Desert Financial Credit Union
Desert Financial Credit Union is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and was formed in 1939. It is listed as a public charity filing Form 990. The credit union reports supporting Arizona communities through charitable contributions, program support, sponsorships, volunteering, and financial education.
Desert Financial Credit Union at a glance
In short: Desert Financial Credit Union gave $2.3M across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $39K), mostly in Arizona. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,313,410
- +21.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- +13.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,210
- +7.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $23,520
- Total assets
- $8,783,626,770
- +0.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (12 of 59, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Desert Financial Credit Union
- Contact
Mailing address: 148 North 48Th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: (602) 433-7000
Website: https://desertfinancial.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Desert Financial Credit Union
Adult Learners Scholarship
Desert Financial Credit Union
Amount
$3,000 - $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Arizona Breaking Barriers Scholarship Grant
Desert Financial Credit Union
Amount
Up to US $3,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Service Scholarship
Desert Financial Credit Union
Amount
$3,000 - $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Desert Financial Credit Union funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Desert Financial Foundation ($393K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
253 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 222 grants of 253 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The credit union’s guidelines describe its nonprofit support as focused on strengthening Arizona communities. All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Desert Financial Credit Union open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 59 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $850K (2020) to $2.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Desert Financial Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Event Sponsorship, Scholarships, Workplace Giving Match | $392,575 |
| The Foster Alliance Phoenix, AZ | Board service gift, dollars for doers incentive program, event sponsorship, in-kind, workplace giving match | $215,025 |
| Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Dollars for doers incentive program, event sponsorship, grant, fundraising, workplace giving match | $116,815 |
| A New Leaf Mesa, AZ | Grant, board service donation, dollars for doers incentive program | $94,532 |
| American Heart Association Tempe, AZ | Board Service Donation, Donation, Event Sponsorship, Fundraising Match | $91,967 |
| Diocesan Council for the Society of St Vincent De Paul Phoenix, AZ | Dollars for doers incentive program, donation, grant, workplace giving match, | $89,000 |
| NAU Foundation Flagstaff, AZ | Event Sponsorships, Vendor Partnership | $88,333 |
| Arizona Educational Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Event Sponsorship, Dollars for Doers Incentive Program | $75,190 |
| Free Arts of Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Dollars for doers incentive program, event sponsorship, grant, workplace giving match | $59,703 |
| Billy's Place Glendale, AZ | Grant, Dollars for Doers Incentive Program, Event Sponsorshilp | $56,745 |
Ready to take the next step with Desert Financial Credit Union?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,783,626,770 | $529,188,472 | $456,971,364 | $2,313,410 | 59 | $131,349,264 |
| 2023 | $8,710,563,794 | $454,305,678 | $369,011,260 | $1,903,156 | 52 | $106,694,825 |
| 2022 | $8,192,281,897 | $376,561,824 | $290,538,957 | $1,457,591 | 43 | $111,341,943 |
| 2021 | $8,206,373,350 | $333,222,725 | $245,780,903 | $1,186,500 | 43 | $69,206,076 |
| 2020 | $6,637,949,766 | $217,996,164 | $187,113,371 | $849,740 | 56 | $46,222,288 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is: “At Desert Financial, relationships drive success. We share our financial success because we believe it’s the right thing to do for our members, our community and our team.”
The credit union’s guidelines describe two forms of nonprofit support: program funding for services and sponsorship funding for volunteer or charitable events. Its stated priorities include academic success, post-secondary education, teacher resources, youth development, financial education, and access to housing and human services. The website also identifies education, housing and human services, hunger and food insecurity, and youth development as critical community support areas.
The 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Foster Alliance says it supports the foster care community by providing essentials for children in foster care. A New Leaf describes its mission as advancing social and economic stability across the Phoenix metro area. The Arizona Educational Foundation says it celebrates excellence and cultivates opportunity in Arizona public education, while Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona says it helps transform children’s trauma to resilience through the arts.
Desert Financial Foundation, a separate nonprofit identified by the credit union’s website, offers scholarships to individuals. Its programs include awards for high school seniors with community service experience, adult learners, and student athletes who have overcome obstacles. These scholarships are for individual recipients, rather than grants for outside organizations.
Grantmaking
The 2024 filing reports 59 grants totaling $2,313,410. Awards ranged from $5,040 to $392,575, with a median of $23,520. The filing reports 52 grants totaling $1,903,156 in 2023 and 43 grants totaling $1,457,591 in 2022.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $392,575 to Desert Financial Foundation for event sponsorship, scholarships, and workplace giving match; $215,025 to The Foster Alliance for board service gifts, a Dollars for Doers incentive program, event sponsorship, in-kind support, and workplace giving match; and $116,815 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation for the Dollars for Doers incentive program, event sponsorship, a grant, fundraising, and workplace giving match. Other large grants included $94,532 to A New Leaf and $91,967 to the American Heart Association.
The credit union’s nonprofit guidelines say eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, have operated for at least three years, have a volunteer board, serve more than 100 people while addressing large-scale social issues in Arizona, offer regular volunteer opportunities for Desert Financial team members, and participate in or be interested in financial education or programming with Desert Financial. The guidelines describe consideration of program-support and sponsorship requests. The available information does not specify application materials or a deadline.
