What Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund does

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 in Chicago by Bob and Jim Murphy to honor their late father, Daniel Murphy. Its core offering is the Murphy Scholars Program, which provides partial scholarships enabling Chicago-area and Lake County, IL 8th graders from families with annual incomes of $82,500 or less (family of four) to attend 80+ partner college-prep high schools across 19 states. Scholars supplement DMSF funding with a family contribution of $2,500-$3,500 per year and additional school financial aid.

DMSF bundles the scholarship with a multi-year support ecosystem: Freshman Summer Bridge, Tutoring, Mentoring (largely alumni-led), Affinity Groups, Murphy Schmitt Scholar and Arthur's Aspiring Leaders leadership programs, Summer Opportunities, and College Counseling. Post-graduation, the Murphy Alumni Network serves 2,300+ alumni with career panels, company visits (Google, William Blair, Northern Trust), and the Murphy Caddie Program, which places 100+ scholars at 23+ golf clubs annually and has produced 420 Evans Scholarships covering full tuition and housing.

DMSF generates revenue from diversified streams: individual donations (one-time, recurring via the Full Circle Society, and legacy giving via the 1989 Society), corporate partnerships and event sponsorships, foundation grants (Schreiber, Schmitt), special events (Golf Classic, Soirée for Scholars, Ignite Potential Gala), and tax-advantaged vehicles including securities gifts, IRA Charitable Rollovers, and Donor Advised Funds. The 11-50 person staff is led by CEO Cindy Hallums and operates from 140 S. Dearborn St, Suite 820, Chicago, with a community-led GTM that recruits students through school counselor referrals and acquires donors through large-format events.

Name

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund

Legal name

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund

Website

https://dmsf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides multi-year scholarships and academic support to 509 currently enrolled Chicago-area and Lake County 8th graders attending 80+ partner college-prep high schools across 19 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarship and Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE)

Keywords

• Scholarship fund services
• Educational equity programs
• College preparatory scholarships
• Student mentorship programs
• Nonprofit education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: DMSF receives contributions from individual donors through online portals, checks, and electronic funds transfers. Donors can make one-time or recurring donations, with various giving programs including Sponsor a Scholar, Full Circle Society (monthly giving), and 1989 Society (legacy/planned giving).
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support through event sponsorships (Golf Classic, Soirée), program sponsorships (tutoring, college visits, leadership programs, caddie program), and general corporate giving. Many employers offer matching gift programs.
3. Foundation Grants: DMSF receives grants from foundations including The John & Kathleen Schreiber Foundation (for Lake County expansion) and Arthur J. Schmitt Foundation (for leadership programs).
4. Special Events Revenue: Annual flagship events generate significant revenue: the Golf Classic raised $3.4 million in 2026 and $3.19 million in 2025. The Soirée for Scholars raised over $106K in 2026. These events include sponsorships, ticket sales, paddle raises, and auction items.
5. Gift of Securities: DMSF accepts donations of securities (stocks) with potential tax advantages for donors. DTC transfers through Morgan Stanley.
6. IRA Charitable Rollover: Donors aged 70½ or older can make qualified charitable distributions from IRAs up to $100,000 annually, providing tax-advantaged giving options.
7. Donor Advised Funds: DMSF accepts contributions through Donor Advised Funds administered by Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, or community foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DMSF provides partial scholarships for financially needy 8th-grade students in the Chicago area and Lake County, IL to attend 80+ college-preparatory partner high schools across 19 states. The scholarship is paired with comprehensive support including academic tutoring, mentoring, leadership development, summer programs, a caddie program, college counseling, and a post-graduation alumni network spanning 2,300+ members.

