David B Jones Foundation
The David B Jones Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Established in May 1998, it makes grants to domestic 501(c)(3) organizations for educational, research, and charitable activities in paleontology, primarily in the United States.
David B Jones Foundation at a glance
In short: David B Jones Foundation gave $1.3M across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $47K), top state South Dakota. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,260,857
- -2.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- +12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $46,698
- -13.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $38,788
- Total assets
- $25,201,943
- -2.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (11 of 26, 2024)
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (18% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to David B Jones Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts applications from qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Applications may be sent at any time during the fiscal year. The foundation directs applicants to its website for application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- Applications may be submitted throughout the fiscal year. The board meets twice a year, usually in late November and late May, to consider applications; applicants seeking support for summer programs are advised to plan accordingly.
- Deadline
- Applications may be submitted throughout the fiscal year.
- Contact
Application contact: David B Jones Foundation
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Website: https://dbjonesfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from David B Jones Foundation
Who David B Jones Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mammoth Site of Hot Springs South Dakota Inc ($203K). Together the top 10 received $899K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($38,788), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 116 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it primarily supports paleontology activities in the United States. Its 2024 grants went to recipients in multiple states; the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were South Dakota (18%), Montana (12%), California (10%), Michigan (10%), and Minnesota (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is David B Jones Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 26 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $49K. How we count
Medians: $60K first-time, $39K repeat.
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2022) to $1.4M (2021). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Site of Hot Springs South Dakota Inc Hot Springs, SD | Mammoth Site Intern Program | $202,500 |
| Museum of the Rockies Bozeman, MT | Cretaceous Crossroads and Discover Science!: A Paleontological Education Initiative | $145,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Mammalian evolution in dynamic environments across the K-Pg boundary in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming | $86,315 |
| Board of the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Training the next generation of curators and collection managers via impactful museum collection activities | $85,207 |
| Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Found Los Angeles, CA | Dinosaur Institute Summer Internship in Fossil Conservation at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | $70,000 |
| Minnesota Childrens Museum Saint Paul, MN | Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice Exhibit National Tour | $65,000 |
| Loyola University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Expanding insights into end-Cretaceous community dynamics from microfossil assemblages of the Lance Formation, Wyoming | $62,337 |
| University of New Mexico Foundation Incorporated Albuquerque, NM | Future Fossils on Fans: The Pilcomayo fan, Paraguay, as a model for terrestrial vertebrate fossil preservation | $60,146 |
| Idaho State University Foundation Inc Pocatello, ID | Education Everywhere Idaho | $60,000 |
| Science Kids Sheridan, WY | Science Kids Program Support | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,201,943 | $930,199 | $1,688,930 | $1,260,857 | 27 | $1,380,748 | $717,846 | $1,391,754 |
| 2023 | $25,960,674 | $-341,620 | $1,648,208 | $1,297,005 | 24 | $1,401,773 | $794,067 | $1,385,704 |
| 2022 | $27,950,502 | $2,047,451 | $1,690,260 | $1,037,633 | 24 | $1,123,600 | $1,521,892 | $1,347,926 |
| 2021 | $27,593,311 | $2,067,101 | $2,195,966 | $1,429,655 | 23 | $1,534,488 | $1,384,778 | $1,400,741 |
| 2020 | $27,734,676 | $1,168,332 | $1,778,523 | $1,132,245 | 18 | — | $642,650 | $1,292,061 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, David B Jones Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support paleontology research, encourage writing and publication about paleontology, and support educational programs and training for young and amateur fossil hunters. It funds qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organizations whose work addresses that mission.
Its 2024 grants included research projects at universities and museum-based education and training. For example, the Museum of the Rockies received support for a paleontological education initiative; Minnesota Children’s Museum received support for a touring exhibit; and Science Kids received program support. The Museum of the Rockies describes its own mission as inviting people to discover natural science and cultural history, while Minnesota Children’s Museum describes its mission as providing children with a hands-on environment for learning and discovery. Science Kids says its mission is to get children outdoors, where science learning happens.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $1,260,857. Grant amounts ranged from $3,500 to $202,500, with a median of $38,788. The largest awards included $202,500 to the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs South Dakota for its intern program; $145,000 to the Museum of the Rockies for “Cretaceous Crossroads and Discover Science!: A Paleontological Education Initiative”; and $86,315 to the Regents of the University of Michigan for research on mammalian evolution across the K-Pg boundary in Wyoming.
The foundation offers one-time, multiyear commitments of up to five years, start-up program grants, and challenge or matching grants. Its board of directors makes final decisions on applications. It excludes grants to individuals, religious organizations for religious purposes, private foundations other than operating foundations, endowments and other discretionary funding pools, ticketed events, political purposes, lobbying, and purposes outside its funding priorities. For applicants required to charge indirect costs or overhead, requests should be limited to 10% of direct costs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jeffrey Malone as president. Directors listed were Jaelyn Eberle, Brad Grossenburg, Don Lofgren, Cayce B Malone, Raymond Rogers, and Muriel Runholt. Don Lofgren was also listed as secretary. The foundation states that its directors serve three-year terms.
David B Jones Foundation is led by Jeffrey Malone, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jeffrey Malone
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $25K (2024)
Raymond Rogers
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2024)
Brad Grossenburg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Don Lofgren
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Muriel Runholt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cayce B Malone
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jaelyn Eberle
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Michael J Flynn (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Karen Buboltz (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $25K, to Jeffrey Malone (Pres). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about David B Jones Foundation
How much does David B Jones Foundation give each year?
David B Jones Foundation gave $1.3M across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 24 grants.
What is David B Jones Foundation's typical grant size?
David B Jones Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $38,788, and its average grant was $46,698, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from David B Jones Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does David B Jones Foundation give grants?
David B Jones Foundation's top state is South Dakota, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Montana (12%) and California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Paul, MN (2 grants), Denver, CO (2 grants), Claremont, CA (2 grants) and Sioux Falls, SD (2 grants).
Does David B Jones Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on David B Jones Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are David B Jones Foundation's largest grantees?
David B Jones Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mammoth Site of Hot Springs South Dakota Inc ($202,500), Museum of the Rockies ($145,000) and Regents of the University of Michigan ($86,315), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($38,788), which are not listed by name. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is David B Jones Foundation?
David B Jones Foundation reported $25.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does David B Jones Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support paleontology research, encourage writing and publication about paleontology, and support educational programs and training for young and amateur fossil hunters. It funds qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organizations whose work addresses that mission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from David B Jones Foundation?
The foundation accepts applications from qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is David B Jones Foundation's EIN?
David B Jones Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1909574. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). David B Jones Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/david-b-jones-foundation-morg_64859f0fd2e740898c03fe8a61cecbae
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411909574_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{David B Jones Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/david-b-jones-foundation-morg_64859f0fd2e740898c03fe8a61cecbae},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from David B Jones Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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