The Quinn Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 20-4268916 · since 2006thequinnfoundation.org·California, District of Columbia, Kansas, Missouri·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.5M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $50,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$5,000

Typical grant (median)

118 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The Quinn Foundation funds work in animal welfare, environmental sustainability and human well-being, so an organisation should consider it only if its work fits one of those themes.
The filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, so an organisation should not send it an application unprompted.
Half of its 324 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fell between $2,500 and $50,000, so a modest request suits it best, though its largest grant was $800,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
Its filings show that 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests it is relationship-led and competitive for newcomers.
The filings show grants mainly in Kansas, District of Columbia, California and Missouri, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern is not a rule about who may apply.

Overview

The Quinn Foundation is a US private foundation based in Leawood, KS.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Quinn Foundation supports innovative work in animal welfare, environmental sustainability and human well-being. Through strategic grantmaking and partnerships, it funds non-profit initiatives aligned with compassion, collaboration and systemic change. It describes its ambition as advancing a more compassionate, sustainable and equitable world for animals, people and the planet. The foundation seeks to address root causes and empower lasting impact, with its examples ranging from local shelters to global food systems transformation. These are described as core values guiding the initiatives it funds.

Themes

Animal welfare
Environmental sustainability
Human well-being

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Kansas, District of Columbia, California and Missouri.

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 324 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Non-profit initiatives should align with its core values of compassion, collaboration and systemic change.
It seeks work that addresses root causes and empowers lasting impact.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Kansas52%

District of Columbia16%

California9%

Missouri7%

New York5%

Massachusetts3%

6 other states: 5%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%

The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to organisations The Quinn Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (The Netherlands, United Kingdom).
<1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

118 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $5,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 118 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k4%

$2.5k–$5k33%

$5k–$10k24%

$10k–$25k19%

$25k–$50k9%

$50k–$100k3%

$100k–$250k3%

$250k–$500k3%

$500k–$1M1%

Median $5,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Stray Dog Institute · General operating support
$800,0002024 tax year
Kansas Pet Advocates Foundation · General operating support
$481,3002024 tax year
Great Plains SPCA · General operating support
$466,2722024 tax year
Mocsa · General operating support
$265,0002024 tax year
Humane Society of the United States · General operating support
$247,5002024 tax year
Good Food Institute · General operating support
$140,0002024 tax year
Safehome · General operatingsupport
$106,0002024 tax year
Karuna Foundation · General operating support
$60,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Scott Martinsen — Director
Jennifer Laue — Secretary
Chuck Laue — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$3,764,310	$3,473,833	$26,562,837	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$3,452,162	$3,193,475	$29,988,972	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$3,807,093	$3,513,697	$31,129,255	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.