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Peg's Foundation (Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation)

Annual Giving
$2.6M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.7M
Decision Time
1mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,609,962 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $106,714,972 (2023)
  • Decision Time: Within 30 days of grant award meeting
  • Grant Range: $500 - $690,000
  • Number of Awards: 53 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Northeast Ohio (18 counties), with primary focus on mental health; Summit County for arts; Summit and Portage counties for education
  • Application Cycle: Twice yearly (fall and spring) for mental health grants

Contact Details

Address: 53 First St., Hudson, OH 44236 (formerly 10 W Streetsboro St Suite 200, Hudson, OH 44236)

Phone: (330) 655-1366

Email: inquiry@pegsfoundation.org

Website: https://pegsfoundation.org

Grant Portal: https://pegsfoundation.smartsimple.com/

Overview

Peg's Foundation, formerly The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, was established in 2001 in Hudson, Ohio, by Margaret ("Peg") Clark Morgan and her husband, Burton D. Morgan, after raising their son who had schizophrenia when help wasn't available at any cost. The foundation's mission is to improve the lives of people with serious mental illness by accelerating innovative projects and leveraging partnerships for system change in Ohio and the Nation. With total assets of $106.7 million, the foundation awarded $2.6 million across 53 grants in 2023. Since 2001, Peg's Foundation has granted over $45 million to mental health, education, and the arts. The foundation acts as social entrepreneurs, creating measurable social impact with grant investment dollars, and operates under the tagline "Think Bigger," investing in innovative projects in Northeast Ohio having national transformational impact. The foundation has received recognition for making the largest privately funded grant for mental health ever given in Ohio—a $7.5 million grant to NEOMED's Department of Psychiatry.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Mental Health Grants (Primary Focus)

  • Grant range: $500 - $690,000
  • Application method: Rolling basis with two application cycles per year (fall and spring)
  • Geographic focus: Northeast Ohio (Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Holmes, Jefferson, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, and Wayne counties)
  • Focus: Serious Mental Illness (SMI) defined as chronic mental illness causing impairments that interfere with an individual's ability to function within their family or society
  • Special emphasis: Schizophrenia remains a guiding focus given the founder's personal experience

Education Grants

  • Trustee initiative only (not open to public application)
  • Geographic focus: Summit and Portage counties only

Arts Grants

  • Leveraged through partnership with GAR Foundation
  • Geographic focus: Summit County
  • GAR Foundation's grant program team oversees management and distribution of Peg's Foundation arts funding

Priority Areas

The foundation prioritizes projects that:

  • Provide basic needs and minimize instances of crisis
  • Offer creative solutions, new ideas, evidence-based practices, and collaborative efforts for nurturing high levels of recovery
  • Engage leaders and change agents, disrupt the status quo, accelerate knowledge sharing, inform policy discussion, and reward impact
  • Deepen mental health knowledge and increase public understanding
  • Build an effective mental health workforce
  • Advance mental health literacy by promoting early identification of mental disorders, reducing stigma, and enhancing help-seeking behaviors
  • Have potential for national transformational impact despite being local projects

What They Don't Fund

  • Major national research
  • Public policy/legislative advocacy (though they support policy discussions and papers)
  • Technology-primary initiatives
  • Grant renewals (each proposal is considered as a new request)
  • Organizations outside their geographic service areas
  • Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charities

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Jon Pavloff - Chair
  • Bob Kallstrom - Treasurer
  • Jeff Knoll - Secretary
  • Patti Fetzer - Trustee
  • Marty Hauser - Trustee
  • Doug MacKay - Trustee
  • Bill McGraw - Trustee
  • Suzie Moore - Trustee
  • Penny Frese - Emerita Trustee

Key Staff

  • Rick Kellar, MBA - President and CEO (since 2005)
  • Victoria Romanda - Chief of Staff (leads daily operations, human resources, and strategic support for the President & CEO and Board of Trustees)
  • Alicia D. Smith, MHA - Vice President of Policy & Strategy
  • Crystal Brandow, PhD - Director of Program Development (Clear Pathways)
  • Aly Feye, MPA - Director of Operations (Clear Pathways)
  • Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton (Ret.) - Project Director, Stepping Up Ohio

Distinguished Fellows

  • Michael F. Hogan, PhD
  • Mark Munetz, MD
  • Debra Pinals, MD

Leadership Quotes

Rick Kellar on Peg Morgan's motivation: "(Peg) was a mom who loved her son and wanted the best for him, and this illness wouldn't always allow that for him. They couldn't find the help and support to fulfill his needs to recover."

