The Lee Merrick Foundation is heavily focused on animal welfare, giving the bulk of its funding to animal rescue, rehabilitation, sanctuaries and equine programs (horses, wild horses, draft horses, and companion animals). While most grants support animal organizations of varying size, the foundation also makes occasional gifts to conservative legal/policy groups. Its giving mixes one very large commitment with many mid‑sized, mission‑specific grants to specialty rescue and service-animal groups.
Concentrated toward animal welfare: one very large grantee receives a substantial share of assets, complemented by numerous repeat and one‑off mid-sized grants to specialized rescue and sanctuary organizations; occasional smaller gifts to conservative advocacy/legal groups.
A single $616,488 commitment to The Pegasus Project Inc stands out in the Lee Merrick Foundation Inc’s recent giving and signals how the funder can make one large mission-support grant alongside many smaller awards. The foundation’s recent support is centered on animal welfare, especially animal rescue, rehabilitation, sanctuaries, and equine programs. Its grants reach organizations working with horses, wild horses, draft horses, companion animals, and wildlife, with a smaller but visible set of awards to conservative legal and policy groups. That pattern appears across the recent grants list. The foundation gave $30,000 to Muttley Farms for mission support, $25,000 to Black Beauty Ranch, $25,000 to Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation, and $15,000 to Arabian Horse Rescue Mission. It also funded service-animal and therapeutic programs, including $30,000 to Victory Therapeutic Center Inc and $15,000 to Semper K-9 Assistance Dogs. The mix suggests a grantmaker that favors organizational mission support across a narrow set of animal-related and policy-related interests rather than a broad, all-cause portfolio.
Animal welfare is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s grants. It gave $30,000 to Muttley Farms, $25,000 to Black Beauty Ranch, and $15,000 to Ranch Hands Rescue, each marked for mission support. Equine-focused giving shows up as well, including $25,000 to Mane Gait and $15,000 to Arabian Horse Rescue Mission. Wildlife and sanctuary work also receives support. The foundation awarded $30,000 to Priderock Wildlife Refuge and $10,000 to Wild Animal Sanctuary, both for organizational mission support. Companion-animal and homeless-pet efforts appear in a $20,000 grant to Feeding Pets of the Homeless and a $15,000 grant to Stray Dog Inc. Service-animal and therapeutic programming is another recurring thread, with $30,000 to Victory Therapeutic Center Inc and $15,000 to Semper K-9 Assistance Dogs.
Typical grants fall in a relatively modest range: p25 is $3,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $15,000. The recent list shows a concentrated set of mission-support awards, but also one unusually large grant of $616,488 to The Pegasus Project Inc, followed by other six-figure and mid-sized gifts. Recipients can appear more than once across years, as shown by The Pegasus Project Inc and Redgranite Fire Rescue Auxiliary. The foundation is a private foundation; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$15K
$0
$0
$31K
Most grants fall between $3K and $15K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Notable grantees: THE PEGASUS PROJECT INC, BLACK BEAUTY RANCH, ELEPHANT SANCTUARY, STRAY DOG INC, LIBERTY COUNSEL
Giving is U.S.-only in the recent grant list, with 83 grants going to U.S. recipients. Texas appears frequently, and 43% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Outside Texas, grants land in Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, and Washington, DC, among others. Named recipient cities include Ben Wheeler, Roanoke, Terrell, Murchison, Dallas, and Gun Barrel in Texas, plus Valentine, AZ and Redgranite, WI.
Recent grants focus on animal rescue, rehabilitation, sanctuaries, and equine programs. The list includes horse and draft-horse organizations, wildlife refuges, companion-animal groups, and service-animal programs, alongside a smaller set of conservative legal and policy organizations.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is p25 $3,000, median $5,000, and p75 $15,000. That places most awards in a relatively small-to-mid-sized band, even though the recent list also includes a much larger commitment.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeat support for at least two recipients across years: The Pegasus Project Inc received multiple grants, and Redgranite Fire Rescue Auxiliary appears in both 2023 and 2024.
