Foundation will stay in the Dover area.

Dover…Proud Heritage,
Powerful Future!

The Greater Dover area retains the ambiance of a charming, revolutionary-era community, while serving as a modern state capital, vibrant business center, home of Dover Air Force Base, and famous site of automobile racing.  Dover is unique in Delaware, and proud of its heritage.  The community leaders in the Greater Dover area know they must preserve and protect Dover today for it to be strong and proud tomorrow.  As a result, they have created a vehicle that will encourage investments today to meet tomorrow’s charitable needs. 

That vehicle…a philanthropic endeavor created solely by and for greater Dover area residents is the Greater Dover Foundation.

Community Response to Community Needs

Because the greater Dover area is unique, so are its need.  An Advisory Committee of Dover residents who know the city and its people and realize their needs, will work together to identify emerging community issues and opportunities in the greater Dover area. 

Help preserve Dover’s heritage for generations to come.  Donate to the Greater Dover Foundation. We offer a variety of ways to contribute: 

• Cash, in amounts large or small

• Real estate

• Stocks

• Charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities

• Charitable Bequests

• Donor advised fund with planned gift strategies

Contributions can be mailed to:

The Greater Dover Foundation

P.O. Box 1836

Dover, DE 19903

Credit cards are also accepted on the Delaware Community Foundation’s website (make this a link to the page that allows individuals to make a donation online).  When making your donation, designate the Greater Dover Foundation. 

For more information about the Greater Dover Foundation please send us an e-mail greaterdovercommittee@comcast.net.