Billie and Gillis Thomas Family
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and tuition support, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Texas.
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family at a glance
In short: Billie and Gillis Thomas Family gave $878K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $33K), mostly in Texas. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $878,082
- +24.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- +12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,522
- +10.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $26,465
- Total assets
- $15,008,731
- +0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (6 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Billie and Gillis Thomas Family
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation generally makes contributions to only preselected charitable organizations and maintains a scholarship program. Scholarship applicants should contact Robyn T. Conlon regarding the application process. The filing refers to Statement 9 for deadlines and award restrictions but does not provide those details here.
- Contact
Application contact: Robyn T Conlon
Mailing address: 4901 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, TX 75244
Phone: (214) 750-1200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Billie and Gillis Thomas Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Crystal Charity Ball ($100K). Together the top 10 received $515K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($179,925), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
117 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 117 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 6% to California, and 2% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Billie and Gillis Thomas Family open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 22 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $47K. How we count
Medians: $24K first-time, $31K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $685K (2021) to $889K (2022). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $878K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Crystal Charity Ball Dallas, TX | To Fund General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| SM Wright Foundation Dallas, TX | To Fund General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| North Texas Food Bank Plano, TX | To Fund General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Shelton School Landmark Foundation Dallas, TX | To Fund Capital Campaign | $50,000 |
| 5 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $179,925 |
| Community Partners of Dallas Dallas, TX | To Fund General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| University of North Texas Denton, TX | Tuition for Naomi Bwalya | $41,267 |
| Dallas Academy Dallas, TX | To Fund Tuition Scholarships Support | $35,000 |
| Trinity Christian Academy Foundatio Addison, TX | To Fund Tuition Scholarships Support | $31,690 |
| University of San Diego San Diego, CA | Tuition for Mattie Benningfield | $26,465 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,008,731 | $1,076,397 | $991,871 | $878,082 | 27 | $889,669 | $974,195 | $789,397 |
| 2023 | $14,984,988 | $219,825 | $808,734 | $707,049 | 24 | $715,291 | $453,617 | $738,304 |
| 2022 | $15,506,601 | $1,149,775 | $964,704 | $888,620 | 22 | $897,525 | $1,082,596 | $765,185 |
| 2021 | $15,348,193 | $1,524,635 | $765,844 | $684,595 | 20 | $695,039 | $1,453,830 | $852,262 |
| 2020 | $14,567,434 | $396,726 | $845,463 | $784,347 | 24 | — | $337,071 | $739,433 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Billie and Gillis Thomas Family reported a distributable amount of $789K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for charitable organizations and tuition-related assistance. For example, the North Texas Food Bank describes its mission as closing the hunger gap in North Texas, while the SM Wright Foundation describes its mission as providing community services programs in North Texas. Dallas Academy says it serves students with learning differences through a structured multisensory program.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $878,082. Grants ranged from $2,700 to $100,000, with a median of $26,465. The largest awards included $100,000 each to The Crystal Charity Ball and the SM Wright Foundation for general operating support. Other notable grants included $50,000 to the North Texas Food Bank for general operating support; $50,000 to Shelton School Landmark Foundation for a capital campaign; $50,000 to an individual recipient Community School for tuition scholarships; and $50,000 to Community Partners of Dallas for general operating support. The filing also lists tuition payments for named students at the University of North Texas and June Shelton School & Evaluation Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robyn T. Conlon as president, Donald T. Conlon as vice president, William K. Conlon as secretary, and Joshua Wakeman as treasurer.
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family is led by Robyn T. Conlon, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robyn T. Conlon
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald T. Conlon
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William K. Conlon
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Wakeman
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Walter T. Shank (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Billie and Gillis Thomas Family
How much does Billie and Gillis Thomas Family give each year?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family gave $878K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $707K across 24 grants.
What is Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's typical grant size?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's median grant in 2024 was $26,465, and its average grant was $32,522, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Billie and Gillis Thomas Family that year got $21K on average.
Where does Billie and Gillis Thomas Family give grants?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family gives mostly in Texas: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (11 grants), Addison, TX (2 grants) and Arlington, TX (2 grants).
Does Billie and Gillis Thomas Family give general operating support?
Yes: 44% of Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "To Fund Tuition Scholarships Support" (3 grants).
Who are Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's largest grantees?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's largest 2024 grantees include The Crystal Charity Ball ($100,000), SM Wright Foundation ($100,000) and North Texas Food Bank ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($179,925), which are not listed by name. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Billie and Gillis Thomas Family?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family reported $15.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $890K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $789K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Billie and Gillis Thomas Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for charitable organizations and tuition-related assistance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Billie and Gillis Thomas Family?
The filing says the foundation generally makes contributions to only preselected charitable organizations and maintains a scholarship program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's EIN?
Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2721588. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Billie and Gillis Thomas Family funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Billie and Gillis Thomas Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/billie-and-gillis-thomas-family-morg_1f440f5443b542dcb64923ae3399f8bc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_752721588_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Billie and Gillis Thomas Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/billie-and-gillis-thomas-family-morg_1f440f5443b542dcb64923ae3399f8bc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Billie and Gillis Thomas Family's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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