Established by the U.S. Congress in 1992, the Udall Foundation honors Congressman Morris King Udall's thirty-year legacy of public service. As set forth in the founding legislation, the purposes of the Foundation are to:
--increase the awareness of the importance of, and promote the benefit and enjoyment of, the nation's natural resources;
--foster a greater recognition and understanding of the role of the environment, public lands and resources in the development of the United States;
--identify critical environmental issues;
--develop resources to train professionals properly in environmental and related fields;
--provide educational outreach regarding environmental policy;
--develop resources to train Native American and Alaska Native professionals in health care and public policy;
--provide assessment, mediation, and other related services to resolve environmental disputes involving federal agencies
In 2009, Congress enacted legislation to add Stewart Udall into the foundation, renaming it the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.