EA Morris Charitable Foundation
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
19
-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.
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
Cities
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
| 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
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 AwardFrequently 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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in EA Morris Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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