Globe Foundation

The Globe Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1958 by the Getz family, the principals behind Globe Corporation (headquartered at 6730 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 250, Scottsdale, AZ, phone 480-991-0500). With $26.6M in assets and annual giving of approximately $2.0–2.1M, this is a mid-sized, multi-generational family foundation guided by the belief that philanthropy is "an inherent responsibility of growing the family's overall capital." Globe Corporation's philanthropy page explicitly describes the foundation as a training vehicle for younger Getz family members — instilling philanthropic stewardship across generations, not a public grantmaking institution.

The most critical fact for any prospective grantee: this is a preselected, invitation-only foundation. IRS records carry no published application instructions, and all 217 documented grants went to organizations with personal, professional, or geographic ties to the Getz family. Top recipients — National Historical Fire Foundation ($1.1M cumulative), Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation ($450,200), Southern Methodist University ($420,000), Lawrenceville School ($331,000), and North Shore Country Day School ($301,000) — reflect decades of institutional relationships, not open competitions.

There is no standard grant cycle, published deadline, or online portal. The pathway to a Globe Foundation grant runs exclusively through personal connection with Getz family board members: Bert A. Getz (President), Bert A. Getz Jr. (Vice President), George F. Getz (Secretary), Michael J. Olsen (Treasurer/Asst. Secretary), Rock S. Edwards, and William Andrew. All six serve at $0 compensation, confirming this is a tightly governed family operation without dedicated grants staff.

The typical relationship progression mirrors the foundation's grantee patterns: initial contact through Getz family networks → sustained multi-year engagement → a first modest grant ($5,000–$25,000) → incremental growth over 3+ grant cycles. The top 50 grantees average 2.7 grants each, confirming repeat relationships far outnumber new entrants. Organizations focused on education, children's healthcare, arts and culture, or historical preservation and operating in Illinois or Arizona are best positioned. The Getz family's documented passion for firefighting history — George Jr. Getz founded the Hall of Flame Museum in Phoenix — makes proposals with fire heritage, safety education, or public safety angles especially resonant with foundation leadership.

Globe Foundation's annual giving has grown steadily over the past decade: $808K (FY2012) → $1.32M (FY2019) → $1.72M (FY2020) → $1.50M (FY2021) → $2.14M (FY2022) → $2.10M (FY2023). The FY2024 revenue of $2.74M — up 84% from FY2023's $1.49M — positions the foundation to maintain or increase giving in FY2025. Net investment income drives nearly all revenue: $1.26M (FY2022), $1.33M (FY2023), with an exceptional $3.36M in FY2021. The foundation's $26.6M asset base generates giving equivalent to roughly 8% of assets annually, well above the 5% minimum distribution threshold.

Grant size metrics: Median grant $10,000; average grant $20,900; typical range $100–$180,000 per IRS data. In practice, flagship grants run substantially larger: National Historical Fire Foundation averages ~$367,000 per grant over 3 cycles; Phoenix Children's Hospital ~$150,000 per grant; Southern Methodist University $210,000 per grant. An estimated 75% of grants cluster in the $5,000–$30,000 range, with a long tail of small symbolic gifts in the $1,000–$5,000 range.

Geographic distribution (217 total grants recorded): Illinois 78 grants (36%); Arizona 65 grants (30%); remaining 34% spread across CA, CT, FL, MS, NY, OR, TX, VA. The IL/AZ dual-state focus reflects the Getz family's historical Chicago roots and current Scottsdale headquarters.

Program area breakdown (by grantee analysis): - Education/Higher Education (~35%): SMU, Northwestern, University of Chicago, ASU, Ole Miss, University of Southern California, Lawrenceville School, North Shore Country Day School, Avon Old Farms, College of Wooster - Children/Human Services (~25%): Phoenix Children's Hospital, Maryville Academy, Jewish Child and Family Services, Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff, Infant Welfare Society, Heartland Alliance, Off the Street Club - Arts/Culture (~15%): Oregon Symphony, Ravinia Festival, Chicago Zoological Society, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Valley Youth Theater - Environment/Conservation (~8%): Openlands, Lake County Forest Preserve, Arizona Humane Society - Healthcare/Medical (~8%): Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Barrow Neurological Foundation, Northwestern Memorial Foundation - Civic/Historical/Religious (~9%): National Historical Fire Foundation, Sandra Day O'Connor Institute, Barbara Bush Foundation, George Washington's Fredericksburg Foundation, St. Barnabas on the Desert Episcopal Church

A distinct "Metz Fund" sub-component designates 10 Chicago-area grantees each receiving recurring $27,500 grants ($275,000 per cycle), representing a named, donor-designated pool within the foundation that is not open to new entrants.

