Gat Family Foundation
Gat Family Foundation is a private foundation based in La Jolla, California. In 2024, it reported 48 grants totaling $483,814 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in theatre, health, media, animal welfare, food assistance, and education.
Gat Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Gat Family Foundation gave $484K across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in California. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $483,814
- +13.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +23.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,079
- -8.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $575
- Total assets
- $11,878,538
- +5.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (12 of 48, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (66% 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 Gat Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4225 Executive Square Suite 1150, La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 558-9200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gat Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pro Kids ($128K). Together the top 10 received $448K.
Grant Size Distribution
233 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 216 grants of 233 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California organizations received 66% of grant dollars, followed by organizations in Massachusetts (20%), the District of Columbia (5%), Maryland (3%), and New York (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gat Family Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 48 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $900 repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $427K (2023) to $498K (2020). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $484K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Kids San Diego, CA | General | $128,494 |
| Old Globe Theatre San Diego, CA | General | $100,000 |
| North American Foundation for the University of Manchester Inc Littleton, MA | General | $96,878 |
| Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation San Diego, CA | General | $35,000 |
| SPCA for Monterey County Salinas, CA | General | $28,000 |
| WSCGA Junior Golf Foundation Columbia, DC | General | $25,000 |
| American Cancer Society Hagertown, MD | General | $13,000 |
| Kqed San Francisco, CA | General | $9,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NY | General | $8,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County Seaside, CA | General | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gat Family Foundation?
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 | $11,878,538 | $1,225,312 | $569,950 | $483,814 | 48 | $493,597 | $861,080 | $574,680 |
| 2023 | $11,223,176 | $302,047 | $515,956 | $427,442 | 39 | $434,871 | $733,854 | $528,275 |
| 2022 | $11,437,085 | $546,476 | $560,591 | $484,614 | 23 | $493,417 | $596,754 | $521,892 |
| 2021 | $11,451,200 | $834,529 | $504,340 | $444,763 | 55 | $451,272 | $789,461 | $569,421 |
| 2020 | $11,121,011 | $490,314 | $584,940 | $498,138 | 68 | — | $421,716 | $547,594 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gat Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $575K 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 foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with a range of missions. For example, the Old Globe Theatre describes its mission as advancing American theatre through theatrical experiences and productions; the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation says it raises funds and awareness for Crohn’s and colitis diseases and supports other charities; and KQED describes its work as providing a community-supported alternative to commercial media and bringing the arts to audiences.
Other 2024 grantees include the Preserve Community Foundation, whose stated mission is to fund educational scholarships for economically disadvantaged children in Monterey County; the Food Bank for Monterey County, which distributes food and provides emergency food services; and Shelter to Soldier, which provides specially trained dogs to eligible U.S. veterans.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 48 grants totaling $483,814. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $128,494, with a median of $575.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $128,494 to PRO KIDS, $100,000 to the Old Globe Theatre, $96,878 to the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester, $35,000 to the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation, and $28,000 to the SPCA for Monterey County. These grants were listed with the purpose “GENERAL.” Other listed recipients included the WSCGA Junior Golf Foundation ($25,000), the American Cancer Society ($13,000), KQED ($9,000), and Doctors Without Borders USA ($8,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gillian M Thornley as director and president; Anthony S Thornley as director, secretary, and CFO; and Claire M Thornley Smith, Christian A Thornley, Alexander N Thornley, and Warren T Thornley as directors.
Gat Family Foundation is led by Gillian M. Thornley, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gillian M. Thornley
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexander N. Thornley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anthony S. Thornley
Director, Secretary & CFO
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christian A. Thornley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Claire M. Thornley Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Warren T. Thornley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Gat Family Foundation
How much does Gat Family Foundation give each year?
Gat Family Foundation gave $484K across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $427K across 39 grants.
What is Gat Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Gat Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $575, and its average grant was $10,079, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gat Family Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Gat Family Foundation give grants?
Gat Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (20%) and District of Columbia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (5 grants), San Diego, CA (3 grants), Salinas, CA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Gat Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Gat Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gat Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Gat Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pro Kids ($128,494), Old Globe Theatre ($100,000) and North American Foundation for the University of Manchester Inc ($96,878), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gat Family Foundation?
Gat Family Foundation reported $11.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $494K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $575K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Gat Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gat Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gat Family Foundation's EIN?
Gat Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2490647. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gat Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 Gat Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gat Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gat-family-foundation-morg_e3583f55b78c48818a65bed60cb8e732
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_562490647_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gat Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gat-family-foundation-morg_e3583f55b78c48818a65bed60cb8e732},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Gat Family Foundation'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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