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John E Morgan Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$3.8M
Grant Range
$7K - $6.0M

John E Morgan Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,790,524 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $58,957,910
  • Grant Range: $7,000 - $6,000,000
  • Average Grant: $74,000
  • Number of Grants: 51 (2024)
  • Geographic Focus: Pennsylvania (primarily Schuylkill County and eastern PA regions)
  • Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process

Contact Details

Foundation Address: New York, NY (administrative office)
Primary Service Area: Tamaqua, PA and Schuylkill County region

President: Jim Zigmant

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The John E Morgan Foundation Inc was established to continue the philanthropic legacy of John E. Morgan (1923-2001), a textile industry innovator who invented the "waffle stitch" thermal underwear manufacturing technique and built J.E. Morgan Knitting Mills into a company with over $45 million in sales. Morgan believed strongly in "using money wisely" to support education and healthcare in his Pennsylvania community. Since his death in 2001, the foundation has distributed approximately $3.8 million annually through approximately 51 grants per year. The foundation has assets totaling $58.9 million and focuses primarily on educational institutions and healthcare facilities in eastern Pennsylvania, particularly those serving the Schuylkill County and Tamaqua regions. In 2018, Penn State University named the John E Morgan Foundation its inaugural Foundation Partner of the Year, recognizing its long-standing and diverse support across multiple university programs and campuses.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation awards grants on an invitation-only basis, primarily in two areas:

Education & Scholarships:

  • Student scholarship programs: $7,000 annually renewable (Lycoming College Morgan Scholarships)
  • Major endowment grants: $500,000 - $1,000,000 (institutional scholarship funds)
  • Campus facility improvements and STEM program support
  • Trustee Scholarships at Penn State campuses: $1,000,000 per campus

Healthcare & Medical Facilities:

  • Children's hospital capital campaigns: up to $6,000,000
  • Medical education scholarships: $3,000,000
  • Hospital facilities and cancer centers
  • Pediatric care units

Community Infrastructure:

  • Recreation facility improvements: $1,650,000 (five-year challenge grants)
  • Operating support for community facilities: $60,000

Priority Areas

  • Higher education institutions in Pennsylvania, especially Penn State campuses (Schuylkill, Berks, Hazleton)
  • Students from Tamaqua Area High School and other Schuylkill County high schools
  • Healthcare facilities serving eastern Pennsylvania communities
  • Community infrastructure in Tamaqua
  • STEM education programs and entrepreneurship programs

Geographic Preferences

Pennsylvania locations including: Tamaqua, Bloomsburg, Coaldale, Media, New Ringgold, Pottsville, Reading, Schnecksville, University Park, and the broader Schuylkill County region.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's giving history indicates they do not fund:

  • Organizations outside Pennsylvania
  • Individual grant requests (except through established scholarship programs)
  • Organizations without established relationships or connections to the foundation's areas of interest

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership:

  • Jim Zigmant - President
  • James Zigmant - Treasurer/Vice Chairman
  • Robert Hillkirk - Vice President/Director
  • Jay Wagner - Secretary/Director
  • Jon Zizelmann - Director

Foundation Philosophy:

Jim Zigmant has stated: "John E. Morgan laid the foundation for our partnership with Penn State many years ago. We believe he would be pleased with what the University has been able to accomplish with our support."

A colleague who knew Morgan well described his values: "He liked to see people get an education and he also wanted to see them well taken care of."

Morgan himself valued remaining private and avoiding publicity, preferring to let his philanthropy speak through its impact on communities and institutions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The John E Morgan Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Trustee discretion - The foundation's board identifies and approaches beneficiary organizations
  • Established relationships - Multi-year partnerships with institutions like Penn State, Lehigh Valley Hospital, and regional educational institutions
  • Community connection - Strong preference for organizations serving Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, and eastern Pennsylvania

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's documented grantmaking patterns:

  • Penn State University connections: The foundation has a longstanding partnership with Penn State, particularly campuses in eastern Pennsylvania (Schuylkill, Berks, Hazleton). Organizations working with these Penn State campuses may have opportunities to be included in joint initiatives.

  • Schuylkill County educational institutions: The foundation specifically supports students graduating from Tamaqua Area High School and other Schuylkill County high schools, indicating a strong interest in educational institutions serving these communities.

  • Regional healthcare providers: The foundation has established relationships with major healthcare systems including Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Lehigh Valley Hospital, and St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital.

  • Tamaqua community organizations: The foundation demonstrated direct community support through its challenge grant to Tamaqua Borough for the H.D. Buehler Memorial Pool and ongoing subsidies for resident pool passes.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation operates on its own timeline based on trustee meetings and strategic priorities.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept applications. Organizations that have previously received funding may continue to receive multi-year support through trustee discretion.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept applications, their grantmaking patterns reveal clear preferences:

Strong Connection to Schuylkill County and Tamaqua: The foundation consistently prioritizes organizations that serve the founder's home community. Major beneficiaries include institutions directly serving Tamaqua Area School District residents and Schuylkill County students.

Multi-year, Transformational Impact: The foundation favors substantial grants that create lasting change. Examples include the $6 million Penn State Children's Hospital commitment, the $1.65 million five-year challenge grant for the Tamaqua pool, and million-dollar scholarship endowments.

Education and Healthcare Focus: These two sectors dominate the foundation's giving, reflecting John E. Morgan's core values. As described by those who knew him: "He liked to see people get an education and he also wanted to see them well taken care of."

Challenge Grant Structure: The foundation has used challenge grants (requiring matching funds or community support) to amplify impact, as demonstrated by the Tamaqua pool grant that helped leverage additional DCNR funding.

Scholarship Programs Benefiting Local Students: Multiple scholarship programs specifically benefit students from Tamaqua Area High School or Schuylkill County high schools, including programs at Lycoming College (up to $7,000 annually renewable) and Penn State campuses.

Capital Campaigns and Facility Naming: The foundation has supported major capital projects including the John and Dorothy Morgan Cancer Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital and the John and Dorothy Morgan Center for Higher Education at LCCC.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This funder requires pre-existing relationships: There is no public application process. Organizations must already be on the foundation's radar or have connections through established beneficiaries.

  • Focus is hyper-local: Despite being administratively based in New York, the foundation's heart is in Tamaqua and Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Geographic connection to this region is essential.

  • Education and healthcare are paramount: These two sectors align with founder John E. Morgan's core values and represent virtually all documented grants.

  • Think big and transformational: Average grants are $74,000, but the foundation has made grants ranging from $1 million to $6 million for projects with lasting impact.

  • Student scholarship programs are a priority: The foundation has created multiple scholarship programs specifically for students from Tamaqua Area High School and Schuylkill County high schools.

  • Penn State connection is valuable: The foundation was named Penn State's inaugural Foundation Partner of the Year and maintains deep relationships with Penn State campuses in eastern Pennsylvania.

  • Challenge grants amplify impact: The foundation has used challenge grant structures that encourage matching funds and community engagement, as seen with the Tamaqua pool project.

References

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