The Ginkgo Fund
The Ginkgo Fund is a private foundation established in 1989 and based in Louisville, Kentucky. It operates as a family foundation with no employees and focuses on philanthropic grantmaking to support charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$36.0M
-0.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
+13.7% YoY
Grant Count
19
-9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$95K
+25.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ginkgo Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities center on human services and education. The fund also supports philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking initiatives.
Grantmaking
The Ginkgo Fund made 19 grants in its most recent reporting period. Recent grantees include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking priorities are primarily concentrated in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2025:
- Total Assets: $35,975,049
- Total Revenues: $1,857,847
- Total Expenses: $1,974,246
- Total Giving: $1,807,500
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $35,975,049 | $36,091,448 | $35,052,804 |
| Revenue | $1,857,847 | $2,829,878 | $835,152 |
| Expenses | $1,974,246 | $1,791,234 | $1,809,237 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,942,209 | $1,699,994 | $1,754,145 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,843,809 | $2,790,136 | $790,197 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,993,662 | $2,593,443 | $2,335,967 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Caltech ($400,000), National Philanthropic Trust ($260,000), Fcnl Education Fund ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMHERST COLLEGE AMHERST, MA | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $10,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF KENTUCKIANA LOUISVILLE, KY | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $75,000 |
| CALTECH PASADENA, CA | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $400,000 |
| CALTECH Y PASADENA, CA | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $50,000 |
| CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES LOUISVILLE, KY | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $100,000 |
| CHRISTOPHER 2X GAME CHANGERS LOUISVILLE, KY | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $60,000 |
| COMMUNITY PREPARATORY SCHOOL PROVIDENCE, RI | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $50,000 |
| FCNL EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $250,000 |
| FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE PHILADELPHIA, PA | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $40,000 |
| FRIENDS PUBLISHING CORPORATION PHILADELPHIA, PA | TO BE USED WITHIN EXEMPT FUNCTION | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Glenn E. Thomas — President
- Donald Vish — Executive Director and Assistant Secretary
- Ann Thomas — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLENN E THOMAS | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ANN THOMAS | VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 0.1 | — |
| STEPHEN B THOMAS | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.1 | — |
| NATHAN H THOMAS | TREASURER/ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 0.1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4350 Brownsboro Road, Suite 110, Louisville, KY 40207-1681
Phone: 502-893-4513
EIN: 61-1166955
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ginkgo Fund fund?
The foundation's giving priorities center on human services and education. The fund also supports philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking initiatives.
How do I apply for a grant from The Ginkgo Fund?
The Ginkgo Fund made 19 grants in its most recent reporting period. Recent grantees include: • National Philanthropic Trust ($260,000) • Friends Committee on National Legislation ($250,000) • Friends Publishing Corporation ($250,000) Grant amounts typically range from $2,000 to $475,000. The foundation distributed approximately $1,807,500 in total giving in its most recent fiscal year.
Where does The Ginkgo Fund make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities are primarily concentrated in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does The Ginkgo Fund award?
In 2025, The Ginkgo Fund awarded 19 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $95K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ginkgo Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Ginkgo Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ginkgo Fund's EIN?
The Ginkgo Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1166955. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ginkgo Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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