The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation
THE DAVID & PHYLLIS MURPHY is a private foundation based in Mason City, Iowa. Its 2024 filing says it makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) charities, with a preference for those in North Central Iowa; its 2025 grants went entirely to Iowa recipients.
Key facts about The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation
In short: The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation gave $519K across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 42-1477942
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $519,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- Average grant
- $11,043
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $10,145,601
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The filing lists September 1.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. 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
$10.1M
+3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$519K
+1.5% YoY
Grant Count
47
+6.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-4.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $567K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation gives
- 49% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 340% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (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 grants include support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Humane Society of North Iowa describes its mission as providing temporary shelter, food, medical attention, and comfort to displaced and neglected companion animals, and educating the public about humane animal care. Elderbridge Agency on Aging describes services including meals, transportation, case management, and assistance with independent living. One Vision says it supports individual choice through services intended to promote purpose and independence.
Other 2025 grantees include Stebens Children’s Theatre, whose stated mission is to educate young people in theatre arts and provide family entertainment, and Wright on the Park, whose mission includes preserving and maintaining the historic Park Inn Hotel and educating the public about its architectural history.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 47 grants totaling $519,000. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median of $8,000. The largest grants included $50,000 to Mercy One North Iowa Hospice for renovation assistance, $35,000 to North IA-Southern MN Veteran Stand to purchase a trailer, and $30,000 to Mason City Public School Ed Found for scholarships. Other notable awards included $25,000 to the YMCA for daycare services and general support, $23,400 to Community Kitchen of North Iowa for its evening meal program, and $15,000 to Mason City Public Library for program assistance.
Review Cycle
The filing lists September 1. That deadline is past as of September 28, 2026; the filing does not specify a year for the deadline.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa. The foundation’s 2024 filing states a preference for qualified 501(c)(3) charities in North Central Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $45K (2019) to $525K (2023). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $519K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mercy One North Iowa Hospice ($50K). Together the top 10 received $259K.
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 168 grants of 170 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mercy One North Iowa Hospice Mason City, IA | Renovation Assistance | $50,000 |
| North IA-Southern MN Veteran Stand Rockford, IA | Purchase Trailer | $35,000 |
| Mason City Public School Ed Found Mason City, IA | Scholarships | $30,000 |
| YMCA Mason City, IA | Daycare Services, General Support | $25,000 |
| River City Sculptures on Parade Inc Mason City, IA | Sculpture Purchase, Maintenance | $24,000 |
| Community Kitchen of North Iowa Mason City, IA | Evening Meal Program | $23,400 |
| Sunbeam Christian Childcare Prescho Mason City, IA | Equipment and Supplies Purchase | $22,200 |
| Girl Scouts of Greater IA Urbandale, IA | Campground Upgrades | $20,000 |
| Mason City Public Library Mason City, IA | Program Assistance | $15,000 |
| Meals on Wheels of Mason City Inc Mason City, IA | Meal Containers, Equipment | $14,300 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $519,000 | 47 |
| 2024 | $511,100 | 44 |
| 2022 | $118,000 | 22 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,145,601 | $9,846,862 | $9,995,327 |
| Revenue | $904,345 | $418,844 | $87,445 |
| Expenses | $605,606 | $567,309 | $636,915 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $525,400 | $514,780 | $528,230 |
| Net Investment Income | $835,639 | $366,315 | $229,933 |
| Distributable Amount | $566,927 | $531,885 | $504,095 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 6, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 23, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 21, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John F. Welch as President/Chair; Becky Elsbernd and Kristin Salmon as Vice-Presidents; and Kristen N. Ollenburg as Secretary/Treasurer.
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation is led by John F. Welch, President & Chair since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John F. Welch
President & Chair
Vice President → President & Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Becky Elsbernd
Vice President
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristen N. Ollenburg
Secretary
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Salmon
Vice President
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Phyllis Murphy (2019) — Chairman of Board
- Former: Robert Marolf (2019) — Vice President
- Former: Socrates G. Pappajohn (2019) — Secretary & Treasurer
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: Kristen N Ollenburg
Mailing address: 103 East State Street Suite 800, Mason City, IA 50401
Phone: (641) 423-4264
Frequently asked questions about The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation
How much does The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation give each year?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation gave $519K across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $511K across 44 grants.
What is The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $11,043, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation give grants?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Mason City, IA (42 grants).
Does The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 6% of The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (3 grants).
Who are The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mercy One North Iowa Hospice ($50,000), North IA-Southern MN Veteran Stand ($35,000) and Mason City Public School Ed Found ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation reported $10.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $525K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $567K (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 The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The David & Phyllis Murphy Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1477942. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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