John P Murphy Foundation
The John P Murphy Foundation is a private foundation based in Cleveland, Ohio, established in 1960 by attorney and businessman John P. Murphy and his wife Gladys T. Murphy. The foundation was incorporated in Ohio in 1960 and received its IRS tax-exempt ruling in July 1962. Upon John P. Murphy's death in 1969, the majority of his $13 million estate was added to the foundation's assets.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$54.1M
+3.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
-3.3% YoY
Grant Count
76
-6.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
+3.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John P Murphy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation distributes grants for "charitable, educational, scientific, literary and religious purposes" in the Greater Cleveland area. Primary funding areas include:
- Higher education
- Civic affairs
- The performing arts
- Community development
- Health
- Social services
- Youth
The foundation's board has identified economic development in Northeastern Ohio as a special interest. The foundation does not make gifts to individuals, nor does it provide support for endowments or loans.
Grantmaking
The foundation has made 76 grants in recent filings, with historical grantmaking totaling $10.7 million across 379 grants to 116 unique organizations.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation gives almost exclusively in Ohio, with occasional exceptions. Grantmaking has been concentrated in Ohio, with some grants distributed to organizations in New York and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income (2024):
- Total assets: $54,087,314
- Total giving: $2,402,000
Assets & Income (2023):
- Total assets: $52,308,197
- Total revenues: $1,508,277
- Total expenses: $3,806,988
Historical Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $43.1 million in 2011 to $54.1 million in 2024.
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $972,458
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $528,728
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $54,087,314 | $52,308,197 | $48,723,097 |
| Revenue | $2,650,144 | $1,508,277 | $1,172,404 |
| Expenses | $3,757,062 | $3,806,988 | $3,486,418 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,458,200 | $3,501,411 | $3,179,294 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,401,164 | $1,237,240 | $893,519 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,457,780 | $2,483,498 | $2,615,894 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cleveland Clinic Foundation ($355,000), Cleveland Institute of Music ($170,000), Kent State University Foundation ($122,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AKRON ART MUSEUM AKRON, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| APOLLO'S FIRE-CLEVELAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY BEREA, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| BLUE WATER CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| BORDERLIGHT INT THEATRE FESTIVAL CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CENTER FOR ARTS-INSPIRED LEARNING CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| CHAGRIN DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL CHAGRIN FALLS, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| CHAMBER FEST CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CLEVELAND BALLET CLEVELAND, OH | PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT | $20,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Nancy McCann — President/Treasurer/Trustee (20 hours/week, $342,000 compensation)
- Lou Grasso — Vice President/Trustee/Secretary (20 hours/week, $258,000 compensation)
- Patricia Brownell — Vice President/Trustee (5 hours/week, $41,000 compensation)
- Richard J Clark — Vice President/Trustee (5 hours/week, $41,000 compensation)
- John F O'Brien — Vice President/Trustee (5 hours/week, $41,000 compensation)
- Leslie Resnik — Vice President/Trustee (5 hours/week, $41,000 compensation)
- Frederick G Stueber — Vice President/Trustee (5 hours/week, $41,000 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PATRICIA BROWNELL | VP/TRUSTEE | 5 | $41,000 |
| RICHARD J CLARK | VP/TRUSTEE | 5 | $41,000 |
| NANCY MCCANN | PRES/TREAS/TRUSTEE | 20 | $342,088 |
| JOHN F O'BRIEN | VP/TRUSTEE | 5 | $41,000 |
| LESLIE RESNIK | VP/TRUSTEE | 5 | $41,000 |
| FREDERICK G STUEBER | VP/TRUSTEE | 5 | $41,000 |
| LOU GRASSO | VP/TRUSTEE/SECRETARY | 20 | $258,348 |
Contact Information
- Address: 1660 W 2nd St Ste 800, Cleveland, OH 44113-1461
- Phone: 216-623-4770
- Website: www.murphykulas.org/copy-of-home-1
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John P Murphy Foundation fund?
The foundation distributes grants for "charitable, educational, scientific, literary and religious purposes" in the Greater Cleveland area. Primary funding areas include: • Higher education • Civic affairs • The performing arts • Community development • Health • Social services • Youth The foundation's board has identified economic development in Northeastern Ohio as a special interest. The foundation does not make gifts to individuals, nor does it provide support for endowments or loans.
How do I apply for a grant from John P Murphy Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2024: $2,402,000 • Total giving in 2023: $2,012,000 • Typical award range: $500–$400,000 • Median grant amount: $15,000 • Historical range: $1,000–$355,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: $400,000 (Programmatic Support) • The Cleveland Orchestra: $233,500 (Programmatic Support) • Great Lakes Theater: $141,000 (Programmatic Support) • The Musical Arts Association: $234,000 (Programmatic Support) The foundation has made 76 gran…
Where does John P Murphy Foundation make grants?
The foundation gives almost exclusively in Ohio, with occasional exceptions. Grantmaking has been concentrated in Ohio, with some grants distributed to organizations in New York and Washington.
What size grants does John P Murphy Foundation award?
In 2024, John P Murphy Foundation awarded 76 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John P Murphy Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John P Murphy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John P Murphy Foundation's EIN?
John P Murphy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6528308. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open 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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