The Donley Foundation

GIVING CHILDREN A CHANCE

Our Farewell

Our founders, Inez and Edward Donley, established the Donley Foundation in 1986 with these thoughts in mind:

“We had an overriding idea, in our case, given the case that we had come from very poor childhoods, something that would help children improve their chances in the world by getting a more adequate education would be good for those individuals and for the country. We established a Donley Foundation and chose good causes that we thought we would support.”

Ed and Inez never forgot their roots. After success in the industrial gas business, the Donleys gave away much of their wealth during their lifetimes. They contributed the rest to the Donley Foundation asking their children and grandchildren to steward the Foundation’s assets.

After nearly 40 years, it is with pride that the Donley Foundation Board of Trustees announces its carefully considered decision to sunset the Donley Foundation reflecting a natural conclusion to its life cycle.

The Donley Foundation will be closing in 2023 with final grants being distributed to a group of core grantees. The remaining assets will be distributed to successor philanthropic efforts of Trustees and family members.

The most important legacy of the Donley Foundation is the organizations it has been our honor and privilege to support. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for their accomplishments and efforts that make a difference in the world and are grateful for their work in creating a more equitable society.

We are also deeply grateful to Daphne Rowe and Pembroke Philanthropy and Haverford Trust, who not only coordinated our efforts but devotedly embodied our values for more than the past decade.

Over these three decades, we have followed the efforts of all of our grantees. We are closing with immense appreciation of work done and commitment to the work to be done.

With gratitude,

Thomas Donley (Chair), Jennifer Donley Convey, John Donley, Ted Donley, Megan Donley Hewitt, Martha Donley Robb and W. Gavin Robb

The Donley Foundation Trustees