The Mark & Bette Morris Family Foundation concentrates major gifts in Kansas-centered civic and community institutions, with a strong emphasis on animal health and zoos, children's services and education, and civic/historic capital projects. They give large, targeted grants to capital campaigns and program expansions, often backing local community foundations and repeat child‑welfare partners. Their portfolio mixes science/animal research with hands-on community amenities (museums, zoos, schools) and civic restoration efforts.
A $1.125 million grant to Morris Animal Foundation for animal health research is one of the clearest signals in the Mark & Bette Morris Family Foundation’s recent giving. The foundation pairs that kind of research support with large community investments in Kansas institutions, including a $1.1 million grant to Friends of the Topeka Zoo for the My World Capital Campaign and recurring support for Kansas children’s services. Its grant portfolio also reaches into education, public charity support, historic restoration, and civic amenities, with gifts often tied to a campaign, capital project, or a named program. The foundation’s recent pattern shows sustained backing for a small set of Kansas organizations alongside selected regional grants outside the state. Kansas-based recipients appear repeatedly across years, especially in Topeka, while a handful of larger awards go to schools, universities, and community foundations in other states. The mix suggests a funder that combines research, child-serving work, and community infrastructure. Its grants are frequently sized at levels suitable for operating support, capital work, or multi-year program commitments, rather than scattered one-off microgrants.
Animal health is a major line of giving. In 2023, the foundation gave $1.125 million to Morris Animal Foundation for animal health research, placing scientific research alongside its community-based grants. Children’s education and youth development also receive repeated support. Kansas Children’s Service League received $360,000 in 2023, $300,000 in 2024, and $300,000 in 2025 for restorative education, while Kansas Children’s Discovery Center received $205,000 in 2025 for children’s education programs. The foundation also funds civic and cultural projects. Friends of Free State Capitol received $200,000 in 2024 for a restoration campaign, and Topeka Symphony received $35,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 for performance arts. Religious education appears as well, with First United Methodist Church receiving grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for that purpose.
Typical grants cluster at meaningful mid-market levels: p25 is $5,000, the median is $14,000, and p75 is $50,000. That spread points to a portfolio with many smaller awards and a smaller number of larger commitments. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Kansas Children’s Service League, First United Methodist Church, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, and Topeka Symphony, which suggests repeated support rather than purely one-time giving. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it makes grants rather than program-related investments.
$2.3M
$37.8M
$1.2M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $14K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$14K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants focused on capital campaigns and institutional strengthening; several repeat investments (notably Kansas Children's Service League and regional community foundations) with most funding directed to a small group of local organizations rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: Morris Animal Foundation, Friends of the Topeka Zoo, Kansas Children's Service League, Topeka Community Foundation, Friends of Free State Capitol
Grantmaking is concentrated in Kansas, which accounts for 47% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Topeka appears most often, with grants to organizations such as Topeka Community Foundation, Kansas Children’s Service League, YWCA of NE KS, and Topeka Rescue Mission. Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO also appear, along with Lawrence. Outside Kansas, the foundation has given to Denver, South Wales, Portland, Eugene, and San Antonio. All recorded grants in the dataset go to U.S. recipients.
Its grant size profile is centered on modest-to-mid-sized awards: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $14,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. That indicates many grants are relatively small, with a meaningful share reaching the $50,000 range.
Several recipients appear across multiple years. Kansas Children’s Service League received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for restorative education; First United Methodist Church received grants in those same three years for religious education; and Topeka Symphony was funded in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 for performance arts.
Recent grants show support for animal health research, children’s education and restorative education, civic restoration, public charity support, religious education, performance arts, public health services, homelessness services, disability services, and breast cancer research.
Kansas is the top state by grant count, accounting for 47% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Topeka is a frequent city in the portfolio, with repeated grants to local organizations across education, health, arts, and civic support.
