Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation
The Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation is a private foundation based in Tucson, Arizona (EIN 86-0779817). Its 2025 grants supported organizations addressing needs including senior housing, food assistance, home repair, homelessness, youth services, health research, and music.
Key facts about Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation
In short: Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation gave $452K across 43 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Arizona. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 86-0779817
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $452,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 43
- Average grant
- $10,512
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (2 of 43, 2025)
- Total assets
- $4,350,509
- Primary geography
- Arizona (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Contact Karen K Frey and submit the requested materials listed above. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- March 1 of each year.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.4M
+4.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$452K
+0.4% YoY
Grant Count
43
-2.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+2.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation reported a distributable amount of $435K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 43 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as elder services, hunger relief, housing and homelessness, children and families, youth, health research, and the arts. For example, St Lukes in the Desert says its mission is to help low-income elders age with dignity in an assisted living community; Community Food Bank says it works toward healthy, hunger-free communities; and Tucson Symphony Society says it builds and enriches community through live music.
Other 2025 recipients include Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona, whose stated mission is to assist low-income homeowners in Tucson and Pima County with emergency repairs and safety modifications; Arizona’s Children Association, which says it works to protect children, empower youth, and strengthen families; and CASA de los Ninos, whose stated mission is to promote child well-being and family stability.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 43 grants totaling $452,000. Individual grants ranged from $3,500 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $25,000 to St Luke’s in the Desert for senior housing for low-income elderly; $22,800 to the University of Arizona Foundation’s arthritis research program; and $20,000 each to Community Food Bank and Mobile Meals of Tucson. Other awards included $18,000 to Youth On Their Own and $15,000 each to Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona, Our Family Services’ New Beginnings Program, Primavera Foundation, and Tucson Symphony Society.
Review Cycle
March 1 of each year.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona and 10% to recipients in Texas. Examples of Texas support include $10,000 to CASA of Harrison County in Marshall.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $250K (2020) to $452K (2025). In 2025 it made 43 grants totaling $452K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Luke's in the Desert Inc ($25K). Together the top 10 received $181K.
Grant Size Distribution
201 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 201 grants of 201 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Luke's in the Desert Inc Tucson, AZ | Senior Housing for Low Income Elderly | $25,000 |
| University of AZ Foundationarthritis Research Program Tucson, AZ | Arthritis Research, Treatment | $22,800 |
| Community Food Bank Inc Tucson, AZ | Food Assistance for the Hungry in Pima County | $20,000 |
| Mobile Meals of Tucson Inc Tucson, AZ | Deliver Special Diet Meals to Homebound | $20,000 |
| Youth on Their Own (Yoto) Tucson, AZ | Dropout Prevention, Youth Ages 8-22, Homeless/Near Homeless | $18,000 |
| Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Assist disadvantaged of Pima county by providing free home repair service | $15,000 |
| Our Family Services Inc New Beginnings Program Tucson, AZ | Various Services for Homeless Families | $15,000 |
| Primavera Foundation Inc Tucson, AZ | Programs and Services for Homeless and Impoverished | $15,000 |
| Tucson Symphony Society Tucson, AZ | Provide Music Appreciation to the Community | $15,000 |
| Arizona's Children Association Tucson, AZ | Assist Needy Children and Families | $14,800 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total grants | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $452,000 | 43 |
| 2024 | $450,000 | 44 |
| 2023 | $450,000 | 40 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,350,509 | $4,157,010 | $3,979,283 |
| Revenue | $723,800 | $712,852 | $59,464 |
| Expenses | $530,301 | $535,125 | $523,616 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $462,613 | $470,863 | $463,575 |
| Net Investment Income | $667,264 | $648,590 | $116,340 |
| Distributable Amount | $434,940 | $408,756 | $404,618 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 10, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Fred E Armstrong Jr as director and vice-president; Karen K Frey as director, president, and treasurer; Zachary Armstrong and Cory M Armstrong as directors; and Traci A Hollis as director and secretary.
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation is led by Karen K. Frey, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karen K. Frey
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cory M. Armstrong
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fred E. Armstrong Jr.
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Traci A. Hollis
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Zachary Armstrong
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Fred E. Armstrong III (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: William W. Lynch Jr. (2019–2020) — Director & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Karen K Frey
Mailing address: PO Box 12867, Tucson, AZ 85732
Phone: (520) 275-5172
Frequently asked questions about Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation
How much does Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation give each year?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation gave $452K across 43 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $450K across 44 grants.
What is Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's typical grant size?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,512, across 43 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation give grants?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (36 grants) and Marshall, TX (5 grants).
Does Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 43 grants with a stated purpose on Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Provide Music Appreciation to the Community" (3 grants).
Who are Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's largest grantees?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Luke's in the Desert Inc ($25,000), University of AZ Foundationarthritis Research Program ($22,800) and Community Food Bank Inc ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $463K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $435K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as elder services, hunger relief, housing and homelessness, children and families, youth, health research, and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation?
Contact Karen K Frey and submit the requested materials listed above. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's EIN?
Fred & Christine Armstrong Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0779817. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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