Eugene V and Clare E Thaw

SANTA FE, NM EIN: 13-3081491

The Eugene V and Clare E Thaw Charitable Trust is a private independent grantmaking foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally established in 1981 in New York as a private operating foundation, it transitioned to an independent grantmaking foundation in 1994. The trust was founded by Eugene V. Thaw, a major art collector and art gallery owner whose proceeds from the sale of a van Gogh painting helped establish the foundation. The Thaws accumulated a large personal collection of hundreds of rare works of art.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$47.4M

-24.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$16.1M

-26.6% YoY

Grant Count

8

-57.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2.0M

+74.4% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The trust supports three primary areas:

  • Arts — Visual and performing arts, with particular emphasis on art museums and historic and cultural heritage organizations
  • Environment and Ecology
  • Animal Rights and Protection — Including animal welfare and emergency veterinary care

Art museums and historic cultural heritage organizations are the most common grant recipients and typically receive the largest grants. Environment and animal welfare organizations receive fewer grants, and those that do tend to be repeat recipients.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s:** Individual grants have ranged from $1,000 to $18.2 million, with a median grant of $50,000 and an average award of approximately $648,000.

How to Apply

** As of July 2013, the foundation is in an inactive state and does not consider unsolicited funding requests. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation does not have a website to guide grantseekers and does not invite unsolicited proposals.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

  • New Mexico
  • New York

Secondary funding regions include Montana and organizations across 14 states total, with 69% of grants concentrated in New York, New Mexico, and Montana.

Grant Distribution by State

17states
+9 more states

Cities

AlbuquerqueAnnapolisBelleair BluffsBostonBozemanCambridgeChamisalClevelandCooperstownDamariscottaDixonEspanolaFairviewFort CollinsLivingstonLongmontNew YorkNormanPortlandProvincetown

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

  • Total Assets: $47,385,057
  • Total Revenues: $3,549,042
  • Total Expenses: $16,676,875
  • Number of Employees: 1

Historical Asset Growth: Total assets grew from $28.6 million in 2011 to $47.4 million in 2024.

Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since May 1982; EIN 13-3081491

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$6M$12M$19M$25M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$47,385,057$62,945,128$80,823,388
Revenue$3,549,042$8,399,886$1,056,985
Expenses$16,676,875$22,643,208$10,732,671
Qualifying Distributions$16,210,915$22,051,351$10,259,509
Net Investment Income$3,188,718$6,883,447$645,251
Distributable Amount$432,278$1,726,551$2,175,447

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5M$11M$16M$22M19 grants202021 grants202118 grants202219 grants20238 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 8 recipients in 2024

FENIMORE ART MUSEUM$15.9MSANTA FE PRO MUSICA$50KTARGHEE MUSIC FOUNDATION$30KELBOW ROOM$30KSIGNS FOR HOPE$25KUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA F…$20KBOSQUE DEL APACHE WILDLI…$10KGALISTEO BASIN OPEN SPAC…$500

Grant Size Distribution

85 grants across all recorded years

38<$50K21$50–100K8$100–250K1$250–500K5$500K–1M9$1–5M3$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Primary Contact: Katie Flanagan

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

KATHLEEN FLANAGANPRESIDENT & CEO$333K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
KATHLEEN FLANAGANPRESIDENT & CEO40$332,750
BRIAN O'DONOGHUETRUSTEE1
MICHAELA O'DONOGHUETRUSTEE1

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2002

The foundation has supported major cultural institutions including the Fenimore Art Museum, the Morgan Library & Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Eugene V. Thaw was named an honorary trustee at the Metropolitan Museum in 2002 and endowed a curatorial position at the Morgan Library. The foundation continues to make significant grants to art museums for acquisitions, renovations, and curatorial positions.

Fenimore Art Museum Receives $2.5 Million to Endow Curator ...

Contact Information

Mailing Address: PO Box 2422 Santa Fe, NM 87504-2422

Phone: (505) 982-7023 Fax: (505) 982-7027

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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