The John and Helen Murphey Foundation concentrates its giving on higher education scholarships delivered through the University of Arizona Foundation. All recorded grants support student scholarships at the University of Arizona, indicating a strong local focus on expanding access to postsecondary education for Arizona/Tucson-area students. The foundation appears to operate as a targeted scholarship fund rather than a diversified grantmaker.
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc centers its grantmaking on scholarships at the University of Arizona Foundation, with three large awards recorded in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern makes higher education access the clearest throughline in the foundation’s giving, and it points to a narrow local mandate rather than a broad, multi-state portfolio. The same scholarship relationship appears year after year, suggesting ongoing support for students connected to the university. Beyond the university scholarship stream, the foundation also supports Tucson organizations serving basic needs and community services. Primavera Foundation receives repeated support for homeless programs, while Community Food Bank is funded for food assistance. Other Tucson grantees include Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse, Planned Parenthood, Literacy Connects, and Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, showing that the foundation’s local portfolio reaches into human services, education, and community support. All recorded grants go to Arizona recipients, and the grant record is entirely local to Tucson and nearby institutions. The foundation’s work appears structured around recurring operating support and scholarships rather than one-time project funding or a diversified statewide strategy.
Education is the foundation’s most visible area of support. It gave $150,000 in 2023, $146,500 in 2024, and $130,500 in 2025 to University of Arizona Foundation for scholarships, indicating a continuing commitment to student aid. The foundation also backs direct services for vulnerable residents. Primavera Foundation received $20,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to support homeless programs, while Community Food Bank received $17,500 in 2023 and 2024, and another $17,500 in 2025, for food programs for poor. In community education and youth-serving work, the foundation supported Literacy Connects with $10,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for reading programs, and Big Brothers Big Sisters with $12,500 in 2023 and 2024 for work with kids. These grants show a mix of scholarship aid, literacy, youth services, and basic-needs support.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $2,500, the median is $7,500, and the 75th percentile is $15,750. The distribution suggests a core of small operating or program grants, with a few much larger scholarship awards. The record shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, especially for scholarships and ongoing programs. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its local giving pattern is highly concentrated in Arizona, with all recorded grants going to recipients in the state.
$293K
$3.5M
$415K
$520K
Most grants fall between $3K and $16K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$16K
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Highly concentrated giving: repeated, substantial grants to a single institutional intermediary (University of Arizona Foundation) for scholarships rather than dispersed or multi-issue funding.
Notable grantees: University of Arizona Foundation
Grantmaking is entirely local and entirely in Arizona. Tucson recipients dominate the record, including the University of Arizona Foundation, Primavera Foundation, Community Food Bank, and Literacy Connects. The foundation’s top giving state is AZ, and 100% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the grant record.
The foundation supports Tucson organizations in higher education, homelessness services, food assistance, literacy, youth services, domestic abuse services, and related community programs. Recorded grantees include University of Arizona Foundation for scholarships, Primavera Foundation for homeless programs, and Community Food Bank for food programs.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including University of Arizona Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Primavera Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Community Food Bank in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern points to recurring support rather than isolated awards.
The 25th percentile grant is $2,500, the median is $7,500, and the 75th percentile is $15,750. The record also includes larger scholarship grants, such as $150,000 in 2023 to University of Arizona Foundation and $146,500 in 2024 to the same grantee.
It gives most often in Arizona, and every recorded grant goes to a recipient in the HQ state. The grant record is concentrated in Tucson, with recipients such as Pima Community College Foundation, Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse, and Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona all located there.
