Michael E Murphy Foundation
The Michael E Murphy Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It reported 25 grants totaling $668,000 in 2025, with each grant listed as supporting a charitable purpose.
Michael E Murphy Foundation at a glance
In short: Michael E Murphy Foundation gave $668K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Illinois. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $668,000
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,720
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $3,820,266
- -7.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (79% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Michael E Murphy Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1612-A N Mohawk St, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (312) 642-5876
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Michael E Murphy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Big Shoulders Fund ($100K). Together the top 10 received $500K.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 99 grants of 118 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 9% to Massachusetts, 6% to Washington, DC, and 6% to Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Michael E Murphy Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 25 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 50% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $343K (2020) to $668K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $668K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Big Shoulders Fund Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | Charitable Purpose | $60,000 |
| Immaculate Conception Church Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose | $55,000 |
| Steppenwolf Theatre Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| The Family Institute Evanston, IL | Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| L'arche Forest Park, IL | Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| St Catherine St Lucy Catholic School Oak Park, IL | Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) Baltimore, MD | Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| Annual Catholic Appeal Chicago, IL | Charitable Purpose | $25,000 |
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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 | $3,820,266 | $359,156 | $674,255 | $668,000 | 25 | $668,000 | $359,141 | $616,657 |
| 2024 | $4,135,365 | $204,992 | $620,024 | $613,500 | 25 | $613,500 | $200,704 | $579,426 |
| 2023 | $4,550,397 | $1,583,444 | $488,282 | $474,720 | 26 | $474,720 | $160,830 | $465,361 |
| 2022 | $3,455,235 | $475,852 | $446,997 | $445,220 | 19 | $445,220 | $275,852 | $432,143 |
| 2021 | $3,426,380 | $355,215 | $448,260 | $443,720 | 23 | $443,720 | $126,775 | $450,503 |
| 2020 | $3,519,425 | $275,602 | $351,135 | $343,220 | 18 | — | $127,431 | $345,007 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michael E Murphy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $617K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including schools, social-service providers, religious organizations, and arts and cultural institutions.
The grantees describe their work in their own terms. Big Shoulders Fund says it supports underserved schools providing quality, values-based education for children in Chicago. The Family Institute says its mission is to strengthen and heal families and individuals through clinical service, education, and research. Misericordia Home describes its work as providing residential, training, and employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chicago Shakespeare Theater says it creates theatrical experiences for people of all ages and identities.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 25 grants totaling $668,000 in 2025. The grants ranged from $3,000 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000. Its reported grant totals were $613,500 across 25 grants in 2024 and $474,720 across 26 grants in 2023.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $100,000 to Big Shoulders Fund, $60,000 to Boston College, $55,000 to Immaculate Conception Church, $50,000 each to Steppenwolf Theatre and The Family Institute, and $40,000 each to Georgetown University, L’Arche, St Catherine St Lucy Catholic School, and The Ignatian Volunteer Corps.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Adele A Murphy as vice president, secretary, treasurer, and director; Leslie M Barker as president and director; and Glenn S Murphy and Christopher M Murphy as directors.
Michael E Murphy Foundation is led by Leslie M. Barker, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leslie M. Barker
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Adele A. Murphy
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christopher M. Murphy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Glenn S. Murphy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael E. Murphy (2020–2022) — Director & Vice President
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 Michael E Murphy Foundation
How much does Michael E Murphy Foundation give each year?
Michael E Murphy Foundation gave $668K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $614K across 25 grants.
What is Michael E Murphy Foundation's typical grant size?
Michael E Murphy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $26,720, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michael E Murphy Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Michael E Murphy Foundation give grants?
Michael E Murphy Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (9%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (16 grants), Evanston, IL (2 grants) and Oak Park, IL (2 grants).
Who are Michael E Murphy Foundation's largest grantees?
Michael E Murphy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Big Shoulders Fund ($100,000), Boston College ($60,000) and Immaculate Conception Church ($55,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michael E Murphy Foundation?
Michael E Murphy Foundation reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $668K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $617K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Michael E Murphy Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including schools, social-service providers, religious organizations, and arts and cultural institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michael E Murphy Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Michael E Murphy Foundation's EIN?
Michael E Murphy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3436624. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Michael E Murphy Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Michael E Murphy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/michael-e-murphy-foundation-morg_8be182bf4b84453aa592a69eee1d1bfd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363436624_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Michael E Murphy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/michael-e-murphy-foundation-morg_8be182bf4b84453aa592a69eee1d1bfd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Michael E Murphy Foundation'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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