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Desert Financial Credit Union

Foundation · Grantmaker PHOENIX, AZ EIN: 86-0096740 Website

Desert Financial Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1939 by 15 schoolteachers with an initial pooled investment of $78.75, it has grown to become Arizona's largest locally-based credit union, serving more than 450,000 members. The organization is designated as a 501(c)(14) state-chartered credit union and is federally insured by the NCUA.

Key facts about Desert Financial Credit Union

EIN
86-0096740
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$2,079,730
Grants made (2024)
59
Average grant
$35,250
Median grant
$23,520
New grantees (estimate)
20% first-time grantees (12 of 59, 2024)
Total assets
$8,783,626,770
Primary geography
Arizona (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Desert Financial Credit Union funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Desert Financial Credit Union's 59 itemized 2024 grants were Arizona (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (30 grants), Flagstaff, AZ (7 grants), Prescott, AZ (7 grants) and Mesa, AZ (4 grants). None of its 59 grants with a stated purpose 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).

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 $38K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $25K repeat.

  • 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 75% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$8.8B

+0.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.1M

+20.0% YoY

Grant Count

59

+13.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$35K

+5.7% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Desert Financial's mission centers on fostering success through meaningful relationships and sharing financial prosperity with members, community, and team. The organization prioritizes:

  • Education and Early Childhood Development: Supporting K-12 education, early learning programs, and youth-support initiatives across Arizona
  • Financial Well-Being: Providing educational resources, workshops, webinars, and articles on financial topics to help members and community members reach their goals
  • Community Strengthening: Supporting local nonprofits and individuals to strengthen financial capability through education and scholarships
  • Teacher Support: Recognizing and supporting Arizona educators through classroom supply donations and appreciation initiatives

Grantmaking

Desert Financial makes grants through both the credit union directly and through its affiliated foundation, Desert Financial Foundation (established 2015).

Review Cycle

- In 2024, the organization awarded $541,000 in grants (including an 85th anniversary gift)

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Desert Financial's grantmaking and community involvement activities are focused primarily on Arizona, with particular emphasis on serving Arizonans through education and financial capability programs.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of all 59 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

AlaskaArizonaCaliforniaFlorida

Cities

PhoenixFlagstaffMesaPrescottTempeScottsdaleGlendaleTucsonPeoriaPrescott ValleyAnchorageDaytona BeachGilbertPaysonLitchfield ParkOaklandQueen Creek

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Desert Financial Credit Union (2024):

  • Total Revenue: $529 million
  • Total Expenses: $457 million
  • Total Assets: $8.78 billion
  • Total Liabilities: $8.1 billion
  • Employees: 1,251

Desert Financial Foundation (2024):

  • Total Assets: $1,128,647
  • Total Giving: $1,232,637
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$146M$291M$437M$582M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$8,783,626,770$8,710,563,794$8,192,281,897
Revenue$529,188,472$454,305,678$376,561,824
Expenses$456,971,364$369,011,260$290,538,957
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$131,349,264$106,694,825$111,341,943
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$520K$1M$2M$2M56 grants202043 grants202143 grants202252 grants202359 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Desert Financial Foundation: $278KDesert Financial Foundation$278KThe Foster Alliance: $120KThe Foster Alliance$120KPhoenix Children's Hospital Foundation: $117KPhoenix Children's HospitalFoundation$117KA New Leaf: $95KA New Leaf$95KAmerican Heart Association: $92KAmerican Heart Association$92KDiocesan Council for the Society of St Vincent De Paul: $89KDiocesan Council for theSociety of St Vincent De Paul$89KNau Foundation: $88KNau Foundation$88KArizona Educational Foundation: $75KArizona Educational Foundation$75KFree Arts of Arizona: $60KFree Arts of Arizona$60KBilly's Place: $57KBilly's Place$57K

Grant Size Distribution

253 grants across all recorded years

222<$50K18$50–100K10$100–250K3$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Open Grants

4 open opportunities from Desert Financial Credit Union

Show all 4 →
Foundation

Adult Learners Scholarship

DESERT FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION

Amount

$3,000 - $5,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Annual
Foundation

Arizona Breaking Barriers Scholarship Grant

DESERT FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION

Amount

Up to US $3,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

Community Service Scholarship

DESERT FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION

Amount

$3,000 - $5,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Annual

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Desert Financial Foundation ($278,251), The Foster Alliance ($120,220), Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation ($116,815).

