Brooks Mccormick Jr Trust For Animal
The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy (thebrooksinstitute.org) is a Wheaton, IL–based private operating foundation that advances animal law and policy. The site explicitly references Brooks McCormick Jr. and the Brooks McCormick Jr. Trust for Animal Rights Law and Policy as its benefactor and includes initiatives, fellowships, resources, and contact information.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Established law schools, research centers, or nonprofits working specifically on animal law and policy or allied legal scholarship and training, especially those able to partner with academic programs or present clear policy/research outputs.
Good Fit
- • Work explicitly focused on animal law, policy, or legal scholarship.
- • Institutional partner status (law school, university center, or established nonprofit).
- • Programs that produce research, curricula, fellowships, or sustained policy impact.
- • Existing credibility or introductions within animal‑law networks or prior relationships with similar grantees.
Geography
Recent grants reached recipients in about ten states (and Canada), showing a multi‑state/national footprint even though Illinois received roughly two‑thirds of total dollars.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows 11 distinct recipients and prior years show 10–16 recipients including universities, law programs, and nonprofits, indicating a broad set of independent grantees within the animal‑law field despite dollar concentration.
New Applicants
The foundation states grants are generally preselected, but filings show new grantees in recent years and a public website with an email to inquire about qualification; this suggests selective, relationship‑driven decisions with occasional new entrants rather than an open competitive process.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
