Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Sea Island, Georgia. In 2024, it gave grants to charitable organizations, including organizations supporting youth, education, health, and community services.
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc gave $635K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $30K), mostly in Georgia. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $635,000
- +7.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- +5.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,238
- +2.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $12,025,675
- -1.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (2 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (100% 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 Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 30722, Sea Island, GA 31561
Phone: (912) 638-8084
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Boys Girls Club of Southeast Georgi ($109K). Together the top 10 received $521K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
98 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 98 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in Georgia. Named recipients included organizations in Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and other Georgia communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 21 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 81% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+14%). 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 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 $558K (2021) to $700K (2022). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $635K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys Girls Club of Southeast Georgi Brunswick, GA | DARIEN BOYS & GIRLS CENTER & TEEN CENTER ($75k) AND PLAYGROUND ($34k) | $109,000 |
| Frederica Academy St Simons Island, GA | Pavillion for Outdoor Functions, Education & Stage | $100,000 |
| College of Coastal GA Foundation Brunswick, GA | Capital support for renovations to the downtown facility for culinary program | $100,000 |
| Golden Isles YMCA Foundation Brunswick, GA | Capital support to reinforce the structure of the outdoor pool | $75,000 |
| Gathering Place Brunswick, GA | Support for daily on-site prog mentoring hs students. Professional development, job placement, financial mgmt and leadership skills taught | $35,000 |
| Map International Brunswick, GA | Forklift for Adjacent Warehouse | $25,000 |
| Epworth by the Sea Saint Simons Island, GA | Outdoor Pavillion with Adjacent Outdoor Amphitheater | $25,000 |
| Star Foundation Inc Brunswick, GA | Support for facility relocation and materials to do community outreach for student enrollment | $22,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $20,000 |
| Hospice of the Golden Isles Brunswick, GA | Server & Cameras to Manage Entire Campus | $15,000 |
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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 | $12,025,675 | $947,884 | $1,170,576 | $635,000 | 21 | $969,290 | $756,563 | $1,026,776 |
| 2023 | $12,247,621 | $765,479 | $1,076,286 | $590,000 | 20 | $904,767 | $591,233 | $904,759 |
| 2022 | $12,558,428 | $832,969 | $1,252,358 | $700,000 | 20 | $1,061,914 | $653,694 | $924,472 |
| 2021 | $12,977,817 | $870,155 | $1,072,652 | $558,000 | 16 | $887,894 | $686,927 | $1,021,473 |
| 2020 | $13,180,262 | $655,175 | $1,048,222 | $585,000 | 21 | — | $492,946 | $860,182 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.0M 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 grants included capital support for facilities and equipment, scholarships, youth programming, and services for children and families.
Grantee missions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. Frederica Academy says it seeks to maximize students’ potential and prepare them for college and adult life. Golden Isles Youth Orchestra says it helps young people pursue excellence through classical music. Hospice of the Golden Isles describes its work as meeting the medical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $635,000. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $109,000, with a median of $15,000.
Among the largest grants were $109,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia for its Darien Boys & Girls Center and teen center, and a playground; $100,000 to Frederica Academy for an outdoor pavilion; and $100,000 to College of Coastal Georgia Foundation for renovations to the downtown culinary-program facility. Other grants included $75,000 to Golden Isles YMCA Foundation to reinforce its outdoor pool structure and $35,000 to Gathering Place for on-site mentoring and skills programming for high school students.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James D Benefield Jr and Rees M Sumerford as directors.
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James D. Benefield Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$60K (2020) → $62K (2024)
Rees M. Sumerford
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$60K (2020) → $62K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $62K, to James D Benefield Jr (Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc
How much does Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc give each year?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc gave $635K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $590K across 20 grants.
What is Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $30,238, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc give grants?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Brunswick, GA (16 grants) and St Simons Island, GA (3 grants).
Does Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Boys Girls Club of Southeast Georgi ($109,000), Frederica Academy ($100,000) and College of Coastal GA Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $969K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (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 Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants included capital support for facilities and equipment, scholarships, youth programming, and services for children and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's EIN?
Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2354370. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/julia-terrill-thomas-foundation-inc-morg_e650e5f12797422f8064541ac11ace35
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202354370_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/julia-terrill-thomas-foundation-inc-morg_e650e5f12797422f8064541ac11ace35},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Julia Terrill Thomas Foundation Inc'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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