Support Arizona communities through scholarship funding, education initiatives and community partnerships to improve financial well‑being and community health.
DESERT FINANCIAL FOUNDATION is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. It gave $3,142,900 in annual grants, and its grantmaking is local, with 100% of grants going to recipients in Arizona. The foundation’s stated focus areas include education, youth services, health, children’s health, community development, and scholarships. Recent grant activity shows two major streams of funding: large support for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation and recurring scholarship awards to Arizona colleges and universities. The largest recent grants include $791,423 to PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for 2024 Phoenix Children's fundraising, $722,602 to PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for 2023 Phoenix Children's fundraising, and $706,870 to PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for 2022 Phoenix Children's fundraising. Scholarship funding was also substantial, including $159,000 to ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY for scholarships in 2025, $91,750 to ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY for scholarships in 2024, and $84,250 to ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY for scholarships in 2023. Its current leadership is RONDLE AMSTUTZ. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Typical grants are smaller than the largest awards: the reported grant-size distribution is p25 $15,000, median $16,500, and p75 $37,750. Active programs include annual community grants in Arizona and multiple scholarship tracks for Arizona students and adult learners.
Recent grantmaking spans children’s health fundraising, scholarships, and education-focused nonprofit support. Notable grants include $791,423 to PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for 2024 Phoenix Children's fundraising, $159,000 to ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY for scholarships, and $58,000 to NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY for scholarships. The foundation also awarded $47,000 to UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA and $28,000 to MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES for scholarships. Its active grant programs include Arizona nonprofit grants focused on education, youth development, workforce development, housing and human services, and hunger and food insecurity, as well as scholarship programs for high school seniors, adult learners, and students in career and technical education.
DESERT FINANCIAL FOUNDATION’s typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $16,500 at the median, and $37,750 at the 75th percentile. Its giving includes annual community grants to Arizona nonprofit organizations and scholarship awards to Arizona students and adult learners. Recent program descriptions indicate a formal application and review process for annual nonprofit grants, and several scholarship programs accept unsolicited applications. The foundation does not fund individuals overall, and its funding pattern is concentrated in Arizona.
$1.2M
$1.1M
$1.2M
$1.2M
Most grants fall between $15K and $38K, with a median of $17K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$17K
75th Percentile
$38K
RONDLE AMSTUTZ
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DESERT FINANCIAL FOUNDATION gives in Arizona and does not show out-of-state or international grantmaking in the data provided. The top state by grant count is AZ, and 100% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent grants were made to organizations in Phoenix, Tempe, Flagstaff, Tucson, Mesa, Prescott, Glendale, and other Arizona locations. The recipient country distribution is entirely US, with 34 grants and 100.0% in the United States.
Yes, some active programs do. The Arizona Nonprofit Grantmaking / Desert Financial Foundation Grants cycle and several scholarship programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications. The Education Support / Adopt a Teacher / Classroom Funding program does not show a public application, criteria, or deadlines.
Its stated focus areas include education, youth services, health, children’s health, community development, and scholarships. Recent grantmaking includes children’s health fundraising, scholarships for Arizona students, and annual nonprofit grants tied to education, youth development, workforce development, housing and human services, and hunger and food insecurity.
The reported typical grant-size distribution is p25 $15,000, median $16,500, and p75 $37,750. Active annual nonprofit grant programs are listed at $7,500–$15,000, while scholarship programs are generally listed at $3,000–$5,000.
It is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, and its giving is local. The data shows 100% of grants going to recipients in Arizona, with Arizona listed as the top state by grant count. Recent grants were made to recipients in Phoenix, Tempe, Flagstaff, Tucson, Mesa, Prescott, and Glendale.
Recent grants include PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY, MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES, YAVAPAI COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC, COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION, EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC, and WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Desert Financial Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Any teacher in Arizona can apply; priority to Title I schools. Selected teachers must provide a wish list of classroom supplies valued at $500–$1,500. See Official Rules for full details.
Deadline: Applications open July 21 (annual); recipients announced on or after early September (example: recipients announced on or after Sept. 2 for 2025 cohort).
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $791,423 | 2025 | 2024 PHOENIX CHILDREN'S FUNDRAISING |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $159,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $47,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY | PHOENIX, AZ | $33,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES | MESA, AZ | $28,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $27,505 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| YAVAPAI COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $20,750 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $15,750 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402 | GLENDALE, AZ | $15,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY | PRESCOTT, AZ | $5,500 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $722,602 | 2024 | 2023 PHOENIX CHILDREN'S FUNDRAISING |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $91,750 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $58,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $33,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY | PHOENIX, AZ | $24,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES | MESA, AZ | $22,750 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $18,250 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| YAVAPAI COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402 | GLENDALE, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| SMITH CHASON COLLEGEWEST COAST ULTRA SOUND INSTITUTE | PHOENIX, AZ | $8,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY | PRESCOTT, AZ | $7,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX | PHOENIX, AZ | $6,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $706,870 | 2023 | 2022 PHOENIX CHILDREN'S FUNDRAISING |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $84,250 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY | PHOENIX, AZ | $42,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $31,250 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $16,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| YAVAPAI COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402 | GLENDALE, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | FLAGSTAFF, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | MESA, AZ | $6,250 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$159,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$47,000SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS
COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$15,750SCHOLARSHIPS
WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$91,750SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$33,000SCHOLARSHIPS
COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$18,250SCHOLARSHIPS
WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
SMITH CHASON COLLEGEWEST COAST ULTRA SOUND INSTITUTE
$8,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX
$6,000SCHOLARSHIPS
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$84,250SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$31,250SCHOLARSHIPS
EAST VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
WEST-MEC DISTRICT NO 402
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
COCONINO COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$15,000SCHOLARSHIPS
