Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation
The Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2024, it made 48 grants totaling $2,632,761, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Utah.
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation gave $2.6M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $55K), mostly in Utah. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,632,761
- -1.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +4.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $54,849
- -6.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,915,242
- -6.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Utah (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its filing says to submit a written request to Matthew B Garff. It lists no deadline and no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Matthew B Garff
Mailing address: 111 East Broadway Ste 900, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Phone: (801) 257-3400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Utah ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 173 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Utah and 9% to recipients in Georgia. Iowa, Arizona, and California each accounted for 1% or less. Examples of out-of-state recipients include Arizona State University, which received $14,927, and the University of Northern Iowa Foundation, which received $7,500.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation gives
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 42% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $1.3M (2022) to $4.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | General Donations | $2,037,350 |
| Martin Luther King Jr Center Atlanta, GA | general donation | $250,000 |
| Utah First Lady Foundation Midvale, UT | General Donation | $50,000 |
| Huntsman Mental Salt Lake City, UT | general donation | $28,000 |
| Salt Lake City School District Salt Lake City, UT | general donation | $26,758 |
| Utah Valley University Orem, UT | General Donation | $22,500 |
| Utah Sports Commission Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | General Donation | $15,000 |
| Arizona State University Tempe, AZ | General Donation | $14,927 |
| Success in Education Salt Lake City, UT | general donation | $13,300 |
| Weber State University Ogden, UT | General Donation | $11,189 |
Ready to take the next step with Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,915,242 | $2,430,963 | $2,682,726 | $2,632,761 | 48 | $2,654,918 | $467,231 | $203,413 |
| 2023 | $4,167,710 | $2,443,140 | $2,687,436 | $2,682,919 | 46 | $2,682,919 | $275,113 | $137,815 |
| 2022 | $4,401,268 | $3,070,137 | $1,336,590 | $1,316,255 | 41 | $1,316,255 | $168,460 | $84,800 |
| 2021 | $2,702,636 | $3,606,415 | $4,521,219 | $4,519,936 | 27 | $4,459,936 | $121,055 | $69,936 |
| 2020 | $3,567,684 | $5,724,342 | $4,659,696 | $4,655,113 | 11 | — | $62,101 | $131,498 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation reported a distributable amount of $203K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including educational institutions and organizations involved in sports, community service, and mental health.
Grantees describe their own missions in varied terms: the Utah Sports Commission Foundation says it fosters national and international amateur sports competitions in Utah; The McGillis School says it empowers children to become enthusiastic learners and ethical, active citizens; and Good Deed Revolution describes work involving mental health resources and suicide prevention.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 48 grants totaling $2,632,761. Individual grants ranged from $53 to $2,037,350, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grants included $2,037,350 to the University of Utah, $250,000 to the Martin Luther King Jr Center, $50,000 to the Utah First Lady Foundation, and $28,000 to Huntsman Mental. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general donations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katherine B Garff as president; John K Garff and Amy A Garff as vice presidents; James Campbell as treasurer; and Mark Richards, Joshua Garff, Rachel Garff, Jacob J Garff, Megan Garff, and Katherine E Garff as directors.
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation is led by Katherine E Garff, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine E Garff
President & Director
Director → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob J. Garff
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Garff
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Richards
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Megan Garff
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Garff
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John K. Garff
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy A. Garff
Vice President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Campbell
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jennifer G. Folkerson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Menlove (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Matthew B. Garff (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Melissa G. Ballard (2020–2021) — Vice President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation
How much does Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation give each year?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation gave $2.6M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.7M across 46 grants.
What is Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $54,849, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation give grants?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (11 grants), Houston, TX (4 grants), Ogden, UT (3 grants) and Laramie, WY (2 grants).
Does Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Utah ($2,037,350), Martin Luther King Jr Center ($250,000) and Utah First Lady Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $203K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations, including educational institutions and organizations involved in sports, community service, and mental health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's EIN?
Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1412845. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert H & Katharine B Garff Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-h-and-katharine-b-garff-foundation-morg_3ef83520698e4e03a764fb7ee2193f5f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201412845_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert H \& Katharine B Garff Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-h-and-katharine-b-garff-foundation-morg_3ef83520698e4e03a764fb7ee2193f5f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Robert H & Katharine B Garff 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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