The Ibis Foundation

The Ibis Foundation is a private family trust co-managed by co-trustees Denise Andriello-Higgins and David L. Higgins, based at 2824 N Power Rd, Suite 113, Mesa, Arizona. The most critical fact for any prospective grantee: the foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications — it exclusively funds organizations that its trustees have preselected through existing relationships and community connections. This is confirmed by IRS filings, Grantmakers.io, and multiple grant databases.

That said, the foundation's 54 documented grants reveal consistent patterns that can shape a disciplined relationship-building strategy. The trustees favor established Arizona nonprofits addressing acute human needs: housing instability, youth at risk, addiction and opioid recovery, cancer patient support, and pediatric healthcare access. All documented grants flow to Arizona-based organizations, with the Greater Phoenix metro area as the clear epicenter of giving.

The foundation demonstrates a strong preference for long-term grantee relationships. Nearly every top-funded organization appears 2–3 times in the grant record — A New Leaf (3 grants, $200,000 total), Cass (2 grants, $200,000), Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (3 grants total across both entities, $275,000), Hushabye Nursery (3 grants, $150,000). This repeat-grantee concentration signals that once a relationship is established, the trustees commit over multiple cycles.

First-time pathways require organic introduction. Co-trustees are embedded in the Mesa/Phoenix philanthropic community, and appearing in the same coalitions, advisory boards, or sector convenings is the most credible entry point. A warm referral from a current Ibis grantee is significantly more effective than any cold outreach. The foundation's registered CPA/administrator, Henry & Horne LLP (480-483-1170), handles administrative functions but is not a program gateway.

For organizations that do gain trustee attention, the process is informal — there is no published application form, no RFP cycle, and no formal LOI requirement. The foundation runs as a discretionary family trust where personal conviction and community credibility drive funding decisions. First-time funding amounts tend toward $30,000–$75,000, scaling to $100,000–$200,000 for proven multi-year partners.

The Ibis Foundation has deployed $2,637,500 across 54 documented grants spanning multiple fiscal years, with annual grantmaking fluctuating significantly based on investment returns and trustee priorities. The giving trajectory is: $709,989 in FY2019, $1,013,450 in FY2020, $1,212,850 in FY2021, $1,035,000 in FY2022, $567,500 in FY2023, approximately $1,430,335 in FY2024, and $1,610,719 in FY2025. The FY2023 dip coincided with a period of lower investment income ($557,974 against prior highs of $1,085,081 in FY2022), and the subsequent rebound tracks the foundation's asset growth to an all-time high of $19,052,534.

Grant sizing has evolved markedly. Historical aggregate data shows a median of $25,000 and average of $31,670 (range: $3,500–$100,000). However, the FY2024 cohort reflects a median of $50,000 and top awards of $200,000, confirming that the trustees have deliberately increased individual grant sizes as the endowment has grown.

By sector, documented grantmaking breaks down approximately as follows: - Housing and homelessness (~27%): A New Leaf ($200,000), Cass ($200,000), Arizona Community Foundation Housing Fund ($150,000), Arizona Women's Recovery Center ($100,000), Save the Family ($60,000). - Youth and family services (~27%): Child Crisis Arizona ($150,000), New Pathways for Youth ($160,000 combined), Homeless Youth Connection ($100,000), Helping Hands for Single Moms ($90,000), Mesa United Way-Foster 360 ($100,000). - Health and medical (~19%): Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($275,000 combined across two entities), Mountain Park Health Center ($70,000), Sonoran University Health Sciences ($37,500), Hope Community Services ($60,000), Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research ($60,000). - Addiction and crisis (~12%): Hushabye Nursery ($150,000 — opioid focus), Parents of Addicted Loved Ones ($150,000). - General community services and other (~15%): Esperanca Inc ($120,000), Mission of Mercy ($100,000), Valley of the Sun YMCA ($100,000), Lost Our Home Pet Rescue ($50,000), Lost Boys Center ($30,000).

Geography is entirely Arizona-concentrated (100% of 54 grants), with programming weighted toward the Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe corridor. The sweet spot for new relationships is $50,000–$75,000, with $100,000–$200,000 reserved for well-established multi-year grantees.

