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Partnering with the organizations that reach people when nothing else does.
NDF supports evidence-based alternative therapy nonprofits serving veterans, children, and anyone who has experienced trauma. We partner with the organizations already doing this work to help them reach more people.
The need is real. The gap is larger.
223M
Americans Affected
Experience trauma at least once in their lives across all demographics.
Traditional mental health systems reach a fraction of them.
66%
Children by Age 16
Nearly two-thirds experience a traumatic event before adulthood.
Evidence-based alternative therapies reach them when other approaches cannot.
29%
Veterans
Report experiencing symptoms of PTSD after service.
Many don’t seek help. Many more don’t find it when they do.
A foundation born from personal experience.
Nick Dockery grew up a ward of the state of Indiana. Different homes, different schools, no real footing. He learned early that depending on anyone else was a mistake... and he never really unlearned it.
West Point, Special Forces, some of the heaviest combat of a generation. He was decorated for things he couldn't talk about and struggling with things he wouldn't.
Deployments became a way to avoid dealing with anything. Relationships he couldn't hold together, a family loss that hit hard. Then two of his closest friends killed themselves within six months of each other. Guys who looked like they had everything together.
They didn't. Neither did he.
Everyone wants a quick fix. A pill. Something that makes it manageable without doing the hard work. That never worked for him.
What actually shifted things was finding people going through the same things... realizing he wasn't the only one. That you can create something, engage in something, figure things out through action instead of just sitting across from someone cataloguing everything that's broken and walking back out into the same life.
The country later honored him with its highest military honor. He was a man who never asked for help. That's not unique to him. It's the whole problem.
He built NDF because nobody else was solving it right.
—Nicholas Dockery, Founder
Not a therapy provider, not just a funder.
A champion for programming partners.
Rather than running programs directly, NDF removes the barriers that prevent effective alternative therapy organizations from scaling — through reliable multi-year support, expert access, and accountability that helps programming partners do what they do best. NDF provides policy recommendations, industry experts,
A
ACCESS
Connecting partner organizations to expert networks. Ensuring programs reach more people when nonprofits are supported.
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ACCOUNTABILITY
All partners sign a mandatory accountability pledge. Donors receive transparent, regular reporting on what their gifts accomplish.
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CONSISTENCY
Three-year support commitments to qualified partners. Stability that lets organizations plan, hire, and grow.
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COLLABORATION
NDF participates in partner program development and hosts field-wide symposiums, research, and peer learning.
NDF only partners with programs that have measurable,
research-backed outcomes.
Anxiety Reduction
Art therapy decreases anxiety symptoms in adults with diagnosed anxiety disorders
Emotional Control
Of anxiety improvement attributed to strengthened emotion regulation through art therapy
Youth Well-Being
Increase in emotional wellness for at-risk youth through equine-assisted therapy programs
Where NDF funding goes.
Current partners are Virginia-based. NDF considers qualified organizations across all 50 states. All partners are vetted by behavioral health expert and sign a mandatory accountability pledge.
EQUINE THERAPY
DreamCatchers Farm
Enriching the lives of children, adults, and families through equine-assisted services - education, empowerment, healing, and hope.
ART THERAPY
Uniting US
Empowering veterans, military families, and communities to heal and unite through art programs with measurable behavioral health outcomes.
Platinum Transparency Rating from Candid - the highest nonprofit accountability rating, recognizing open, verifiable reporting.
CORPORATE SPONSORS & PARTNERS
In the Field
U.S. DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
VA Awards $16M in Funding for Adaptive Sports and Equine Therapy for Disabled Veterans
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
FSU Launches Institute for Arts and Art Therapy with the Imprisoned
Back what works.
Your gift goes directly to empowering alternative therapy nonprofits. NDF maintains minimal operational overhead - the majority of every donation funds programming.
501©3 - All donations are tax-deductible. EIN: 33-4221474
$250 = A group art therapy session for trauma survivors
$500 = Art materials for one month of therapeutic workshops
$1,000 = Five equine therapy sessions for a program participant
$5,000 = Full year of care for a therapy horse
$10,000 = Research & policy white paper on highest needs of partners
FOUNDING DONOR CIRCLE
Starting at $5,000 annually
Founding Donor Circle
The Founding Donor Circle is the cornerstone of NDF's ability to support alternative therapy programs at scale. Members are essential partners in our launch — and will see the impact their giving creates firsthand.
Personal updates from Nick Dockery directly
Annual in-person Founding Donor Circle events
Naming opportunities for facilities and programs
Website and social recognition (as desired)
Exclusive access to program outcomes and participant testimonials
Founding Partner opportunities with program naming options start at $50,000.
FAQs
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We aren’t interested in simply a “feel-good experience.”
NDF supports equine and art therapy nonprofits who have proven, evidence-based programs that show measurable results. We carefully vet and hand select each program alongside behavioral health experts to make sure the programs we back are safe and effective.
From our founder’s personal experience, equine and art therapies are especially beneficial for building trust, reconstructing confidence, and improving connection.
For us, this is personal. We've seen how, through equine and art therapies, trust is rebuilt, confidence is restored, and connections are enriched.
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Donate to NDF because we are committed to making real change for those in need.
NDF works hand in hand with program experts to ensure the programs we support deliver tangible results that change lives. The benefit of donating to NDF is that you leverage a team of committed experts who ensure your donations matter, and you see the impact you are having on the world.
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Your donation matters, and we are committed to keeping you informed with regular, personalized updates on your impact. You will have the opportunity for exclusive, in-person events to connect you with other donors, program participants, our team, and some of the people whose lives you changed.
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Because it works and we have seen it personally.
Our founder, Nicholas Dockery, found relief from childhood and combat trauma through equine therapy’s non-judgmental trust and art therapy’s self-expression. These experiences inspired him to launch NDF, helping others access these transformative therapies.
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Yes! The Nicholas Dockery Foundation is a 501c3 and all donations are tax-deductible. You will receive a receipt for your contribution that serves for your tax records.
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We are working on opportunities for our supporters to volunteer! Contact us at info@dockeryfoundation.org to get on our communication list.