Willard L. Eccles Charitable Foundation: Grants for Mountain States
/OVERVIEW: The Willard L. Eccles Charitable Foundation supports education, environment, social services, basic science, and healthcare for the underserved in Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Colorado.
IP TAKE: Access to healthcare is this funder’s top priority right now, so craft new proposals around this issue at the local level.
PROFILE: Established in 1981, the Willard L. Eccles Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born in 1909, Willard L. Eccles pursued a career in the family business of First Security Bank. He and his wife, Ruth Eccles, raised their children in Ogden, Utah, and were involved in the local community here. The foundation is “dedicated to the health and well-being of the land and people of Utah and the Intermountain West.” It funds local efforts for basic science, education, the environment, social causes and healthcare.
Grants for Science Research, Arts and Culture, Higher Education, Environment, Public Health and Access, and Community Development
The Willard L. Eccles Charitable Foundation currently favors projects that involve healthcare, although historically, approximately 35 percent of foundation grants are awarded for education programs. Education grants support museums, postdoctoral fellowships, and other higher education causes. Healthcare grants support small agencies that help disadvantaged populations access care. Environment grants fund local Nature Conservancy groups and land acquisition and retirement of grazing rights in critical habitats. Social services grants fund shelters for domestic abuse and rape victims, youth mentoring, and homeless shelters. Basic science grants support physics, astronomy, professorships and research. Meanwhile, other community support grants have funded local musical and film festivals, as well as local search and rescue teams.
Past local grantees include Fourth Street Clinic Homeless Healthcare, Best Friends Animal Society, Utah Food Bank and the Ogden Nature Center.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $5,000 and $25,000. Grantmaking focuses on Utah, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Colorado.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant proposals from nonprofits via online system. Visit the foundation website to access the funder’s software platform to apply for a grant. Direct general questions to the staff at grants@wleccles.org or 801-582-4483.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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