The Pink Shamrock
The Pink Shamrock is a private foundation based in Spokane, Washington. It supports organizations providing care and practical assistance to women with breast cancer, with particular emphasis in its stated mission on women with limited funds and resources. The foundation says the Murphy family began it in 2002 as a volunteer project honoring Denny Anne Murphy.
The Pink Shamrock at a glance
In short: The Pink Shamrock gave $46K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Washington. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $46,000
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,182
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $406,302
- +6.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (73% 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 Pink Shamrock
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests; 501(c)(3) organizations can request its grant application form from John T. Murphy.
- Review Cycle
- October 1. The filing does not specify a year for this deadline.
- Deadline
- October 1.
- Contact
Application contact: John T Murphy
Mailing address: 1304 N River Vista St, Spokane, WA 99204
Phone: (509) 922-1504
Website: https://www.pinkshamrock.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Pink Shamrock funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Providence Inland NW Found ($9K). Together the top 10 received $44K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 60 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it accepts requests for projects in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. In 2025, 73% of grant dollars went to Washington recipients, 18% to Idaho recipients, and 9% to Montana recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Pink Shamrock open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+12%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 248% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $31K (2020) to $52K (2021). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $46K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Providence Inland NW Found Spokane, WA | Conseling & support svcs for cancer patients | $9,000 |
| Heatlinks Hospice Sunnyside, WA | Non-medical services for terminally ill cancer pat | $5,000 |
| Kootenai Health Foundation Coeur d'Alene, ID | Counseling & support services for breast cancer pa | $5,000 |
| Casting for Recovery Bozeman, MT | Fly-fishing retreat for breast cancer patients | $4,000 |
| Hospice of Spokane Spokane, WA | Support for terminally ill cancer patients | $4,000 |
| YMCA of the Inland Northwest Spokane, WA | Cancer rehabilitation exercise program | $4,000 |
| Community Cancer Services Sandpoint, ID | Non-medical assistance for breast cancer patients | $3,500 |
| Providence St Mary Foundation Walla Walla, WA | Provide non-medical support for breast cancer pati | $3,500 |
| Cancer Cant Four Lakes, WA | Transport & financial support for cancer patients | $3,000 |
| Community Health Assoc of Spokane Spokane, WA | Healthy living workshops for breast cancer patient | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Pink Shamrock?
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 | $406,302 | $76,854 | $53,785 | $46,000 | 11 | $46,000 | $40,452 | $18,549 |
| 2024 | $382,600 | $63,053 | $47,703 | $42,500 | 11 | $42,500 | $25,149 | $18,909 |
| 2023 | $367,150 | $47,618 | $48,196 | $44,000 | 13 | $44,000 | $5,257 | $17,629 |
| 2022 | $367,600 | $44,266 | $48,412 | $41,000 | 11 | $41,000 | $5,859 | $20,197 |
| 2021 | $371,736 | $98,181 | $58,035 | $51,600 | 14 | $51,600 | $39,278 | $18,111 |
| 2020 | $331,568 | $56,934 | $35,173 | $31,000 | 9 | — | $10,862 | $16,861 |
| 2019 | $309,799 | $46,815 | $38,731 | $32,100 | 11 | — | $7,560 | $14,461 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Pink Shamrock reported a distributable amount of $19K 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
The foundation’s mission is to ensure that all women—especially those with limited funds and resources—have access to the care and support they need to fight breast cancer. Its website describes support for women who are falling between the cracks of the medical system.
The 2025 grants show support for services including patient counseling, hospice and end-of-life support, cancer rehabilitation, transportation, financial assistance, and retreats for women affected by breast cancer. Among the recipients, Casting for Recovery describes its mission as empowering women in breast cancer treatment or recovery through oncology-informed fly-fishing retreats. Hospice of Spokane says it provides holistic end-of-life care for terminally ill people and their loved ones; Community Cancer Services says it eases the burden of people affected by cancer; and Cancer Can’t says it helps people fighting cancer in the Inland Northwest improve their daily lives and circumstances. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded $46,000 through 11 grants. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $9,000, with a median award of $4,000. Notable awards included $9,000 to Providence Inland Northwest Foundation for counseling and support services for cancer patients; $5,000 each to Hearthlinks and Kootenai Health Foundation; and $4,000 each to Hospice of Spokane, YMCA of the Inland Northwest, and Casting for Recovery.
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It provides an application form to 501(c)(3) organizations upon request. Applications must include the organization’s mission statement, requested amount, project name, project description and budget, a copy of its IRS tax-exempt certification, and financial statements. Requests must be for projects supporting underserved women with breast cancer. The foundation does not fund screening, diagnosis, or treatment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John T. Murphy, Molly Murphy, Megan Murphy, and Joseph Murphy as directors.
The Pink Shamrock's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John T Murphy
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Murphy
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Megan Murphy
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Molly Murphy
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Pink Shamrock
How much does The Pink Shamrock give each year?
The Pink Shamrock gave $46K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $43K across 11 grants.
What is The Pink Shamrock's typical grant size?
The Pink Shamrock's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,182, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Pink Shamrock that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Pink Shamrock give grants?
The Pink Shamrock gives mostly in Washington: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Idaho (18%) and Montana (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spokane, WA (4 grants).
Does The Pink Shamrock give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Pink Shamrock's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Pink Shamrock's largest grantees?
The Pink Shamrock's largest 2025 grantees include Providence Inland NW Found ($9,000), Heatlinks Hospice ($5,000) and Kootenai Health Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Pink Shamrock?
The Pink Shamrock reported $406K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $46K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $19K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Pink Shamrock fund?
The foundation’s mission is to ensure that all women—especially those with limited funds and resources—have access to the care and support they need to fight breast cancer. Its website describes support for women who are falling between the cracks of the medical system. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Pink Shamrock?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests; 501(c)(3) organizations can request its grant application form from John T. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Pink Shamrock's EIN?
The Pink Shamrock's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-2039989. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Pink Shamrock accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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