Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered and a warm introduction is the realistic route in.
- Most of its grants fall between $10,000 and $100,000 (about 8 in 10 of its 63 grants to organisations), and the median was $25,000, so a request in that region fits its usual pattern, though its largest grant was $5,000,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat support is a major feature of its giving, with 89% of its grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first grant may be a harder step than continued support.
- No geographic focus is stated, so its past grants in Arizona and California should guide your judgement rather than decide who may apply.
- Its recorded recipients are universities and colleges, Jewish community centres and Hillel organisations, charitable foundations, and cultural and medical institutions, so a clear link to those kinds of organisations is the most direct point of fit to show.
Overview
Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Paradise Valley, AZ.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings record charitable grants to universities and colleges, Jewish community centres and campus Hillel organisations, charitable foundations, and cultural and medical institutions. Recorded recipients also include community associations and a sports charity. In recipient terms, the grants span educational, religious, community, health and cultural organisations. Giving has been concentrated in Arizona, with grants also going to organisations in other states. The stated purpose is charitable, and the filings do not describe a more specific field. Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Arizona and California.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 63 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 38% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Arizona Foundation · Charitable$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Arizona Jewish Historical Society · Charitable$500,0002024 tax year
- Jewish National Fund · Charitable$100,0002024 tax year
- Minneapolis Foundation · Charitable$51,0002024 tax year
- Jewish Community Association of Greater Phoenix · Charitable$25,0002024 tax year
- Teen Lifeline · Charitable$15,0002024 tax year
- Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center · Charitable$10,0002024 tax year
- Gootter-Jensen Foundation · Charitable$10,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Max Sarver — Director
- Penny Sarver — Secretary
- Robert Sarver — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $521,005 | $518,200 | $709,538 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,284,742 | $7,251,000 | $851,955 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,880,795 | $5,722,700 | $202,979 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Paradise Valley, AZ
Applying to Penny and Robert Sarver Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Paradise Valley, AZ