Rick Kellar on the Foundation's approach: "It's challenging working in an environment where mental illness is criminalized, and the Foundation's goal is 'to improve lives, not perpetuate a broken system.'"

Rick Kellar on immediate needs vs. long-term solutions: "Drawing the analogy of planting a tree, Kellar noted that down the road, that newly planted tree will provide shade but the people who are baking in the sun with no shade need help right now."

Rick Kellar on partnerships: "Tonight's recipients are not only our partners, but our family. It is the power of partnerships advancing the foundation's mission and vision and creating lasting impact!"

Rick Kellar on Peg Morgan's vision: "Our Founder, Peg Morgan, guided us to 'Think Bigger!' We challenge ourselves to follow her directive and engage in collaborative dialogue that sparks new ideas."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Create Account

Step 2: Submit Grant Inquiry

  • Submit a one-page preliminary letter (grant inquiry) that includes:
    • Organization's contact information
    • Description of the organization
    • Description of the project
    • Amount requested
  • All communications regarding grant requests handled through the grant portal

Step 3: Invitation to Full Proposal (by invitation only)

  • If the foundation determines the letter of inquiry falls within its interest areas, applicant will be notified by email to submit a full proposal
  • Full proposal due approximately 30 days from the grant inquiry response

Step 4: Program Staff Review

  • Program staff conduct review and due diligence

Step 5: Trustee Decision

  • Trustees make final grant decision

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity
  • For mental health grants: Must serve populations in one or more of the 18 Northeast Ohio counties
  • Projects must align with foundation's mission and focus areas

Decision Timeline

  • Mental health grants are generally awarded twice a year, in the fall and in the spring
  • Next mental health grant inquiry opens: July 1, 2026
  • Expected award date: October 1, 2026
  • Notification by email within 30 days of the grant award meeting
  • Notifications processed through grant portal within 2 weeks after trustees meeting
  • Applications received after stated deadlines will be held for the next grant review cycle
  • If deadline date falls on a weekend or national holiday, the deadline is the next business day

Possible Outcomes

  • Approved as proposed
  • Approved with modifications
  • Declined
  • Deferred for future review

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly disclosed. However, in 2023, the foundation made 53 awards from total giving of $2.6 million. Historical data shows 51 awards in 2021 and 43 awards in 2020, indicating a selective but active grantmaking process.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not consider grant renewals—each proposal is treated as a new request requiring applicants to follow the same process. There is no specific information publicly available about whether declined applicants can reapply or any waiting periods required. Applicants with questions about reapplication should contact the foundation at inquiry@pegsfoundation.org or (330) 655-1366.

Application Success Factors

What Peg's Foundation Values

Innovation and Transformation: The foundation explicitly seeks "innovative projects in Northeast Ohio having national transformational impact." They believe in "relevant and innovative—and at times disruptive—ideas to improve access to care and treatment for the seriously mentally ill."

Systems Change Approach: The foundation emphasizes "accelerating innovative projects and leveraging partnerships for system change in Ohio and the Nation." They are not interested in perpetuating broken systems but in fixing them.

Partnership and Collaboration: Multiple initiatives demonstrate the foundation's commitment to collaborative work, including partnerships with the Scattergood Foundation, GAR Foundation, Well Being Trust, and others. President Rick Kellar emphasizes that grant recipients are "not only our partners, but our family."

Evidence-Based and Creative Solutions: Priority is given to projects offering "creative solutions, new ideas, evidence-based practices, and collaborative efforts for nurturing high levels of recovery."

Focus on Serious Mental Illness: While the foundation supports mental health broadly, they remain "guided by the fact that schizophrenia was the primary illness impacting Peg's family." Projects addressing serious mental illness (SMI)—chronic mental illness causing functional impairments—are central to their mission.

Examples of Funded Projects

Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED):

  • $7.5 million grant to Department of Psychiatry (largest privately funded mental health grant in Ohio history)
  • Over $20 million invested in NEOMED since first grant in 2005
  • Created Margaret Clark Morgan Endowed Chair in Psychiatry
  • Supports three Centers of Excellence in the Department of Psychiatry, including the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment Center
  • Trains all medical students and residents in best mental health practices and interventions

LeBron James Family Foundation Partnership:

  • Five-year partnership to offer mental health services for families attending James' I Promise school
  • Supports I Promise HealthQuarters medical center in partnership with AxessPointe and Coleman Health Services
  • Provides hands-on, life-changing mental health supports and critical resources when families need them most

Clear Pathways:

  • Foundation-led initiative designed to sustainably align systems for improved care to individuals experiencing a behavioral health emergency

Stepping Up - The Ohio Project:

  • Works directly with county leaders to address overrepresentation of persons with mental health and substance use disorders in jail and criminal justice system
  • Activates elected county officials with a unique approach

CEO Alliance for Mental Health:

  • Coalition of 16 leading U.S. organizations dedicated to improving lives of people living with mental health and substance use challenges
  • Founded during COVID-19 pandemic in response to intensifying mental health crisis

Think Bigger Do Good Policy Series:

  • Solutions-oriented policy papers co-funded with Scattergood Foundation, Patrick P. Lee Foundation, and Peter & Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation
  • Ensures Ohio's voice is part of national discussions on major mental health issues
  • Informed by advisory council of widely recognized experts

University of Akron:

  • Endowment established in 2007 for directorship of Cummings Center for the History of American Psychology

Strategic Advice

Align with Geographic Requirements: Mental health grants are strictly limited to the 18-county Northeast Ohio service area. Ensure your project clearly serves populations in these counties.

Emphasize Innovation with Impact: The foundation is looking for projects that "Think Bigger"—local initiatives with potential for national impact. Demonstrate how your project offers creative, disruptive, or transformational approaches.

Show Partnership Potential: Given the foundation's emphasis on collaboration and partnerships, highlight opportunities for your project to leverage or build partnerships that advance system change.

Address Serious Mental Illness: While mental health projects broadly may be considered, those specifically addressing serious mental illness (SMI), particularly schizophrenia, align most closely with the foundation's core mission and personal history.

Focus on Recovery and Function: The foundation values projects that nurture "high levels of recovery" and help individuals function within their families and society.

Demonstrate Multi-Year Impact Potential: While the foundation doesn't automatically renew grants, they do make "multi-year, multi-million dollar grants for significant, strategic programs and projects." If your project requires sustained support, make a compelling case for why multi-year funding is necessary.

Avoid Restricted Categories: Do not apply for major national research, public policy/legislative advocacy, or technology-primary initiatives—these are explicitly outside the foundation's funding scope.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Think local with national impact: Peg's Foundation wants innovative projects in Northeast Ohio that can serve as models for transformational change nationally—demonstrate both local grounding and broader significance
  • Serious mental illness is the priority: While mental health is the broad focus, projects specifically addressing SMI (particularly schizophrenia) align most closely with the foundation's mission and founder's personal experience
  • Two-stage process requires strategic inquiry: Only those invited after the initial one-page inquiry submit full proposals, so make that first letter count by clearly demonstrating alignment with mission and innovation
  • Partnership orientation: The foundation views grantees as "family" and emphasizes collaborative approaches—show how your project builds or leverages partnerships for systems change
  • No renewals, but multi-year grants possible: Each application is treated as new, but the foundation does make multi-year commitments for significant strategic projects (up to $690,000 range)
  • Geography matters: Mental health grants are strictly limited to 18 Northeast Ohio counties; arts grants to Summit County only; education grants are trustee-initiated
  • Decision timeline is relatively quick: Expect notification within 30 days of the grant award meeting, with twice-yearly award cycles providing regular opportunities

References

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