Mcs Charitable Foundation

MCS Charitable Foundation is a deeply personal philanthropic vehicle built around the values and passions of founder Mary Carol Sheets Gregory (the 'MCS' initials reflect her name). Based in San Antonio, TX, with significant giving presence in Arizona, the foundation operates as a preselected-only grantmaker — meaning it does not accept, review, or respond to unsolicited proposals under any circumstances. Every grant is awarded through trustee discretion and relationship-based invitation.

The foundation is now managed by Trustee Jan Jumet (compensated $325,000 annually by FY2024) and Director of Charitable Giving Julie Jumet, making the Jumet family the effective decision-making leadership of day-to-day operations. Mary Carol Gregory remains the founding force and likely drives mission alignment at the board level.

For first-time grant seekers, the only viable pathway is organic relationship cultivation within the foundation's operating networks: San Antonio and Phoenix-area philanthropic circles, veteran service organization coalitions (particularly those connected to BAMC/Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio), and animal welfare advocacy communities. The foundation's core program interests — animal rescue and welfare, U.S. military and veteran support, food security, Christian faith organizations, and K-12 and veterinary education — are consistently reflected across all known grantees.

Organizations with multi-year track records, demonstrated community impact, and clear alignment with these values are most likely to be invited into a giving relationship. The foundation shows strong loyalty to repeat grantees: among the top 41 known recipients, over 80% received 2-3 grants, suggesting MCS values sustained partnerships over one-time transactions. A first engagement is best framed as the start of a long-term relationship rather than a single grant request. Organizations already receiving support from the Fisher House network, Best Friends Animal Society affiliates, Texas A&M's philanthropic programs, or Samaritan's Purse share the profile of MCS's preferred partners.

MCS Charitable Foundation has grown from a small family fund into a mid-major philanthropy in just two years. Total giving history by fiscal year: FY2019: $983,815; FY2020: $1,211,905; FY2021: $1,189,054; FY2022: $6,290,965; FY2023: $11,669,994; FY2024 (estimated): $7.1M per ProPublica. The dramatic 2022 step-change resulted from $111.7M in new contributions received — a likely wealth-transfer event that nearly sextupled the foundation's asset base from $21.4M to $139M.

Grant sizing data drawn from 89 documented grants shows an average grant of $97,077 and a median of $40,000, with a range from $2,000 (Tallowood Baptist Church, Animal Aid Brigade) to $5,401,050 (a single undisclosed 'See Attachment' grant in FY2023). Excluding this outlier, the effective practical range is $2,000–$400,000, with the plurality of grants falling in the $10,000–$150,000 band. The foundation's own typical_grant_size profile identifies a median of $40,000 and average of $64,533 across 15 tracked standard grants.

By program area (grant count basis): Animal welfare leads with roughly 35–40% of all grants by count, encompassing shelters, rescues, spay/neuter, equine rehabilitation, and veterinary education. Military and veteran support accounts for approximately 20–25%, with Fisher House Foundation ($400K cumulative), BAMC Fisher House ($200K), Packages From Home ($150K), Honor Flight Arizona ($30K), and Soldiers Best Friend ($30K) among supported organizations. Food security and human services represents ~12%, led by San Antonio Food Bank ($120K) and St Mary's Food Bank ($110K). Faith-based giving accounts for ~10%. Education (Texas A&M Foundation $200K, Beaver County Christian School $150K, university vet programs) rounds out the balance.

Geographically: Arizona receives 27% of grants by count (24/89), Texas 25% (22/89), and Pennsylvania 19% (17/89), with Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Utah, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia each receiving smaller shares.

MCS Charitable Foundation sits in a cohort of U.S. private foundations with assets clustered near $157–158 million, all classified under NTEE category T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking). The following comparison illustrates how MCS positions relative to peers of similar capitalization:

MCS stands out among its asset-class peers for its unusually high disclosed giving rate — total giving of $11.7M on $151.9M in assets in FY2023 represents a ~7.7% payout rate, well above the 5% minimum required for private foundations. This indicates an active, not merely custodial, philanthropy. The foundation's focus on animal welfare and military support is also distinctive; most philanthropies in this asset class concentrate on education, healthcare, or broad community development. MCS's explicitly personal, values-driven giving model — reflecting founder Mary Carol Gregory's biography and relationships — makes it more akin to a family office than an institutionalized foundation.

No public press releases, program announcements, or media coverage specific to MCS Charitable Foundation (EIN 263016128) were found for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains no active public website under its own branding (note: the database-listed URL mcsfoundation.org.uk belongs to an unrelated UK renewable energy charity, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Charitable Foundation).

The most significant recent development is the foundation's rapid asset and giving growth trajectory. In FY2022, the foundation received $111.7M in contributions — almost certainly a major personal wealth transfer by founder Mary Carol Sheets Gregory — growing assets from $21.4M to $139M. By FY2023 assets reached $151.9M with $11.7M distributed, and FY2024 assets grew further to $157.9M with $7.1M in estimated charitable disbursements.

By FY2023-2024, the foundation had transitioned to professional staffing, with Jan Jumet receiving $300,000–$325,000 as active trustee and Julie Jumet named Director of Charitable Giving at $92,500. Sarah Saenz was also added at $72,500, suggesting a small but professional grants management team.

The largest single grant on record — $5,401,050 to an undisclosed recipient listed as 'See Attachment' in FY2023 — represents a new scale of grantmaking and likely signals a major institutional commitment. This grant alone exceeds the foundation's entire multi-year giving history prior to 2022.

Because MCS Charitable Foundation is a preselected-only grantmaker, the following tips are specifically calibrated to the relationship-building pathway that is the only viable approach.

Identify the right entry point. Julie Jumet, Director of Charitable Giving, is the primary operational contact. Jan Jumet (Trustee) and Mary Carol Gregory (Founder) drive board-level decisions. Building rapport with Julie Jumet through shared sector events — particularly animal welfare convenings (Best Friends National Conference, No More Homeless Pets) or military/veteran philanthropy forums in San Antonio — is the most direct route.

Lead with mission alignment, not financials. The foundation's giving reflects deeply personal values. Proposals or introductory conversations should emphasize the human (and animal) stories behind the work, the founder's likely personal connection to the cause, and why your organization represents the type of work MCS cares about.

Demonstrate Texas or Arizona presence. The foundation's two dominant geographies are San Antonio, TX and the Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ area. Organizations without existing footprint in these markets should be prepared to articulate clear regional impact or partnerships with locally-rooted groups.

Think multi-year from the start. Over 80% of top grantees received 2–3 grants. Frame your first engagement as Year One of a long-term relationship, not a standalone project grant. Annual follow-up on outcomes and impact metrics will differentiate committed partners.

Avoid common misalignments. Do not approach MCS for advocacy, policy, or research-only work. Environmental causes, international programs, and general operating requests outside the foundation's defined areas (animal welfare, veterans, food security, faith, education) are not funded. The foundation also does not appear to fund through competitive RFPs or accept LOIs.

Leverage existing grantee networks. Warm introductions from Fisher House Foundation, Texas A&M Foundation, Best Friends Animal Society, or Samaritan's Purse — all established MCS partners — would significantly accelerate relationship development.