The Morris Foundation
The Morris Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas, that invests in nonprofit agencies working to improve education, healthcare, and social service systems. Its website says it prioritizes measurable outcomes and lasting community impact, and describes its work as linking those systems across Fort Worth.
The Morris Foundation at a glance
In short: The Morris Foundation gave $16.2M across 134 grants in 2024 (avg $121K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $16,206,930
- +69.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 134
- +31.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $120,947
- +29.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $81,550
- Total assets
- $242,104,647
- +0.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Texas (97% 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 The Morris 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3100 W 7Th St Ste 245, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Phone: (817) 984-9802
Website: https://www.themorrisfoundation-fw.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Morris Foundation
Who The Morris Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Texas Health Resources Foundation ($1.2M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $5.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($200,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
339 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 127 grants of 339 (37%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website describes its work as focused on Fort Worth and says it serves approximately 2.1 million individuals across Texas’s third-largest county. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 134 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Morris Foundation gives
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 82% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 144% of 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 $7K (2022) to $16.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 134 grants totaling $16.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Health Resources Foundation Arlington, TX | Morris Meditation Garden Refresh Project | $950,000 |
| Rev Tarrant County Fort Worth, TX | General Operations | $800,000 |
| Fort Worth Affordability Inc DBA Fort Worth Housing Solutions Fort Worth, TX | Housing and Education Program | $500,000 |
| MHMR Foundation Fort Worth, TX | Perinatal Connection Continuum | $500,000 |
| JPS Foundation Fort Worth, TX | Pregnancy Care Coordination Services | $400,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Fort Worth, TX | Youth Social-Emotional Development Support | $280,000 |
| Presbyterian Night Shelter Fort Worth, TX | Family Services | $250,000 |
| The Salvation Army DFW Metroplex Command West Nyack, NY | Mabee Center Programs & Operations | $240,000 |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX | Ella McFadden Early Learning Center at the Y | $240,000 |
| Camp Fire First Texas Fort Worth, TX | Camp Fire's School Readiness Program | $225,000 |
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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 | $242,104,647 | $10,509,552 | $18,119,972 | $16,206,930 | 134 | $17,434,573 | $10,180,258 | $12,100,311 |
| 2023 | $240,497,150 | $6,767,919 | $11,991,832 | $9,539,950 | 102 | $10,347,946 | $6,397,022 | $10,984,805 |
| 2022 | $219,596,189 | $6,115,519 | $2,401,505 | $7,250 | 1 | $1,198,673 | $5,600,692 | $11,261,083 |
| 2021 | $258,641,525 | $15,815,913 | $13,944,119 | $8,893,786 | 101 | $9,782,972 | $14,795,481 | $12,212,973 |
| 2020 | $268,396,537 | $82,505,238 | $13,623,340 | $10,350,190 | 1 | — | $82,045,456 | $10,017,255 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Morris Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation identifies education, healthcare, and social services as its areas of focus. Its 2024 grants included support for health-related services, housing and family services, youth development, early learning, school readiness, and nutrition.
The grantees describe a range of work in their own missions. REV Tarrant County says it brings education leaders together and provides data to inform investments aimed at improving student achievement. JPS Foundation describes its work as supporting services to improve the health status of families receiving care through JPS Health Network. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County says it offers programs focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character and citizenship. Camp Fire First Texas describes out-of-school-time and outdoor learning programs for children and youth, as well as workforce development for early childhood educators.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 134 grants totaling $16,206,930. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $950,000, with a median grant of $81,550.
Among the largest reported grants were $950,000 to Texas Health Resources Foundation for the Morris Meditation Garden refresh project; $800,000 to REV Tarrant County for general operations; $500,000 to Fort Worth Housing Solutions for a housing and education program; $500,000 to MHMR Foundation for the Perinatal Connection Continuum; and $400,000 to JPS Foundation for pregnancy care coordination services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Brands as President and CEO, and Laura Liles and Michelle Piotrowski as trustees. The Foundation’s website identifies Liles and Piotrowski as trustees and Brands as President and CEO.
The Morris Foundation is led by Elizabeth R Brands, President & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth R Brands
President & CEO
Head of Education Giving → Acting Executive Director & Head of Education, 2021
Acting Executive Director & Head of Education → President & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$197K (2020) → $354K (2024)
Laura Liles
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
$20K (2021) → $20K (2024)
Michelle Piotrowski
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
$20K (2021) → $20K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Todd Liles (2020–2021) — Executive Director & Trustee
- Former: Andy Miller (2020) — Head of Health Care & Services
- Former: Jenny Miller (2020) — Senior Program Officer
- Former: Linda C Elsey Formerly Morris (2020) — Trustee
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 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $354K, to Elizabeth Brands (President and CEO). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Morris Foundation
How much does The Morris Foundation give each year?
The Morris Foundation gave $16.2M across 134 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.5M across 102 grants.
What is The Morris Foundation's typical grant size?
The Morris Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $81,550, and its average grant was $120,947, across 134 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Morris Foundation give grants?
The Morris Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Worth, TX (97 grants), Dallas, TX (15 grants), Arlington, TX (6 grants) and Prosper, TX (2 grants).
Does The Morris Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of The Morris Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 134) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Morris Foundation's largest grantees?
The Morris Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Texas Health Resources Foundation ($1,165,000 across 4 grants), Rev Tarrant County ($800,000) and JPS Foundation ($600,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($200,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Morris Foundation?
The Morris Foundation reported $242.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Morris Foundation fund?
The Foundation identifies education, healthcare, and social services as its areas of focus. Its 2024 grants included support for health-related services, housing and family services, youth development, early learning, school readiness, and nutrition. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Morris 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 The Morris Foundation's EIN?
The Morris Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2137184. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The 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 October 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 Morris Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Morris Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-foundation-morg_6edb27eea68c416f858a72127d44423e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752137184_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Morris Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-foundation-morg_6edb27eea68c416f858a72127d44423e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 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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