Morris Animal Foundation
Morris Animal Foundation is a Denver-based public charity that funds animal health research worldwide. Founded in 1948, it supports research intended to improve veterinary care and animal health for dogs, cats, horses and wildlife.
Morris Animal Foundation at a glance
In short: Morris Animal Foundation gave $4.7M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $195K), top state Colorado. 54% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,674,215
- -25.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- -27.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $194,759
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $129,125
- Total assets
- $123,345,905
- +9.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (13 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (40% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Morris Animal Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit proposals through SmartSimple and consult the current RFP guidelines, templates and scoring criteria. Annual species RFPs require a pre-proposal as the first application stage.
- Review Cycle
- The next listed annual RFP deadline is April 7, 2027, for the Wildlife RFP.
- Deadline
- The next listed annual RFP deadline is April 7, 2027, for the Wildlife RFP.
- Contact
Mailing address: 720 S Colorado Blvd Ste 174A, Denver, CO 80246
Phone: (303) 790-2345
Website: https://morrisanimalfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
26 open opportunities from Morris Animal Foundation
Annual Canine Health Grants: Established Investigator
Morris Animal Foundation
Amount
Approximately US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Annual Canine Health Grants: Fellowship Training
Morris Animal Foundation
Amount
Up to US $145,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Annual Canine Health Grants: First Award
Morris Animal Foundation
Amount
Up to US $120,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Morris Animal Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Colorado State University ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $3.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 49 grants of 128 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it funds researchers and projects around the world. In 2025, 40% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado, 8% to California, 7% to New York, and 6% each to Massachusetts and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Morris Animal Foundation open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 24 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $86K; repeat grants $323K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $145K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2021) to $6.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $4.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO | Animal Health Studies | $1,849,339 |
| University of California Davis Los Angeles, CA | Animal Health Studies | $355,257 |
| Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Animal Health Studies | $313,360 |
| University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc Athens, GA | Animal Health Studies | $258,499 |
| University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN | Animal Health Studies | $214,812 |
| Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Urbana, IL | Animal Health Studies | $202,112 |
| Texas A&M University College Station, TX | Animal Health Studies | $162,757 |
| Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | Animal Health Studies | $144,828 |
| Tufts University Medford, MA | Animal Health Studies | $144,396 |
| The Board of Supervisors of La State Univ and Agricultural Baton Rouge, LA | Animal Health Studies | $142,916 |
Ready to take the next step with Morris Animal Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing describes an endowment made up of approximately 21 donor-established funds for specific activities and general operations, as well as board-designated net assets. It states that grant payments are typically made twice a year, contingent on reporting requirements and satisfactory progress, and that grant performance is assessed through scientific review of grant reports.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $123,345,905 | $17,312,374 | $16,642,178 | $4,674,215 | 24 | $1,195,915 |
| 2024 | $112,233,574 | $14,361,900 | $21,210,085 | $6,238,011 | 33 | $848,892 |
| 2023 | $109,695,507 | $11,557,696 | $17,102,993 | $3,037,476 | 24 | $125,536 |
| 2022 | $106,653,429 | $18,067,931 | $15,109,381 | $2,573,798 | 26 | $1,986,400 |
| 2021 | $110,972,027 | $14,941,342 | $13,207,777 | $2,166,029 | 21 | $1,403,679 |
| 2020 | $90,834,795 | $15,293,616 | $12,460,769 | $2,699,026 | 21 | $4,123,341 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. It funds research on animal health problems, including work to develop diagnostics, treatments and cures. The Foundation’s website describes its research as spanning clinical settings, laboratories and field studies, and says it supports work involving dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. Its 2024 filing also names llamas and alpacas among the species addressed by its research.
The Foundation says most funded studies are conducted at accredited veterinary schools, with other work taking place at zoological parks, aquariums and animal health-focused organizations, including conservation groups. Among its 2025 grantees, Colorado State University’s affiliated research organization describes its role as supporting research and educational efforts at universities in the Colorado State University System. The University of Georgia Research Foundation describes its role as supporting the University of Georgia’s teaching, research and public-service mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 24 grants totaling $4,674,215. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $1,849,339, with a median of $129,125. The largest awards included $1,849,339 to Colorado State University, $355,257 to the University of California Davis, $313,360 to Cornell University and $258,499 to the University of Georgia Research Foundation. The listed purposes for these grants were animal health studies.
The Foundation’s website describes a review process in which its Scientific Grants Program team checks proposals for completeness and compliance with criteria, then volunteer scientific advisory boards review proposals for merit and impact. Studies involving animals are also reviewed by its Animal Welfare Advisory Board. The Foundation says applications are submitted through SmartSimple, and that application guidelines, templates and scoring criteria are posted there about two weeks before an RFP opens. Eligibility requirements are set out in each RFP’s guidelines. The Foundation accepts research proposals from outside the United States, subject to U.S. sanctions restrictions; it does not accept proposals focused on human health or agricultural animal health.
The listed 2026 pre-proposal deadlines for the Feline Annual RFP and Equid Annual RFP, and the Veterinary Student Scholars FY27 Round 1 deadline, have passed. The student scholars program provides stipends to veterinary students selected by their institutions. For the next annual species cycles listed on the Foundation’s website, the 2027 Wildlife RFP is scheduled to open March 3 and close April 7; the Canine RFP, April 7 to May 5; the Equid RFP, May 12 to June 16; and the Feline RFP, August 11 to September 15. Dates are subject to change.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Vern Norviel as chair, Carlton Osborne as vice chair, David Morris as treasurer and Amy Hunkeler as secretary. Trustees listed are Adam Boyko, Ajay Gopal, Bill Sutherland, Bob Gain, Chuck Stephens and Cynthia Morris.
