The William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris Foundation is a private foundation based in Las Vegas, Nevada, that supports organizations working to improve the well-being and safety of plants, animals, and human beings, with a stated geographic focus on the western United States. It was created in 1960 by William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris; their daughter Ruth Harris Hite and her husband William N. Hite later created a foundation that merged into it.
Key facts about Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F
In short: Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F gave $426K across 86 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), top state Colorado. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-2841027
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $426,400
- Grants made (2024)
- 86
- Average grant
- $4,958
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $3,001,447
- Primary geography
- Colorado (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The website instructs applicants to submit an LOI by email. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.0M
+3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$426K
+2.0% YoY
Grant Count
86
+4200.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-97.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F reported a distributable amount of $595K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F gives
- Giving fell 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 91% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated vision is to make the world a better place for the well-being and safety of plants, animals, and human beings. Its five areas of support are the arts, particularly youth as participants or audiences; conservation of forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and deserts; educational camps, primarily for youth; preventative health for humans of any age; and wildlife and large animals.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. Blue Rose Ranch describes its work as horse rescue, rehabilitation, adoption, and sanctuary, with youth educational and riding opportunities. Rocky Mountain Raptor Program says it cares for and rehabilitates injured birds of prey, releases them back into the wild, and provides education and research. The Pablove Foundation describes its mission as investing in underfunded pediatric cancer research and improving the lives of children with cancer through the arts. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
The foundation says it does not fund candidates for public office, religious institutions or organizations, building funds or capital improvements, legal defense funds, lobbying or political organizations, private foundations or private schools, scholarships to individuals, student loans, or road improvements.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 86 grants totaling $426,400. Grant amounts ranged from $400 to $29,000, with a median of $4,000.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $29,000 to YMCA of Rome-Floyd County; $13,917 to Punahou School; $13,350 to Save the Manatee; $13,000 to Your Community Connection for a youth family crisis program; $12,000 each to Blue Rose Ranch and St. John’s College for the William Rohrbach Endowment; and $11,000 to the Pablove Foundation. Other reported grants included $10,000 each to Donkey Dreams Sanctuary and Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, and $9,500 to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
The website says directors consider projects that identify root causes and develop innovative solutions with far-reaching, lasting benefits. Its grant page says an organization should have plans to fulfill project goals and continue the work. The website requests a signed Letter of Inquiry (LOI) of no more than two pages, with supporting materials optional. The LOI should describe the project, intended results, duration, funding strategy, project budget, and the organization’s current-year budget, and include a statement certifying that the organization is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and not a private foundation. The website states a maximum solicited request of $10,000. The 2024 filing separately lists four copies of foundation forms, a narrative covering purpose, program, and other funding sources, and an institution report; it says grants are generally unrestricted, but are not awarded to individuals.
How to Apply
The website instructs applicants to submit an LOI by email. The 2024 filing lists a contact for applications and a separate set of required materials. The website’s LOI window is January 1 through March 1 each year; the 2026 cycle has passed. The filing lists May 1 as a deadline, without specifying a year.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F
Ready to take the next step with Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its giving is concentrated in the western United States, including the Rocky Mountain and Intermountain regions. It names Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Colorado (27%), California (18%), Utah (8%), Georgia (8%), and New Mexico (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 86 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $323K (2020) to $599K (2022). In 2024 it made 86 grants totaling $426K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was YMCA of Rome-Floyd County ($29K). Together the top 10 received $134K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 91 (96%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YMCA of Rome-Floyd County Rome, GA | Charitable | $29,000 |
| Punahau School Honolulu, HI | Charitable | $13,917 |
| Save the Manatee Maitland, FL | Charitable | $13,350 |
| Your Community Connection Ogden, UT | Youth Family Crisis Program | $13,000 |
| Blue Rose Ranch Springfield, CO | Charitable | $12,000 |
| St Johns College Santa Fe, NM | William Rohrbach Endowment | $12,000 |
| Pablove Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $11,000 |
| Donkey Dreams Sanctuary Littlefield, AZ | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Raptor Program Ft Collins, CO | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of the Rocky MTS Denver, CO | Charitable | $9,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,001,447 | $602,361 | $685,842 | $426,400 |
| 2023 | $2,908,819 | $807,005 | $663,923 | $418,007 |
| 2022 | $2,764,280 | $670,871 | $832,064 | $598,850 |
The 2024 filing reports 86 grants, compared with 2 in 2023 and 1 in 2022.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,001,447 | $2,908,819 | $2,764,280 |
| Revenue | $602,361 | $807,005 | $670,871 |
| Expenses | $685,842 | $663,923 | $832,064 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $542,420 | $529,169 | $705,005 |
| Net Investment Income | $419,907 | $641,713 | $544,798 |
| Distributable Amount | $595,067 | $507,430 | $530,577 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Dustin Hite as president; Cody Anderson and Broderick Anderson as executive vice presidents; Elizabeth Rohrbach as treasurer; Traci Mayes as secretary; Sharon Lewis as historian; Haydn Hite as grantee visitor; Cassidy Harrison as student advisor; Jessica Hite as financial coordinator; and Darryl Lewis in grant management.
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F is led by Dustin Hite, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dustin Hite
President
Conference O → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marilyn Hite
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Broderick Anderson
Executive Vice President
President → Executive Vice P, 2021
Executive Vice P → Executive Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cassidy Harrison
Student Advisor
Director → Student Advisor, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darryl Lewis
Grant Management
Grant Committee → Grant Mgnt V, 2021
Grant Mgnt V → Grant Management, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Rohrbach
Treasurer
Financial Co → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Haydn Hite
Grantee Visi
Executive Vice Pr → Grantee Visi, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Hite
Financial Co
Grant Report → Financial Co, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Lewis
Historian
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Traci Mayes
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cody Anderson
Executive Vice President
Executive Vice P → Executive Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Henry Hite (2020) — Treasurer
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.
Contact
Application contact: Karen Winnefeld
Mailing address: 6655 West Sahara, Las Vegas, NV 89144-1525
Phone: (702) 253-1317
Email: harrisfoundation@lvcoxmail.com
Website: https://harrisfoundation.us
Frequently asked questions about Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F
How much does Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F give each year?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F gave $426K across 86 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $418K across 2 grants.
What is Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's typical grant size?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's median grant in 2024 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,958, across 86 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F give grants?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's top state is Colorado, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (18%) and Utah (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Aspen, CO (5 grants), Las Vegas, NV (5 grants), Santa Fe, NM (4 grants) and Denver, CO (4 grants).
Does Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 86 grants with a stated purpose on Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (80 grants).
Who are Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's largest grantees?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's largest 2024 grantees include YMCA of Rome-Floyd County ($29,000), Punahau School ($13,917) and Save the Manatee ($13,350), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $542K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $595K (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 Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F fund?
The foundation’s stated vision is to make the world a better place for the well-being and safety of plants, animals, and human beings. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F?
The website instructs applicants to submit an LOI by email. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's EIN?
Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2841027. 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 October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F by hand.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/willliam-h-and-mattie-wattis-harris-f-morg_16b985dc350b4f36af431112ce9c2851
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_262841027_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Willliam H \& Mattie Wattis Harris F funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/willliam-h-and-mattie-wattis-harris-f-morg_16b985dc350b4f36af431112ce9c2851},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Willliam H & Mattie Wattis Harris F'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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