The Alsam Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on large, capital and endowment gifts that strengthen educational, scientific and Catholic institutions—particularly in Utah. Grants fund major bricks-and-mortar projects (performing arts center, science museum/aquarium), higher‑education programs and health/biomedical research, with repeat multi‑million dollar support for research and university partners. The foundation favors transformational, project‑level investments rather than many small operating grants.
The Alsam Foundation’s giving is defined by very large project grants, especially to Catholic schools, universities, and research institutions. One of the clearest signals is a $16,650,237 grant to Skaggs Catholic Center LLC for a performing arts center, alongside a $10,000,000 grant to The Scripps Research Institute for CALIBR-bridging the work. Those awards sit within a pattern of capital campaigns, endowments, and infrastructure gifts rather than small operating support. Education is a major thread in the portfolio. The foundation backed the University of Utah College of Pharmacy with $7,500,000 for opening doors first-year support, and Judge Memorial Catholic High School with $7,500,000 for a capital campaign for new facilities. It also made repeated gifts tied to scholarship and academic support, including awards to Idaho State University Foundation, University of Montana Foundation, and the University of Colorado Foundation. The Alsam Foundation also funds science and health-related institutions and projects, including museum, aquarium, veterinary, and biomedical research facilities. Its grants frequently support construction, endowment building, and major institutional upgrades, with a clear emphasis on long-lived assets and program capacity.
In Catholic K–12 and faith-based school projects, the foundation backed Saint Vincent De Paul School with $855,800 for tech infrastructure and HVAC, and Saint Olaf School with $429,177 for safety, security, and digital systems. It also supported Saint Andrew Catholic School with $516,724 for carbon monoxide detection. Higher education appears in both program-startup and scholarship support. Southern Utah University received $750,000 for a STEM laboratory, while Idaho State University Foundation received $1,500,000 for the Skaggs Scholarship Program. The University of Utah College of Pharmacy was awarded $7,500,000 for opening doors first-year support. Science, research, and animal care are another recurring area. Friends of Zoo Boise received $2,000,000 for a veterinary hospital, and McPaws Regional Animal Shelter received $500,000 for renovation of veterinary space. The Living Planet received two grants in 2023 and 2025 for a science capital campaign.
Typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $179,900, the median is $440,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,136,417. The portfolio includes many multimillion-dollar awards, which is consistent with project-level and capital support. Recipients do repeat across years: The Scripps Research Institute and The Living Planet each received more than one grant, and several university and school partners appear in multiple years as well. The foundation is a regular funder and also funds individuals, but the grants list points most clearly to institutional, purpose-restricted giving rather than open application support.
$49.1M
$50.4M
$8.6M
$50M
Most grants fall between $180K and $1.1M, with a median of $440K.
25th Percentile
$180K
Median
$440K
75th Percentile
$1.1M
About 0% of grants go to recipients in ID.
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Very concentrated: a small number of very large grants, often capital or endowment-focused; repeated multi‑million gifts to the same institutions (e.g., Scripps), and strong geographic concentration in Utah.
Notable grantees: Skaggs Catholic Center LLC, The Scripps Research Institute, Judge Memorial Catholic High School, University of Utah College of Pharmacy, The Living Planet
Grant dollars land entirely in the United States, with the highest concentration of awards going to Idaho recipients by count. Utah appears frequently in the recent grants list, including Draper, Salt Lake City, Roy, Cedar City, Riverton, Bountiful, and Kearns. Idaho recipients include Boise, Pocatello, McCall, and Cottonwood. California, Colorado, Washington, and Montana also appear among grantee locations, showing a national footprint rather than a single-state program.
Its recent grants center on capital campaigns, endowments, and infrastructure: a performing arts center, a science museum/aquarium capital campaign, scholarship programs, STEM labs, and facility upgrades such as HVAC, safety systems, and veterinary hospital renovation.
Yes. Recent awards include $7,500,000 to the University of Utah College of Pharmacy for opening doors first-year support, $1,500,000 to Idaho State University Foundation for the Skaggs Scholarship Program, and $750,000 to Southern Utah University for a STEM laboratory.
No. While Utah recipients appear often, the recent grants list also includes organizations in Idaho, California, Colorado, Washington, and Montana. All grants shown are to U.S. recipients.
