Community Foundation of Utah
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About Community Foundation of Utah
The Community Foundation of Utah concentrates its resources on local Utah institutions — especially major religious organizations, higher-education institutions, health care and human services — while also supporting international relief and arts partners. Giving is heavily skewed toward a small number of large awards (notably to The Church of Jesus Christ and the University of Utah) alongside repeated, multi-year support for local safety-net providers and cultural organizations. The foundation also routes funds through donor-advised/charitable funds and national relief organizations, signaling a mix of place-based philanthropy and broader humanitarian commitments.
Focus Areas
Support for The Church of Jesus Christ and related faith-based initiatives in UtahMajor gifts to Utah higher-education institutions and university-affiliated programs (University of Utah, Utah State, university impact/growth funds)Local safety-net and basic needs providers in Salt Lake City (Tabitha's Way, Switchpoint/Friends of Switchpoint, The Other Side Village)Health care and medical research funding (Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, Huntsman Cancer Foundation)Arts and cultural institutions in Utah (Ballet West) and community cultural investmentInternational humanitarian and refugee assistance (International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services)
Who They Fund
unspecified
Giving Approach
Concentrated, large-dollar giving with the top handful of grants representing a substantial share of total dollars; a mix of multi-grant repeat funding to core local grantees and one-off disbursements through donor-advised/charitable funds and national relief organizations.
Funding Style
unrestricted supportgeneral operating supportcore/overhead fundingflexible funding
Notable grantees: The Church of Jesus Christ, University of Utah, Tabitha's Way / Tabitha's Way Local Food Pantries, Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, International Rescue Committee
Topics
no programmatic focus / unspecifiedorganizational resilienceadministrative capacity
About Community Foundation of Utah
The Community Foundation of Utah’s grantmaking is defined by very large general-support awards to Utah institutions, led by a 2025 grant of $18,847,593 to Church of Jesus Christ in Salt Lake City. That pattern continues through major support for the University of Utah, Utah State University, and community-serving organizations such as Tabitha’s Way and The Other Side Village. The foundation’s recent grants show a mix of faith-based giving, higher-education support, health-related philanthropy, and basic-needs funding, with several awards reaching into the million-dollar range. It also backs donor-advised and charitable fund vehicles, which adds another layer to how money moves through the foundation. Across the recent list, the foundation repeatedly directs large unrestricted or general-support grants to established Utah institutions rather than relying only on project-specific funding. University-linked entities appear alongside local safety-net providers and cultural organizations, suggesting a portfolio that combines institutional giving with community relief and civic infrastructure. The result is a grantmaker with a strong Utah orientation and a clear preference for flexible support to organizations already operating at scale.
What Community Foundation of Utah Funds
Faith-based giving is a major part of the portfolio. In 2025, the foundation gave $18,847,593 to Church of Jesus Christ for general support, and in 2023 it awarded $5,533,789 to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latte for the same purpose. Higher education is another clear theme. The University of Utah received $4,983,119 in 2025 and $3,759,479 in 2024, while Utah State University received $2,151,560 in 2025 and $1,221,418 in 2024. A separate 2025 grant of $1,100,000 went to University of Utah Growth Capital Partners Foundation. Basic needs and community support also appear consistently. The foundation gave $2,500,000 to Tabitha’s Way in 2025 and $1,335,000 to Tabitha’s Way Local Food Pantries in 2024. It also awarded $1,515,000 to The Other Side Village in 2025 and $1,596,856 to Friends of Switchpoint Inc in the same year.
How Community Foundation of Utah Gives
The typical grant size sits at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $48,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grant list also includes several awards above $1 million and a few in the multi-million range. The foundation’s pattern is recurring rather than one-off: recipients such as the University of Utah, Utah State University, Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, and Tabitha’s Way appear across multiple years. It is a public charity and a mixed community foundation, and it also makes program-related investments. Several listed grants are labeled general support, showing a preference for flexible funding.
Where Community Foundation of Utah Makes Grants
Grant activity is concentrated in Utah, which accounts for 60% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Recent awards land in Salt Lake City, St. George, Spanish Fork, and Provo, alongside Logan through Utah State University. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the data provided, with 807 grants going to U.S. recipients and no non-U.S. countries appearing in the distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Community Foundation of Utah
What size grants does The Community Foundation of Utah typically make?
The distribution centers on moderate grants, with a 25th percentile of $10,000, a median of $20,000, and a 75th percentile of $48,000. The recent list also includes several much larger awards, including multiple gifts above $1 million.
Does the foundation give to the same organizations across multiple years?
Yes. The University of Utah, Utah State University, Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, and Tabitha’s Way each appear in more than one grant year, which points to repeated support rather than isolated awards.
What kinds of causes does it support?
The recent grants show support for faith-based institutions, higher education, basic-needs providers, health care, and arts organizations. Named recipients include Church of Jesus Christ, the University of Utah, Tabitha’s Way, Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, and Ballet West.
Is the foundation’s giving mostly local?
Yes. Utah is the top state by grant count, and 60% of grants go to recipients in Utah. The listed recipient locations include Salt Lake City, St. George, Spanish Fork, Provo, and Logan.
Does it make program-related investments or only grants?
It does both in the data provided. The foundation is marked as making program-related investments, and its recent grant list also includes substantial grantmaking across Utah institutions and community organizations.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$60M
Total Assets
$190.4M
Total Revenue
$66.7M
Total Expenses
$66.6M
Latest 990 Filing
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $48K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$48K
Geographic Reach
Regional34 states funded
About 60% of grants go to recipients in UT.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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