Kemper & Ethel Marley Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $10,963,174 (2023)
Success Rate: Not applicable - invitation only
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: Varies significantly - $1,000,000 - $1,400,000+ for major projects
Geographic Focus: Arizona (primarily Phoenix and statewide)
Assets: $239,768,185

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 10392, Phoenix, AZ 85064-0392
Phone: (602) 269-6081
Website: None publicly available
Email: Not publicly available

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Kemper & Ethel Marley Foundation was established in 1990, shortly before the death of Kemper Marley Sr., a prominent Arizona businessman who built an empire of 50 companies spanning cotton farms, banking, liquor distribution, and produce. The foundation has since become one of Arizona's most charitable grant-making foundations with assets exceeding $239 million and annual giving of approximately $11 million. The foundation is dedicated to supporting Arizona and causes that help the people who live and work in the state. Since its inception, the foundation has contributed to many organizations throughout Arizona within six program areas: arts and culture, civic and community enhancement, education, health and human services, medical facilities, and research science and cancer. The foundation is managed by Kemper and Ethel Marley's grandsons, Stephen and Daniel Corrigan, continuing the family's philanthropic legacy.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on six main program areas:

Arts and Culture: Support for museums, performing arts organizations, and cultural institutions (e.g., Musical Instrument Museum, Ballet Arizona - $1,625,000 total since 1990, Phoenix Theatre Company)
Education: Higher education programs and institutions (e.g., University of Arizona, Lowell Observatory)
Health and Human Services: Organizations serving vulnerable populations (e.g., Sojourner Center - $1,000,000 for domestic violence and traumatic brain injury program)
Medical Facilities: Healthcare infrastructure and research facilities
Research Science and Cancer: Scientific research initiatives
Civic and Community Enhancement: Historic preservation and community development projects

The foundation also supports zoological institutions, reflecting Ethel Marley's historical volunteer work with fundraising for the Phoenix Zoo.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only supports preselected organizations within Arizona. No information is publicly available about specific exclusions beyond the geographic limitation to Arizona-based organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

Stephen M. Corrigan - President (grandson of Kemper and Ethel Marley)
Brian Daniel (Dan) Corrigan - Vice President (grandson of Kemper and Ethel Marley)
Nancy Elitharp Ball - Treasurer, Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer

All board members serve without compensation.

Staff:

Cate Hinkle - Grant and Program Manager

Stephen Corrigan was quoted after his grandmother's passing in 1997, demonstrating the family's continued commitment to the foundation's mission.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships with Arizona organizations.

Organizations cannot apply directly to this foundation. The foundation identifies and selects grant recipients through its board members' knowledge of and connections to the Arizona nonprofit community.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates on its own internal timeline for identifying and awarding grants to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, there are no direct application success factors. However, the foundation's grantmaking patterns reveal the following characteristics of organizations that receive support:

Types of Organizations Funded:

Established Arizona nonprofits with strong track records
Organizations in the foundation's six priority areas
Major cultural, educational, and health institutions in Arizona
Organizations with significant community impact

Grant Examples:

Sojourner Center: $1,000,000 for the Sojourner BRAIN Program addressing domestic violence and traumatic brain injury
Lowell Observatory: $1,400,000 (three-part grant) for research time on the Discovery Channel Telescope, facilities master planning, and electrical upgrades
Ballet Arizona: $1,625,000 total since 1990, including support for their new headquarters with the Kemper and Ethel Marley Box Office
Musical Instrument Museum: Multi-year support beginning in 2013 for education programs, Title I student field trips, and special exhibitions

Jeff Hall, Director of Lowell Observatory, expressed gratitude for their support: "We are incredibly grateful to the Marley Foundation for this extraordinary gift, and we look forward to sharing all our discoveries with them and with everyone as the work unfolds."

The foundation appears to favor:

Multi-year relationships with organizations
Large-scale projects with significant community impact
Organizations aligned with the Marleys' historical interests (agriculture, education, arts, health)
Projects that serve Arizona communities, particularly in Phoenix and statewide

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process: This foundation operates exclusively through invitation and trustee selection of preselected organizations
Arizona focus: All funding is dedicated to Arizona-based organizations and causes that benefit Arizona residents
Large grant amounts: The foundation makes significant grants, often ranging from $1 million to $1.4 million for major projects
Long-term relationships: The foundation demonstrates commitment to multi-year support for organizations (e.g., Ballet Arizona since 1990, Musical Instrument Museum since 2013)
Limited number of grantees: Recent data shows the foundation awarded approximately $14 million to just 2 organizations in one fiscal year, suggesting highly selective grantmaking
Six priority areas: Focus on arts and culture, civic and community enhancement, education, health and human services, medical facilities, and research science and cancer
Family legacy: The foundation is managed by the Marleys' grandsons, continuing a philanthropic tradition rooted in Arizona's business and agricultural history

References

All sources accessed December 24, 2025.