$123 million in surprise grants were awarded to 71 Arizona nonprofits this month, including 22 Arts & Culture groups. The surprise from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trusts marked the greatest single-day grant-giving initiative in the history of Arizona. Trustees met with CEOs and Board Chairs of these organizations to thank them for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, surprising them by presenting them with a grant at the end of their meetings.
While economic uncertainty ravaged almost all industries, the COVID-19 pandemic saw growth for institutions with large investments in the stock market. Due to this jump, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust’s endowment increased by $123 million during the 15 months following the pandemic’s start. Trustees aimed to share these earnings with those in the community most affected by the pandemic’s economic impact.
The list of Art’s & Culture groups included in the gift are:
- Act One
- Arizona Musicfest
- Arizona Opera
- Arizona State University Foundation*
- Arizona Theatre Company
- Artlink, Inc.
- Ballet Arizona
- Black Theatre Troupe, Inc.
- CALA Alliance
- Children’s Museum of Phoenix
- Childsplay, Inc.
- Cultural Coalition, Inc.
- Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
- Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona
- Heard Museum
- Jazz in Arizona, Inc.
- Phoenix Art Museum
- Phoenix Theatre
- The Phoenix Symphony
- Valley Youth Theatre
- Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
- Xico, Inc.
“Maricopa County, along with the rest of the country, has suffered dramatically in so many different and unexpected ways,” says Trustee Sharon Harper. “Piper Trust cares deeply about our community and is proud of how community members have stepped up. However, we are still in a desperate situation…those who serve the under-served have suffered. The arts and culture sector also has experienced significant setbacks due to the pandemic. We must ensure its fortification for the long-term vitality of the community and state,” Harper says.
These grants, known as the Now is the Moment Grants Commemoration, serve as a single-day investment in Maricopa County’s nonprofit community. Piper Trust plans on continuing its annual grantmaking, which averages $22 million each year.
To learn more about Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, visit Piper Charitable Trust.
