The İhsan Doğramacı Foundation was established in 1951.

In its early years the Foundation helped to finance the establishment first of the Hacettepe Child Health Institute and subsequently Hacettepe University in the Hacettepe district of Ankara. During that period social welfare work was carried out especially in the slum areas. The stated objective of the foundation is to create institutions for learning, teaching and research at all levels and to support, develop and maintain them.

In the pursuit of its aims the foundation works closely with the İhsan Doğramacı Health Foundation, the İhsan Doğramacı Education Foundation and the İhsan Doğramacı Science and Research Foundation, also created by İhsan Doğramacı. These three foundations established Bilkent University. The İhsan Doğramacı Foundation also supports the teaching and research activities of Bilkent University. The current value of the assets of Bilkent University, created and developed with the financial support of its founder İhsan Doğramacı, is estimated at five billion US dollars.

The İhsan Doğramacı Foundation is also supporting the educational services currently being established in other parts of the country by Bilkent University.