Mary Thompson Foundation
The Mary Thompson Foundation is a private foundation based in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. It provides funding to organizations that aid, assist, and serve older adults, mostly in Michigan.
Mary Thompson Foundation at a glance
In short: Mary Thompson Foundation gave $240K across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Michigan. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $239,600
- +10.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- +12.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,846
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,336,360
- -5.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (8 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mary Thompson Foundation
- Review Cycle
- The website lists April 15 and September 15 as annual application deadlines. Both dates in 2026 have passed. The 2025 filing states that there are no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The website lists April 15 and September 15 as annual application deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Mrs Mary Roby
Mailing address: PO Box 568, St Clair Shores, MI 48080
Phone: (313) 886-2471
Website: https://marythompsonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Mary Thompson Foundation
Who Mary Thompson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wings Home ($20K). Together the top 10 received $118K.
Grant Size Distribution
149 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 149 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its giving as occurring mostly throughout Michigan. Its 2025 filing restricts awards to programs and organizations supporting frail and elderly people in Michigan. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan and 2% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Mary Thompson Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 35 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $180K (2019) to $240K (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $240K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wings Home Allegan, MI | General Purpose | $20,000 |
| Pope Francis Center Detroit, MI | General Purpose | $15,000 |
| The Helm Grosse Point Farms, MI | General Purpose | $13,000 |
| Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council Alpena, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Detroit Opera Detroit, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Hannan Center Detroit, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Jewish Family Services Ann Arbor, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Little Brothers Hancock, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Lori's Hands Inc Ypsilanti, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Lourdes Inc Waterford, MI | General Purpose | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,336,360 | $164,367 | $301,598 | $239,600 | 35 | $240,812 | $111,310 | $242,920 |
| 2024 | $2,467,318 | $413,855 | $276,058 | $217,700 | 31 | $219,063 | $360,330 | $230,295 |
| 2023 | $2,329,521 | $215,967 | $263,309 | $214,500 | 29 | $215,709 | $164,759 | $202,447 |
| 2022 | $2,372,937 | $131,783 | $255,388 | $203,000 | 25 | $203,000 | $79,395 | $201,201 |
| 2021 | $2,496,542 | $331,936 | $263,252 | $212,300 | 29 | $212,300 | $280,984 | $216,702 |
| 2020 | $2,427,858 | $195,067 | $239,312 | $197,000 | 29 | — | $152,755 | $180,629 |
| 2019 | $2,472,103 | $195,439 | $226,983 | $179,600 | 27 | — | $142,092 | $176,196 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mary Thompson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $243K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide aid and assistance to the elderly through funding. Its website describes grants benefiting senior communities through medical programs, food, transportation, companionship, entertainment, and support for institutions such as libraries, churches, and universities.
Examples of grantees’ work include WINGS HOME, which provides hospice patients without available family caregiving a home-like place for end-of-life care, and the Hannan Center, whose mission is to preserve seniors’ dignity and quality of life. The Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council says it provides meals and services to help seniors maintain independence; Respite Volunteers of Shiawassee describes services for caregivers and frail older adults at risk who live alone.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $239,600. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median award of $5,000. Notable awards included $20,000 to WINGS HOME, $15,000 to Pope Francis Center, and $10,000 each to Detroit Opera, Hannan Center, Jewish Family Services, Little Brothers, Lori’s Hands, Lourdes, Respite Volunteers of Shiawassee, Alpena Area Senior Citizens Council, and Ironwood Carnegie Library.
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It also states that awards are restricted to programs and organizations supporting frail and elderly people in Michigan. For application instructions, that filing names Mary Roby as the contact and says the foundation provides forms upon request. The foundation’s website, meanwhile, offers an application form online or for download and asks applicants to submit a completed application with hard copies of their IRS tax-exempt status, annual report, board and executive staff list, and information about the agency’s success and ability to complete the project. Previously funded organizations must also submit a feedback form.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jana Brownell as president; Cynthia Hempstead as vice president; Gioconda McMillan as secretary; Patricia R. Gotfredson as treasurer; Mary Roby as grants chairman; and Mary Farley and Catherine Shell as directors/trustees. The foundation’s website lists the same board members and roles, with Patricia Gotfredson’s name shown without a middle initial.
Mary Thompson Foundation is led by Jana Brownell, President since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jana Brownell
President
Director & Trustee → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Roby
Grants Chairman
Vice President → Grants Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Farley
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Shell
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gioconda McMillan
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Hempstead
Vice President
Director → Director & Trustee, 2023
Director & Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia R. Gotfredson
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jane Reuther (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Suzanne P. Nicholson (2019–2022) — Director & Trustee
- Former: Lynne Cameron (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Susan Griffin (2019–2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Mary Thompson Foundation
How much does Mary Thompson Foundation give each year?
Mary Thompson Foundation gave $240K across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $218K across 31 grants.
What is Mary Thompson Foundation's typical grant size?
Mary Thompson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,846, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mary Thompson Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Mary Thompson Foundation give grants?
Mary Thompson Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (4 grants), Southfield, MI (4 grants), Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants) and Rochester Hills, MI (3 grants).
Does Mary Thompson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Mary Thompson Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mary Thompson Foundation's largest grantees?
Mary Thompson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wings Home ($20,000), Pope Francis Center ($15,000) and The Helm ($13,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mary Thompson Foundation?
Mary Thompson Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $241K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $243K (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 Mary Thompson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide aid and assistance to the elderly through funding. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mary Thompson Foundation?
Mary Thompson Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check marythompsonfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Mary Thompson Foundation's EIN?
Mary Thompson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-1359097. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 29, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mary Thompson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mary Thompson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mary-thompson-foundation-morg_d95034669bbd4815852dab261a489cfa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_381359097_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mary Thompson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mary-thompson-foundation-morg_d95034669bbd4815852dab261a489cfa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Mary 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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