The Ethan James Foundation
The Ethan James Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2024, it reported charitable activity that included grants to 11 organizations totaling $10,975 and a photographic preservation project documenting endangered sites and artifacts in Colorado and the United States.
The Ethan James Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ethan James Foundation gave $11K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $997.727), top state Colorado. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,975
- -58.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $998
- -66.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,712,917
- +1.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (46% 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 The Ethan James Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ethan James Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fairvote ($3K). Together the top 10 received $11K.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 48 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado (46%), Maryland (23%), Massachusetts (18%), Virginia (9%), and California (4%). Its stated photographic preservation project concerns endangered sites and artifacts in Colorado and the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Ethan James Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $996. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 69% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 52% 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 $11K (2024) to $35K (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $11K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fairvote Silver Spring, MD | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Denver Dumb Friends League Denver, CO | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Friends of Chamber Music Denver, CO | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Public Broadcasting of Colorado Inc Centennial, CO | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College Boston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College Boston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| University of Virginia Law School Foundation Charlottesville, VA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Denver Tennis Park Inc Denver, CO | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Friends of the Dillon Ranger District a Co Nonprof Silverthorne, CO | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
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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 | $1,712,917 | $92,311 | $63,071 | $10,975 | 11 | $56,606 | $116,787 | $107,932 |
| 2023 | $1,683,677 | $31,748 | $70,035 | $26,500 | 9 | $63,935 | $53,893 | $96,330 |
| 2022 | $1,721,964 | $40,264 | $72,720 | $27,975 | 11 | $71,920 | $42,222 | $96,195 |
| 2021 | $1,754,920 | $120,441 | $78,356 | $35,000 | 10 | $74,538 | $197,600 | $102,818 |
| 2020 | $1,712,835 | $1,403,410 | $59,146 | $19,000 | 7 | — | $144,552 | $70,610 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ethan James Foundation reported a distributable amount of $108K 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
The foundation’s stated direct charitable activity is a photographic preservation project intended to contribute to historic preservation by assisting with photographic documentation of endangered sites and artifacts in Colorado and the United States.
Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose own missions cover elections and voting reform, Colorado news and cultural programming, chamber music, animal welfare, youth-serving tennis, and higher education. For example, FairVote describes its work as researching and advancing voting reforms; Public Broadcasting of Colorado describes its mission as delivering news, music, and cultural experiences to people in Colorado; and Denver Dumb Friends League says it works to end pet homelessness and animal suffering. Friends of Chamber Music says it presents concerts to audiences and students, while Denver Tennis Park says it operates a youth-serving tennis facility and related programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $10,975. Grants ranged from $475 to $2,500, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest grant was $2,500 to FairVote in Silver Spring, Maryland. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Colorado College, Denver Dumb Friends League, Friends of Chamber Music, Public Broadcasting of Colorado, Trustees of Tufts College (two grants), and the University of Virginia Law School Foundation; and $500 each to Denver Tennis Park and Friends of the Dillon Ranger District. Pomona College received $475. The listed grants were for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Roger George as director; Janet Moore as director and vice president; and Brian K Thomson as director and president.
The Ethan James Foundation is led by Brian K Thomson, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian K Thomson
Director & President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $15K (2024)
Janet Moore
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger George
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $15K, to Brian K Thomson (Dir, Pres).
Frequently asked questions about The Ethan James Foundation
How much does The Ethan James Foundation give each year?
The Ethan James Foundation gave $11K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $27K across 9 grants.
What is The Ethan James Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ethan James Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $998, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ethan James Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does The Ethan James Foundation give grants?
The Ethan James Foundation's top state is Colorado, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (23%) and Massachusetts (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (3 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Ethan James Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Ethan James Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ethan James Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ethan James Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fairvote ($2,500), Trustees of Tufts College ($2,000 across 2 grants) and Colorado College ($1,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ethan James Foundation?
The Ethan James Foundation reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $57K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $108K (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 The Ethan James Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated direct charitable activity is a photographic preservation project intended to contribute to historic preservation by assisting with photographic documentation of endangered sites and artifacts in Colorado and the United States. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ethan James Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ethan James Foundation's EIN?
The Ethan James Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1566640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ethan James 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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