SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation
The SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation is a private foundation established in 1982 in Utah, headquartered in Salt Lake City. The foundation honors the legacy of S.J. "Joe" Quinney (1893-1983) and his wife Jessie Eccles Quinney (1896-unknown). Joe Quinney was a founding partner of the Ray, Quinney & Nebeker law firm, a ski industry pioneer who helped establish Alta Ski Area, and a 1975 inductee into the National Ski Hall of Fame. Both Joe and Jessie were alumni of Utah State University, graduating in 1916 and 1917 respectively.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$68.7M
+3.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.3M
+31.6% YoY
Grant Count
49
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$87K
+31.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Higher Education: The foundation's strongest area of support, including named professorships in natural resources and environmental law, scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, and named colleges and programs at Utah State University and University of Utah
- General Education: Support for K-12 and other educational initiatives
- Social Services: Support for various social service programs
- Cultural Programs: Including the performing arts
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. The foundation does not maintain a public website, email, or phone number for grant applications. Inquiries should be directed to the mailing address.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $500,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses exclusively on Utah-based organizations and causes.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of 2024):
- Total assets: $68.73 million
- Total revenues: $7.22 million
- Total expenses: $5.06 million
- Total liabilities: $2,000
Assets & Revenue (as of 2023):
- Total assets: $66.64 million
- Total revenues: $3.02 million
- Total expenses: $4.01 million
- Total giving: $3.23 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $68,730,042 | $66,642,395 | $63,592,539 |
| Revenue | $7,219,858 | $3,017,985 | $3,761,200 |
| Expenses | $5,064,030 | $4,014,060 | $4,298,309 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,284,993 | $3,273,762 | $3,438,312 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,500,821 | $2,306,696 | $3,066,808 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,337,360 | $3,950,170 | $3,869,219 |
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
218 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Renaissance Charitable Foundation ($1,395,000), Utah State University - LWA Institute ($1,000,000), Utah State University - Quinney College of Natural Resources ($575,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ballet West Salt Lake City, UT | General Financial Support | $130,000 |
| Guadalupe Schools Salt Lake City, UT | General Financial Support | $30,000 |
| Moab Music Festival Moab, UT | General Financial Support | $30,000 |
| Neighborhood House Salt Lake City, UT | General Financial Support | $20,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | General Financial Support | $6,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy in Idaho Boise, ID | General Financial Support | $6,000 |
| University of Utah - University Development Office Salt Lake City, UT | General Financial Support | $136,000 |
| Utah State University - Quinney College of Natural Resources Logan, UT | General Financial Support | $575,000 |
| Utah State University - LWA Institute Logan, UT | General Financial Support | $1,000,000 |
| Utah State University Development Office Logan, UT | General Financial Support | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key trustees and directors include:
- Charles H Livsey (Trustee/Director)
- Clark P Giles (Trustee/Director)
- David E Quinney III (Director)
- David E Quinney Jr (Trustee/Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick Q Lawson | Director | 1.5 | $5,000 |
| David E Quinney Jr | Trustee/Director | 1.5 | $5,000 |
| Peter Q Lawson | Director | 1.5 | $5,000 |
| Ellen E Rossi | Director | 1.5 | $5,000 |
| David E Quinney III | Director | 1.5 | $5,000 |
| Charles H Livsey | Trustee/Director | 2.5 | $5,000 |
| Ira B Rubinfeld | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
| Gary Longmore | Director | 1 | $5,000 |
| Jason Tholen | Director | 0.5 | $5,000 |
| Sally B McMinimee | Director | 0.5 | $5,000 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 45385 Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0385
Phone: 801-532-1500
The foundation shares a mailing address with the Ray Quinney & Nebeker law firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • **Higher Education**: The foundation's strongest area of support, including named professorships in natural resources and environmental law, scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, and named colleges and programs at Utah State University and University of Utah • **General Education**: Support for K-12 and other educational initiatives • **Social Services**: Support for various social service programs • **Cultural Progra…
How do I apply for a grant from SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $3.2-3.23 million (2023-2024) • Number of grants: 48-49 awards annually • Grant range: $5,000 to $500,000 • Median grant: $9,000 • Giving rate: 4.9% of assets **Recent Grants (2024):** • Renaissance Charitable Foundation: $1,395,000 • Ballet West: $130,000 • Utah Symphony Utah Opera (USUO): $55,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. The foundation does not maintain a public w…
Where does SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses exclusively on Utah-based organizations and causes.
What size grants does SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation award?
In 2024, SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation awarded 49 grants totaling $4.3M — an average of about $87K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation's EIN?
SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-0389312. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Pacificfund14
KAYSVILLE, UT
Assets
$25K
Grants
1
Total Given
$21K
Animal Concepts Foundation Inc
OGDEN, UT
Assets
$295
Grants
1
Total Given
$25
One Against Childhood Hunger
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Assets
$235K
Grants
21
Total Given
$371K
MTC Foundation
CENTERVILLE, UT
Assets
$12K
Grants
3
Total Given
$70K
Northern Utah Charities
OGDEN, UT
Assets
$24K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Ryan Lee Foundation
SANDY, UT
Assets
$72K
Grants
15
Total Given
$116K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching SJ and Jessie E Quinney Foundation to a real strategy.