Piper Charitable Trust
Contact information:
1202 East Missouri Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85014
Phone: 480-948-5853
Fax: 480-348-1316
Website: www.pipertrust.org
Type of foundation: Independent
Types of grants: Project, capacity-building, designated operating funds, capital (equipment, renovations, endowment)
Description: Virginia Piper's first husband was the founder of Motorola. The Trust supports Maricopa County organizations in the areas of:
- Arts and Culture: focused on building the organizational strength and capacity of arts/culture organizations through investment and collaboration.
- Children: focused on building stronger families, delivering services to special populations, and improving child care practices and afterschool care.
- Education: focused on improving learning environments, helping struggling students through out-of-school learning, and strengthening lifelong learning opportunities.
- Healthcare and Medical Research: focused on improving health care quality, access to health care, and on building Phoenix as a center for biosciences.
- Older Adults: focused on disease prevention, supporting physical and emotional health, and encouraging civic engagement.
- Religious Organizations: supports faith-based programs that serve young children, teens and older adults.
Typically, programs to improve service delivery and collaborative projects are more likely to receive funding.
The Trust has made some major investments in health (e.g., $25 million to create the Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics in partnership with the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University; $5 million to University of Arizona College of Medicine).
Sample grants:
- $250,000 to Maricopa County Community College District Foundation to support a capital campaign for a new broadcasting station and establish a matching fund to increase nonprofit promotional messages (2002).
- $250,000 to Arizona Opera Company to increase its cash operating reserve (2008).
- $250,000 to Civic Ventures to support a countywide process to promote civic engagement among older adults.
- $10,000 to Media in the Public Interest to support the launch of a radio and online news service in Arizona with Public News Service that covers arts and culture, older adults, philanthropy and other public interest issues (2008).
Fit for public broadcasting: The Trust is a good prospect for public media outlets that serve Maricopa County. Best fit would be for projects that directly address one or more of the Trust's focus areas and/or that promote public awareness of and involvement with local organizations (e.g., through PSA's or other programming highlighting local arts or service organizations).
Eligibility: Piper Trust supports organizations that have been in existence and actively operating in Maricopa County as a Section 501(c)(3) organization for at least three years. No funding for individuals, private foundations or ineligible Type III supporting organizations. Projects must principally serve residents of Maricopa County.
Deadline: None
How to apply: For new applicants, the Trust holds Piper 101 public information sessions on the first Wednesday of each month at Piper Trust offices (reservations required). The Trust recommends that prospective applicants contact staff prior to submitting an application to discuss the project. The next steps are to:
- Create an online account and then submit a letter of inquiry and grant summary form.
- Review the list of requested information.
- Review the instructions on completing the grant summary form.
- If interested, the Trust will request a full proposal and a site visit.
Giving range: $4,500 – $25,000,000. Most grants are below $500,000.
Assets: $342,832,982 (as of March 31, 2009)
Total giving: $23 million (year ending March 31, 2009)
