Articles from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has appointed Laura Smith as the new director of Eyes On Learning, a coalition of state, local, and national organizations dedicated to improving the vision health of Arizona’s children.

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust awarded its 10,000th grant in its 25th year of serving Maricopa County nonprofits with grants, capacity building, and partnerships. This milestone grant, presented to Stardust, is part of the $18.5 million in grants awarded by Piper Trust during its 2025 fiscal year. These grants reflect the Trust’s conviction that nonprofits play an essential role in the community’s health, strength, and prosperity. Guided by founder Virginia Galvin Piper’s steadfast belief in philanthropy, the Trust honors the hard work, dedication, and innovation of all nonprofits and community partners serving the people of Maricopa County and remains committed to supporting their ever-changing needs.

Seven dynamic Maricopa County nonprofit leaders were selected for Piper Trust’s 2024 Class of Piper Fellows. The Fellows are:

Nine inspiring Maricopa County nonprofit leaders were selected for Piper Trust’s 2023 Class of Piper Fellows. The Fellows are:

In a collaborative effort to bring a pressing issue to the forefront, Eyes On Learning, in partnership with the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University (ASU) and Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, just released a comprehensive report titled Closing the Gap in Pediatric Eye Care: A Network Adequacy Study. This illuminating study, led by esteemed ASU Professors Dr. Swapna Reddy and Dr. Rizwana Biviji, identifies critical challenges facing children's eye care services in Arizona.

Piper Trust’s nearly $34 million in grant support during the 15 months ending March 31 speaks to the return of investing in the community through both its application-based and Trust-initiated philanthropy. This two-pronged grantmaking approach follows more than two years of the Trust’s almost singular focus on addressing the significant, multifaceted challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Twelve of Maricopa County’s outstanding nonprofit leaders were selected for Piper Trust’s 2022 Class of Piper Fellows. The Fellows are:

The Board of Trustees of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has named Steve Zabilski as its President and CEO effective April 1, 2023; the Board has also appointed three new Trustees: Lori Higuera, Assistant General Counsel–Employment, Freeport-McMoRan; Paul Mulligan, President and CEO, Catholic Charities Community Services; and Ed Zuercher, former Phoenix City Manager and Managing Director, Government and Public Sector for Ernst & Young, LLP (EY US).

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust’s nearly $141 million in grantmaking during the last half of 2021 is a keen expression of both its legacy of long-term strategic investment in Maricopa County’s resilience and its unique ability to respond powerfully to unfolding crises.

Nine exceptional nonprofit leaders dedicated to enriching health, well-being, and opportunity in Maricopa County were selected for Piper Trust’s 2021 Class of Piper Fellows. The Fellows are:

Trustees of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust today awarded a total of $123 million in surprise grants to 71 Arizona nonprofits—the largest single-day grant initiative in Arizona’s history.

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust awarded more than $2 million (June 2021) to 26 performing arts organizations. The grants will help strengthen performing arts organizations’ re-emergence following severe disruption caused by the pandemic and provide vitally important access.