Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable is a private foundation based in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including Arizona organizations and recipients in New York and Minnesota.
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable at a glance
In short: Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable gave $5.7M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $572K), mostly in Arizona. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,722,700
- -21.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -73.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $572,270
- +192.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $202,979
- -76.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable
- 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: 5700 East Mcdonald Drive 6, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Phone: (520) 440-2221
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Arizona Foundation ($5.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 80 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona, 2% to New York, and 1% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $800K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 2227% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $200K (2020) to $7.3M (2023). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $5.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona Foundation Tucson, AZ | Charitable | $5,000,000 |
| Arizona Jewish Historical Society Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $500,000 |
| Jewish National Fund New York, NY | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Minneapolis Foundation - the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund Minneapolis, MN | Charitable | $51,000 |
| Jewish Community Association of Greater Phoenix Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Teen Lifeline Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Gootter-Jensen Foundation Tucson, AZ | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Temple Chai Association Phoenix, AZ | Charitable | $6,700 |
| Starry Foundation Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $202,979 | $5,231,819 | $5,880,795 | $5,722,700 | 10 | $5,731,195 | $4,785,079 | — |
| 2023 | $851,955 | $7,427,159 | $7,284,742 | $7,251,000 | 37 | $7,253,582 | $6,906,114 | $17,007 |
| 2022 | $709,538 | $1,080,142 | $521,005 | $518,200 | 16 | $519,618 | $1,047,558 | $11,055 |
| 2021 | $150,401 | $394,469 | $250,651 | $245,900 | 10 | $248,311 | $379,467 | $8,233 |
| 2020 | $6,583 | $147,363 | $200,470 | $200,400 | 7 | — | $141,955 | $4,508 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission or specific funding focus areas are stated. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose work spans higher education, Jewish history and heritage, suicide prevention, sudden cardiac death prevention, and support for children and families affected by sensory processing disorder and autism. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $5,722,700. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $5,000,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest grant was $5,000,000 to the University of Arizona Foundation. Other large grants included $500,000 to the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, $100,000 to the Jewish National Fund, and $51,000 to the Minneapolis Foundation – The Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund.
The University of Arizona Foundation says it supports and enhances the University of Arizona’s mission through the development and management of private support. The Arizona Jewish Historical Society says it preserves and celebrates Arizona’s Jewish heritage and educates the public about Jewish history, including the Holocaust. Teen Lifeline, which received $15,000, says it works to prevent teen suicide in Arizona by building youth resiliency and supportive communities. The Gootter-Jensen Foundation, which received $10,000, says it works to prevent sudden cardiac death through awareness, education, research, and AED distribution. The Starry Foundation, which received $5,000, says it supports children and families affected by sensory processing disorder and autism.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Sarver as president, Penny Sarver as secretary, and Max Sarver as director.
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable is led by Robert Sarver, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Sarver
President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Max Sarver
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Penny Sarver
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jon R. Young (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable
How much does Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable give each year?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable gave $5.7M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.3M across 37 grants.
What is Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's typical grant size?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $572,270, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable that year got $40K on average.
Where does Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable give grants?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable gives mostly in Arizona: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (3 grants), Scottsdale, AZ (3 grants) and Tucson, AZ (2 grants).
Does Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (10 grants).
Who are Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's largest grantees?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include University of Arizona Foundation ($5,000,000), Arizona Jewish Historical Society ($500,000) and Jewish National Fund ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable reported $203K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $5.2M.
What does Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable fund?
No foundation mission or specific funding focus areas are stated. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable?
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 Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's EIN?
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-0320824. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/penny-and-robert-sarver-charitable-morg_3f1def032da84c0db595c8456e29ae0c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_830320824_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/penny-and-robert-sarver-charitable-morg_3f1def032da84c0db595c8456e29ae0c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable'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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