George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established in 1960 by George S. Eccles and his wife, Dolores Doré Eccles, the foundation provides grants to organizations and projects serving communities across Utah. Its principal areas of support are arts and culture, community development, education, health care, and preservation and conservation. The foundation’s grantmaking reflects the civic and charitable interests associated with the Eccles family in Utah. Rather than selling consumer products or operating as a commercial enterprise, it functions as a grantmaking institution whose public identity is expressed through the organizations, facilities, programs, and capital projects it supports. Reported recipients include cultural organizations such as the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Ballet West; community organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, the Salvation Army, and United Way of Utah County; and educational institutions ranging from Brigham Young University and Snow College to the University of Utah, Utah State University, Southern Utah University, Utah Valley University, Utah Tech University, and the Park City School District. The foundation also supports health-care and medical institutions, including the American Red Cross, Intermountain Health Care, the Moran Eye Center, and the University of Utah. In preservation and conservation, its listed beneficiaries include Tracy Aviary, Preservation Utah, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, and This Is the Place Heritage Park. These grants span operating support, institutional development, facilities, education, research, and preservation-related work, although the available reference material does not provide a complete grant-by-grant breakdown. Following George S. Eccles’s death in 1982, the foundation became more active in its philanthropic role. By 2017, it had awarded more than $600 million to organizations throughout Utah, according to the cited reference material. A later example of its grantmaking came in 2021, when KPCW renamed its studios the Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center after receiving a $400,000 foundation grant. The project supported an expansion of the station’s broadcasting facilities. The foundation is therefore best understood as a Utah-focused philanthropic institution rather than a conventional commercial brand. Its positioning is based on long-term community investment and support for institutions that contribute to cultural life, education, public health, civic services, and the stewardship of historic and natural resources.

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation was established in 1960 by George S. Eccles and his wife, Dolores Doré Eccles. It was created as a philanthropic vehicle serving communities in Utah, with grantmaking centered on institutions and projects that advance public and civic benefit. The foundation’s areas of interest include arts and culture, community initiatives, education, health care, and preservation and conservation. The foundation’s early history is associated with the charitable activities of the Eccles family. After George S. Eccles died in 1982, the foundation expanded its activity and became a more prominent source of support for nonprofit and public-serving organizations across the state. Its grantmaking has reached cultural institutions, schools and universities, community-service organizations, medical and health-care institutions, and organizations responsible for historic, environmental, and public-realm preservation. Among the cultural recipients identified in the reference material are the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Ballet West. Community beneficiaries include the Boy Scouts of America, the Salvation Army, and United Way of Utah County. The foundation has also supported a broad group of Utah educational institutions, including Brigham Young University, Snow College, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Tech University, Utah Valley University, and the Park City School District. University-related support has included the Natural History Museum of Utah, the University of Utah College of Engineering, and the University of Utah School of Medicine. Health-care and humanitarian recipients listed in connection with the foundation include the American Red Cross, Intermountain Health Care, the Moran Eye Center, and the University of Utah. Its preservation and conservation portfolio has included Tracy Aviary in Liberty Park, Preservation Utah, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, and This Is the Place Heritage Park. These examples indicate a grantmaking approach that combines direct community services with support for institutions, facilities, cultural programming, education, medical care, and the conservation of historic or natural assets. By 2017, the foundation had awarded more than $600 million to organizations throughout Utah, based on the cited account. The available material does not identify the foundation’s complete grant history, annual distributions, current assets, or detailed governance structure, so the total should be understood as a reported cumulative figure rather than a current financial statement. A documented later grant came in 2021, when KPCW renamed its studios the Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center in recognition of a $400,000 foundation grant. The project enabled the public radio station to enlarge its broadcasting facilities. This grant illustrates the foundation’s willingness to support communications and cultural infrastructure in addition to more conventional educational, health-care, and social-service projects. Today, the foundation’s public role is that of a Utah-focused private grantmaker. Its brand identity is connected less to consumer-facing products than to the institutions and public projects it helps sustain. The foundation’s geographic focus, range of beneficiaries, and long-term grantmaking history place it among the significant philanthropic organizations supporting Utah’s cultural, educational, civic, health-care, and preservation ecosystems.

• 2021

  KPCW broadcast center receives foundation support

  [1]George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  A $400,000 grant supported expansion of KPCW’s broadcast facilities, followed by the naming of its studios as the Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center.

• 2017

  Reported cumulative grants exceed $600 million

  [1]George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation was reported to have awarded more than $600 million to organizations across Utah by this point.

• 1982

  Foundation becomes more active after George S. Eccles’s death

  [1]George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  Following George S. Eccles’s death, the foundation increased the scope and activity of its grantmaking.

• 1960

  Foundation established

  [1]George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundationen.wikipedia.org

  George S. Eccles and Dolores Doré Eccles founded the foundation to support philanthropic activities in Utah.

A Utah-centered philanthropic foundation focused on strengthening cultural, educational, community, health-care, preservation, and conservation institutions through grantmaking.

• Philanthropy · 1960

  Grantmaking programs

  The foundation’s central offering is philanthropic grantmaking for Utah organizations and projects. Its stated fields include arts and culture, community initiatives, education, health care, and preservation and conservation. Support can benefit institutions, programs, facilities, and public-serving projects, although the available sources do not specify a standardized application structure or grant-size range.

• Arts and culture

  Cultural and arts support

  The foundation supports arts and cultural organizations that contribute to Utah’s public and civic life. Listed recipients include the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Ballet West. The available material does not identify the exact projects or award structures for each recipient.

• Education

  Education support

  Education grantmaking reaches universities, colleges, museums, medical schools, engineering programs, and school districts. Listed beneficiaries include Brigham Young University, Snow College, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Tech University, Utah Valley University, the Park City School District, and several University of Utah units.

• Health care

  Health-care and humanitarian support

  The foundation provides philanthropic support in health care and related humanitarian services. Organizations named among its recipients include the American Red Cross, Intermountain Health Care, the Moran Eye Center, and the University of Utah.

• Preservation and conservation

  Preservation and conservation support

  Preservation and conservation grants support historic sites, gardens, aviaries, and related public resources. Listed recipients include Tracy Aviary, Preservation Utah, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, and This Is the Place Heritage Park.

• 2021

  Grant for KPCW broadcast-facility expansionOther

  Background

  KPCW sought to expand its broadcasting facilities and received a $400,000 grant from the foundation.

  Action taken

  The foundation funded the project, and KPCW renamed its studios the Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center.

  Aftermath

  The grant enabled the station to expand its broadcast facilities and produced a public naming recognition for the Eccles family.

  Grant amount. $400,000 (2021)

  Source

1. 1George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation official websitegsecclesfoundation.org