THE MURPHY FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Murphy Family Foundation was established in 1986. It is funded exclusively by contributions from branches of the Murlan J. and Margaret S. Murphy family of Cleveland, Ohio, which for four generations has been engaged in the manufacture of specialty chemical products including: Murphy's Oil Soap, through the Murphy-Phoenix Company, founded in 1980 and now a subsidiary of the Colgate-Palmolive Company; industrial lubricants, through JTM Products, Inc., founded in 1991; and concrete coatings and sealants, through the ChemMaster Company, Madison, Ohio, founded in 1987.

Mission Statement

The Murphy Family Foundation considers its primary mission to be the support of viable programs addressing the problems and causes of poverty in the Cleveland area.  More specifically, the Murphy Family Foundation's Grantmaking is primarily to those organizations providing food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless and educational support services for the disadvantaged.

The Foundation does not consider health or disability related programs or programs in support of the arts to be part of its primary mission.

Notwithstanding the above, the Murphy Family Foundation maintains a reserve fund for additional grants which may fall outside of the area of the defined primary mission.  Its Grantmaking in those areas often reflects the personal interests of individual family members.

Guidelines for Grant Applications

Applicants should have the following available to facilitate the online application process: 

• Thorough description of the organization, including its history
• The most recent audited financial report
• Most Recent IRS Form 990
• List of the board of trustees
• Thorough description of need, including project budget and evaluation plans
• List of foundations that provided past support and list of foundations currently being approached for this project

Foundation policy requires a one-year hiatus in grantmaking to any organization that has received grants for three consecutive years.

29325 Chagrin Boulevard
Suite 103
Pepper Pike, OH 44122

Click the START button below to access the online application form.