Recipients in Texas account for 43% of grants, making the foundation’s HQ state the main destination for its giving. The top state by grant count is Arizona, and the recent list also includes recipients in Wisconsin, Florida, California, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Colorado, Nevada, and Washington, DC.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION C | AMARILLO, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| MUTTLEY FARMS | VALLEY VIEW, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SHEPHERD'S WATCH | FRISCO, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| TEXAS SCORECARD | LEANDER, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| HOPE PREGNANCY | CANTON, TX | $3,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THE PEGASUS PROJECT INC | BEN WHEELER, TX | $616,488 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION' S MISSION |
| THE PEGASUS PROJECT INC | BEN WHEELER, TX | $150,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGAZATION'S MISSION |
| REDGRANITE FIRE RESCUE AUXILIARY | REDGRANITE, WI | $20,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| GAMILIAH UNBRIDLED | COLLINSVILLE, TX | $8,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| STRAY DOG INC | GUNBARREL, TX | $7,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANZATION'S MISSION |
| TEXAS SCORECARD | LEANDER, TX | $6,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| ARABIAN HORSE RESCUE MISSION | LIETCHFIIELD, KY | $3,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSIO |
| EQUEST | DALLAS, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| K9 LIFELINE RESCUE | GENOA CITY, WI | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| LOVE & GRACE FAMILY RESOURCE MINIST | CANTON, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| MUTTLEY FARMS | VALLEY VIEW, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| PRIDEROCK WILDLIFE REFUGE | TERRELL, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION | AMARILLO, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| NOAH LOST ARK INC | BERLIN CENTER, OH | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| HAPPY CATS INC | MERRIFIELD, VA | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SPEAK UP FOR HORSES INC | FALMOUTH, KY | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| RED BUCKET EQUINE RESCUE | CHINO HILLS, CA | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| PAWS OF WAR INC | SMITHTOWN, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| CARTER RESERVOIR MUSTANGS | RICHLAND, OR | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY | KEENESBURG, CO | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WHISPERING PONIES RANCH | CRANE, MO | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| JUDICIAL WATCH INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| AMERICAN WILDHORSE CAMPAIGN | DAVIS, CA | $3,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| HOPE PREGNANCY | CANTON, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BLACK BEAUTY RANCH | MURCHISON, TX | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WOUNDED PAW PROJECT | MERRIFIELD, VA | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| FEEDING PETS OF THE HOMELESS | CARSON CITY, NV | $3,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| DELILAH'S HOPE | CANTON, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| LIBERTY COUNSEL | ORLANDO, FL | $60,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THEDACARE FAMILY OF FOUNDATIONS | APPLETON, WI | $52,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| JUDICIAL WATCH INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $35,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| VICTORY THERAPEUTIC CENTER INC | ROANOKE, TX | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| REDGRANITE FIRE RESCUE AUXILIARY | REDGRANITE, WI | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| PRIDEROCK WILDLIFE REFUGE | TERRELL, TX | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THE PEGASUS PROJECT INC | BEN WHEELER, TX | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGAZATION'S MISSION |
| MUTTLEY FARMS | VALLEY VIEW, TX | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BLACK BEAUTY RANCH | MURCHISON, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION | AMARILLO, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| TEXAS SCORECARD | LEANDER, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| MANE GAIT | MCKINNEY, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| AMERICAN WILDHORSE CAMPAIGN | DAVIS, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| HOPE PREGNANCY | CANTON, TX | $20,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| FEEDING PETS OF THE HOMELESS | CARSON CITY, NV | $20,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| EQUEST | DALLAS, TX | $15,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| ELEPHANT SANCTUARY | HOHENWALD, TN | $15,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION C
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
MUTTLEY FARMS
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SHEPHERD'S WATCH
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
TEXAS SCORECARD
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
HOPE PREGNANCY
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SUPPORT ORGANIZATION' S MISSION
REDGRANITE FIRE RESCUE AUXILIARY
$20,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
GAMILIAH UNBRIDLED
$8,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
ARABIAN HORSE RESCUE MISSION
$3,000TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSIO
K9 LIFELINE RESCUE
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
LOVE & GRACE FAMILY RESOURCE MINIST
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
MUTTLEY FARMS
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
NOAH LOST ARK INC
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
HAPPY CATS INC
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SPEAK UP FOR HORSES INC
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
RED BUCKET EQUINE RESCUE
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
CARTER RESERVOIR MUSTANGS
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WHISPERING PONIES RANCH
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
AMERICAN WILDHORSE CAMPAIGN
$3,000TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
HOPE PREGNANCY
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BLACK BEAUTY RANCH
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WOUNDED PAW PROJECT
$3,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
DELILAH'S HOPE
$1,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
LIBERTY COUNSEL
$60,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
VICTORY THERAPEUTIC CENTER INC
$30,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
REDGRANITE FIRE RESCUE AUXILIARY
$30,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
MUTTLEY FARMS
$30,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BLACK BEAUTY RANCH
$25,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WILD WEST WILDLIFE REHABILITATION
$25,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
AMERICAN WILDHORSE CAMPAIGN
$20,000TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
HOPE PREGNANCY
$20,000SUPPORT ORGANIZATION'S MISSION