Yes. Recent grants went to recipients in Denver, South Wales, Portland, Eugene, and San Antonio, in addition to Kansas locations. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the dataset.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of the Topeka Zoo | Topeka, KS | $1,100,000 | 2025 | My World Capital Campaign |
| Kansas Children's Service League | Topeka, KS | $300,000 | 2025 | Restorative Education |
| Kansas Children's Discovery Center | Topeka, KS | $205,000 | 2025 | Children's Education Programs |
| Greater Kansas City Community Found | Kansas City, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | Public Charity Support |
| YWCA of NE KS | Topeka, KS | $200,000 | 2025 | Public Charity Support |
| Oregon Community Foundation | Portland, OR | $100,000 | 2025 | Public Charity Support |
| First United Methodist Church | Topeka, KS | $98,000 | 2025 | Religious Education |
| Topeka Symphony | Topeka, KS | $35,000 | 2025 | Performance Arts |
| Stormont Vail Hospital Foundation | Topeka, KS | $30,000 | 2025 | Public Health Services |
| CASA of Shawnee County | Topeka, KS | $20,000 | 2025 | Advocacy for abused children |
| Street Dog Coalition | Topeka, KS | $15,000 | 2025 | Veterinary Support for Companion Animals |
| KU Endowment Association | Kansas City, KS | $12,500 | 2025 | Gateway Project |
| Topeka Community Foundation | Topeka, KS | $465,000 | 2024 | Public Charity Support |
| Kansas Children's Service League | Topeka, KS | $300,000 | 2024 | Restorative Education |
| Friends of Free State Capitol | Topeka, KS | $200,000 | 2024 | Restoration Campaign |
| Greater Kansas City Community Found | Kansas City, MO | $181,350 | 2024 | Public Charity Support |
| Topeka Collegiate School | Topeka, KS | $100,000 | 2024 | Capital Improvement Campaign |
| Trinity University | San Antonio, TX | $95,000 | 2024 | Education Scholarships |
| First United Methodist Church | Topeka, KS | $94,000 | 2024 | Religious Education |
| Oak Hill School | Eugene, OR | $75,000 | 2024 | Capitol Improvement |
| KU Endowment Association | Kansas City, KS | $50,000 | 2024 | Breast Cancer Research |
| Topeka Symphony | Topeka, KS | $35,000 | 2024 | Performance Arts |
| Washburn University Foundation | Topeka, KS | $30,000 | 2024 | Public Education |
| Topeka Rescue Mission | Topeka, KS | $30,000 | 2024 | Homeless Shelter |
| Oregon Community Foundation | Portland, OR | $25,000 | 2024 | Public Charity Support |
| CASA of Shawnee County | Topeka, KS | $20,000 | 2024 | Advocacy for abused children |
| Capper Foundation | Topeka, KS | $18,000 | 2024 | Disability Services |
| Street Dog Coalition | Topeka, KS | $14,000 | 2024 | Veterinary Support for Companion Animals |
| Junior Achievement | Topeka, KS | $10,000 | 2024 | Youth Development Programs |
| Saint Paul School of Theology | Kansas City, MO | $10,000 | 2024 | Religious Education |
| International Documentary Associati | Los Angeles, CA | $7,500 | 2024 | Documentary Film Production |
| Chicken and Egg Pictures Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | Documentary Film Production |
| Earth Species Project | West Hollywood, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Documentary Film Production |
| Morris Animal Foundation | Denver, CO | $1,125,000 | 2023 | Animal Health Research |
| Kansas Children's Service League | Topeka, KS | $360,000 | 2023 | Restorative Education |
| Gow School | South Wales, NY | $250,000 | 2023 | Education Programs |
| First United Methodist Church | Topeka, KS | $92,000 | 2023 | Religious Education |
| NOTO Arts District | Topeka, KS | $56,000 | 2023 | Public Art Venue |
| KU Endowment Association | Kansas City, KS | $50,000 | 2023 | Breast Cancer Research |
| The Villages | Topeka, KS | $50,000 | 2023 | Disability Services |
| Topeka Symphony | Topeka, KS | $35,000 | 2023 | Performance Arts |
| Dole Institute of Politics | Lawrence, KS | $25,000 | 2023 | Public Education Programs |
| Stormont Vail Hospital Foundation | Topeka, KS | $25,000 | 2023 | Public Health Services |
| Aspen Institute | Washington, DC | $19,550 | 2023 | Program Support |
| Theatre Communications Group | New York, NY | $16,500 | 2023 | Program Support |
| Trinity University | San Antonio, TX | $15,000 | 2023 | Education Scholarships |
| Junior Achievement | Topeka, KS | $10,000 | 2023 | Youth Development Programs |
| Heart of America Patriot Foundation | Overland Park, KS | $10,000 | 2023 | Educational Scholarship Programs |
| Rockhurst High School | Kansas City, MO | $10,000 | 2023 | Religious Education |
| Kansas Children's Discovery Center | Topeka, KS | $10,000 | 2023 | Children's Education Programs |
Kansas Children's Service League
$300,000Restorative Education
Kansas Children's Discovery Center
$205,000Children's Education Programs
YWCA of NE KS
$200,000Public Charity Support
Public Charity Support
First United Methodist Church
$98,000Religious Education
Topeka Symphony
$35,000Performance Arts
Stormont Vail Hospital Foundation
$30,000Public Health Services
CASA of Shawnee County
$20,000Advocacy for abused children
Street Dog Coalition
$15,000Veterinary Support for Companion Animals
Friends of Free State Capitol
$200,000Restoration Campaign
Trinity University
$95,000Education Scholarships
First United Methodist Church
$94,000Religious Education
Oak Hill School
$75,000Capitol Improvement
Topeka Symphony
$35,000Performance Arts
Washburn University Foundation
$30,000Public Education
CASA of Shawnee County
$20,000Advocacy for abused children
Capper Foundation
$18,000Disability Services
Street Dog Coalition
$14,000Veterinary Support for Companion Animals
Junior Achievement
$10,000Youth Development Programs
Saint Paul School of Theology
$10,000Religious Education
Earth Species Project
$5,000Documentary Film Production
Kansas Children's Service League
$360,000Restorative Education
Gow School
$250,000Education Programs
First United Methodist Church
$92,000Religious Education
NOTO Arts District
$56,000Public Art Venue
The Villages
$50,000Disability Services
Topeka Symphony
$35,000Performance Arts
Dole Institute of Politics
$25,000Public Education Programs
Stormont Vail Hospital Foundation
$25,000Public Health Services
Trinity University
$15,000Education Scholarships
Junior Achievement
$10,000Youth Development Programs
Heart of America Patriot Foundation
$10,000Educational Scholarship Programs
Rockhurst High School
$10,000Religious Education
Kansas Children's Discovery Center
$10,000Children's Education Programs