John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc
The John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Tucson, Arizona. In its 2025 filing, it reported 21 grants totaling $290,500, all to recipients in Arizona. Listed grant purposes included scholarships, food programs, homeless programs, and support for ongoing programs.
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc gave $291K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Arizona. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $290,500
- -6.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,833
- +7.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $3,450,598
- -2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5448 N Crescent Hill Place, Tucson, AZ 85718
Phone: (520) 299-6413
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Arizona Foundation ($127K). Together the top 10 received $251K.
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 114 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Arizona. The listed 2025 grantees are based in Tucson.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 21 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 38% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $291K (2025) to $343K (2021). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $291K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona Foundation Tucson, AZ | Scholarships | $127,000 |
| Community Food Bank Tucson, AZ | Support food programs for poor | $20,000 |
| Primavera Foundation Tucson, AZ | Support homeless programs | $20,000 |
| Pima Community College Foundation Tucson, AZ | Scholarships | $16,000 |
| Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse Tucson, AZ | Support ongoing programs | $15,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Tucson, AZ | Support ongoing programs | $15,000 |
| Literacy Connects Tucson, AZ | Support reading programs | $10,000 |
| Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona Tucson, AZ | Support onging programs | $10,000 |
| Education Enrichment Foundation Tucson, AZ | To support educational programs | $10,000 |
| Arizona Theatre Company Tucson, AZ | Support theatre operations | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,450,598 | $414,790 | $520,029 | $290,500 | 21 | $110,236 | $144,196 | $286,962 |
| 2024 | $3,551,798 | $457,790 | $542,633 | $310,000 | 24 | $7,567 | — | $281,315 |
| 2023 | $3,639,131 | $249,209 | $527,929 | $331,000 | 23 | $5,705 | — | $277,801 |
| 2022 | $3,987,750 | $458,030 | $586,141 | $337,000 | 23 | $6,976 | $80,591 | $328,819 |
| 2021 | $4,042,197 | $689,777 | $584,295 | $342,500 | 23 | — | — | $333,560 |
| 2020 | $3,936,442 | $488,830 | $536,890 | $332,000 | 23 | — | $32,334 | $304,700 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $287K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for educational programs and scholarships, food programs, homeless programs, literacy, theatre operations, and other ongoing programs.
The grantees describe their own missions in a range of ways. The University of Arizona Foundation says it supports and enhances the university’s vision, mission, and values through developing and managing private support. The Community Food Bank says its mission is to help ensure communities are healthy and hunger-free. Literacy Connects describes its work as connecting people of all ages to opportunities through literacy and creative expression. Arizona Theatre Company says it creates theatre intended to inspire curiosity and creativity, spark empathy and joy, and bring Arizonans together.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $290,500 through 21 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $127,000, with a median grant of $7,500. The largest awards included $127,000 to the University of Arizona Foundation for scholarships; $20,000 each to Community Food Bank for food programs for people in need and Primavera Foundation for homeless programs; and $16,000 to Pima Community College Foundation for scholarships. Other notable awards were $15,000 each to Emerge Center for Domestic Abuse and Planned Parenthood for ongoing programs, and $10,000 each to Literacy Connects, Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona, and Education Enrichment Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ana Nygren as President, Bruce Burke as Vice President, Jay S Kittle as Chairman, Cheryl House as Treasurer, and Bobbie Jo Buel Carter as Secretary.
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc is led by Ana Nygren, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ana Nygren
President
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay S Kittle
Chairman
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bruce Burke
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Bobbie Jo Buel Carter
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Cheryl House
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Gordon Waterfall (2020–2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc
How much does John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc give each year?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc gave $291K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $310K across 24 grants.
What is John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $13,833, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc give grants?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc gives mostly in Arizona: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (21 grants).
Does John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support ongoing programs" (5 grants).
Who are John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Arizona Foundation ($127,000), Community Food Bank ($20,000) and Primavera Foundation ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $110K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $287K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for educational programs and scholarships, food programs, homeless programs, literacy, theatre operations, and other ongoing programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's EIN?
John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0802319. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-helen-murphey-foundation-inc-morg_05a7840a41cf45f88f0efadecbc0b528
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860802319_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-helen-murphey-foundation-inc-morg_05a7840a41cf45f88f0efadecbc0b528},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 John and Helen Murphey Foundation Inc'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.
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