Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust

Private foundation · EIN 86-6247076 · since 1996pipertrust.org·Maricopa County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$24.5M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,200 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$7,500

Typical grant (median)

476 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust funds six core areas - arts and culture, children, education, healthcare and medical research, older adults, and religious organisations - with efforts primarily serving Maricopa County, so Maricopa County nonprofits working in one of these areas fit best.
Most grants are modest, with about 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations falling between $1,200 and $100,000 and a median grant of $8,300, so pitching a request at that level is realistic, even though the largest grant was about $2,850,000.
The process is competitive and relationship-centred: organisations are encouraged to speak with a programme officer before submitting a Letter of Inquiry, and new and prospective applicants are strongly advised to attend a Piper 101 information session first; applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with a full proposal invited only after review.
A high share of grant dollars, 88%, went to organisations also funded in the two prior filings, so building a relationship over time looks valuable.
Do not apply if not currently tax-exempt under IRC section 501(c)(3) and not a governmental entity, if not in operation for at least three years from the effective date of 501(c)(3) status, if a private foundation or ineligible Type III supporting organization, or if seeking funding as an individual network member or location, event or program sponsorship, a scholarship, an in-classroom programme during the regular school day, support that was previously funded solely with public funds, or an effort that expands beyond the organisation's stated mission.

Overview

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust is a US private foundation based in Phoenix, AZ.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Trust makes responsive grants in six core areas: arts and culture, children, education, healthcare and medical research, older adults, and religious organisations, with efforts primarily serving Maricopa County. Its broader purpose is to enrich residents’ health, well-being and opportunity. Grants support service improvements, expanded programmes and pilots, as well as capital campaigns and projects. The Trust also backs initiatives addressing community needs and supporting the nonprofit sector, including capacity and leadership development for local nonprofits and grantees. Its application-based grantmaking is competitive and relationship-centred: staff work with prospective grantees to develop proposals, which must align with the objectives and strategies for a core area. Other investments are typically identified by the Trust or philanthropic partners.

Themes

Arts and culture
Children
Education
Healthcare and medical research
Older adults
Religious organizations
Nonprofit capacity

Geographic Focus

Maricopa County.

What They Don't Fund

Efforts that expand beyond an organization’s stated mission
Efforts that were previously supported solely with public funds
Event or program sponsorships
Scholarships
Programs that occur within the classroom as part of the regular school day
A private foundation or ineligible Type III supporting organization
Organisations that are not currently tax-exempt under IRC section 501(c)(3) and are not governmental entities
Organisations that have not been in operation for at least three years from the effective date of their 501(c)(3) tax status
Requests from individual network members or locations

How to apply

Organisations are encouraged to speak with a programme officer before submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which should describe the project and address its impact, effectiveness, feasibility and sustainability. After reviewing the inquiry, the Trust may invite organisations to submit a full proposal.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 88% 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 1,461 grants to organisations were $8,300 or less.

What the foundation says:

Strong proposals align with the objectives and strategies of a core programme area.
Impact may be demonstrated through improved service delivery.
Impact may be demonstrated by expanding the scope or scale of existing programmes.
Impact may be demonstrated through collaboration with other agencies.
Impact may be demonstrated by testing pilot concepts with broader applicability.
Impact may be demonstrated by emphasising prevention or early intervention.
Strong proposals address identified needs.
Strong proposals incorporate knowledge or evidence of measures that work.
Strong proposals offer measurable, observable outcomes.
Feasible proposals use methodology appropriate to the issue.
Proposals should be manageable with available resources.
Proposals should demonstrate sufficient organisational leadership to achieve programme goals.
Sustainability includes requesting an amount appropriate to the agency’s budget.
Proposals should show access to stable or diverse finances.
Proposals should offer a thoughtful, realistic plan to continue the project beyond the grant period.
The Trust strongly recommends that new and prospective applicants attend a Piper 101 information session before applying.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Arizona88%

Nebraska9%

Oregon<1%

California<1%

Texas<1%

District of Columbia<1%

6 other states: <1%

The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to organisations Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust 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

476 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $7,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 476 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k3%

$1k–$2.5k12%

$2.5k–$5k10%

$5k–$10k27%

$10k–$25k13%

$25k–$50k9%

$50k–$100k10%

$100k–$250k11%

$250k–$500k3%

$500k–$1M2%

$1M and over<1%

Median $7,500 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley · Implement mental health services for youth in 30 Club locations
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Maricopa County Community College District Foundation · Expand Licensed Practical Nurse program
$750,0002024 tax year
Creighton University · Establish endowed chair position and a fellowship in health disparities at Virginia G Piper Medical Clinic at Society of St Vincent de Paul in Phoenix
$750,0002024 tax year
A New Leaf · Support organizational capacity building project
$500,0002024 tax year
Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix · Support for the 2025 Charity and Development Appeal
$500,0002024 tax year
Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix · Support for the 2024 Charity and Development Appeal
$500,0002024 tax year
Child Crisis Arizona · Support construction of new Center for Child & Family Wellness (Capital Campaign)
$500,0002024 tax year
Desert Botanical Garden · Support completion of the Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science (Capital Campaign)
$500,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Ed Zuercher — Trustee
Lori Higuera — Trustee
Paul Mulligan — Trustee
Karen Leland — Chief Communications Officer
Carey Chambers — CFO
Stephen Zabilski — President & CEO
Sharon Harper — Trustee
Paul Critchfield — Trustee
Judy Mohraz — Trustee
Jose Cardenas — Trustee
James Bruner — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$37,269,555	$32,192,952	$442,496,970	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$31,410,246	$29,657,995	$442,664,466	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$27,744,593	$24,494,226	$429,931,720	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.