The Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Utah, prioritizing large capital and institutional support — especially for the University of Utah — alongside selective community-focused grants. Their awards are few but substantial, aimed at building funds and general operating support for Salt Lake City-area institutions that serve education and civic/community needs.
Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants with repeat support to a single major beneficiary (University of Utah) and selective one-off gifts to local community organizations.
The Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a very large commitment to the University of Utah, including a $2,037,350 general donation in 2025 and a $1,000,000 building fund gift in 2023. Those two awards frame a pattern of support for higher education, with additional grants to Utah campuses and scholarship-related purposes. The foundation also backs community institutions in Salt Lake City and beyond, including civil rights, leadership, health, and civic organizations. Across the recent grant list, the foundation appears to favor institutions that serve broad public purposes rather than narrow project-only funding. Utah universities and colleges receive multiple awards, but the portfolio also includes gifts to the Martin Luther King Jr Center in Atlanta, the Women's Leadership Institute, and local education and service organizations. The listed grants show a mix of general donations, building support, scholarships, and hardship assistance. This is a regional funder with a strong Utah emphasis and selective grants outside the state.
Higher education is the clearest theme in the recent grants. The Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation gave $22,500 to Utah Valley University for general donation, $11,189 to Weber State University for general donation, and $7,500 to Utah State University for general donation. Scholarship support also appears in the record. In 2023, the foundation awarded $17,500 to the University of Utah for the Robert H Garff Scholarship, showing direct support for students alongside institutional gifts. Community and civic organizations are another part of the portfolio. The foundation gave $50,000 to the Utah First Lady Foundation for general donation, $25,000 to the Salt Lake Chamber for general donation, and $250,000 to the Martin Luther King Jr Center for general donation. It also supported school-related and leadership-focused groups such as the Salt Lake City School District and The New Leadership Academy LLC.
Grant sizes are small at the low end but can reach major-commitment levels, with a p25 of $2,223, median of $2,750, and p75 of $10,000. The recent record shows a few very large awards alongside many modest gifts. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off: the University of Utah appears in multiple years and in different forms of support, and Weber State University also receives repeated grants. The foundation gives directly rather than through program-related investments, and it funds individuals as well as organizations. The recent grants also include restricted-purpose support such as scholarship funding and hardship assistance.
$2.6M
$3.9M
$2.4M
$2.7M
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$10K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: University of Utah, Martin Luther King Jr Center, Salt Lake City community organizations (local nonprofits)
The foundation gives mainly in Utah, with 61% of grants going to recipients in its HQ state. Salt Lake City appears frequently, including grants to the University of Utah, the Salt Lake City School District, and the Salt Lake Chamber. Outside Utah, the largest recent out-of-state grant went to the Martin Luther King Jr Center in Atlanta, GA. California recipients also appear, including Cal State Los Angeles and the top-state concentration by grant count is CA.
The recent grants center on higher education, scholarships, and community institutions. Examples include a $1,000,000 building fund gift to the University of Utah, a $17,500 Robert H Garff Scholarship award to the University of Utah, and support for organizations such as the Salt Lake City School District and the Martin Luther King Jr Center.
Yes. The University of Utah appears in multiple years with different purposes, including a $2,037,350 general donation in 2025 and a $1,000,000 building fund gift in 2023. Weber State University also appears more than once, including grants in 2023 and 2025.
The typical grant size is modest, with a p25 of $2,223, a median of $2,750, and a p75 of $10,000. The distribution also includes much larger awards, including seven-figure support for the University of Utah.
The foundation is strongly Utah-focused: 61% of grants go to recipients in Utah. Salt Lake City recipients appear often, and the record also includes selected grants outside the state, such as Atlanta, GA, and California recipients.
Yes. The record includes direct assistance to an individual, such as the $10,000 hardship grant to Marcus Wolfgramm in Springville, UT, alongside the foundation’s grants to universities, schools, and community organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $2,037,350 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATIONS |
| Martin Luther King Jr Center | Atlanta, GA | $250,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| UTAH FIRST LADY FOUNDATION | MIDVALE, UT | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Huntsman Mental | Salt Lake City, UT | $28,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Salt Lake City School District | Salt Lake City, UT | $26,758 | 2025 | general donation |
| UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY | OREM, UT | $22,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION FOUNDATION | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | Tempe, AZ | $14,927 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Success in Education | Salt Lake City, UT | $13,300 | 2025 | general donation |
| WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY | OGDEN, UT | $11,189 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| The McGillis School | Salt Lake City, UT | $10,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| The Major Brent Taylor Foundation | North Ogden, UT | $10,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Cal State Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Salt Lake christian Center | Salt Lake City, UT | $8,919 | 2025 | general donation |
| U of U President | Salt Lake City, UT | $8,919 | 2025 | general donation |
| Weber School District | Ogden, UT | $8,919 | 2025 | general donation |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA | Cedar Falls, IA | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY | SAINT GEORGE, UT | $6,904 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| GOOD DEED REVOLUTION | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Carver College of Medicine | Iowa City, IA | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| The National Multiple Sclerosis Society | Cherry Hill, NJ | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Resilient You | South Jordan, UT | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Iowa State University | Ames, IA | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| PACIFIC COLLEGE OF HEALTH & SCIENCE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| The She Place | Park City, UT | $5,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | DES MOINES, IA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| New England Law - Boston | Boston, MA | $4,978 | 2025 | general donation |
| University of Phoenix | Phoenix, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| University of St Thomas | Houston, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE | HOUSTON, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| WyoTech | Laramie, WY | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| FORTIS COLLEGE | CALT LAKE CITY, UT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Ultimate Medical Academy | Tampa, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| Alvin Community College | Alvin, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| Leuk & Lymphoma Society | Hagertown, MD | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| Western Governors University | Salt Lake City, UT | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| University of Houston Clear Lake | Houston, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| Universal Technical Institute | Houston, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| CSU Channel Island | Camarillo, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | general donation |
| South Dakota University | Brookings, SD | $2,045 | 2025 | general donation |
| Neurowax | Sandy, UT | $2,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| FAMILY PROMISE OF OGDEN | OGDEN, UT | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| Granite Education Foundation | Salt Lake City, UT | $1,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| Friends of the Children | Kearns, UT | $1,000 | 2025 | general donation |
| COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS | SANTA CLARITA, CA | $53 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $2,030,000 | 2024 | GENERAL DONATIONS |
| UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION FOUNDATION | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $265,000 | 2024 | GENERAL DONATION |
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$2,037,350GENERAL DONATIONS
UTAH FIRST LADY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL DONATION
Huntsman Mental
$28,000general donation
Salt Lake City School District
$26,758general donation
UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY
$22,500GENERAL DONATION
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$14,927GENERAL DONATION
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
$11,189GENERAL DONATION
The Major Brent Taylor Foundation
$10,000general donation
Cal State Los Angeles
$10,000general donation
Salt Lake christian Center
$8,919general donation
U of U President
$8,919general donation
Weber School District
$8,919general donation
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
$7,500GENERAL DONATION
UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY
$6,904GENERAL DONATION
GOOD DEED REVOLUTION
$5,000GENERAL DONATION
Carver College of Medicine
$5,000general donation
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
$5,000general donation
Resilient You
$5,000general donation
Iowa State University
$5,000general donation
PACIFIC COLLEGE OF HEALTH & SCIENCE
$5,000GENERAL DONATION
The She Place
$5,000general donation
DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$5,000GENERAL DONATION
New England Law - Boston
$4,978general donation
University of Phoenix
$2,500general donation
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
WyoTech
$2,500general donation
FORTIS COLLEGE
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
Ultimate Medical Academy
$2,500general donation
University of Michigan
$2,500general donation
Alvin Community College
$2,500general donation
University of Wyoming
$2,500general donation
Leuk & Lymphoma Society
$2,500general donation
University of Houston Clear Lake
$2,500general donation
Universal Technical Institute
$2,500general donation
CSU Channel Island
$2,500general donation
South Dakota University
$2,045general donation
Neurowax
$2,000general donation
Granite Education Foundation
$1,000general donation
COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS
$53GENERAL DONATION
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$2,030,000GENERAL DONATIONS