Legacy Global Foundation
Legacy Global Foundation is a public charity based in Mesa, Arizona, formed in 2001. It provides charitable funding through grants, distributions, and investments to nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, religious organizations, foreign nonprofit organizations, and qualified individuals, in the United States and internationally.
Legacy Global Foundation at a glance
In short: Legacy Global Foundation gave $7.2M across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $190K), top state Nebraska. 76% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,224,455
- +87.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- +31.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $190,117
- +43.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,169
- Total assets
- $266,686,085
- +2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 76% first-time grantees (29 of 38, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (30% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Legacy Global Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website describes a grant-request process for people with advisory privileges: submit a request for a qualified organization or cause, with the proposed activity meeting 501(c)(3) funding requirements.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4435 East Holmes Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85206
Phone: (602) 704-1000
Website: https://legacyglobal.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Legacy Global Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Schwab Charitable ($2.2M). Together the top 10 received $5.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
136 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 136 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it makes grants within the United States and internationally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Legacy Global Foundation open to new grantees?
76%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 29 of 38 grantees (76%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $119K; repeat grants $418K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $122K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2020) to $21.2M (2021). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $7.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Schwab Charitable Omaha, NE | General Mission | $2,152,565 |
| Thoughtful Tech Project Inc Covina, CA | General Mission | $990,000 |
| Legacy Global Programs Mesa, AZ | General Mission | $616,091 |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Salt Lake City, UT | General Mission | $570,000 |
| The Yucatan Education Project Independence, OH | General Mission | $487,104 |
| Dechomai Foundation Inc Jacksonville, FL | General Mission | $346,105 |
| Virgin Unite USA Inc New York, NY | General Mission | $246,000 |
| Utah Sports Commission Foundat Salt Lake City, UT | General Mission | $200,000 |
| The Uplift Foundation Castle Rock, CO | General Mission | $175,000 |
| Founders Pledge Inc New York, NY | General Mission | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Legacy Global Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation stated in its 2024 filing that it has no employees and leases employees from a payroll company on a direct-reimbursement basis.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $266,686,085 | $17,649,101 | $9,473,186 | $7,224,455 | 38 | $3,191,621 |
| 2023 | $260,610,654 | $5,210,414 | $6,921,879 | $3,852,808 | 29 | $278,384 |
| 2021 | $90,536,971 | $30,933,023 | $23,167,552 | $21,235,300 | 52 | $1,891,383 |
| 2020 | $78,103,362 | $17,629,906 | $4,084,707 | $1,566,169 | 17 | $487,482 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to “bless the whole earth” through innovative, effective, ethical, and responsible charitable service and solutions; empower stakeholders; promote well-being and prosperity by inspiring the transfer of values across generations; and deliver the promise that people are blessed when they bless others.
Its stated funding areas include arts, religion, education and scholarships, social welfare, scientific research, culture and humanities, health and human services, environment and species protection, community development, animal welfare, justice and public safety, counseling, addiction recovery, geological research, technology development, medical research and assistance, humanitarian relief, community service, youth programs, and promoting Indian Nations and First Nations culturally and economically.
Examples of supported organizations include the University of Chicago, whose stated mission is to sustain excellence in communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students; A Child’s Hope Foundation, which says it elevates how the world cares for orphans and vulnerable children; and Rise Up Industries, whose stated mission is to minimize gang involvement through prevention, intervention, and post-detention reentry services.
Grantmaking
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes funding through grants, distributions, and investments. It states that most grants are for one-year periods and general operations. In most cases, grantees are required to submit a final report or progress update. Grant agreements may set documented benchmarks that must be achieved before the next installment is paid.
The website says people with advisory privileges may request funds for a qualified organization or cause. Requests must identify a qualified person or group and describe an activity allowable for a 501(c)(3) to fund. The foundation’s gateway also provides for invoice submissions and reimbursement requests for qualified charitable expenses.
In 2023, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $3,852,808. Notable grants included $489,369 to Legacy Global Programs, $40,000 to the University of Chicago, $35,000 to A Child’s Hope Foundation, and $10,000 each to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Rise Up Industries, Culver Educational Foundation, and Music Theatre West. The grantee descriptions identify work in philanthropy facilitation, higher education, care for vulnerable children, neuromuscular disease, gang prevention and reentry, student education, and community theatre. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 38 grants totaling $7.2 million.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Delight Moser, Wayne Hatch, and Paul Peterson as directors, and Melodie Gatz as CEO.
Legacy Global Foundation is led by Melodie Durfee Gatz, CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Melodie Durfee Gatz
CEO
President, CEO & Trustee → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$120K (2023) → $40K (2024)
Paul Peterson
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Delight Moser
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wayne Hatch
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Melodie Durfee (2020–2021) — President, CEO & Trustee
- Former: Richard E. Durfee Jr. (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas Brown (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $40K, to Melodie Gatz (CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Legacy Global Foundation
How much does Legacy Global Foundation give each year?
Legacy Global Foundation gave $7.2M across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 29 grants.
What is Legacy Global Foundation's typical grant size?
Legacy Global Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $40,169, and its average grant was $190,117, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Legacy Global Foundation that year got $119K on average.
Where does Legacy Global Foundation give grants?
Legacy Global Foundation's top state is Nebraska, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (18%) and Utah (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (8 grants), Mesa, AZ (2 grants), Independence, OH (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Legacy Global Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Legacy Global Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Legacy Global Foundation's largest grantees?
Legacy Global Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Schwab Charitable ($2,152,565), Thoughtful Tech Project Inc ($990,000) and Legacy Global Programs ($616,091), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Legacy Global Foundation?
Legacy Global Foundation reported $266.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.6M.
What does Legacy Global Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to “bless the whole earth” through innovative, effective, ethical, and responsible charitable service and solutions; empower stakeholders; promote well-being and prosperity by inspiring the transfer of values across generations; and deliver the promise that people are blessed when they bless others. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Legacy Global Foundation?
The website describes a grant-request process for people with advisory privileges: submit a request for a qualified organization or cause, with the proposed activity meeting 501(c)(3) funding requirements. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Legacy Global Foundation's EIN?
Legacy Global Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1440662. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Legacy Global Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Legacy Global Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/legacy-global-foundation-morg_f89ecfa405774e24b86107a20b43ad85
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_371440662_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Legacy Global Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/legacy-global-foundation-morg_f89ecfa405774e24b86107a20b43ad85},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Legacy Global Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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