The peer foundations below share comparable asset bases (approximately $19M) and the same NTEE Philanthropy & Grantmaking classification. Estimated annual giving assumes the private foundation minimum payout of 5% of assets for peers with no public giving data.

The Ibis Foundation stands out from its asset-peer cohort in two key ways. First, its grantmaking is highly concentrated — 100% Arizona with a clear thematic cluster around human services, housing, and health — while many similarly-sized family foundations distribute across multiple states or sectors. Second, The Ibis Foundation's actual annual payout rate (5–8% of assets) runs at or above the IRS minimum, reflecting active deployment of investment returns rather than asset accumulation. None of the peer foundations maintain public websites, making direct program comparison difficult; the Ibis Foundation's fully documented grantee record makes it unusually transparent for a family trust of this type.

The Ibis Foundation has entered a period of expanded grantmaking after a quieter FY2023. Annual disbursements rebounded to approximately $1,430,335 across 21 grants in FY2024, then grew further to $1,610,719 in the most recently filed year (FY2025 per ProPublica), both representing the foundation's most active giving periods since FY2021.

Two significant new grantees appeared in the FY2024 portfolio: Doctors Without Borders ($175,000) and Ballet Arizona ($100,000). Both represent departures from the foundation's historical Arizona-only, human-services focus and may indicate a broadening of trustee interests — though whether these are recurring commitments or one-time gifts remains unclear without additional 990 data.

Co-trustees Denise Andriello-Higgins and David L. Higgins continue to lead the foundation. The most recent ProPublica filing notes $70,000 in compensation for Denise Andriello-Higgins — the first instance of trustee compensation in the foundation's documented history — which may reflect a formalization of administrative responsibilities as the foundation's assets and annual giving have grown.

No press releases, news announcements, new program launches, or public statements were found in web searches for 2025–2026, consistent with this foundation's characteristically low-profile, relationship-based operating style. The foundation maintains no active social media presence and does not publish annual reports or grantmaking guidelines publicly.

The paramount tip for The Ibis Foundation: do not submit an unsolicited grant application. IRS filings and third-party grant databases confirm the foundation funds only preselected organizations. Submitting an unsolicited proposal does nothing and may signal that your organization lacks the community knowledge to identify funder preferences — the opposite of the impression you want to make.

Instead, apply the following relationship-building strategy:

Map trustee networks first. Co-trustees Denise Andriello-Higgins and David L. Higgins are embedded in the Greater Phoenix philanthropic community. Before any other step, research their involvement in Arizona nonprofit boards, housing coalitions, health philanthropy networks, and community foundations. Identify any board members, major donors, or partners at your organization who share professional or civic ties with either trustee.

Leverage existing grantee relationships. The foundation's repeat grantees — A New Leaf, Child Crisis Arizona, Hushabye Nursery, New Pathways for Youth, Parents of Addicted Loved Ones, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society — have direct trustee relationships. An introduction from an executive director at one of these organizations carries far more weight than any cold outreach. Cultivate peer relationships at these organizations explicitly.

Anchor all outreach in Arizona impact. Every documented grant is Arizona-based. When communicating about your work — formally or informally — lead with specific, quantified Arizona outcomes: populations served by county, crisis intervention numbers, housing units secured, Arizona patients assisted. Generic national statistics will not resonate.

Align language to trustee vocabulary. Grant descriptions in foundation filings use precise program language: 'housing support services,' 'independent living,' 'Arizona travel assistance program,' 'hope for the opioid crisis,' 'foster youth,' 'single mom scholarship.' Mirror this language when describing your programs — it signals genuine alignment, not generic appeal.

Prepare a focused one-page snapshot. If a trustee expresses interest, you need a crisp one-page document (not a full proposal) covering: mission in one sentence, Arizona community served, one specific program with quantified annual impact, organizational budget, and a single ask amount in the $50,000–$100,000 range. Respond within 48 hours of any trustee inquiry.

Be patient. Most repeat grantees received their first grant 1–2 funding cycles after introduction. Expect a multi-year runway.