The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation
The Hester E. and Edwin W. Giddings Foundation is a private foundation based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 1927 by the Giddings’ children, it supports charitable organizations serving health, welfare, arts, education, and open-space preservation.
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation at a glance
In short: The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation gave $156K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Colorado. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $155,600
- +18.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,019
- +14.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $995,782
- +4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (11 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% 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 The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation
- How to Apply
-
No specific application form is required. The foundation requests a letter stating the amount requested, the purpose of the grant, and how it fits the organization’s overall purpose and budget. Information about the organization’s age, governance, and finances or budget is useful. IRS certification of tax-exempt status is required with each request. The foundation says grants are rarely made to agencies outside El Paso and Teller Counties.
- Review Cycle
- Requests must be received by September 30 for consideration at the annual allocations meeting.
- Deadline
- Requests must be received by September 30 for consideration at the annual allocations meeting.
- Contact
Application contact: Gregory L Thatcher
Mailing address: 534 Orchestra Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: (719) 577-4099
Email: gregg.thatcher@raymondjames.com
Website: https://thegiddingsfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Care & Share ($10K). Together the top 10 received $71K.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 142 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says grants are rarely made to agencies outside El Paso and Teller Counties. Its 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 31 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 64% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $95K (2022) to $156K (2025). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $156K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Care & Share Colorado Springs, CO | Childrens Nutrition Iniative | $10,000 |
| Early Connections Colorado Springs, CO | Support Educational and Childcare Programs | $10,000 |
| Chamber Orchestra Of The Springs Colorado Springs, CO | Operating Support | $8,000 |
| Project Angel Heart Denver, CO | Operating Support | $8,000 |
| Westside Cares Colorado Springs, CO | Household Stabilization Program | $7,500 |
| Colorado Springs Pro Housing Colorado Springs, CO | Operating Support | $7,000 |
| Cheyenne Village Colorado Springs, CO | Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Dream Centers Colorado Springs, CO | Marys Home/Womens Clinnic | $5,000 |
| Family Life Services Inc Colorado Springs, CO | Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Peak Education Colorado Springs, CO | Operating Support | $5,000 |
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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 | $995,782 | $240,989 | $194,235 | $155,600 | 31 | $158,848 | $209,948 | $137,908 |
| 2024 | $948,868 | $240,663 | $167,863 | $131,600 | 30 | $134,553 | $209,301 | $138,450 |
| 2023 | $875,745 | $185,384 | $149,569 | $118,600 | 29 | $122,815 | $159,252 | $122,810 |
| 2022 | $841,604 | $94,701 | $130,729 | $95,000 | 28 | $100,313 | $67,331 | $121,385 |
| 2021 | $877,632 | $145,440 | $142,846 | $110,000 | 24 | $113,776 | $119,875 | $117,943 |
| 2020 | $875,038 | $27,658 | $142,184 | $101,000 | 26 | — | $11,300 | $99,057 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation reported a distributable amount of $138K 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 website describes its grantmaking as supporting charitable health, welfare, arts-oriented, educational, and open-space preservation services.
Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span several of these areas. For example, Project Angel Heart says it improves health and well-being for people with life-threatening illnesses through medically tailored meals. Westside Cares says it provides physical, financial, and spiritual resources to neighbors in need. Atlas Preparatory School says it prepares students for post-graduate success through education, character development, and community engagement.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 31 grants totaling $155,600 in 2025. Its website says grants generally range from $500 to $5,000, though the 2025 filing lists awards from $2,000 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the larger 2025 awards listed were $10,000 to Care & Share for a children’s nutrition initiative; $10,000 to Early Connections for educational and childcare programs; $8,000 to Chamber Orchestra of the Springs for operating support; and $8,000 to Project Angel Heart for operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website identifies Gregory L. Thatcher as president.
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation is led by Gregory L. Thatcher, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gregory L. Thatcher
President
Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher T. Marsh
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel B. Thatcher
Trustee
President → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David G. Thatcher
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wilton W. Cogswell III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Pena
Student Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ella Cunningham
Student Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela T. Marsh
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Therese M. Thatcher
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tad Goodenbour
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Eva Mucino (2023–2024) — Student Trustee
- Former: Allyson Pena (2021–2023) — Student Trustee
- Former: Annie Wrubel (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Benjamin Barret Thatcher (2020–2021) — Student Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation
How much does The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation give each year?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation gave $156K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $132K across 30 grants.
What is The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's typical grant size?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,019, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation give grants?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Colorado Springs, CO (28 grants) and Denver, CO (2 grants).
Does The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's largest grantees?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Care & Share ($10,000), Early Connections ($10,000) and Chamber Orchestra Of The Springs ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation reported $996K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $159K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $138K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its grantmaking as supporting charitable health, welfare, arts-oriented, educational, and open-space preservation services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation?
No specific application form is required. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's EIN?
The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1266717. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-hester-e-and-edwin-w-giddings-foundation-morg_cd5da7a05d74411aab3d21931a379202
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841266717_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Hester E \& Edwin W Giddings Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-hester-e-and-edwin-w-giddings-foundation-morg_cd5da7a05d74411aab3d21931a379202},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 The Hester E & Edwin W Giddings 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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