JOSEPH JAMES MORELLI LEGACY FOUNDATION
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Joseph James Morelli Legacy Foundation supports young adults with learning differences like dyslexia by awarding scholarships and toward obtaining a degree in a STEM field. The financial support that we provide may be used towards tuition, books, testing, tutoring, assistive technology, or any other resource that students require to obtain accommodations and navigate an often highly stressful and challenging learning environment. In addition to financial support, our scholarship awardees tell us that the scholarship offers recognition, provides confidence, and validates their struggles; emotionally, socially, and academically. Over the last 3 years we have expanded our programs to include peer to peer mentoring and educational outreach to our students and families. We partner with dyslexic organizations, universities, and various teacher/counselor organizations around the country to raise awareness and empower our students to be successful and believe in their capabilities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
To recognize young adults with dyslexia and empower them to believe in themselves.
We are one of only a few scholarships in the country that help learning challenged young adults. We value the opportunity the scholarship provides to recognize these students and commend them on their determination and perseverance. IN 2020, the Foundation launched its mentorship program for its scholarship recipients. College freshmen are paired with peer mentors to help them navigate the new challenges that college presents, particularly for students with learning differences.
The support and recognition we provide empowers the students to believe in themselves.
Annual Celebration Event; Park City UT
Navigating the transition from high school to college can be intimidating, especially for students with 504 Plans and IEPs. Each August we have a local Celebration Event to celebrate Joseph, our donors, our students and the families. It is a yearly event for us to educate and celebrate the work we do.
University of Utah Working Group for Students with Disabilities
Dr Barbara Wirostko (Morelli) helped to initiate a working group that meets 2-3 times a year. It serves to improve resources and raise awareness of the gaps in the system for students with all disabilities including students with learning differences. A couple of our University of Utah awardees are student members and have started a U of U student peer mentoring program.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsTotal dollar amount of scholarship awarded
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Young adults, At-risk youth
Related Program
To recognize young adults with dyslexia and empower them to believe in themselves.
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Each year we plan to support both new and prior students with individual funding. Our financial statements reflect reserves earmarked to support prior awardees through matriculation.
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Young adults
Related Program
To recognize young adults with dyslexia and empower them to believe in themselves.
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Each year we have a broader outreach to high schools, counselors, colleges and scholarship websites across the country. In 2020 we had over 200 applicants apply.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Raise awareness and provide financial and emotional support for struggling young adults with learning challenges like dyslexia. Help these students achieve their potential through recognition, financial support and visibility. We have learned over the last 8 years that the financial support is important but even more important is the recognition, ongoing mentoring and educational outreach that we provide to the students and the families. We want to continue to support these students through their educational journey and help them become successful in their life and careers.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
-Outreach - Social media, search engines, letters, and quarterly updates and emails to donors and partners
-Our website: www.morelli.foundation
-Partnerships with high schools, universities, and post secondary institutions across the country such as supporting the Montana State University Dyslexia Initiative and creating a Bicentennial Scholarship for postgraduate students at UVA, Curry School of Education for work on Dyslexia
-Collaborations and partnerships with for profit and nonprofit organizations who have similar and aligned missions (PC Reads, Reading Horizons, Wilson Foundation, National Center for Learning Disabilities)
-Personal outreach, one on one meetings, fundraisers (Live PC Give PC, Amy's event in Massachusetts and our annual Park City Celebration Event)
-Partnering with folks like Jake Sussman and his Forgotten Child and began a mentorship program in 2020 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBcW-T7pAnw)
-Our awardees and their families are our strongest assets to help us accomplish our goals - they inspire us
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have national outreach, international recognition and outreach through a TedX talk, radio recordings, a website and social media that enable us to raise awareness, raise money, increase our donor pool and applicant pool.
We have a dedicated and committed volunteer committee and well established and accomplished Board.
We have a well established platform (Survey Money) for applicants to apply through and a rigorous review committee. Our Scholarship Review Committee is made up of educators specializing in students with learning disabilities, physicians, and business leaders. This Committee undertakes a very thorough process of reviewing every application in detail and after much deliberation and review of roughly 200 applicants , recommends awardees to the Board for approval.
We have now upwards of 77 students who would like to volunteer and give back to other awardees through our organization. These young adults are particularly appreciative of our Foundation and see the value of supporting others and raising awareness.
We are partnering with the The Curry School of Education at University of Virginia to better understand the gaps in teacher Special ED training
Our awardees and their families are one our our strongest assets to help us accomplish our goals - they inspire us.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Here are a few of our accomplishments since inception. We are now a stand alone 501(c)(3) organization after being under the umbrella of the Park City Community Foundation. We incorporated as the Joseph James Morelli Legacy Foundation, Inc.
-We have national reach and impact, working with the National Center for Learning Disabilities.
-We are listed on numerous scholarship platforms and search engines.
-We have increased our donations and donor base by roughly 10- 20 % each year.
-We initiated the Joseph James Morelli Endowed Fellowship with the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia to support a graduate student struggling with Learning Challenges (dyslexia) to help better understand the gaps in teacher training and education.
-We are one of only a few scholarships in the U.S. for young adults with dyslexia.
-Since 2014 we have supported 77 students with $150,000!
-Since 2015 we have received a total of 600+ scholarship applications.
-In 2019 we awarded $66,000 to 41 students in 28 states.
-We helped to initiate a Task Force at the University of Utah to improve the accommodations awarded to the students.
- Joseph was a MSU student in the College of Engineering; we were the featured Scholarship at the 2019 Montana State Inaugural Dyslexia Initiative Symposium
- Dr. Barbara Wirostko was asked to give a TedX talk in Bozeman, Montana last April 2019 on Joseph’s story.
- Most importantly and these students tell us again and again that we impact them - we Recognize their struggles, we Empower them, and show that we Believe in them. Check out their quotes on our webpage: www.morelli.foundation
- Each year we hold events in Utah and around the country to raise awareness of the importance of this work.
What is next is our focus on continuing to grow our donors, continuing to raise awareness and continuing to provide scholarships and support to deserving students. We would also like to start to provide scholarships for testing. Earlier recognition of the underlying challenge can make a significant difference. We would aim to help identify struggling young adults/students who may be failing and provide the testing which could enable them to receive an IEP and/or 504 plan which will allow for accommodations. These accommodations once in place can change the trajectory of a failing/struggling young adult. As they did for Joseph.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Case management notes, Community meetings/Town halls, Suggestion box/email, phones calls,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
JOSEPH JAMES MORELLI LEGACY FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 2/4/2022
Dr Barbara Wirostko
Dr Joseph Morelli
Robert Mercer
Marcy Abate
Kay Priestly
Eveleen Babich
Anne Ivanhoe
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/01/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.