Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation

CONIFER, CO EIN: 84-6028054

The Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation is a private foundation located in Conifer, Colorado. Established in 1960, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been designated as a private foundation under IRS classification.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.7M

-1.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$370K

+0.0% YoY

Grant Count

-4.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$8K

+4.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation reported a distributable amount of $346K 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 supports animal welfare and related charitable causes. Recent grant activity demonstrates a primary focus on animal protection and humane services organizations.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 37 grants in 2024, with a total grant distribution of approximately $281,500. Notable recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Colorado $1.6M (100%)

States

Colorado

Cities

AlamosaAuroraBoncarboBoulderBreckenridgeBuena VistaColorado SpringsConiferCrested ButteDenverDivideEagleEnglewoodEvergreenFlorenceFort CollinsFort LuptonFort MorganFt CollinsFt Lupton

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2024 Financial Summary:

Total Assets: $2,730,455
Total Revenues: $401,619
Total Expenses: $451,620
Total Liabilities: $0

The foundation received $110,000 in donations from the Dr Mary Bates Trust Fund during its 2023 tax period.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,730,455	$2,780,456	$2,769,231
Revenue	$401,619	$457,685	$312,174
Expenses	$451,620	$446,460	$395,301
Qualifying Distributions	$443,108	$436,464	$377,929
Net Investment Income	$219,154	$267,689	$262,174
Distributable Amount	$346,003	$443,108	$445,045

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

222 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Denver Dumb Friends League ($49,000), Scholarship CO State ($15,000), Ark Valley Humane Society-Sunshine Shelter ($14,500).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
Animal Rescue of the Rockies Breckenridge, CO	DONATION	$4,700
Almost Home Adpotions Westminster, CO	DONATION	$4,900
Ark Valley Humane Society-Sunshine Shelter Buena Vista, CO	DONATION	$14,500
Boulder Valley Humane Society Boulder, CO	DONATION	$8,800
Breeder Release & Adoption Service Boncarbo, CO	DONATION	$3,600
CATS ALIVE Alamosa CO Alamosa, CO	DONATION	$3,900
CAWS-Delta County Paonia, CO	DONATION	$5,000
Denver Dumb Friends League Denver, CO	DONATION	$49,000
Eagle Valley Humane Society Eagle, CO	DONATION	$5,400
Evergreen Animal Protective League Evergreen, CO	DONATION	$6,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is governed by three trustees:

Marilyn C Brisco
Daniel K Wolfe IV
Rebecca A Wolfe

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Daniel K Wolfe IV	DIRECTOR	1	$16,000
Rebecca A wolfe	DIRECTOR	1	$16,000
Ryan Kargol	DIRECTOR	5	$18,000
Jan Wolfe	DIRECTOR	1	$16,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation fund?

The foundation supports animal welfare and related charitable causes. Recent grant activity demonstrates a primary focus on animal protection and humane services organizations.

How do I apply for a grant from Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation?

The foundation made 37 grants in 2024, with a total grant distribution of approximately $281,500. Notable recent grants include: • Denver Dumb Friends League: $49,000 • Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region: $12,900 • Paragon Service Dogs: $12,000 Additional grants totaling $220,600 were distributed to 22 other organizations in 2024.

What size grants does Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation award?

In 2024, Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation awarded 46 grants totaling $370K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation reported a distributable amount of $346K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation's EIN?

Mary Elizabeth Bates Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-6028054. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.