RecipientPurposeAmount
DESERT FINANCIAL FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZEVENT SPONSORSHIP, SCHOLARSHIPS, WORKPLACE GIVING MATCH$278,251
THE FOSTER ALLIANCE PHOENIX, AZBOARD SERVICE GIFT, DOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, EVENT SPONSORSHIP, IN-KIND, WORKPLACE GIVING MATCH$120,220
PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZDOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, EVENT SPONSORSHIP, GRANT, FUNDRAISING, WORKPLACE GIVING MATCH$116,815
A NEW LEAF MESA, AZGRANT, BOARD SERVICE DONATION, DOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM$94,532
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION TEMPE, AZBOARD SERVICE DONATION, DONATION, EVENT SPONSORSHIP, FUNDRAISING MATCH$91,967
DIOCESAN COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL PHOENIX, AZDOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, DONATION, GRANT, WORKPLACE GIVING MATCH,$89,000
NAU FOUNDATION FLAGSTAFF, AZEVENT SPONSORSHIPS, VENDOR PARTNERSHIP$88,333
ARIZONA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION PHOENIX, AZEVENT SPONSORSHIP, DOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM$75,190
FREE ARTS OF ARIZONA PHOENIX, AZDOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, EVENT SPONSORSHIP, GRANT, WORKPLACE GIVING MATCH$59,703
BILLY'S PLACE GLENDALE, AZGRANT, DOLLARS FOR DOERS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, EVENT SPONSORSHILP$56,745

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Jeffrey D Meshey — CEO: $2.3MJeffrey D MesheyCEO$2.3MCathleen Graham — Executive Vps: $1.0MCathleen GrahamExecutive Vps$1.0MRondle K Amstutz — Executive VP: $989KRondle K AmstutzExecutive VP$989KPaul Wintermantel — Financial Advisor II: $802KPaul WintermantelFinancial Advisor II$802KJackie L Biggs Jr — Executive VP CFO: $795KJackie L Biggs JrExecutive VP CFO$795KThomas Marlowe — SVP Operations: $559KThomas MarloweSVP Operations$559KLaura Wallace — SVP Chief Engage Officer: $554KLaura WallaceSVP Chief Engage Officer$554KAndrea Mosher — Chief Lending Officer: $493KAndrea MosherChief Lending Officer$493KKevin Haskew — Chairperson: $52KKevin HaskewChairperson$52KChristopher Miner — Vice Chairperson: $49KChristopher MinerVice Chairperson$49KJeffrey Smith — Director: $48KJeffrey SmithDirector$48KLaura Watson — Treasurer: $44KLaura WatsonTreasurer$44KJanet Bioletto — Secretary: $43KJanet BiolettoSecretary$43KCarrie Young — Director: $34KCarrie YoungDirector$34KDonna Fagan — Director: $31KDonna FaganDirector$31KRichard Johnson — Director: $31KRichard JohnsonDirector$31KMatthew Fehling — Director: $31KMatthew FehlingDirector$31KDavid Hawkins — Director: $17KDavid HawkinsDirector$17K

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Kevin HaskewChairperson1$52,109
Jeffrey SmithDirector1$47,910
Laura WatsonTreasurer1$43,653
Janet BiolettoSecretary1$43,288
Matthew FehlingDirector1$30,742
Claudette GronskiDirector1—
Richard JohnsonDirector1$30,888
Christopher MinerVice Chairperson1$48,566
Carrie YoungDirector1$34,000
Donna FaganDirector1$31,333
David HawkinsDirector1$17,299
Jeffrey D MesheyCEO40$2,279,550
Jackie L Biggs JrExecutive VP CFO40$794,557
Rondle K AmstutzExecutive VP40$989,172
Cathleen GrahamExecutive Vps40$1,018,134
Andrea MosherChief Lending Officer40$493,155
Jeffrey S ButlerCEO - Switchthink Solutions1—
Laura WallaceSVP Chief Engage Officer40$554,393
Ronald H ParkerCOO - Switchthink Solutions1—
Thomas MarloweSVP Operations40$558,894
Paul WintermantelFinancial Advisor II40$802,142

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

**December 2025:** Desert Financial Credit Union renewed $292,500 in grants to 23 Arizona nonprofits for education programs, continuing a two-year grant cycle. Notable recipients included Southwest Human Development ($15,000 to support 188 children and families through Educare Arizona's early learning and family services).

Desert Financial Credit Union Renews $292,500 in Grants for 23 ...
2025

**2025:** Released comprehensive Social Impact Report documenting community contributions and impact metrics across all giving channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Desert Financial Credit Union fund?

Desert Financial's mission centers on fostering success through meaningful relationships and sharing financial prosperity with members, community, and team. The organization prioritizes: • **Education and Early Childhood Development**: Supporting K-12 education, early learning programs, and youth-support initiatives across Arizona • **Financial Well-Being**: Providing educational resources, workshops, webinars, and articles on financial topics to help members and community members reach their g…

How do I apply for a grant from Desert Financial Credit Union?

Desert Financial makes grants through both the credit union directly and through its affiliated foundation, Desert Financial Foundation (established 2015). **Recent Grant Activity:** • In 2025, Desert Financial renewed $292,500 in grants to 23 Arizona nonprofits supporting education programs, marking the second year of a two-year grant cycle • In 2024, the organization awarded $541,000 in grants (including an 85th anniversary gift) • In 2023, Desert Financial made grants totaling over $693,665 …

Where does Desert Financial Credit Union make grants?

Desert Financial's grantmaking and community involvement activities are focused primarily on **Arizona**, with particular emphasis on serving Arizonans through education and financial capability programs.

What size grants does Desert Financial Credit Union award?

In 2024, Desert Financial Credit Union awarded 59 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $35K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Desert Financial Credit Union's focus areas in our free grants database

Arizona GrantsAlaska GrantsCalifornia Grants

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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