The Morkal Foundation
The Morkal Foundation is a private foundation based in Bishop, California. It supports scholarships for students attending Christian colleges or universities, or who have demonstrated Christian values through service, and provides support to charitable activities including Native American Christian Academy and United Methodist Social Services.
The Morkal Foundation at a glance
In short: The Morkal Foundation gave $102K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in California. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $101,523
- +45.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,768
- +45.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,289,702
- +9.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (8 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (75% 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 Morkal Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applicants contact The Morkal Foundation Scholarship and submit the form, essay, transcripts, letters of reference, and photograph. The filing lists no application deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: The Morkal Foundation Scholarship
Mailing address: C/O John Martindale, 586 W Line Street, Bishop, CA 93514
Phone: (760) 872-2100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Morkal Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Master's University ($15K). Together the top 10 received $78K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 62 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 10% to Alabama, 7% to Texas, and 7% to Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Morkal Foundation open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 15 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 109% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% 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 $29K (2020) to $102K (2024). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $102K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Master's University Santa Clarita, CA | Scholarship | $15,000 |
| Native American Christian Academy Tuscaloosa, AL | General Support/Sponsorship | $10,600 |
| California Baptist University Riverside, CA | Scholarship | $7,500 |
| Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CA | Scholarship | $7,500 |
| Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX | Scholarship | $7,500 |
| Western Governor's University Salt Lake City, UT | Scholarship | $7,500 |
| United Methodist Social Services Bishop, CA | General Donation | $6,923 |
| Bishop Creek Community Church Bishop, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Camp Joy Bishop, CA | Vacation Bible School | $5,000 |
| Church of the Nazarene Bishop, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Morkal 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 | $2,289,702 | $341,582 | $150,748 | $101,523 | 15 | $101,982 | $86,019 | $107,063 |
| 2023 | $2,095,493 | $734,149 | $95,220 | $69,813 | 15 | $69,813 | $65,127 | $102,573 |
| 2022 | $1,456,852 | $81,703 | $89,807 | $77,206 | 14 | $74,706 | $71,172 | $71,980 |
| 2021 | $1,464,668 | $74,630 | $62,570 | $48,608 | 10 | $48,608 | $64,299 | $71,528 |
| 2020 | $1,452,608 | $40,696 | $42,492 | $29,010 | 8 | — | $58,902 | $70,261 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Morkal Foundation reported a distributable amount of $107K 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
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes direct charitable activities that include scholarships for students attending religious colleges or universities, or who have demonstrated Christian ethics through service; support for Native American Christian Academy, which provides Christian education to students in first through twelfth grade; and support for United Methodist Social Services’ soup kitchen serving hot meals to homeless community members.
The foundation’s 2024 grants included scholarships to colleges and universities. Among the grantees, California Baptist University describes itself as a private higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate courses. Loma Linda University describes itself as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian health sciences institution. Western Governors University says its mission is to create pathways to opportunity through higher education and learning. Tarleton State University describes its mission as including scholarships for its students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $101,523 across 15 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $15,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable grants included $15,000 to The Master’s University for a scholarship; $10,600 to Native American Christian Academy for general support/sponsorship; and $7,500 each to California Baptist University, Loma Linda University, Tarleton State University, and Western Governors University for scholarships. Other grants included $6,923 to United Methodist Social Services for a general donation and $5,000 each to an individual recipient Community Church, Camp Joy, Church of the Nazarene, Come to Life Home School Group, and Eastern Sierra Peace Officers Association.
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Scholarship applicants fill out a foundation-provided form, answer an essay question, and provide transcripts, letters of reference, and a photograph. Successful applicants must be attending or planning to attend a Christian college or university, or have demonstrated their Christian values through service.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marston Mottweiler as CFO, John Martindale as president, and Tom Sigler as vice president/secretary.
The Morkal Foundation is led by John Martindale, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Martindale
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marston Mottweiler
CFO
On filings since 2020
$2K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Tom Sigler
Vice President & Secretary
Vice President → Vice President & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Geri Wilson (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Mike Johnston (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $2K, to Marston Mottweiler (CFO).
Frequently asked questions about The Morkal Foundation
How much does The Morkal Foundation give each year?
The Morkal Foundation gave $102K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $70K across 15 grants.
What is The Morkal Foundation's typical grant size?
The Morkal Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,768, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Morkal Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Morkal Foundation give grants?
The Morkal Foundation gives mostly in California: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Alabama (10%) and Texas (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bishop, CA (7 grants).
Does The Morkal Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of The Morkal Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (6 grants) and "Charitable" (4 grants).
Who are The Morkal Foundation's largest grantees?
The Morkal Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Master's University ($15,000), Native American Christian Academy ($10,600) and California Baptist University ($7,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Morkal Foundation?
The Morkal Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $102K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $107K (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 Morkal Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes direct charitable activities that include scholarships for students attending religious colleges or universities, or who have demonstrated Christian ethics through service; support for Native American Christian Academy, which provides Christian education to students in first through twelfth grade; and support for United Methodist Social Services’ soup kitchen serving hot meals to homeless community members. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Morkal Foundation?
Applicants contact The Morkal Foundation Scholarship and submit the form, essay, transcripts, letters of reference, and photograph. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Morkal Foundation's EIN?
The Morkal Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-1583639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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). The Morkal Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-morkal-foundation-morg_483b73f043c249eb88611f1ed6118e72
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_721583639_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Morkal Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-morkal-foundation-morg_483b73f043c249eb88611f1ed6118e72},
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 The Morkal 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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