The Murphy Foundation
The Murphy Foundation is a private foundation based in El Dorado, Arkansas. Its 2025 filing reports 61 grants totaling $3,687,844, with grant dollars going primarily to recipients in Arkansas and Ohio.
The Murphy Foundation at a glance
In short: The Murphy Foundation gave $3.7M across 61 grants in 2025 (avg $60K), mostly in Arkansas. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,687,844
- +15.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 61
- +35.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $60,456
- -14.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $16,946,581
- -5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (17 of 61, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Arkansas (67% 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 The Murphy Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Educational grant applications should be submitted in letter form with a copy of the applicant’s scholastic record. Other requests should be made in a letter setting out all pertinent details. Educational grants are restricted to students from the South Arkansas area. The filing names Brett Williamson as the contact for applications.
- Review Cycle
- Educational grant applications should be submitted by August 1.
- Deadline
- Educational grant applications should be submitted by August 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Brett Williamson
Mailing address: 200 N Jefferson Suite 400, El Dorado, AR 71730
Phone: (870) 862-4961
Website: https://murphycharity.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Murphy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sarh Holdings Inc ($1.6M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
252 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 226 grants of 252 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arkansas, 20% to Ohio, 9% to California, 2% to Louisiana, and 1% to Tennessee. Educational grants are restricted to students from the South Arkansas area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Murphy Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 61 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $79K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 113% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2021) to $3.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 61 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sarh Holdings Inc El Dorado, AR | Operations | $1,628,060 |
| Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland, OH | Operations | $750,000 |
| El Dorado Festivals and Events El Dorado, AR | Operations | $222,083 |
| Arkansas Cinema Society Little Rock, AR | Operations | $100,000 |
| Marian Regional Medical Center Foun Santa Maria, CA | Operations | $100,000 |
| Santa Barbara Vintner's Foundation Buellton, CA | Operations | $60,000 |
| El Dorado Chamber of Commerce El Dorado, AR | Operations | $50,000 |
| Hendrix College Conway, AR | Operations | $47,500 |
| Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo, CA | Operations | $38,000 |
| El Dorado Boys & Girls Club El Dorado, AR | Operations | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Murphy Foundation?
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 | $16,946,581 | $3,274,011 | $4,261,023 | $3,687,844 | 61 | $3,855,281 | $2,928,798 | $3,846,717 |
| 2024 | $17,943,058 | $2,431,651 | $3,798,354 | $3,198,079 | 45 | $3,255,651 | $2,102,598 | $3,505,077 |
| 2023 | $19,319,905 | $4,451,234 | $2,904,381 | $2,569,913 | 54 | $2,628,066 | $3,287,406 | $3,161,885 |
| 2022 | $17,761,275 | $1,948,012 | $2,062,415 | $1,732,009 | 49 | $1,783,946 | $1,395,919 | $2,560,290 |
| 2021 | $18,174,567 | $1,978,630 | $1,964,562 | $1,302,082 | 43 | — | $1,826,344 | $1,731,926 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Murphy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M 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 is provided for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including health care, arts and culture, education, community development, and social services. For example, SARH Holdings Inc. describes its mission as improving the health and healing of people in South Arkansas; the Arkansas Cinema Society says it works to build a film community in Arkansas; and the South Arkansas Arts Center says it provides public education in the performing and visual arts.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 61 grants totaling $3,687,844. Grant amounts ranged from $188 to $1,628,060, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest grants were $1,628,060 to SARH Holdings Inc. for operations; $750,000 to Cleveland Clinic Foundation for operations; $222,083 to El Dorado Festivals and Events for operations; and $100,000 each to Arkansas Cinema Society and Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation for operations. Other notable grants included $60,000 to Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation, $50,000 to El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, and $47,500 to Hendrix College, each for operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists R Madison Murphy as president and director, Suzanne N Murphy as vice president and director, and Brett Williamson as secretary and treasurer.
The Murphy Foundation is led by R. Madison Murphy, President & Director on every filing since 2021; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
R. Madison Murphy
President & Director
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $15K (2025)
Suzanne N. Murphy
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $15K (2025)
Brett Williamson
Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$41K (2021) → $54K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $54K, to Brett Williamson (Secretary/Treasurer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Murphy Foundation
How much does The Murphy Foundation give each year?
The Murphy Foundation gave $3.7M across 61 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.2M across 45 grants.
What is The Murphy Foundation's typical grant size?
The Murphy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $60,456, across 61 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Murphy Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Murphy Foundation give grants?
The Murphy Foundation gives mostly in Arkansas: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (20%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were El Dorado, AR (19 grants), Little Rock, AR (9 grants), Santa Maria, CA (8 grants) and Santa Barbara, CA (4 grants).
Does The Murphy Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 61 grants with a stated purpose on The Murphy Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (60 grants).
Who are The Murphy Foundation's largest grantees?
The Murphy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sarh Holdings Inc ($1,628,060), Cleveland Clinic Foundation ($750,000) and El Dorado Festivals and Events ($222,083), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Murphy Foundation?
The Murphy Foundation reported $16.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Murphy Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including health care, arts and culture, education, community development, and social services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Murphy Foundation?
The foundation 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 Murphy Foundation's EIN?
The Murphy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 71-6049826. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Murphy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-murphy-foundation-morg_86859905987847429e79c62d58de8b25
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_716049826_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Murphy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-murphy-foundation-morg_86859905987847429e79c62d58de8b25},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The 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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