Morris Animal Foundation is led by Ryan Welch, Interim CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 7 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ryan Welch
Interim CEO
Chief Development Officer → Chief Development, 2022
Chief Development → Interim CEO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$161K (2020) → $387K (2025)
Ike Nicoll
CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vern Norviel
Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Roiger
Director of Finance & Administrator
Director of Finance → Director of Finance & Administrator, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$110K (2023) → $143K (2025)
Sara Williams
Director of Strategic Partnerships
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$141K (2025)
Bill Sutherland
Trustee
Vice Chair → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Stephens
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Morris
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Offermann
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stan Teeter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Boyko
Trustee
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ajay Gopal
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Jachimiec
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Gain
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Debbie Davenport
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna Dambach
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Bloink
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Downing
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Fisher
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan McVeigh
Senior Database & Software Developer
Senior Database & Software Development → Senior Database, 2022
Senior Database → Senior Database & Software Developer, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$129K (2021) → $147K (2025)
Julia Labadie
Vet Scientist & Grls
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$157K (2025)
Kathy Tietje
Cpo
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$214K (2025)
Lara Croft
Vet Scientist & Sgp
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$132K (2025)
David Morris
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carlton Osborne
Vice Chair
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Hunkeler
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (41)
- Former: Amy Hunkeler Dvm Dacvo MBA (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Carol Borchert (2020–2024) — Chief Market
- Former: Deborah Davenport Dvm Ms Dacvim (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Gregory Knaddison (2020–2024) — Chief Techno
- Former: Robert C. Gain Jr. (2020–2024) — Chair
- Former: Tiffany Grunert (2020–2024) — CEO
- Former: Dan Stencel (2021–2024) — Vice President of Development
- Former: Donna Dambach Vmd Phd Dacvp (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Kathleen Tietje (2021–2024) — Chief Program
- Former: Allan Goldberg (2022–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Anita Migday Dvm Ms (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Leah Lambrakis (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Leo Kacenjar (2022–2024) — Senior Database
- Former: Asad Butt (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Greg Austin (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Joe Maluso (2023–2024) — Director of
- Former: Kristin Bloink Dvm (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Patrick Collins (2024) — Prdct Manager & T
- Former: Robin Downing Dmv (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Stan Teeter Dvm (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Steve Fisher Dvm (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Amy Eagle Thompson (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Ann B. Moore (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Colin J. Giles Bvetmed Phd Mrcv (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Janet Patterson-Kane (2020–2023) — Chief Scient
- Former: Jay Mesinger (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: John C. Kuenzi (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Walter N. George III (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Sarah Svitak (2022–2023) — Chief Operat
- Former: Stacy Van Buren (2022–2023) — Vice President of Financ
- Former: Sara Yeransian (2020–2022) — Develop. Deputy
- Former: Faz Bashi MD (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Robin Downing Dvm Ms (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Kelly Mackean (2020–2021) — Senior Scientific Director of Science & Communications
- Former: Michael Cinkosky (2020–2021) — Former Chief Technology Officer
- Former: Stacy Vanburen (2020–2021) — Vice President of Finance & Operations
- Former: Bette Morris PhD (2020) — Trustee
- Former: David Petrie (2020) — Trustee & Partial Year
- Former: Elizabeth Nahon (2020) — Senior Director of Scientific Grants
- Former: Jonna Mazet Dvm Mpvm PhD (2020) — Trustee & Partial Year
- Former: Patrick Long Dvm (2020) — Trustee & Partial Year
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $387K, to Ryan Welch (Interim CEO (Thru May '25)). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Morris Animal Foundation
How much does Morris Animal Foundation give each year?
Morris Animal Foundation gave $4.7M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6.2M across 33 grants.
What is Morris Animal Foundation's typical grant size?
Morris Animal Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $129,125, and its average grant was $194,759, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Morris Animal Foundation that year got $86K on average.
Where does Morris Animal Foundation give grants?
Morris Animal Foundation's top state is Colorado, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (8%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Medford, MA (2 grants).
Does Morris Animal Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Morris Animal Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Animal Health Studies" (24 grants).
Who are Morris Animal Foundation's largest grantees?
Morris Animal Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Colorado State University ($1,849,339), University of California Davis ($355,257) and Cornell University ($313,360), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Morris Animal Foundation?
Morris Animal Foundation reported $123.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.3M.
What does Morris Animal Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. It funds research on animal health problems, including work to develop diagnostics, treatments and cures. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Morris Animal Foundation?
Submit proposals through SmartSimple and consult the current RFP guidelines, templates and scoring criteria. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Morris Animal Foundation's EIN?
Morris Animal Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-6032307. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 26, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Morris Animal Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Morris Animal Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/morris-animal-foundation-morg_b02bd221ef7a4b6498f08ad2b5c31025
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_846032307_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Morris Animal Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/morris-animal-foundation-morg_b02bd221ef7a4b6498f08ad2b5c31025},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Morris Animal 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.
Morris Animal Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?