The table below compares Globe Foundation to four peer foundations of similar size, geography, or family philanthropic structure.

Globe Foundation sits at the smaller end of the Illinois/Arizona family foundation landscape — roughly half the assets of the Kemper Educational & Charitable Fund and one-seventh the size of the Flinn Foundation. Unlike Del E. Webb Foundation and Field Foundation of Illinois, which accept open applications and published guidelines, Globe Foundation and Kemper operate exclusively by invitation with no public-facing grants infrastructure. For organizations that cannot access Globe Foundation's invite-only network, Del E. Webb Foundation (Scottsdale) and Field Foundation of Illinois offer comparable geography and program focus through transparent open processes. Globe Foundation's giving rate of approximately 8% of assets annually is notably above sector norms, reflecting the Getz family's active philanthropic intent rather than a minimum-compliance posture.

No press releases, grant announcements, or leadership changes specific to the Globe Foundation (EIN 36-6054050) were found in 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile consistent with a preselected-only family operation. The registered website domain (globefoundation.org) resolves to an entirely different organization — a Carmel, Indiana nonprofit that explicitly states it does not accept outside funding requests — confirming the Getz family's Globe Foundation has no active public web presence.

The most recent IRS 990 data covers FY2023, showing $2,102,158 in total giving and $1,969,568 in grants paid across an estimated 70–80 grants. FY2024 reported revenue of $2.74M — sharply above FY2023's $1.49M — suggests a strong investment performance that may support an increased grants budget in FY2025.

Leadership has remained stable across all available IRS filing years. Bert A. Getz continues as President/Director alongside Bert A. Getz Jr. (Vice President), reflecting a deliberate multi-generational succession structure. All six board members serve at $0 compensation. Third-party funder intelligence platform Grantable.co reports 2024 grants to Brookfield Zoo ($200,000) and Canal Shores Golf Course ($125,000), confirming continued giving to established Illinois cultural and recreational institutions. The flagship National Historical Fire Foundation received $100,000 in 2024, maintaining its position as the foundation's largest and most sustained charitable commitment.

Because Globe Foundation is preselected-only, the following advice addresses relationship cultivation — the only viable pathway to a grant.

Start with Globe Corporation connections. The foundation's office is physically co-located with Globe Corporation at 6730 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite 250, Scottsdale, AZ. All board members are Globe Corp principals. Your first priority is identifying any overlap between your organization's current board, major donors, or long-term volunteers and Globe Corporation executives or Getz family members. A warm introduction from a mutual contact outweighs any written proposal document.

Use the matching gifts program as a first step. The foundation operates a companion "Globe Corp Employee Matching Gifts" program that itself appears as a grantee ($77,856 cumulative over 3 cycles). Register your nonprofit with corporate giving platforms — Benevity, YourCause, Cybergrants — to become eligible for Globe Corporation employee matches. This creates a documented, low-stakes first interaction with the foundation's ecosystem.

Geography is a hard filter. Illinois and Arizona together account for 66% of all grants. If your organization serves the Scottsdale/Phoenix metro or Chicago metro, lead with that geography in any introduction. Organizations outside these states require a documented personal Getz connection to be competitive.

Mirror the documented priority portfolio. The strongest alignment signals: elite prep schools and universities with Getz family alumni ties; children's hospitals and pediatric health; Chicago-area cultural institutions (symphony, zoo, arts); and firefighting or public safety history. The National Historical Fire Foundation connection is deeply personal — any organization with a fire heritage or public safety education component should surface it prominently.

Never cold-contact the office. The number (480-991-0500) is Globe Corporation's main line, not a grants office. Unsolicited calls and letters will not advance a grant relationship.

Prepare for a long timeline. Average grantees receive 2.7 grants and the foundation rarely makes one-time gifts. If you receive a first grant — typically in the $10,000–$25,000 range — treat it as the beginning of a decade-long relationship. Send voluntary impact reports at six months and at grant close. This is how a modest initial grant grows into a six-figure multi-year commitment.