Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation

What Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation does

The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation is a private, family-controlled charitable foundation headquartered in Burbank, California, established to perpetuate the humanitarian and philanthropic legacy of entertainer Bob Hope (1903–2003) and his wife Dolores Hope (1909–2022). The foundation's mission centers on supporting organizations that deliver "HOPE" to people in need and to those who serve the United States, with funding priorities spanning basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), behavioral health, and educational opportunities that foster financial independence. Its core products and programs are grant-based rather than technology-based: the foundation issues capital and operating grants to nonprofit partners (such as the $2 million LAX USO facility upgrade, the $3 million National WWII Museum exhibit, and a cumulative >$3.5 million to Operation Homefront since 2017), operates the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program with the USO serving roughly 33,000 military families globally each year, and runs the $20,000 annual Bob Hope Band Scholarship with Macy's since 2003.

The foundation's business model is philanthropic grantmaking rather than commercial revenue generation: it does not sell a product or service, has no publicly disclosed revenue or endowment figure, and earns no operating income in the conventional sense. Grants are issued by invitation only via a Letter of Inquiry process, and the foundation has publicly stated it is no longer accepting unsolicited requests through website, email, telephone, or mail. Its primary customer segments are U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families (vertical), and low-to-moderate income families (horizontal), reached indirectly through grantee organizations. The foundation is governed by a Board led by Linda Hope (Bob and Dolores Hope's daughter) as Chair/CEO, and it monetizes and protects the Bob Hope brand — name, likeness, registered service marks, and a 557,000-item collection stewarded with the Library of Congress — through partnerships such as the Television Academy's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award presented at the Emmy Awards.

Name

Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation

Legal name

Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation

Website

https://bobhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation is a private family-controlled charitable foundation based in Burbank, California that preserves the Bob Hope legacy by issuing invitation-only grants to nonprofit partners serving U.S. military service members, veterans, and low- to moderate-income families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation
• Grantmaking programs
• Philanthropic giving
• Military family support
• Legacy preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant Funding: The foundation provides grants to organizations supporting those in need and military families. Funding priorities include basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), behavioral health, and educational opportunities that foster financial independence and self-sufficiency.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation is a private charitable foundation that funds partner organizations supporting U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families, as well as low-to-moderate-income families in need. Funding priorities address basic needs (food, shelter, clothing), behavioral health, and educational opportunities that foster financial independence and self-sufficiency. Grants are awarded by invitation only through a Letter of Inquiry process, and the foundation also preserves and monetizes the Bob Hope name, likeness, and archival legacy through licensing and partnership programs.

Product overview

The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation is a charitable organization (not a technology product company) that supports organizations bringing hope to those in need, particularly U.S. military service members and their families. The Foundation's programs include: the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program (virtual story time for military families with USO), the Bob Hope Band Scholarship (annual $20,000 music education scholarship with Macy's), and Bob Hope Legacy Grants to Operation Homefront (critical financial assistance for military families). The Foundation also provides capital grants for USO facilities and supports exhibits at museums honoring Bob Hope's entertainment and military legacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 55+ requests for critical assistance approved in Los Angeles and other regions through Operation Homefront partnership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Television AcademyflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award is presented at the Emmy Awards, named in recognition of Bob Hope's enduring legacy of service and humanitarianism. 2025 recipients: Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.
• USOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with USO including the Bob Hope USO center at LAX. The foundation has provided $2 million to upgrade the facility, which serves over 100,000 military visitors annually.
• Operation HomefrontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2017 providing over $3.5 million for Critical Financial Assistance and Holiday Meals programs. The foundation provided a $1 million match challenge for the United We Stand campaign and a $750,000 three-year grant for military families in Los Angeles, New York, and Cleveland.
• Macy'sflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Bob Hope Band Scholarship Award partnership since 2003. The $20,000 scholarship honors one outstanding band member and their school band program participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
• National WWII MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner$3 million donation from the foundation for a special exhibit 'So Ready for Laughter', documentary, and film series honoring Bob Hope's legacy of entertaining troops.
• Library of CongressmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Library of Congress for the Bob Hope Collection (557,000 items) and the Bob Hope Gallery of American Entertainment opened in May 2000.
• Elizabeth Dole FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Hidden Heroes program bringing attention to 6 million Americans caring for veterans. Co-hosted the Hidden Heroes Gala with Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, and Rita Wilson. Also partnered on Hope for the Holidays - Military & Veteran Caregiver Fund.
• World Golf Hall of Fame & MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperated on the 'Bob Hope: An American Treasure' traveling exhibition featuring 2,200 square feet of exhibits with over 200 vintage photos, seven videos, and more than 170 items.
• Easterseals Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBob Hope Legacy support for Easterseals Southern California's veterans employment services. milestone reached: served over 1,000 veterans.
• Ellis IslandmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner'Bob Hope: An American Treasure' special exhibit at Ellis Island from May 26, 2018 through September 3, 2018, telling the story of Bob Hope as an American comedian, actor, and entertainer.
• Gary Sinise FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGary Sinise Foundation honors Bob Hope's legacy on Warrior Wednesday, recognizing his USO tours and humanitarian contributions to the Armed Forces.
• FoodCorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner committed to bringing HOPE to those in need.
• Monarch SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner serving homeless children and youth.
• USVETSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing services to veterans.
• Food ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner fighting food waste and hunger.
• Cucina DoloresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing continuum of care services.
• National Italian American FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner recognizing Bob Hope's Italian heritage with Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Services.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bob Woodruff Foundation: Family-led grantmaking foundation focused on supporting veterans, service members, and their families. Directly comparable mission, military-veteran beneficiary base, and grant-distribution model.
• Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund: Grantmaking fund supporting U.S. military personnel severely wounded in service and their families. Closely aligned veteran-support focus and capital-grant model.
• Gary Sinise Foundation: Entertainer-founded foundation supporting U.S. military members, veterans, first responders, and their families through grants and programs. Comparable legacy-driven brand and military-focused giving.
• Semper Fi & America's Fund: Grantmaking fund providing immediate financial assistance and long-term support to wounded, critically ill, and injured service members and their families.
• Elizabeth Dole Foundation: Foundation dedicated to military caregivers (Hidden Heroes program) — a direct counterpart in mission and grantee base, and a current partner of the Hope Foundation.
• Fisher House Foundation: Major military-family foundation providing housing and support near VA medical centers; operates with similar scale and a focus on military family wellbeing.

Emerging players

• Operation Homefront: National military-family nonprofit that is a direct grantee of the Hope Foundation. Comparable focus on critical financial assistance and holiday meal programs; serves as both a peer in mission and a downstream partner.
• Stephen and Alexandra Cohen Foundation: Private family foundation supporting veterans and military families alongside other causes; similar invitation-only grantmaking posture and family-driven governance.

Broad incumbents

• Wounded Warrior Project: Large-scale veteran-services organization with broader programmatic footprint than the Hope Foundation but overlapping beneficiary base and donor pool.
• USO: Long-standing national military-support organization that is a core partner of the Hope Foundation. Provides comparable programming for troops and families with a broader operational scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bobhope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation