The John & Katherine Morris Foundation
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation is a private foundation based in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In 2024, it made 24 grants totaling $399,213 to charitable organizations, supporting work that included the arts, religious services, athletics, brain health, and community institutions.
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation at a glance
In short: The John & Katherine Morris Foundation gave $399K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), top state Massachusetts. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $399,213
- +25.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,634
- +15.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $7,341,246
- +4.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (6 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John & Katherine Morris Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 24 Cherry Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA 01262
Phone: (212) 410-7771
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John & Katherine Morris Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mystic Seaport Museum ($55K). Together the top 10 received $311K.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 142 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (38%), New York (27%), Connecticut (14%), New Jersey (8%), and California (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The John & Katherine Morris Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 24 grantees (25%) 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 $13K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 84% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $318K (2023) to $544K (2020). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $399K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mystic Seaport Museum Mystic, CT | To create a broad, public understanding of the relationship of America and the sea. | $55,000 |
| Church of the Heavenly Rest New York, NY | Support of Religious Services | $50,000 |
| Mass Moca North Adams, MA | Support of the Arts | $50,000 |
| US Wrestling Foundation Short Hills, NJ | Support for Athletics | $32,338 |
| One Mind Institute Rutherford, CA | Accelerate breakthroughs in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of brain health conditions. | $25,000 |
| Triplex Cinema Great Barrington, MA | Provide a space where people from the berkshires and beyond can find all kinds of movies. | $25,000 |
| The Public Theater New York, NY | Support of the Arts | $21,200 |
| Berkshire International Film Festival Great Barrington, MA | Support of the Arts | $20,000 |
| Jacob's Pillow Becket, MA | To support dance creation, presentation, education, and preservation; and to engage and deepen public appreciation and support for dance. | $17,175 |
| Lower East Side Girls Club New York, NY | Connects young women and gender-expansive youth of color throughout New York city to healthy and successful futures through free, innovative year-round programming and mentoring. | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John & Katherine Morris 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 | $7,341,246 | $791,446 | $503,533 | $399,213 | 24 | $400,607 | $561,655 | $479,684 |
| 2023 | $7,058,470 | $449,501 | $394,076 | $317,954 | 22 | $320,197 | $348,634 | $441,769 |
| 2022 | $6,987,269 | $234,953 | $565,024 | $514,103 | 31 | $517,441 | $219,096 | $444,641 |
| 2021 | $7,336,269 | $2,406,311 | $461,478 | $402,500 | 34 | $405,960 | $609,428 | $396,487 |
| 2020 | $5,595,476 | $991,734 | $591,023 | $543,534 | 31 | — | $157,146 | $297,463 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John & Katherine Morris Foundation reported a distributable amount of $480K 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 mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 grant purposes included support for the arts, religious services, and athletics, as well as brain health and community library and museum services.
Grantee missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Mystic Seaport Museum says it seeks to inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience. Triplex Cinema describes programming with local schools and nonprofits, including independent and foreign-language films. The Berkshire International Film Festival says it celebrates independent film and aims to entertain, educate, and inspire filmmakers and film lovers. The Boston Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as making music and providing educational and training programs at a high level of excellence.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 24 grants totaling $399,213. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $55,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest grants were $55,000 to Mystic Seaport Museum for public understanding of America and the sea; $50,000 each to the Church of the Heavenly Rest for religious services and MASS MoCA for the arts; and $32,338 to the US Wrestling Foundation for athletics. Other notable grants included $25,000 each to One Mind Institute for brain health and Triplex Cinema, and $21,200 to The Public Theater for the arts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katherine M. Morris as president, John C. Morris as treasurer, and Lucy E. Morris and Frederick Rutberg as directors.
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation is led by Katherine M. Morris, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine M. Morris
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frederick Rutberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lucy E. Morris
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John C. Morris
Treasurer
Treasurer & Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Wendy Linscott (2020–2022) — Director
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 The John & Katherine Morris Foundation
How much does The John & Katherine Morris Foundation give each year?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation gave $399K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $318K across 22 grants.
What is The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's typical grant size?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,634, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John & Katherine Morris Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does The John & Katherine Morris Foundation give grants?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (27%) and Connecticut (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), Great Barrington, MA (4 grants), Stockbridge, MA (2 grants) and South Hadley, MA (2 grants).
Does The John & Katherine Morris Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of the Arts" (4 grants).
Who are The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's largest grantees?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mystic Seaport Museum ($55,000), Church of the Heavenly Rest ($50,000) and Mass Moca ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The John & Katherine Morris Foundation?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation reported $7.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $401K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $480K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The John & Katherine Morris Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 grant purposes included support for the arts, religious services, and athletics, as well as brain health and community library and museum services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John & Katherine Morris Foundation?
The foundation 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 The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's EIN?
The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3241999. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The John & Katherine Morris 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John & Katherine Morris Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John & Katherine Morris Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-katherine-morris-foundation-morg_c7e2ed38d4a749d182ff8a2f774eeeaf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043241999_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John \& Katherine Morris Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-katherine-morris-foundation-morg_c7e2ed38d4a749d182ff8a2f774eeeaf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 The John & Katherine Morris 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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