Community Engagement and Philanthropy

As part of our commitment to community engagement, we encourage our operating companies and employees to be involved in the communities where we operate, and we offer programs to support local charitable and philanthropic efforts. We believe that philanthropic engagement extends our ability to make a positive impact on our local communities beyond our operations and is a meaningful way to foster employee goodwill.

The Dover Foundation

The Dover Foundation, established in 2011, seeks to support not-for-profit organizations, causes, and programs that promote education, literacy, the advancement of STEM initiatives (science, technology, engineering, and math), and other local community needs identified and supported by our operating companies.  

The Dover Foundation places a high priority on education, with a focus on efforts that enrich science and technology education for students, and on supporting literacy programs that enhance reading and communication skills. The Foundation believes education plays an important role in sustaining individual and societal improvement, promoting strong communities, a vibrant economy, and a skilled workforce for the future.

In 2021, the Dover Foundation continued to support diversity and inclusion efforts to programs like the Museum of Science and Industry’s Black Creativity initiative which focuses on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education programs that empower curiosity and creativity in Black communities.

Dover Scholars Program

The Dover Scholars Program is a significant way the Foundation demonstrates its commitment to education. The program awards scholarships to high school seniors and college students who are the children or dependents of Dover employees, with selections based on each student’s academic performance, leadership abilities, and extracurricular activities.

Recipients are eligible for a recurring/multi-year scholarship of up to $3,000 per year for a maximum of $12,000 for their undergraduate studies. All awards are made on a competitive basis by an impartial, outside committee comprised of academic professionals with student evaluation backgrounds from prominent universities. During its 11-year history, the program has awarded a total of 373 scholarships valued at over $2.6 million in financial support.

Community Partnerships

The Dover Foundation regularly partners with institutions and organizations in support of its focus areas, with a particular emphasis on initiatives that serve to enhance science education opportunities and technology experiences for students. The Foundation believes that the collective impact of its philanthropic investment and engagement efforts are amplified through its partnerships with respected local organizations. In 2021, the Foundation provided nearly $1 million in grants and contributions through community partnerships. 

For nearly a decade, the Dover Foundation has been a partner to the Shedd Aquarium, serving more than 180,000 students annually through group visits, a component which Dover helps to support. Over the years, Dover has provided integral support to launch and fuel programs such as the Science Educators Conference, Aerial Robotics, Teen Learning Lab, Camp Shedd, and the Education Access Program, which have been part of a pivotal framework for ensuring that every student is afforded the opportunities and access that will empower their hopeful futures.

Most recently, Dover Foundation’s partnership has enabled Shedd’s Learning Programs to advance digital programming and resources to students and educators during a time of pronounced need – as students transitioned quickly to virtual learning through the COVID-19 pandemic, educators across the country sought suitable supplemental learning content. Shedd succeeded in meeting the needs of its school partners across the city, adapting programs and creating new resources which have allowed the organization to expand its reach beyond the walls of the aquarium.

The Dover Foundation is especially active in the Chicago area, where Dover maintains its headquarters, but also partners with local organizations in many of the communities where Dover’s operating companies are located. We encourage our operating companies and employees around the world to be engaged and active members of the communities where they live and work, and where Dover does business. To assist our operating companies in their efforts to make a positive impact, the Dover Foundation makes available grants of up to $5,000 to qualifying organizations when a contribution of equal or greater value is made directly by the local Dover operating company. These grants support a wide range of community needs, including hunger, health, social, and youth services.

How the Dover Foundation Supports our Communities

The Dover Foundation, in partnership with our operating companies, has supported many important community programs, including the following:

• Belvac Production Machinery, Inc.: Jubilee Family Development Center, the United Way of Central Virginia campaign and its Annual Day of Caring, Home for the Troops and Habitat for Humanity.
• Blackmer: Cornerstone University and Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
• CPC: Second Harvest Heartland and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Cook Compression: Susan G. Komen Foundation – Houston
• Destaco: Ride 2 Recovery/Project Hero
• Dover Food Retail: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Dover Precision Components: Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation, Special Olympics Texas, Inc. and Centerfield Elementary PTA
• Hillphoenix: Van Buren County Hospital & Clinic and Indian Hills Community College
• Hydro Systems: Teen Challenge Cincinnati
• Inpro/Seal: Aspire and Junior Achievement of the Heartland
• MAAG: Pestalozzi Children's Foundation
• Markem-Imaje: Monadnock United Way
• OPW: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Shared Harvest Foodbank, Inc., Teen Challenge Cincinnati, and Alzheimer’ Association
• PDQ: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin
• Pole/Zero: Teen Challenge Cincinnati
• PSG: Laura’s House and LGBTQ+ Center on Halsted
• TWG: Make A Wish Foundation of Oklahoma
• VSG: Community Foundation of Madison & Jefferson County, King's Daughters' Hospital Foundation, Fondazione Città della Speranz and Wake Tech Community College Foundation
• Waukesha Bearings: Antigo Area Food Pantry, Asante^® Foundation, Aspire of Illinois

Community Involvement

In addition to funding from The Dover Foundation, a significant portion of our community involvement is evidenced by the passion of our operating companies and employees around the world who donate products and volunteer their time and talent in the communities where they live and work.