About the Trust
OUR MISSION
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust seeks to help people in need, especially women, children, and families; to protect animals and nature; and to enrich community life in the metropolitan areas of Indianapolis and Phoenix.
In keeping with the wishes of Nina Mason Pulliam, the Trust only accepts requests from charitable organizations located in and serving Marion County, Indiana, and Maricopa County, Arizona, with the exception of environmental requests. For environmental requests, the Trust will consider applications from charitable organizations throughout Arizona and Indiana.
STAFF
Executive Team
Finance and Operations
Grants Program
Grants Administration
HISTORY
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust was established upon the death of Nina Mason Pulliam on March 26, 1997, to support for 50 years the causes she loved in her home states of Arizona and Indiana.
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust seeks to help people in need, especially women, children, and families; to protect animals and nature; and to enrich community life primarily in metropolitan Phoenix and Indianapolis.
In 2001, the Trust established a program for adults seeking a college education, the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars program, in tribute to the life and values of its benefactress. Participating schools are Indiana University – Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College – Indianapolis, Arizona State University and Maricopa Community Colleges.
Nina Mason Pulliam
Nina Mason Pulliam (1906 to 1997) was a journalist, a business leader, a humanitarian and a lover of all creatures.
In 1906, Nina Mason Pulliam was born in rural Martinsville, Indiana, as one of seven children. She was taught by her older sister in a one-room schoolhouse and did so well in school that she skipped to high school after sixth grade. As a high school sophomore, Nina Pulliam received her first compensation for a literary essay. She went on to study journalism at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and later attended Indiana University and the University of New Mexico. After college, she took a full-time job at Farm Life, a national magazine published in Spencer, Indiana. When the magazine folded during the Great Depression, she went to work in Lebanon, Indiana, for an ambitious publisher named Eugene C. Pulliam. They were married in 1941.
During their marriage, the Pulliams traveled abroad extensively as a husband and wife team. They were among the first Americans to visit and write about post-World War II conditions in Europe. Over 11 years, Nina Pulliam was published in newspapers throughout North America and her articles were compiled into seven books.
Nina Pulliam was the founding secretary-treasurer and a director of Central Newspapers, Inc. (CNI), which Mr. Pulliam had established in 1934. Upon his death in 1975, she served as president of CNI until 1979 and was publisher of The Arizona Republic and The Phoenix Gazette until 1978.
She was a member of the first cohort of women admitted to Sigma Delta Chi, now the Society of Professional Journalists. Nina Pulliam also loved flying and was the first woman to earn a private pilot’s license in Indiana. She was also known for her lifelong love of animals and nature conservancy efforts.
Nina Pulliam was an astute businessperson and compassionate leader, devoting many hours to civic, charitable, and community work. During her career she shared her financial success and business leadership skills with many charities in Indianapolis and Phoenix.