Desert Financial Foundation also lists individual scholarship programs with awards of $3,000–$5,000 for its Community Service and Adult Learners scholarships, and up to $3,000 for the Arizona Breaking Barriers Scholarship. These are scholarships for individuals, not grants to outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kevin Haskew as chairperson; Christopher Miner as vice chairperson; Laura Watson as treasurer; and Janet Bioletto as secretary. Directors listed are Jeffrey Smith, Matthew Fehling, Claudette Gronski, Richard Johnson, Carrie Young, and Donna Fagan.
Desert Financial Credit Union is led by Jeffrey D. Meshey, CEO on every filing since 2020; 18 of 21 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jeffrey D. Meshey
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$545K (2020) → $2.3M (2024)
Jeffrey S. Butler
CEO - Switchthink Solutions
Ceo-Switchthink Solutions → CEO - Switchthink Solutions, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$353K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Kevin Haskew
Chairperson
Director → Chairperson, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$52K (2024)
Jeffrey Smith
Director
Secretary → Vice Chairperson, 2022
Vice Chairperson → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $48K (2024)
Matthew Fehling
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2024)
Richard Johnson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$31K (2024)
Carrie Young
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$34K (2024)
David Hawkins
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$17K (2024)
Donna Fagan
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$31K (2024)
Claudette Gronski
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cathleen Graham
Executive Vps
Executive Vice President → Executive Vps, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$255K (2020) → $1M (2024)
Jackie L. Biggs Jr.
Executive Vice President CFO
Vice President & Finance → Senior Vice President CFO, 2021
Senior Vice President CFO → Executive Vice President CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$178K (2020) → $795K (2024)
Janet Bioletto
Secretary
Vice Chairperson → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$43K (2024)
Laura Watson
Treasurer
Chairperson → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$44K (2024)
Paul Wintermantel
Financial Advisor II
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$240K (2020) → $802K (2024)
Rondle K. Amstutz
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$278K (2020) → $989K (2024)
Thomas Marlowe
Senior Vice President Operations
Senior Vice President Back Office Ops → Senior Vice President Operations, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$179K (2020) → $559K (2024)
Laura Wallace
Senior Vice President Chief Engage Officer
Chief Engage Officer → Senior Vice President Chief Engage Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$396K (2022) → $554K (2024)
Andrea Mosher
Chief Lending Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$493K (2024)
Christopher Miner
Vice Chairperson
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$49K (2024)
Ronald H. Parker
COO - Switchthink Solutions
Coo-Switchthink Solutions → COO - Switchthink Solutions, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Chris Miner (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Gary Sneed (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President Chief Lending Officer
- Former: Sara K. Regan (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President General Counsel
- Former: Stephen H. Jordan (2020–2023) — Chief Revenue Officer
- Former: Carie L. Galati (2022) — Senior Vice President Chief Hr Officer
- Former: Michael Konen (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Parker Ronald H. (2020–2021) — Chief Ops Ofc-St
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $2.3M, to Jeffrey D Meshey (CEO). 18 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Desert Financial Credit Union
How much does Desert Financial Credit Union give each year?
Desert Financial Credit Union gave $2.3M across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 52 grants.
What is Desert Financial Credit Union's typical grant size?
Desert Financial Credit Union's median grant in 2024 was $23,520, and its average grant was $39,210, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Desert Financial Credit Union that year got $25K on average.
Where does Desert Financial Credit Union give grants?
Desert Financial Credit Union gives mostly in Arizona: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (30 grants), Flagstaff, AZ (7 grants), Prescott, AZ (7 grants) and Mesa, AZ (4 grants).
Does Desert Financial Credit Union give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on Desert Financial Credit Union's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant, Dollars for Doers Incentive Program" (6 grants), "Dollars for Doers Incentive Program, Holiday Donation" (4 grants) and "Grant" (4 grants).
Who are Desert Financial Credit Union's largest grantees?
Desert Financial Credit Union's largest 2024 grantees include Desert Financial Foundation ($392,575), The Foster Alliance ($215,025) and Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation ($116,815), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Desert Financial Credit Union?
Desert Financial Credit Union reported $8.8B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $529.2M.
What does Desert Financial Credit Union fund?
The organization’s stated mission is: “At Desert Financial, relationships drive success. We share our financial success because we believe it’s the right thing to do for our members, our community and our team.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Desert Financial Credit Union?
Desert Financial Credit Union has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check desertfinancial.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Desert Financial Credit Union's EIN?
Desert Financial Credit Union's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0096740. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Desert Financial Credit Union's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Desert Financial Credit Union funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/desert-financial-credit-union-morg_a4245c8feeab4c099493bc902acb37f1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860096740_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Desert Financial Credit Union funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/desert-financial-credit-union-morg_a4245c8feeab4c099493bc902acb37f1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Desert Financial Credit Union's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Desert Financial Credit Union down — hundreds of funders to go?