Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Awards $123M in Surprise Grants to 71 Nonprofits

This week, Trustees of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust awarded a record-breaking $123 million in surprise grants to 71 Arizona nonprofits — the largest single-day grant initiative in Arizona history.

The grants were presented to the 71 awardees as a complete surprise throughout the day on September 13, 2021. Trustees personally met with the CEOs and board chairs of the organizations to thank them for their leadership and provide transformational grants to strengthen their resilience and help transition them from economic recovery to long-term sustainability.

The funding reflects the amount by which Piper Trust’s endowment grew since the pandemic began in the U.S. Like many individuals and institutions with large investments in the stock market, Piper Trust’s endowment experienced tremendous growth, despite the challenges presented by the global health crisis. Faced with these two opposing forces — and as stewards of the Trust’s founder, Virginia Galvin Piper — the Trustees felt compelled to share all of the earnings with the community in one bold action.

This $123 million Trustee initiative — known as the Now is the Moment Grants Commemoration — provides grants to nonprofit organizations in human services, arts & culture, education & academic enhancement, healthcare & medical research, and religious organizations. The grants range in size and were determined by various factors, including an organization’s overall need, budget size and populations served.

“I believe Virginia would think that this is a momentous time for these organizations,” said Trustee Laura Grafman, who was one of Virginia G. Piper’s best friends. “I feel that so strongly because she loved to share. I can’t help but feel that she would be thrilled and excited.”

To learn more about Now is the Moment Grants and see a listing of grantees, click here.