Diana Davis Spencer Foundation Incorporated
The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation is a private family foundation based in Bethesda, MD that promotes national security, entrepreneurship, education, public policy and related philanthropic causes. The foundation is led by Executive Chairman Diana Davis Spencer and CEO Abby Spencer Moffat and conducts invitation-only grantmaking.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A well-established nonprofit working in education, public policy/national security, veterans/family support, or entrepreneurship with capacity for multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar grants and national or regional impact.
Good Fit
- • Programs in higher education, public policy research, national security or veterans support.
- • Capacity to manage multi-year or large institutional grants ($100K up to several million).
- • Established institutional reputation or relationships with trustees, past grantees, or intermediaries.
- • Programs that align with observed priorities such as constitutional education, campus initiatives, or public education outreach.
Geography
Observed giving spans 24 states with the majority of dollars directed outside the foundation's home state, indicating a national multi-state footprint despite a concentration (about 36%) in one state.
Recipient Variety
In the latest year the foundation funded 119 distinct recipients across many program types (education, public policy, veterans, health and more) with 53 newly funded organizations and 66 recurring recipients, showing a broad and diverse recipient set for its scale.
New Applicants
Direct application is formally closed—website language states grantmaking is invitation-only and general inquiries are not accepted—yet the foundation added a substantial number of new grantees (53 in the latest year and 72 in 2023), so new entrants do appear but primarily via invitation or relationship channels.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