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 | $127,000 | 2026 | Scholarships |
| Primavera Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | Support homeless programs |
| Community Food Bank | Tucson, AZ | $20,000 | 2026 | Support food programs for poor |
| Pima Community College Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $16,000 | 2026 | Scholarships |
| Planned Parenthood | Tucson, AZ | $15,000 | 2026 | Support ongoing programs |
| Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse | Tucson, AZ | $15,000 | 2026 | Support ongoing programs |
| Education Enrichment Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | To support educational programs |
| Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | Support onging programs |
| Literacy Connects | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | Support reading programs |
| YMCA | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2026 | Support ongoing programs |
| Sister Jose Womens Shelter | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2026 | Support homelss shelter programs |
| Arizona Theatre Company | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2026 | Support theatre operations |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters | Tucson, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | Support work with kids |
| The Haven | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Fund operations for center assisting |
| Habitat for Humanity | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support ongoing programs |
| St Elizabeth of Hungry Clinic | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support operations |
| Junior League | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support operations |
| YWCA | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support ongoing programs |
| Tucson Symphony Society | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support symphone operations |
| Tucson Museum of Art | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support museum operations |
| The Nature Conservancy | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | Support Pima County |
| University of Arizona Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $130,500 | 2025 | Scholarships |
| Primavera Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | Support homeless programs |
| Planned Parenthood | Tucson, AZ | $17,500 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| Community Food Bank | Tucson, AZ | $17,500 | 2025 | Support food programs for poor |
| Pima Community College Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $16,000 | 2025 | Scholarships |
| Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse | Tucson, AZ | $15,000 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| Education Enrichment Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | To support educational programs |
| Literacy Connects | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | Support reading programs |
| Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | Support onging programs |
| YMCA | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| The Child Language Center Inc | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| Arizona Theatre Company | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | Support theatre operations |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | Support work with kids |
| Sister Jose Womens Shelter | Tucson, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | Support homelss shelter programs |
| Beacon Group Tucson | Tucson, AZ | $5,000 | 2025 | To support educational programs |
| The Haven | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Fund operations for center assisting |
| Tucson Symphony Society | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support symphone operations |
| YWCA | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| The Nature Conservancy | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support Pima County |
| St Elizabeth of Hungry Clinic | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support operations |
| Junior League | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support operations |
| Habitat for Humanity | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support ongoing programs |
| Tucson Museum of Art | Tucson, AZ | $2,500 | 2025 | Support museum operations |
| Tucson Assn for the Blind | Tucson, AZ | $1,000 | 2025 | Support programs |
| University of Arizona Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $146,500 | 2024 | Scholarships |
| Primavera Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $20,000 | 2024 | Support homeless programs |
| Education Enrichment Foundation | Tucson, AZ | $17,500 | 2024 | To support educational programs |
| Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse | Tucson, AZ | $17,500 | 2024 | Support ongoing programs |
| Planned Parenthood | Tucson, AZ | $17,500 | 2024 | Support ongoing programs |
University of Arizona Foundation
$127,000Scholarships
Primavera Foundation
$20,000Support homeless programs
Community Food Bank
$20,000Support food programs for poor
Pima Community College Foundation
$16,000Scholarships
Planned Parenthood
$15,000Support ongoing programs
Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse
$15,000Support ongoing programs
Education Enrichment Foundation
$10,000To support educational programs
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona
$10,000Support onging programs
Literacy Connects
$10,000Support reading programs
YMCA
$7,500Support ongoing programs
Sister Jose Womens Shelter
$7,500Support homelss shelter programs
Arizona Theatre Company
$7,500Support theatre operations
Big Brothers Big Sisters
$5,000Support work with kids
The Haven
$2,500Fund operations for center assisting
Habitat for Humanity
$2,500Support ongoing programs
St Elizabeth of Hungry Clinic
$2,500Support operations
Junior League
$2,500Support operations
YWCA
$2,500Support ongoing programs
Tucson Symphony Society
$2,500Support symphone operations
Tucson Museum of Art
$2,500Support museum operations
The Nature Conservancy
$2,500Support Pima County
University of Arizona Foundation
$130,500Scholarships
Primavera Foundation
$20,000Support homeless programs
Planned Parenthood
$17,500Support ongoing programs
Community Food Bank
$17,500Support food programs for poor
Pima Community College Foundation
$16,000Scholarships
Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse
$15,000Support ongoing programs
Education Enrichment Foundation
$10,000To support educational programs
Literacy Connects
$10,000Support reading programs
Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona
$10,000Support onging programs
YMCA
$7,500Support ongoing programs
The Child Language Center Inc
$7,500Support ongoing programs
Arizona Theatre Company
$7,500Support theatre operations
Big Brothers Big Sisters
$7,500Support work with kids
Sister Jose Womens Shelter
$7,500Support homelss shelter programs
Beacon Group Tucson
$5,000To support educational programs
The Haven
$2,500Fund operations for center assisting
Tucson Symphony Society
$2,500Support symphone operations
YWCA
$2,500Support ongoing programs
The Nature Conservancy
$2,500Support Pima County
St Elizabeth of Hungry Clinic
$2,500Support operations
Junior League
$2,500Support operations
Habitat for Humanity
$2,500Support ongoing programs
Tucson Museum of Art
$2,500Support museum operations
Tucson Assn for the Blind
$1,000Support programs
University of Arizona Foundation
$146,500Scholarships
Primavera Foundation
$20,000Support homeless programs
Education Enrichment Foundation
$17,500To support educational programs
Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse
$17,500Support ongoing programs
Planned Parenthood
$17,500Support ongoing programs