Yes. The Scripps Research Institute received grants in both 2023 and 2025, and The Living Planet also appears in both years. University and school partners show repeated support as well, indicating a pattern of recurring relationships.
The distribution is weighted toward large awards: the 25th percentile is $179,900, the median is $440,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,136,417. Several recent grants are in the multimillion-dollar range, which fits the foundation’s project-focused style.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKAGGS CATHOLIC CENTER LLC | DRAPER, UT | $16,650,237 | 2025 | PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND |
| THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSITUTE | LA JOLLA, CA | $10,000,000 | 2025 | CALIBR-BRIDGING THE |
| JUDGE MEMORIAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $7,500,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR NEW |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $4,750,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT AND CAPITAL |
| FRIENDS OF ZOO BOISE | BOISE, ID | $2,000,000 | 2025 | VETERINARY HOSPITAL |
| IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | POCATELLO, ID | $1,500,000 | 2025 | SKAGGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| MADELEINE CHOIR SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $1,000,000 | 2025 | FIELD HOUSE AND EARLY |
| THE LIVING PLANET | DRAPER, UT | $892,729 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OF SCIENCE |
| SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $855,800 | 2025 | TECH INFRASTRUCTURE, HVAC |
| SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY | CEDAR CITY, UT | $750,000 | 2025 | STEM LABORATORY |
| UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA FOUNDATION | MISSOULA, MT | $750,000 | 2025 | SKAGGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| SAINT ANDREW CATHOLIC SCHOOL | RIVERTON, UT | $516,724 | 2025 | CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTION |
| SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL | KEARNS, UT | $490,260 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAINT OLAF SCHOOL | BOUNTIFUL, UT | $429,177 | 2025 | SAFETY, SECURITY, DIGITAL |
| WASATCH MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE | PARK CITY, UT | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | OGDEN, UT | $254,958 | 2025 | PURCHASE VEHICLE |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $232,549 | 2025 | SAFETY EQUIPMENT/ DOOR |
| KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $109,176 | 2025 | HVAC SYSTEM |
| CATHEDRAL OF THE MADELEINE | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $50,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL BISHOP DINNER |
| GUADALUPE CENTER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INC | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | EARLY LEARNING CENTER |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF PHARMACY | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $7,500,000 | 2023 | OPENING DOORS 1ST YR |
| THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE | LAJOLLA, CA | $6,000,000 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT FOR GRADUATE |
| THE LIVING PLANET | DRAPER, UT | $5,000,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OF SCIENCE |
| ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF SALT LAKE CITY | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $3,000,000 | 2023 | PRESERVATION, MAINTENANCE |
| AEROSPACE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF UTAH | ROY, UT | $3,000,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $2,000,000 | 2023 | ADD TO SKAGGS SCHOLARS |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $1,662,000 | 2023 | UPGRADE OF THE WEIGAND |
| SKAGGS CATHOLIC CENTER | DRAPER, UT | $1,230,486 | 2023 | ADDITION OF SCIENCE & |
| THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE | LA JOLLA, CA | $1,042,348 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT FOR GRADUATE |
| IDAHO YOUTH RANCH | BOISE, ID | $1,000,000 | 2023 | BRINGING IDAHO'S KIDS HOME |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED | GREENACRES, WA | $1,000,000 | 2023 | RESTORATION PLAN |
| ST JOHN BOSCO ACADEMY | COTTONWOOD, ID | $1,000,000 | 2023 | DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION & |
| VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION | MISSOULA, MT | $950,000 | 2023 | ASSIST W/THE PURCHASE |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $500,000 | 2023 | PHASE 6 OF THE SKAGGS |
| MCPAWS REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER | MCCALL, ID | $500,000 | 2023 | RENOVATION OF VETERINARY |
| SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL | KEARNS, UT | $440,000 | 2023 | VARIOUS PROJECTS |
| KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $303,000 | 2023 | FIRE ALARM SYSTEM TO |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SALT LAKE CITY | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $300,000 | 2023 | HVAC SYSTEM |
| SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $250,000 | 2023 | ASSIST IN COSTS TO REPAIR |
| VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION INC | MISSOULA, MT | $250,000 | 2023 | BUILD SOCIAL TOLERANCE FOR |
| ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $225,880 | 2023 | COOLING SYSTEM AT PASTORAL |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $200,000 | 2023 | INFRASTRUCTURE |
| FOURTH STREET CLINIC | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $200,000 | 2023 | EXPENSES OF ALSAM PHARMACY |
| SAINT ANDREW SCHOOL | RIVERTON, UT | $159,800 | 2023 | EXPAND CURRICULUM MATERIAL |
| SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL | HOLLADAY, UT | $150,000 | 2023 | ASSIST W/COST OF IMPROVING |
| HOLY CROSS MINISTRIES OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $150,000 | 2023 | OFFICE RENOVATION & |
| SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | OGDEN, UT | $121,000 | 2023 | HEATING AND COOLING UNITS |
| KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $118,000 | 2023 | REFURBISH A ROOM IN THE |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE ASSOCIATION | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $100,000 | 2023 | TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL |
| CATHEDRAL OF THE MADELEINE | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $50,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL BISHOP DINNER |
SKAGGS CATHOLIC CENTER LLC
$16,650,237PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND
THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSITUTE
$10,000,000CALIBR-BRIDGING THE
JUDGE MEMORIAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$7,500,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR NEW
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$4,750,000ENDOWMENT AND CAPITAL
FRIENDS OF ZOO BOISE
$2,000,000VETERINARY HOSPITAL
IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$1,500,000SKAGGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
MADELEINE CHOIR SCHOOL
$1,000,000FIELD HOUSE AND EARLY
THE LIVING PLANET
$892,729CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OF SCIENCE
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SCHOOL
$855,800TECH INFRASTRUCTURE, HVAC
SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
$750,000STEM LABORATORY
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA FOUNDATION
$750,000SKAGGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
SAINT ANDREW CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$516,724CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTION
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
$490,260GENERAL SUPPORT
SAINT OLAF SCHOOL
$429,177SAFETY, SECURITY, DIGITAL
WASATCH MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$254,958PURCHASE VEHICLE
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$232,549SAFETY EQUIPMENT/ DOOR
KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL
$109,176HVAC SYSTEM
CATHEDRAL OF THE MADELEINE
$50,000ANNUAL BISHOP DINNER
GUADALUPE CENTER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INC
$25,000EARLY LEARNING CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
$7,500,000OPENING DOORS 1ST YR
THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$6,000,000ENDOWMENT FOR GRADUATE
THE LIVING PLANET
$5,000,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OF SCIENCE
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF SALT LAKE CITY
$3,000,000PRESERVATION, MAINTENANCE
AEROSPACE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF UTAH
$3,000,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION
$2,000,000ADD TO SKAGGS SCHOLARS
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES OF UTAH
$1,662,000UPGRADE OF THE WEIGAND
SKAGGS CATHOLIC CENTER
$1,230,486ADDITION OF SCIENCE &
THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,042,348ENDOWMENT FOR GRADUATE
IDAHO YOUTH RANCH
$1,000,000BRINGING IDAHO'S KIDS HOME
DUCKS UNLIMITED
$1,000,000RESTORATION PLAN
ST JOHN BOSCO ACADEMY
$1,000,000DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION &
VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION
$950,000ASSIST W/THE PURCHASE
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOUNDATION
$500,000PHASE 6 OF THE SKAGGS
MCPAWS REGIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER
$500,000RENOVATION OF VETERINARY
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL
$440,000VARIOUS PROJECTS
KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL
$303,000FIRE ALARM SYSTEM TO
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SALT LAKE CITY
$300,000HVAC SYSTEM
SAINT PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH
$250,000ASSIST IN COSTS TO REPAIR
VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION INC
$250,000BUILD SOCIAL TOLERANCE FOR
ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF UTAH
$225,880COOLING SYSTEM AT PASTORAL
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$200,000INFRASTRUCTURE
FOURTH STREET CLINIC
$200,000EXPENSES OF ALSAM PHARMACY
SAINT ANDREW SCHOOL
$159,800EXPAND CURRICULUM MATERIAL
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$150,000ASSIST W/COST OF IMPROVING
HOLY CROSS MINISTRIES OF UTAH
$150,000OFFICE RENOVATION &
SAINT JOSEPH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$121,000HEATING AND COOLING UNITS
KEARNS-SAINT ANN SCHOOL
$118,000REFURBISH A ROOM IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE ASSOCIATION
$100,000TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL
CATHEDRAL OF THE MADELEINE
$50,000ANNUAL BISHOP DINNER