Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE PART I LINE 1.
- Income
- $6.8 million
- Spending
- $6.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 15.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 364
- Highest pay
- $240,805, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $3.7 million spent. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - THE FUND PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHICAGO AREA STUDENTS ALLOWING THEM TO ATTEND LEADING PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE CHICAGO AREA AND TOP BOARDING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DURING THE 2024/2025 AND 2023/2024 SCHOOL YEARS, THE FUND SERVED 495 AND 444 SCHOLARS, RESPECTIVELY.
- $159,188 spent. COLLEGE COUNSELING - THE FUND WORKS WITH SCHOLARS THROUGHOUT THEIR FOUR YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MOST INTENSIVELY IN THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS, ASSISTING THE SCHOLARS AS THEY SEARCH FOR AN APPROPRIATE COLLEGE AND FOR FUNDING TO HELP PAY FOR THAT COLLEGE.
- $263,087 spent. SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THE CADDIE PROGRAM - THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS TO PRESENT SCHOLARS WITH SUMMER JOB OPPORTUNITIES, INTERNSHIPS, CULTURAL AND STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS, SPORTS PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS. AS PART OF THE SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, THE FUND PROVIDES SUMMER GOLF CADDIE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOLARS. SCHOLARS CADDIE AT NEARBY COUNTRY CLUBS, EARNING INCOME, GAINING WORK EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS.
- $447,103 spent. MENTORING - SCHOLARS WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE ARE MATCHED WITH AN ADULT MENTOR FOR THEIR FOUR YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THE FUND ALSO OPERATES AN AFFINITY PROGRAM, IN WHICH TEN TO FIFTEEN STUDENTS MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK WITH AN ADULT FACILITATOR TO DISCUSS ISSUES COMMON TO MANY OF THE SCHOLARS.TUTORING - THE FUND HELPS FIND AND FUND TUTORS FOR SCHOLARS WHOSE GPAS FALL BELOW 3.0 OR WHO SEEK ADDITIONAL HELP. THE FUND ALSO OPERATES A VIRTUAL TUTORING PLATFORM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.BRIDGE TO EXCELLENCE - THE FUND WORKS WITH LEAP! LEARNING SYSTEMS AND EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS TO PROVIDE TWO WEEKS OF MANDATORY CLASSES FOR ALL INCOMING FRESHMAN SCHOLARS, FOCUSING ON LANGUAGE SKILLS, TIME MANAGEMENTS, STUDY SKILLS AND CRITICAL THINKING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1990.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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