Eugene V and Clare E Thaw
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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Eugene V and Clare E Thaw reported a distributable amount of $432K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
States
Cities
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
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fenimore Art Museum ($15,907,000), Santa Fe Pro Musica ($50,000), Targhee Music Foundation ($30,240).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOSQUE DEL APACHE WILDLIFE REFUGE SAN ANTONIO, NM | FOR THE POLLINATOR HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT | $10,000 |
| ELBOW ROOM PORTLAND, OR | ARTS PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS IN THE PORTLAND, OR AREA | $30,000 |
| FENIMORE ART MUSEUM COOPERSTOWN, NY | TOWARDS RENOVATION OF THE MUSEUM'S RESEARCH LIBRARY; AND ACQUISITIONS OF AMERICAN MASTERPIECES | $15,907,000 |
| GALISTEO BASIN OPEN SPACE PRESERVE SANTA FE, NM | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500 |
| SANTA FE PRO MUSICA SANTA FE, NM | FOR PERFORMANCE OF MOZART'S "REQUIEM" | $50,000 |
| SIGNS FOR HOPE FAIRVIEW, NC | FOR HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS IN ASHEVILLE, NC | $25,000 |
| TARGHEE MUSIC FOUNDATION BELLEAIR BLUFFS, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ANNUAL MUSIC CAMP IN ALTA, WY | $30,240 |
| UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION NORMAN, OK | FOR PUBLICATION OF A TWO-VOLUME BOOK ON THE TAOS SOCIETY OF ARTISTS | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Primary Contact: Katie Flanagan
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHLEEN FLANAGAN | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $332,750 |
| BRIAN O'DONOGHUE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHAELA O'DONOGHUE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Eugene V and Clare E Thaw fund?
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 …
How do I apply for a grant from Eugene V and Clare E Thaw?
**Grant Strategy:** The trust prefers to make challenge grants that are conditional on recipients matching the funds in an agreed-upon proportion. **Grant Sizes:** 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. **Recent Grants (2024):** • Fenimore Art Museum: $15,907,000 (towards renovation of the museum's research library and acquisitions of American masterpieces) • Santa Fe Pro Musica: $50,000 (for per…
Where does Eugene V and Clare E Thaw make 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.
What size grants does Eugene V and Clare E Thaw award?
In 2024, Eugene V and Clare E Thaw awarded 8 grants totaling $16.1M — an average of about $2.0M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Eugene V and Clare E Thaw required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Eugene V and Clare E Thaw reported a distributable amount of $432K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Eugene V and Clare E Thaw's EIN?
Eugene V and Clare E Thaw's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3081491. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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