Product overview

The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF) operates as a unified scholarship and educational support program rather than a traditional tech product. The core offering is the Murphy Scholars Program, which provides financial scholarships for Chicago-area and Lake County students to attend college-prep high schools. This is supplemented by a comprehensive ecosystem of support programs including Freshman Summer Bridge, Tutoring, Mentoring, Affinity Groups, Leadership Programming (Schmitt Scholars & Arthur's Aspiring Leaders), Summer Opportunities, the Murphy Caddie Program, and College Counseling. Post-graduation, the Murphy Alumni Network provides ongoing career development and networking. The Lake County Murphy Scholars Program extends these services to a new geographic region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Murphy Scholars Program Comprehensive scholarship program for Chicago-area 8th graders with financial need, providing partial tuition scholarships to attend college-prep partner high schools, with integrated academic, mentorship, leadership, and college counseling support through high school graduation.
• Lake County Murphy Scholars Program Extension of the Murphy Scholars Program to Lake County, IL students, currently serving 24 Lake County Murphy Scholars enrolled at partner high schools.
• Murphy Caddie Program Annual program placing 100+ Murphy Scholars at partner golf clubs as caddies each summer, providing paid work, networking, and a pathway to qualify for the Evans Scholarship covering full tuition and housing at partner universities.
• Murphy Alumni Network Post-high-school program providing career exploration, professional development, and networking opportunities for over 2,300 Murphy Alumni, including company visits, career panels, and skill-building workshops.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of Murphy Scholars graduate high school on time
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Partner High Schools (80+)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989DMSF partners with 80+ college-prep high schools across 19 states including co-ed, all-girls, all-boys, boarding, and religious-affiliated schools. Partners include Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Deerfield Academy, Harvard-Westlake area schools, and Chicago-area institutions. These schools provide educational environments and financial aid packages for Murphy Scholars.
• Murphy Caddie Program Golf Clubs (23+)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner23+ golf clubs including Conway Farms, Exmoor, Glen Oak, Hinsdale, Lake Shore, Medinah, Olympia Fields, Onwentsia, Shoreacres, and others host Murphy Scholars as caddies each summer. This program has resulted in 420 Evans Scholarships for full tuition and housing.
• Evans Scholarship (WGA/Caddie Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner420+ Murphy Scholars have received the Evans Scholarship covering full tuition and housing at partner universities. The scholarship is earned through the Murphy Caddie Program at participating golf clubs.
• Corporate Sponsors (Golf Classic)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors including Morgan Stanley, Wintrust, IMC, JPMC, RSM, AlixPartners, and 30+ others sponsor the annual Golf Classic which raised $3.4M in 2026.
• College/University Partners (150+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMurphy Alumni attend 150+ colleges including Northwestern, Harvard, Notre Dame, UChicago, Purdue, Cornell, Georgetown, USC, Washington University in St. Louis, and others. Universities provide admissions support and scholarship opportunities for alumni.
• DMSF Corporate PartnersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partners including Northern Trust, Balyasny, Epsilon, IMC, Bank of America, Gelber Group, AON, Enova, and others provide financial support, volunteer opportunities, and mentorship programs for DMSF.
• Career Exploration Employer HostsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployers including Google, William Blair, Northern Trust, Pepper Construction, Legal Aid Chicago, Havas Creative, and Chicago City Hall host career exploration visits for Murphy Alumni.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF): Nation's largest not-for-profit supporting Hispanic American higher education with scholarships, college prep, and career support. Same underserved-student scholarship mission and wraparound services model.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Provides multi-year scholarships and wraparound support to high-achieving students with financial need from middle school through college. Comparable in scholar outcomes focus, comprehensive support model, and selective intake criteria.
• Ron Brown Scholar Program: Awards four-year scholarships to high-achieving, community-service-oriented African American high school seniors. Comparable scholar profile, multi-year scholarship model, and strong leadership/mentorship programming.
• Gates Scholarship: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's last-dollar scholarship for high-achieving, minority, Pell-eligible high school seniors. Same high-need, high-potential scholar profile with comprehensive multi-year college funding.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit that connects high-achieving, low-income students with full scholarships at top colleges. Closest direct peer — same target population (low-income, high-potential youth), same scholarship-to-elite-institution pipeline, and same emphasis on wraparound support.
• Posse Foundation: Identifies and recruits public high school students with leadership potential for full-tuition college scholarships delivered through peer cohorts. Comparable in targeting underserved students with potential, multi-year support, and leadership development focus.
• Horatio Alger Association: Provides need-based scholarships to high school students who have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity. Comparable in targeting low-income high schoolers with multi-year scholarship and mentorship support.
• Chicago Scholars: Chicago-based college access, scholarship, and leadership development program for first-generation and low-income students. Most direct regional peer — same Chicago footprint, same target demographic, and overlapping partner school/college network.

Broad incumbents

• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): Largest private scholarship provider for African American students, supporting300+ HBCUs and operating a national scholarship, fellowship, and institutional support network. Comparable scholarship-funder role but at substantially greater scale and broader institutional scope.

Regional players

• Big Shoulders Fund: Chicago-based nonprofit providing scholarships and support to students attending Catholic schools in the Chicago area. Overlapping Chicago-only geographic focus and similar scholarship-and-support model, though concentrated in K-8 Catholic schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@murphyscholars
• Facebookfacebook.com/MurphyScholars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daniel-murphy-scholarship-fund
• Instagraminstagram.com/murphyscholars
• Xx.com/MurphyScholars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund