The Harmsen Foundation concentrates on locally rooted human services in Tucson and Denver, with an emphasis on children's health and youth support, basic needs (housing and food), and animal welfare. They fund a mix of clinical research and front-line service providers—often making repeat grants to organizations they trust—and support faith-based and school-based youth programs as well as homelessness and food-security nonprofits.
A defining feature of the Dorothy Harmsen and Bill Harmsen Sr Charitable Foundation is its repeated support for pediatric clinical research at the Steele Children’s Research Center in Tucson: the center received $150,000 in both 2023 and 2024. That pattern sits alongside a smaller but steady portfolio of human services grants in Tucson and Denver, with the foundation backing organizations that work on youth mentoring, food security, housing, homelessness, and animal welfare. Recent grants show a preference for operating support style awards, often described simply as “to assist the organization.” The foundation’s recent giving includes repeat support for several organizations, which suggests relationships that extend beyond one-time awards. Youth on Their Own received $15,000 in 2023 and again in 2024, while Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver received $25,000 in both years. In Tucson, the foundation also supported Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Habitat for Humanity Tucson, and the Community Food Bank of Southern AZ. In Denver, it funded Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver Rescue Mission, Project Angel Heart, and Safehouse Denver Inc. Animal welfare appears as another recurring thread through grants to Dumb Friends League.
Children’s health is a major theme. The foundation gave $150,000 in 2024 to Steele Childrens Research Centerua Foun and the same amount in 2023 to Steele Childrens Research Centerua, both marked “to assist the organization.” It also supported Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with $10,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Youth support appears in several forms. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson received $50,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2024, while Youth on Their Own received $15,000 in each year. Boys and Girls Club also received $10,000 in 2024. The foundation’s housing and shelter focus shows up in grants to Habitat for Humanity Tucson, Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, Denver Rescue Mission, Safehouse Denver Inc, and Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Food access is another clear area, including Community Food Bank of Southern AZ, Nourish, and Project Angel Heart.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a modest operating-support range: p25 is $10,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $17,500. The recent list shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Steele Children’s Research Center, Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, Youth on Their Own, Project Angel Heart, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Dumb Friends League, Denver Rescue Mission, Safehouse Denver Inc, Bag It, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The foundation is a private charitable foundation, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Award descriptions in the file are usually general, most often phrased as “to assist the organization.”
$860K
$5.9M
$908K
$1.7M
Most grants fall between $10K and $18K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$18K
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Moderately concentrated: a relatively small portfolio with several repeat and multi-year grantees, a few large one-off gifts (two $150k awards) alongside many mid-size recurring grants ($20k–$60k). Geographic focus splits primarily between Tucson and the Denver area, favoring direct service organizations over national advocacy groups.
Notable grantees: Steele Children’s Research Center (University of Arizona), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Habitat for Humanity (Tucson and Metro Denver), Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless / Denver Rescue Mission
Giving is regional and concentrated in the United States. Arizona receives 56% of grants, and the recent list places many awards in Tucson, including Steele Children’s Research Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Habitat for Humanity Tucson, Youth on Their Own, Community Food Bank of Southern AZ, Nourish, Bag It, and Boys and Girls Club. Colorado is the other major center, especially Denver, with grants to Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver Rescue Mission, Project Angel Heart, Safehouse Denver Inc, and Dumb Friends League. A smaller Colorado presence appears in Montrose through Metaphorse Growth and Healing Center.
Its recent grants go to nonprofit organizations working in children’s health, youth mentoring, housing and shelter, food access, and animal welfare. Examples from the file include Steele Children’s Research Center, Youth on Their Own, Habitat for Humanity, Community Food Bank of Southern AZ, and Dumb Friends League.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Steele Children’s Research Center, Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, Youth on Their Own, Project Angel Heart, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver Rescue Mission, Safehouse Denver Inc, Bag It, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The grant-size distribution is fairly tight: p25 is $10,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $17,500. Recent awards include larger $50,000 and $150,000 grants, but many awards fall in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.
Arizona receives 56% of grants, with many recipients in Tucson. Colorado is the other major state in the recent grants, especially Denver, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $500,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN | TUCSON, AZ | $350,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| TUCSON CANCER CONQUERORS | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN | TUCSON, AZ | $450,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $100,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $75,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY METRO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| YOUTH ON THEIR OWN | TUCSON, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| NOURISH | TUCSON, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| PROJECT ANGEL HEART | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| DENVER RESCUE MISSION | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BAG IT | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| PIMA FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $2,000 | 2025 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN | TUCSON, AZ | $150,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $50,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| METAPHORSE GROWTH AND HEALING CENTER | MONTOROSE, CO | $50,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY METRO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| PROJECT ANGEL HEART | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| YOUTH ON THEIR OWN | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| NOURISH | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| SAFEHOUSE DENVER INC | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| DENVER RESCUE MISSION | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BAG IT | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| SARSEF | TUCSON, AZ | $5,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $5,000 | 2024 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA | TUCSON, AZ | $150,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON | TUCSON, AZ | $50,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| ARRUPE JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY METRO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| YOUTH ON THEIR OWN | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| PROJECT ANGEL HEART | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| NOURISH | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN AZ | TUCSON, AZ | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATI | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
| BAG IT | TUCSON, AZ | $10,000 | 2023 | TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION |
STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN
$350,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
TUCSON CANCER CONQUERORS
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN
$450,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
NOURISH
$20,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN AZ
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AZ
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BAG IT
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
PIMA FOUNDATION
$2,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA FOUN
$150,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
METAPHORSE GROWTH AND HEALING CENTER
$50,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
NOURISH
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN AZ
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BAG IT
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
SARSEF
$5,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AZ
$5,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
STEELE CHILDRENS RESEARCH CENTERUA
$150,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF TUCSON
$50,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
ARRUPE JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL
$50,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
COLORADO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
NOURISH
$15,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATI
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION
BAG IT
$10,000TO ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION