The Jean E Thomson Foundation
The Jean E. Thomson Foundation is a private foundation based in Tacoma, Washington. It supports eligible nonprofit organizations in Tacoma, Seattle, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational categories.
The Jean E Thomson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jean E Thomson Foundation gave $85K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Washington. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $84,500
- -6.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,450
- -15.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $1,413,072
- -8.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (68% 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 Jean E Thomson Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website provides an application form for organizations to mail. Applicants must be IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organizations located in an eligible area and within one of its stated categories. The application must include an IRS determination letter and the most recent IRS tax return; the foundation states that financial statements are not accepted in place of the tax return. Its filing lists Kenneth Zajac as the application contact.
- Review Cycle
- October 1 each year; the foundation’s website says grants are usually awarded toward year-end.
- Deadline
- October 1 each year; the foundation’s website says grants are usually awarded toward year-end.
- Contact
Application contact: Kenneth Zajac
Mailing address: 1740 Karl Johan Avenue So, Tacoma, WA 98465
Phone: (253) 327-1861
Website: https://www.jeanethomsonfoundation.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 The Jean E Thomson Foundation
Who The Jean E Thomson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center ($15K). Together the top 10 received $85K.
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 53 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation considers organizations located in Tacoma or Seattle, Washington, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2025, 68% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington and 32% to recipients in Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Jean E Thomson Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) 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 $5K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% 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 (2020–2025). 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 $85K (2025) to $119K (2020). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $85K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle, WA | Research & Treatment | $15,000 |
| Nourish Pierce County Tacoma, WA | Emergency Services | $15,000 |
| Crescent Cove Respite & Hospice for Kids Brooklyn Center, MN | Specific Grant | $7,500 |
| Dwelling Place Columbia Heights, MN | Specific Grant | $7,500 |
| Mary Bridge Children's Foundation Tacoma, WA | Specific Grant | $7,500 |
| Olive Crest Bellevue, WA | Specific Grant | $7,500 |
| St Leo Food Connection Tacoma, WA | Emergency Services | $7,500 |
| Our Saviour's Community Services Minneapolis, MN | Emergency Services | $7,000 |
| Best Buddies Minnesota Minneapolis, MN | Specific Grant | $5,000 |
| Crisis Connections Seattle, WA | Specific Grant | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Jean E Thomson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,413,072 | $83,231 | $206,462 | $84,500 | 10 | $84,500 | $58,651 | $85,793 |
| 2024 | $1,538,303 | $176,132 | $212,478 | $90,000 | 9 | $90,000 | $152,499 | $88,573 |
| 2023 | $1,577,149 | $152,944 | $207,051 | $85,000 | 10 | $85,000 | $129,468 | $87,341 |
| 2022 | $1,631,256 | $60,998 | $216,724 | $93,000 | 12 | $93,000 | $35,656 | $94,821 |
| 2021 | $1,792,257 | $259,043 | $235,446 | $109,000 | 12 | $109,000 | $231,349 | $108,916 |
| 2020 | $1,768,660 | $69,129 | $247,283 | $118,500 | 13 | — | $40,205 | $106,779 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jean E Thomson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $86K 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 describes its purpose as supporting organizations whose contributions positively influence local community health, well-being, and the advancement of humanity. It also considers programs and research that advance treatments and cures for human diseases.
Its 2025 grants included $15,000 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, whose mission is to unite research and compassionate care to prevent and eliminate cancer and infectious disease, and $15,000 to Nourish Pierce County, which provides food to people in need. Other 2025 recipients included Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation ($7,500), whose mission is to partner for healing and a healthy future through philanthropy; Our Saviour’s Community Services ($7,000), whose English Language Center offers instruction and citizenship classes to adult immigrants and refugees; and Crisis Connections ($5,000), whose mission is to foster resilience and well-being through accessible, compassionate support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $84,500 through 10 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $15,000, with a median grant of $7,500. Recipients included Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Nourish Pierce County ($15,000 each), Crescent Cove Respite & Hospice for Kids, Dwelling Place, Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation, Olive Crest, and St Leo Food Connection ($7,500 each), Our Saviour’s Community Services ($7,000), and Best Buddies Minnesota and Crisis Connections ($5,000 each).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kenneth J. Zajac as president, Debbie L. Zajac as vice president, and Cindy Baldwin and Crystal V. Godfrey as directors.
The Jean E Thomson Foundation is led by Kenneth J. Zajac, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenneth J. Zajac
President
On filings since 2020
11.1 hrs/week
$47K (2020) → $47K (2025)
Cindy Baldwin
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Crystal V. Godfrey
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Debbie L. Zajac
Vice President
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$41K (2020) → $41K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $47K, to Kenneth J Zajac (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Jean E Thomson Foundation
How much does The Jean E Thomson Foundation give each year?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation gave $85K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $90K across 9 grants.
What is The Jean E Thomson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $8,450, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jean E Thomson Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Jean E Thomson Foundation give grants?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (32%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tacoma, WA (3 grants), Seattle, WA (2 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (2 grants).
Does The Jean E Thomson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Jean E Thomson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Specific Grant" (6 grants) and "Emergency Services" (3 grants).
Who are The Jean E Thomson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center ($15,000), Nourish Pierce County ($15,000) and Crescent Cove Respite & Hospice for Kids ($7,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jean E Thomson Foundation?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $85K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $86K (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 Jean E Thomson Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its purpose as supporting organizations whose contributions positively influence local community health, well-being, and the advancement of humanity. It also considers programs and research that advance treatments and cures for human diseases. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jean E Thomson Foundation?
The foundation’s website provides an application form for organizations to mail. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Jean E Thomson Foundation's EIN?
The Jean E Thomson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1962581. 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jean E Thomson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Jean E Thomson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-jean-e-thomson-foundation-morg_55b7746848db42e3ae1a77cbc89d783a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_911962581_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Jean E Thomson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-jean-e-thomson-foundation-morg_55b7746848db42e3ae1a77cbc89d783a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Jean E Thomson 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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