The James S. McDonnell Family Foundation makes a small number of very large, targeted grants, concentrating support on higher education, scientific research in plant science, and place-based community philanthropy. Their giving is relationship-driven: they provide multi-grant support to the same institutions rather than broad, one-off funding, and they favor established organizations with focused missions. Though based in Massachusetts, their major recipients include institutions in West Virginia and St. Louis, indicating philanthropic interests that extend beyond their home state.
Highly concentrated: very large grants to a small set of repeat grantees, often across multiple awards; prefers institutional, mission-driven organizations over many small, diverse grants.
James S Mcdonnell Family Foundation Inc’s largest recent grants are the paired $4.3 million and $4.2 million awards to Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia, both listed as general support. That kind of multi-year, high-dollar commitment is a good signal of how the foundation works: it backs a small number of institutions over time, usually through unrestricted support rather than short-term project funding. The recent record also shows seven-figure support for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Olivette, Missouri, placing plant science among its clearest priorities. Beyond those anchors, the foundation’s giving connects higher education, scientific research, and place-based civic work, with several recurring recipients in the St. Louis region. Recent grants to St Louis Community Foundation, Washington University, and St Louis Teacher Residency show a pattern of supporting organizations with established roles in education, research, and local philanthropy. The foundation’s mix of large repeat awards and general-support grants suggests a relationship-driven strategy centered on core capacity rather than narrow, time-limited initiatives.
Higher education is one of the clearest threads in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $95,000 to Tufts College Trustees in Medford, Massachusetts, for general support, and it also backed Washington University in St. Louis with $200,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024. Scientific research is another focus area: the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center received $945,000 in 2024 and $890,000 in 2023, both for general support. The foundation also supports place-based civic and education work in St. Louis, including $566,000 to St Louis Community Foundation in 2024 and $200,000 to St Louis Teacher Residency in 2024. Its recent grants also reach youth and family-serving organizations such as The Little Bit Foundation and Gateway Global American Youth and Business Association.
Grant sizes are highly uneven: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $135,000, while several awards run into the hundreds of thousands or millions. The pattern is repeat support rather than one-off giving; Davis & Elkins College, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis Community Foundation, and Washington University all appear across multiple years. The foundation is structured as a family foundation and does not fund individuals. The recent grants shown are all general support, indicating a preference for unrestricted or core-support funding over narrowly designated project grants.
$17.7M
$103.2M
$34.7M
$19.2M
Most grants fall between $10K and $135K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$135K
About 10% of grants go to recipients in MO.
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Notable grantees: Davis & Elkins College, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis Community Foundation
Although headquartered in Lincoln, Massachusetts, the foundation gives most often in Minnesota by grant count, and 10% of its grants go to recipients in Massachusetts. Its recent dollars are concentrated in the United States, with all listed grants going to U.S. recipients. St. Louis is a major landing point: Clayton, St. Louis, and nearby Brentwood appear repeatedly, alongside Elkins, West Virginia, and Medford and Cambridge in Massachusetts. The geography suggests a national reach with a strong cluster of funding in the St. Louis region.
The recent grants point to higher education, plant science research, and place-based community philanthropy. Examples include Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia; the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in Olivette, Missouri; and St Louis Community Foundation in Clayton, Missouri.
The recent grant list is entirely labeled general support. That includes large multi-year awards to institutions such as Davis & Elkins College and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, along with support for St Louis Community Foundation and Washington University.
The 25th percentile grant is $10,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $135,000. The recent record also includes much larger awards, including two grants above $4 million to Davis & Elkins College.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Davis & Elkins College, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis Community Foundation, Washington University, The Opportunity Trust, St Louis Teacher Residency, The Little Bit Foundation, and Gateway Global American Youth and Business Association.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSM CHARITABLE TRUST | ST LOUIS, MO | $9,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | ST LOUIS, MO | $8,100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GLENVIEW - MERCURY FAMILY FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $347,595 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STARPATCH FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $275,065 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STL LIFE SCIENCES PROJECTS | ST LOUIS, MO | $5,765,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER | OLIVETTE, MO | $2,965,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS TEACHER RESIDENCY | ST LOUIS, MO | $1,980,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MO BONTANICAL GARDENS | ST LOUIS, MO | $1,790,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CLAYTON, MO | $577,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $255,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOREST PARK FOREVER | ST LOUIS, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $245,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THINKERANALYTIX | LINCOLN, NE | $165,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE | CINCINNATI, OH | $126,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEACH ST LOUIS | ST LOUIS, MO | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREAT RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER | ST LOUIS, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE LITTLE BIT FOUNDATION | MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE LITTLE BIT FOUNDATION | BRENTWOOD, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GATEWAY GLOBAL AMERICAN YOUTH AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $90,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUFTS COLLEGE TRUSTEES | MEDFORD, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ENVIRONMENT AMERICA RESEARCH & POLICY CENTER | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | ST LOUIS, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SCRIPPS COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AIM HIGH ST LOUIS | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MO COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN YOUTH FOUNDATION | CLAYTON, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TURN THE PAGE STL | ST LOUIS, MO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - TRUSTEES | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHARACTERPLUS | ST LOUIS, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRESHWATER FUTURE | PETOSKEY, MI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP INC | FALLS CHURCH, VA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FORWARD THROUGH FERGUSON | ST LOUIS, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAVIS & ELKINS COLLEGE | ELKINS, WV | $4,245,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER | OLIVETTE, MO | $945,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CLAYTON, MO | $566,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MO BONTANICAL GARDENS | ST LOUIS, MO | $390,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STL LIFE SCIENCES PROJECTS | ST LOUIS, MO | $265,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST | ST LOUIS, MO | $247,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $205,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LOUIS TEACHER RESIDENCY | ST LOUIS, MO | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GATEWAY GLOBAL AMERICAN YOUTH AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $160,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $135,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MICDS | ST LOUIS, MO | $135,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE | CINCINNATI, OH | $126,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
JSM CHARITABLE TRUST
$9,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
$8,100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GLENVIEW - MERCURY FAMILY FOUNDATION
$347,595GENERAL SUPPORT
STARPATCH FOUNDATION
$275,065GENERAL SUPPORT
STL LIFE SCIENCES PROJECTS
$5,765,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER
$2,965,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS TEACHER RESIDENCY
$1,980,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MO BONTANICAL GARDENS
$1,790,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$577,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION
$255,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOREST PARK FOREVER
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$245,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TEACH FOR AMERICA
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THINKERANALYTIX
$165,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FIDELITY CHARITABLE
$126,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TEACH ST LOUIS
$125,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER
$110,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GREAT RIVERS ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE LITTLE BIT FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE LITTLE BIT FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GATEWAY GLOBAL AMERICAN YOUTH AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
$90,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TUFTS COLLEGE TRUSTEES
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENVIRONMENT AMERICA RESEARCH & POLICY CENTER
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SCRIPPS COLLEGE
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AIM HIGH ST LOUIS
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MO COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE BOSTON FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN YOUTH FOUNDATION
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TURN THE PAGE STL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - TRUSTEES
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHARACTERPLUS
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRESHWATER FUTURE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FORWARD THROUGH FERGUSON
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DAVIS & ELKINS COLLEGE
$4,245,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER
$945,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$566,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MO BONTANICAL GARDENS
$390,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STL LIFE SCIENCES PROJECTS
$265,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST
$247,500GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$205,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LOUIS TEACHER RESIDENCY
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GATEWAY GLOBAL AMERICAN YOUTH AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
$160,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION
$135,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MICDS
$135,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FIDELITY CHARITABLE
$126,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TEACH FOR AMERICA
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT