Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation
The Willard L. Eccles Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a family foundation managed and directed by descendants of its namesake. It supports nonprofit organizations working to improve the well-being of people and the land in Utah and the Intermountain West, with interests in education, the environment, social services, basic science, and healthcare for underserved people.
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation gave $1.5M across 80 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in Utah. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,516,071
- +19.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 80
- +27.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,951
- -5.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $26,560,614
- +46.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (29 of 80, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Utah (90% 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 Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its application page says most giving goes to organizations it has supported previously and advises prospective grantees to contact the Executive Director about applying. It also says grantees must create a new online profile; the program information says first-time applicants must contact the Executive Director before completing an online application to obtain a master password. The foundation usually meets several times a year to consider applications and cannot grant money to individuals.
- Contact
Mailing address: 75 North Silver Oak Road, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Phone: (801) 913-3342
Website: https://wleccles.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation
Who Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Utah College of Scien ($100K). Together the top 10 received $623K.
Grant Size Distribution
324 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 300 grants of 324 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its work as focused on Utah and the surrounding Intermountain Area, and says it has supported nonprofits in Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Utah, 5% to Idaho, 3% to Montana, and 1% each to Washington, D.C., and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 80 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 29 of 80 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 171% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $1.0M (2020) to $1.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 80 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Utah College of Scien Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $100,000 |
| University of Utah School of Medici Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $86,667 |
| The Children's Center Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $80,000 |
| ASCENT Center Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $66,000 |
| Crossroads Urban Center Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $60,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $60,000 |
| University of Utah Orthopedic Cente Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $50,000 |
| YCC Family Crisis Center Ogden, UT | General charitable purposes | $50,000 |
| Prospekt Mira Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $35,000 |
| University of Utah Nat Hist Museum Salt Lake City, UT | General charitable purposes | $35,000 |
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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 | $26,560,614 | $845,527 | $2,167,808 | $1,516,071 | 80 | $1,728,311 | $498,510 | $1,010,914 |
| 2023 | $18,139,470 | $964,877 | $1,907,275 | $1,264,780 | 63 | $1,483,346 | $715,078 | $731,390 |
| 2022 | $18,716,359 | $1,607,051 | $1,723,149 | $1,209,000 | 56 | $1,381,000 | $1,273,919 | $961,938 |
| 2021 | $19,072,646 | $3,732,111 | $1,705,619 | $1,203,375 | 64 | — | $3,512,560 | $925,424 |
| 2020 | $16,694,645 | $845,542 | $1,443,012 | $1,011,250 | 61 | — | $578,595 | $1,015,192 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M 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 stated mission is to continue Willard Eccles’s charitable work and preserve his memory. Its five core interest areas are education, the environment, social services, basic science, and healthcare for underserved people. The foundation says it especially favors projects that address more than one of these areas, and that projects involving healthcare and related issues are particularly favored.
Examples of grantees’ work include Crossroads Urban Center, which says it provides food, clothing, and housing assistance to low-income individuals and minorities; YCC Family Crisis Center, which says it supports people and families affected by domestic and sexual violence; and Friends of Great Salt Lake, which says it works to protect the lake ecosystem and increase public awareness through education, research, advocacy, and the arts.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 80 grants totaling $1,516,071. Grants ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The listed grant purposes were general charitable purposes.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $100,000 to the University of Utah College of Science, $86,667 to the University of Utah School of Medicine, $80,000 to The Children’s Center, $66,000 to ASCENT Center, and $60,000 each to Crossroads Urban Center and The Nature Conservancy of Utah. Other grants included $50,000 to YCC Family Crisis Center, $35,000 to Prospekt Mira, and $34,300 to 4th Street Clinic.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Stephen E. Denkers as Executive Director and Stephen G. Denkers, Julie Denkers-Bishop, Matthew Bishop, Michael Denkers, Kelly Sue Denkers, Ashley Nicole Bishop, and Madison Denkers as trustees. The foundation’s website describes its oversight as remaining within Willard Eccles’s family.
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation is led by Stephen G Denkers, Executive Director & Trustee on every filing since 2020; all 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Stephen G Denkers
Executive Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$129K (2020) → $165K (2024)
Ashley Nicole Bishop
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Kelly Sue Denkers
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Matthew Bishop
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Michael Denkers
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$10K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Julie Denkers-Bishop
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$5K (2022) → $5K (2024)
Madison Denkers
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Julie Denkers Bishop (2020–2021) — 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 $165K, to Stephen E Denkers (Executive Dir.). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation
How much does Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation give each year?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation gave $1.5M across 80 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 63 grants.
What is Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,951, across 80 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation give grants?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Idaho (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (48 grants), Ogden, UT (8 grants), Murray, UT (4 grants) and Bozeman, MT (2 grants).
Does Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (80 of 80) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Utah College of Scien ($100,000), University of Utah School of Medici ($86,667) and The Children's Center ($80,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation reported $26.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to continue Willard Eccles’s charitable work and preserve his memory. Its five core interest areas are education, the environment, social services, basic science, and healthcare for underserved people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2759395. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Willard L Eccles Charitable 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). Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/willard-l-eccles-charitable-foundation-morg_903d0974772c47bcb16b16da42c27bca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942759395_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Willard L Eccles Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/willard-l-eccles-charitable-foundation-morg_903d0974772c47bcb16b16da42c27bca},
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 Willard L Eccles Charitable 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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