Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust
Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 1992. The trust operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with no employees. It functions as a grantmaking foundation that distributes funds to preselected charitable organizations.
Key facts about Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust
- EIN
- 04-6676539
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $250,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- Average grant
- $8,065
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 31, 2024)
- Total assets
- $2,972,429
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, indicating a non-open application process. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust's 31 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (54%), North Carolina (15%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (6 grants), Shelby, NC (3 grants), Cohasset, MA (3 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 31 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust
- How to evaluate Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.0M
+3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$250K
-12.3% YoY
Grant Count
31
-3.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-9.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $265K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- General charitable purposes
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
amount: $8,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily funds organizations in:
- Massachusetts
- North Carolina
- New York
These three states account for approximately 82% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states total.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 31 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2023):
- Total Assets: $2,870,749 to $2,972,429
- Total Revenues: $237,328
- Total Expenses: $332,612
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Annual Income: $949,000 (reported in some filings)
Supported Organizations: The foundation has supported 32 unique organizations across its grantmaking history.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,972,429 | $2,870,749 | $2,953,000 |
| Revenue | $405,297 | $237,328 | $218,976 |
| Expenses | $305,857 | $332,612 | $318,346 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $250,035 | $285,035 | $265,035 |
| Net Investment Income | $352,475 | $189,751 | $172,023 |
| Distributable Amount | $264,763 | $248,689 | $257,071 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
157 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include American Friends Service Committe ($10,000), Cohasset Library Trust Inc ($10,000), Destination Cleveland County Inc ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTE San Francisco, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| COHASSET LIBRARY TRUST INC Cohasset, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| DESTINATION CLEVELAND COUNTY INC Shelby, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS Hatfield, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| GEORGE & IDA WOOD BLANTON ENDOWMENT Shelby, NC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN San Francisco, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK Boston, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| HAYMARKET PEOPLES FUND Jamaica Plain, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| HISTORIC HARRISVILLE INC Harrisville, NH | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE New York, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Principal Officer: Hemenway & Barnes LLP
- The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael J Puzo | Trustee | 2.5 | $28,707 |
| Helen T Chapell | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Millicent S Thayer | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust fund?
The trust's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • General charitable purposes
How do I apply for a grant from Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust?
The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, indicating a non-open application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust primarily funds organizations in: • Massachusetts • North Carolina • New York These three states account for approximately 82% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states total.
What size grants does Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust awarded 31 grants totaling $250K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $265K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust's EIN?
Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6676539. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.