Hagan Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,095,785 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $279,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Columbia, Missouri and surrounding area; also supports national scholarship programme and Oregon park trust
• Application Method: Invitation only / no public application process

Contact Details

Website: https://hagantrust.org
Location: Columbia, MO
EIN: 45-6159017

The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries as they only make contributions to preselected charitable organisations.

Overview

The Hagan Trust is a private independent foundation established to ensure the permanency of and to support three primary beneficiaries: the Hagan Scholarship Foundation, the May Ellis Park Trust, and local exempt organisations in the Columbia, Missouri area. With total assets of approximately $256,316,475 (2023), the trust awarded $1,095,785 in grants in 2023, making 6 awards that year. The trust's primary mission centres on supporting education through scholarships and maintaining the May Ellis Park as a public nature preserve, while also providing discretionary support to selected local charitable organisations in areas including social services and animal welfare.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The Hagan Trust's charitable activities focus on three main areas:

Hagan Scholarship Foundation Support

• Need-based merit scholarship for U.S. high school graduates
• Up to $7,500 per semester for up to 8 consecutive semesters
• Eligibility limited to households with income not exceeding $100,000
• Additional benefits include free workshops, Schwab Brokerage Accounts, and study abroad opportunities
• Scholarships support students at 635 colleges and universities across 49 states and the District of Columbia

May Ellis Park Trust Support

• 6.5-acre public park in Wimer, Oregon
• Located next to Evans Creek and the Wimer Covered Bridge
• Maintained as a public open space, wildlife preserve, and nature area
• Supports passive recreational activities including walking trails and bird watching

Local Exempt Organisations

• Grant range: $5,000 - $279,000
• Focus areas include social services and animal welfare
• Limited number of awards (6 grants in 2023, 8 grants in 2022)
• All recipients are preselected by trustees

Priority Areas

Based on available data, the trust has demonstrated interest in:

• Education and scholarship programmes (primary focus)
• Social services
• Animal welfare
• Environmental conservation and public parks
• Local Columbia, Missouri charitable organisations

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, meaning they do not fund organisations that approach them directly with proposals. All grants are made to organisations preselected by the trustees.

Governance and Leadership

Specific information about the Hagan Trust's current board of trustees and officers is not publicly available in standard nonprofit databases. Dan Hagan is listed as trustee of the Hagan Trust. The foundation operates as a private independent foundation with grant-making decisions made at the discretion of the trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Hagan Trust has explicitly indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are made by invitation only, with the trustees exercising discretion in selecting recipient organisations. The foundation's primary commitments are to the Hagan Scholarship Foundation and the May Ellis Park Trust, with a limited number of additional grants made to local exempt organisations in the Columbia, Missouri area.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. Grant distributions appear to occur on a discretionary basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The trust made 6 awards in 2023 and 8 awards in 2022 to preselected organisations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Hagan Trust does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organisations seeking support from the trust would need to:

• Be established charitable organisations in the Columbia, Missouri area, particularly those working in social services or animal welfare
• Have existing connections with the trust's leadership or affiliated organisations
• Demonstrate alignment with the trust's core mission areas: education, environmental conservation, or community benefit
• Understand that the trust's primary charitable commitments are to the Hagan Scholarship Foundation and May Ellis Park Trust, with limited discretionary funding available for other organisations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: The Hagan Trust only makes grants to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited proposals
• Primary focus on two beneficiaries: The majority of the trust's resources support the Hagan Scholarship Foundation and May Ellis Park Trust
• Limited local grants: Only 6-8 discretionary grants are made annually to other organisations
• Geographic focus: Outside of scholarship and park support, grants appear to focus on Columbia, Missouri area organisations
• Areas of interest: Social services and animal welfare have been identified as funding areas beyond education and conservation
• Relationship-driven: As an invitation-only funder, relationships with trustees and existing knowledge of the organisation appear essential
• Significant resources: With assets exceeding $256 million, the trust has substantial capacity but maintains a focused grant-making approach

References

• Hagan Trust official website: https://hagantrust.org/ (accessed January 2026)
• Hagan Trust Charitable Activities page: https://hagantrust.org/charitable-activities/ (accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ profile for Hagan Trust: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/hagan-trust,456159017/ (accessed January 2026)
• Grantmakers.io profile for Hagan Trust: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/456159017-hagan-trust/ (accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/456159017 (accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report for Hagan Trust: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/hagan-trust (accessed January 2026)