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Morgridge Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$12.1M
Grant Range
$0K - $2.0M

Morgridge Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12-13 million (2023-2024)
  • Total Assets: $244 million
  • Total Giving Since Inception: $186+ million
  • Grant Range: $5 - $2,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily United States, with hubs in Colorado, Florida, and Montana
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited grant requests

Contact Details

Overview

The Morgridge Family Foundation (MFF) was established in 2008 by John and Carrie Morgridge, with seed capital from John's parents, John P. Morgridge (former Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems) and Tashia Morgridge. The foundation has grown remarkably from $3.4 million in assets in 2008 to approximately $244 million by 2023, distributing over $186 million in grants to date.

MFF operates as a private family foundation with an "entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy and a hands-on style of leadership." Their philosophy centers on investing to solve root causes of long-standing societal issues, with commitments that extend well beyond the initial check. The foundation describes its approach as working with "leaders, funders, policy makers, and people with lived experience who create solutions rather than become stuck on why things don't work."

The foundation is now led by the third generation of the Morgridge family, including Michelle Morgridge and her husband Nate Angell, and John C. Morgridge and his wife Hillary Morgridge, all of whom serve as directors and program officers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Grantmaking (By invitation only)

  • Grants range from $5 to $2,000,000
  • 198 grants awarded in 2023 totaling $12 million
  • Typical grants: 1,000+ under $25,000; 18 grants at $25k-$99k; 10 at $100k-$249k; 9 at $250k-$499k; 7 at $500k+

Morgridge Acceleration Program (MAP) Fellowship

  • Six-month program pairing early-to-mid-career professionals with nonprofit leaders
  • $5,000 funding per organization ($2,500 for fellow development, $2,500 for project advancement)
  • $1,250 for site visit expenses
  • 54 Fellows paired with 58 nonprofit leaders since 2020
  • Competitive application process opens annually in August

Student Support Foundation (SSF)

  • $4,000 annual grant to each participating high school and college SSF club
  • 14 clubs across 7 states (8 high school, 6 college)
  • Over $1 million distributed since inception
  • Dream Big Grants: Up to $25,000 for schools with 10+ years in program

Priority Areas

  1. Education (52.7% of 2024 giving) - STEM education, innovative instructional practices, educator development, educational inclusion for hospitalized children, broadband access
  2. Public and Societal Benefit (21.5%) - Workforce development, child welfare
  3. Conservation (20.2%) - Environmental stewardship
  4. Health and Wellness (5.5%)
  5. Arts and Culture (0.1%)

What They Don't Fund

  • MFF does not accept unsolicited grant requests
  • The foundation focuses primarily on U.S.-based organizations (approximately 90% of investments)
  • Organizations outside their core focus areas of education, conservation, workforce development, and child welfare

Governance and Leadership

Founders:

  • John Morgridge - Co-founder; son of John P. Morgridge (former Cisco CEO)
  • Carrie Morgridge - Co-founder, Vice President; author of "Every Gift Matters"

Family Directors and Program Officers:

  • Michelle Morgridge - Director and Program Officer; focuses on conservation and education
  • Nate Angell - Program Officer (Michelle's husband)
  • John C. Morgridge - Director, Program Officer, and President; focuses on children with disabilities
  • Hillary Morgridge - Program Officer; runs an accounting firm serving nonprofits

Senior Staff:

  • John Farnam - Managing Director
  • Barbara Brooks - Director of MFF Publishing
  • Ash Gallegos - Program Manager (oversees MAP)
  • Sabrina Kronick - Office Manager
  • Elissa Madonia - Executive Assistant

Notable Leadership Quotes:

Carrie Morgridge on identifying grantees: "When you meet a great leader, you immediately know... They have clear vision: know 'what we're going to do, and how we're going to do it.'"

Hillary Morgridge on grantmaking philosophy: "Trust-based philanthropy is important. You have to find the good organizations, the good leaders, and put your trust in them. Continue working alongside them as a partner, but trust that they are doing everything they can to make the community better."

Carrie Morgridge on partnership: "You have to partner. I can't stress that enough. We never do anything alone."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process for general grants.

As stated in their FAQ: "MFF does not accept unsolicited grant requests, but we do keep our eyes out for projects that match our mission."

The foundation proactively identifies and selects its partners rather than accepting open grant applications. They partner with organizations like Stand Together, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and Mile High United Way to identify impactful projects.

Exception - Specific Programs:

  1. MAP Fellowship: Competitive application opens annually in August. Applications for 2027 will open in August 2026.
  2. Student Support Foundation: Schools can inquire about starting an SSF chapter by emailing ssf@thinkmff.org.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has provided specific guidance about how they discover new partners:

  • Attend mission-aligned events: Carrie Morgridge advises: "The first advice I would give is to accept invitations to those conferences that sing to your heart. If it's an education conference, go. If it's a church conference, go. When you see great leaders and great things happening, meet them."

  • They "chase people": The foundation actively identifies leaders at conferences and sector events rather than waiting for applications.

  • Partner with their partner organizations: MFF works closely with Stand Together, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and Mile High United Way to identify projects. Being known to these organizations may lead to MFF's attention.

  • Subscribe to their newsletter: The foundation recommends subscribing to "The Reach" and following them on social media to learn about new opportunities.

  • Email for involvement opportunities: Those interested can email info@thinkmff.org to inquire about involvement opportunities.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed for general grants, as applications are not accepted. For the MAP Fellowship:

  • Applications close: Late September
  • Notification: Early December
  • Program runs: February-September the following year

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as unsolicited applications are not accepted.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's publicly available statements, the following factors are important to MFF:

What MFF looks for in leaders:

  • Clear vision with a defined path forward: knowing "what we're going to do, and how we're going to do it"
  • Leaders who are "hungry for change"
  • Ability to bring specific expansion models and clear growth strategies
  • The foundation cites Sal Khan (Khan Academy) and Hadi Partovi (Code.org) as exemplars of the leaders they seek

Alignment with their values:

  • Solutions-oriented mindset rather than focusing on problems
  • Focus on root causes of systemic issues, not symptoms
  • Willingness to partner and collaborate (not operate in isolation)
  • Commitment to measurable impact

Recent funded organizations (examples of what they support):

  • Colorado State University Foundation
  • Denver School of Science and Technology
  • SIRUM (pharmaceutical waste reduction)
  • Breakthrough (addressing recidivism and unemployment)
  • Denver Center for Performing Arts (Shakespeare in the Parking Lot)
  • Place of Hope
  • Shedd Aquarium Society
  • Various STEM education initiatives

Carrie Morgridge's core message: "Every penny matters, and organizations need to look at money that way." The foundation values fiscal responsibility and organizational effectiveness.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Invitation-only funder: MFF does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Focus on relationship-building rather than application preparation.

  2. Network through their partners: Build relationships with Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Stand Together, and Mile High United Way - organizations MFF uses to identify new grantees.

  3. Attend sector conferences: The Morgridges actively scout leaders at education, conservation, and child welfare conferences. Visibility in these spaces matters.

  4. Demonstrate exceptional leadership: They specifically seek leaders with crystal-clear vision who can articulate exactly what they will do and how they will do it.

  5. Consider the MAP Fellowship: If your organization addresses challenges in education, conservation, or community development, the MAP Fellowship provides a pathway to work directly with MFF.

  6. Emphasize root-cause solutions: The foundation invests in organizations tackling systemic issues, not surface-level symptoms.

  7. Geographic relevance: While they fund nationally, their hubs are Colorado, Florida, and Montana. Organizations in these areas may have additional opportunities for connection.

References

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