Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation
The Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation is a private foundation based in Portland, Oregon. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including education, youth services, conservation, health care, food access, and the arts.
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation at a glance
In short: Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation gave $8.0M across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $296K), mostly in Oregon. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,003,612
- +704.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- -47.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $296,430
- +1419.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $15,428,328
- -33.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (15 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Oregon (75% 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 Lee H & Marion B Thompson 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: 9711 Sw Quail Post Road, Portland, OR 97219
Phone: (503) 260-3986
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Blosser Center for Dyslexia ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $6.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 83 grants of 109 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The reported 2024 grant dollars were distributed as follows by recipient state: Oregon, 75%; Tennessee, 12%; and Washington, 12%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 27 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $228K; repeat grants $382K. How we count
Medians: $90K first-time, $140K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 3577% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 759% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $130K (2020) to $8.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $8.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blosser Center for Dyslexia Portland, OR | Tutoring Program for Dyslexic Children | $1,050,000 |
| Ducks Unlimited Memphis, TN | Wetlands Preservation | $1,000,000 |
| Gate Youth Association Independence, OR | Education / Mentorship / Community Center | $1,000,000 |
| Providence Hospital Foundation Portland, OR | Build New Emergency Foom | $1,000,000 |
| The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding Port Hadlock, WA | Trades School Boat Building Education | $1,000,000 |
| Ella Curran Food Bank - Independence Independence, OR | Building a Food Bank Facility | $500,000 |
| FFA Oregon Corvallis, OR | Youth Leadership in Farming | $500,000 |
| Nature Conservancy Portland, OR | Conservation | $275,000 |
| Opal Creek Anvient Forest Center Portland, OR | Forrest Recovery from Forest Fire | $250,000 |
| Candlelighters for Children with Cancer Portland, OR | Family Wraparound Services/Cancer | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lee H & Marion B Thompson 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 | $15,428,328 | $2,027,324 | $9,627,043 | $8,003,612 | 27 | $8,140,582 | $1,928,643 | $1,072,881 |
| 2023 | $23,028,047 | $972,210 | $1,213,107 | $994,640 | 51 | $1,021,434 | $912,757 | $1,107,170 |
| 2022 | $23,268,944 | $6,816,617 | $493,863 | $260,100 | 11 | $378,958 | $6,685,938 | — |
| 2021 | $16,946,190 | $5,369,260 | $289,363 | $217,663 | 11 | $236,162 | $5,360,526 | — |
| 2020 | $11,866,293 | $324,133 | $212,333 | $130,000 | 9 | — | $291,637 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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 statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a dyslexia tutoring program, youth education and mentorship, emergency-room construction, wetlands and forest conservation, a food bank facility, and trades education.
Grantee descriptions show the range of organizations supported. Gate Youth Association says it supports teens through academic, social, and spiritual activities. Willamette Riverkeeper describes its work as advocating, educating, investigating, restoring, and mobilizing communities across the Willamette watershed. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $8,003,612. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $1,050,000, with a median of $100,000. Among the largest grants were $1,050,000 to Blosser Center for Dyslexia for a tutoring program; $1,000,000 each to Ducks Unlimited for wetlands preservation, Gate Youth Association for education, mentorship, and a community center, Providence Hospital Foundation for a new emergency room, and The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding for boatbuilding education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists M'Chelene Shull as president, Dan Ford as secretary/treasure, and Chris Schull as a board member.
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation is led by M'chelene Shull, President since 2023 (on filings since 2022); 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
M'chelene Shull
President
Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$7K (2023) → $45K (2024)
Dan Ford
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$4K (2023) → $16K (2024)
Chris Schull
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Donald P. Richards (2020–2023) — Retired Board Member
- Former: Roger Starr (2020–2023) — Retired Board Member
- Former: Catherine A. Snyder (2020–2021) — President
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 $45K, to M'chelene Shull (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation
How much does Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation give each year?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation gave $8.0M across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $995K across 51 grants.
What is Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's typical grant size?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $296,430, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation that year got $228K on average.
Where does Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation give grants?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation gives mostly in Oregon: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (12%) and Washington (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (12 grants), Independence, OR (2 grants) and Sherwood, OR (2 grants).
Does Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's largest grantees?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Blosser Center for Dyslexia ($1,050,000), Ducks Unlimited ($1,000,000) and Gate Youth Association ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation reported $15.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a dyslexia tutoring program, youth education and mentorship, emergency-room construction, wetlands and forest conservation, a food bank facility, and trades education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lee H & Marion B Thompson 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 Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's EIN?
Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3112077. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lee H & Marion B Thompson 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lee H & Marion B Thompson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lee-h-and-marion-b-thompson-foundation-morg_a29a4c622b0e4b23b08ac2fbee075849
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943112077_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lee H \& Marion B Thompson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lee-h-and-marion-b-thompson-foundation-morg_a29a4c622b0e4b23b08ac2fbee075849},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Lee H & Marion B Thompson 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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