This trust is narrowly focused on advancing animal rights through legal scholarship, policy development, and institutional capacity building. It provides major operating support to its own related institute and strategic grants to leading law school programs that develop animal law, ethics, and policy. The foundation favors high-impact, academic and advocacy-oriented investments rather than broad grassroots funding.
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small number of institutional grantees; repeat multi-year support to a related private operating foundation plus targeted grants to elite academic law programs.
The Brooks Mccormick Jr Trust for Animal Rights Law and Policy is built around one central purpose: advancing animal rights through legal scholarship, policy development, and institutional capacity building. Its largest recent grant went to Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc, a related exempt private operating foundation, with annual operating support of $2.9 million in 2025. That relationship is not incidental; the trust has funded the institute with annual operating grants across multiple years, including $2.8 million in 2024 and $2.7 million in 2023, showing a steady commitment to sustaining its own affiliated infrastructure. Beyond that core relationship, the trust directs substantial support to university-based animal law and ethics programs. Harvard Law School’s Animal Law & Policy Program received $591,000 in 2025, while Yale University Law School’s Ethics and Animal Program received $350,000 in 2023 and another $47,000 in 2024. The pattern points to a funder that favors legal research, academic programming, and institutions that shape animal law and policy from within higher education.
A clear theme is institutional support for animal law programs inside universities. Harvard Law School - Animal Law & Policy Program received $591,000 in 2025 for charitable purposes, while Yale University Law School - Ethics and Animal Program received $350,000 in 2023 and $47,000 in 2024. The trust also backs a broader network of law schools working on animal law and policy. Vermont Law School received $248,000 in 2025, University of Denver received $247,000 in 2024 and $135,000 in 2025, and Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College received $200,000 in 2023, $135,000 in 2024, and $120,000 in 2025. A third area is related communications and advocacy support. Our Hen House received $30,000 in 2024, $25,000 in 2025, and $25,000 in 2023, indicating repeated support for the organization over time.
Typical grants cluster at a $26,250 p25, $50,000 median, and $168,250 p75, but the trust also makes very large annual operating grants to its related institute. The recent record shows recurring support rather than one-off gifts: Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The trust is structured as a private trust making charitable grants and does not fund individuals. Its giving is national, with recipients also located in Canada.
$4.4M
$49.1M
$4.6M
$4.9M
Most grants fall between $26K and $168K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$26K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$168K
About 16% of grants go to recipients in CT.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Brooks Mccormick Jr Trust for Animal Rights Law and Policy.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 33 | $11.8M | 89.2% |
| 2 |
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Notable grantees: Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy, Inc., Harvard Law School — Animal Law & Policy Program, Yale University Law School — Ethics and Animal Program
The trust gives nationally, with the highest concentration of grants in Illinois, which accounts for 17% of grants. Recent recipients appear across multiple U.S. cities, including Cambridge, New Haven, Denver, Portland, New York, Urbana, and Santa Barbara. Outside the United States, grants reached Toronto, Victoria, and other Canadian recipients, reflecting a mostly U.S.-based but not exclusive geographic pattern.
It focuses on animal rights through legal scholarship, policy development, and institutional capacity building. Recent grants support its related institute, university animal law programs, and organizations working on animal ethics and policy, including law schools and research-oriented institutions.
Yes. The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc received annual operating support in 2023, 2024, and 2025, at $2.7 million, $2.8 million, and $2.9 million. Other recipients also appear across multiple years, such as University of Denver and Our Hen House.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers at a p25 of $26,250, a median of $50,000, and a p75 of $168,250. That said, it also makes much larger operating grants to its related institute, which are well above the median.
Its grants are national, but Illinois is the top state by grant count, representing 17% of grants. Recent examples include Naperville, Urbana, and the foundation’s headquarters in Downers Grove, all in Illinois.
Recipients include a related exempt private operating foundation, university law schools, and charitable organizations. Recent grantees include Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy Inc, Harvard Law School - Animal Law & Policy Program, Yale University Law School - Ethics and Animal Program, and Animal Legal Defense Fund.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| Canada |
| 4 |
| $245K |
10.8% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC | NAPERVILLE, IL | $2,900,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION. |
| HARVARD LAW SCHOOL - ANIMAL LAW & POLICY PROGRAM | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $591,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| VERMONT LAW SCHOOL | SOUTH ROYALTON, VT | $248,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $190,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF DENVER | DENVER, CO | $135,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $120,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | URBANA, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| OUR HEN HOUSE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA | EDMONTON, AL | $17,000 | 2025 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC | NAPERVILLE, IL | $2,800,000 | 2024 | ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION. |
| UNIVERSITY OF DENVER | DENVER, CO | $247,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| FRIENDS OF WYCLIFFE HALL | WINTER PARK, FL | $175,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO | TORONTO, ON | $171,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $135,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT | MANSFIELD, CT | $100,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $57,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | URBANA, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| YALE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL - ETHICS AND ANIMAL PROGRAM | NEW HAVEN, CT | $47,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC | NEW YORK, NY | $38,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| OUR HEN HOUSE | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $20,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | MIDDLETOWN, CT | $17,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $16,100 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| TORONTO METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY | TORONTO, ON | $16,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| VERMONT LAW SCHOOL | SOUTH ROYALTON, VT | $10,000 | 2024 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC | NAPERVILLE, IL | $2,700,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION. |
| YALE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL - ETHICS AND ANIMAL PROGRAM | NEW HAVEN, CT | $350,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE | PORTLAND, OR | $200,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $160,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND | COTATI, CA | $150,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA | VICTORIA, BR | $41,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| HARVARD LAW SCHOOL - ANIMAL LAW & POLICY PROGRAM | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $32,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| OUR HEN HOUSE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
| WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | MIDDLETOWN, CT | $20,000 | 2023 | FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES |
BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC
$2,900,000ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION.
HARVARD LAW SCHOOL - ANIMAL LAW & POLICY PROGRAM
$591,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE
$120,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$100,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$30,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$25,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
OUR HEN HOUSE
$25,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
$17,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC
$2,800,000ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION.
FRIENDS OF WYCLIFFE HALL
$175,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
$171,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE
$135,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
$100,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$50,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
YALE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL - ETHICS AND ANIMAL PROGRAM
$47,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
OUR HEN HOUSE
$30,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
$16,100FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
TORONTO METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
$16,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
BROOKS INSTITUTE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAW AND POLICY INC
$2,700,000ANNUAL GRANT OF OPERATING FUNDS TO RELATED EXEMPT PRIVATE OPERATING FOUNDATION.
YALE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL - ETHICS AND ANIMAL PROGRAM
$350,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
NORTHWESTERN SCHOOL OF LAW OF LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE
$200,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA
$41,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
HARVARD LAW SCHOOL - ANIMAL LAW & POLICY PROGRAM
$32,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES
OUR HEN HOUSE
$25,000FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES