EA Morris Charitable Foundation

DURHAM, NC EIN: 58-1413060

The EA Morris Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1980 and based in Durham, North Carolina. The foundation was created by Edwin A. Morris, who served as an executive with Blue Bell, Inc. in the 1940s and developed the "Western" style of blue jeans through Blue Bell's Wrangler brand. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with a staff of 4 employees.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.5M

+1.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$421K

-1.2% YoY

Grant Count

-9.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$22K

+9.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, EA Morris Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $758K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's giving priorities include:

Higher education
Organizations that address democratic values and national freedoms
Christian organizations
General support and scholarships
The EA Morris Fellowship program
The EA Morris Fund
Support for comprehensive cancer centers

Grantmaking

The foundation made 25 grants in 2023. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $100,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.

Grant Distribution by State

North Carolina $1.7M (77%)

Virginia $365K (17%)

Tennessee $100K (5%)

Missouri $20K (1%)

Colorado $10K (0%)

District of Columbia $5K (0%)

States

Colorado District of Columbia Missouri North Carolina Tennessee Virginia

Cities

AlexandriaArlingtonAshvilleBooneCharlotteColorado SpringsDurhamGreensboroNashvilleRaleighRestonSpringfieldWarrentonWashsingtonWingate

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (as of December 2023)

Total assets: $11,330,085
Total revenues: $400,354
Total expenses: $762,510
Investment income and dividends: $298,745

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$11,452,686	$11,330,085	$11,692,241
Revenue	$933,098	$400,354	$781,199
Expenses	$810,497	$762,510	$773,870
Qualifying Distributions	$513,127	$615,425	$586,422
Net Investment Income	$848,930	$326,147	$685,447
Distributable Amount	$757,929	$560,631	$500,473

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

111 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Jesse Helms Center Foundation ($100,000), National Taxpayers Union Foundation ($50,000), The John Lock Foundation ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMISTAD MISSION NASHVILLE, TN	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
CONE HEALTH GREENSBORO, NC	E A MORRIS FUND	$20,000
DUKE COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER DURHAM, NC	COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER	$20,000
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMFORTER CHARLOTTE, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500
EXPONENT PHILANTHROPY Washsington, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
HOMEWARD BOUND OF WESTERN NC INC ASHVILLE, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500
LEADERSHIP EDGE INCORPORATED DURHAM, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
NATIONAL RIGHT TO WORK LEGAL DEFENSE FOUNDATION SPRINGFIELD, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION FOUNDATION ALEXANDRIA, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER INC RALEIGH, NC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

John S. Thomas is listed as President of the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
KATHARINE THOMAS	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
E JACK WALKER	DIRECTOR,SECRETARY	0.15	—
EDWIN THOMAS	DIRECTOR	0.1	$91,000
CHARLES FULLER	DIRECTOR	0.1	—
JOHN S THOMAS	PRESIDENT	35	$89,113
KENNETH B MORGAN	DIRECTOR,TREASURER	10	$58,396

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

The EA Morris Fellowship program, administered through The John Locke Foundation, won the 2024 Program of the Year Award.

Locke\u2019s E.A. Morris Fellowship Wins 2024 Program of the Year Award

Frequently Asked Questions

What does EA Morris Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation's giving priorities include: • Higher education • Organizations that address democratic values and national freedoms • Christian organizations • General support and scholarships • The EA Morris Fellowship program • The EA Morris Fund • Support for comprehensive cancer centers

How do I apply for a grant from EA Morris Charitable Foundation?

**Grant Activity & Amounts** The foundation made 25 grants in 2023. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $100,000. **Recent Grants (2023)** Notable recent grants include: • The Jesse Helms Center Foundation: $100,000 (General Support) • The John Locke Foundation: $50,000 (General Support) • The John Locke Foundation: $50,000 (EA Morris Fellowship Program) **Total Giving** The foundation distributed $421,000 in grants based on the most recent filing.

Where does EA Morris Charitable Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.

What size grants does EA Morris Charitable Foundation award?

In 2024, EA Morris Charitable Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $421K — an average of about $22K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is EA Morris Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, EA Morris Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $758K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is EA Morris Charitable Foundation's EIN?

EA Morris Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1413060. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.