The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas

PEPPER PIKE, OH EIN: 34-1615922

The Joseph H and Ellen B Thomas Foundation is a private foundation established in 1989 and based in Pepper Pike, Ohio. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with no direct charitable activities, instead distributing funds to qualified institutions aligned with its philanthropic priorities.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.5M

+0.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$226K

-2.9% YoY

Grant Count

+5.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-7.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas reported a distributable amount of $261K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily funds educational purposes and community health initiatives. Recent grantmaking reflects a strong commitment to music education, healthcare services, and higher education institutions.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 50 grants in 2024, with recent recipients including:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations primarily in Ohio, with particular emphasis on the Cleveland area and surrounding communities.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $927K (93%)

Florida $24K (2%)

Maryland $18K (2%)

Massachusetts $16K (2%)

Virginia $7K (1%)

Pennsylvania $2K (0%)

District of Columbia $1K (0%)

New York $350 (0%)

+3 more states

States

District of Columbia Florida Indiana Massachusetts Maryland Nebraska New York Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Virginia

Cities

BeachwoodBeaufortBethesdaBostonChagrin FallsCincinnatiClevelandCleveland HeightsColumbusDelawareElmsfordFort MyersFt MyersGranvilleGrove CityHilton Head IslandIndianapolisKentKirtlandKirtland Hills

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2024:

Total Assets: $3,471,950
Total Revenues: $247,580
Total Expenses: $234,105
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$3,471,950	$3,440,322	$2,976,340
Revenue	$247,580	$357,701	$636,910
Expenses	$234,105	$240,380	$198,975
Qualifying Distributions	$225,505	$232,180	$190,775
Net Investment Income	$238,980	$349,501	$430,356
Distributable Amount	$260,748	$233,377	$237,896

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

249 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University Circle ($50,000), Cleveland Clinic ($44,905), Children's Guild ($25,950).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AS HOSPITAL HAITI PITTSBUGH, PA	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$100
AUDOBON SOCIETY NY, NY	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$50
BLUECOATS CLEVELAND, OH	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$100
BREAKTHROUGH SCHOOL CLEVELAND, OH	FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES	$500
CASE WESTERN RESERVE CLEVELAND, OH	FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES	$10,000
CITY CLUB CLEVELAND, OH	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$100
CHAGRIN FILM FESTIVAL CHAGRIN FALLS, OH	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$500
CHILDREN'S GUILD CHAGRIN FALLS, OH	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$25,950
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SILVER SPRINGS, MD	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$3,000
CHURCH OF THE WESTERN RESERVE CLEVELAND, OH	COMMUNITY HEALTH	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Joe Thomas has served as a Trustee of the Cleveland Institute of Music since July 1996. Both Joe and Ellen Thomas reside in Pepper Pike, Ohio, and have been actively involved in the foundation's philanthropic direction.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOSEPH H AND ELLEN B THOMAS	TRUSTEES	—	—
VIRGINIA H WYLDER	TRUSTEE	—	—
ELIZABETH H LEATHERY	TRUSTEE	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2019

In November 2019, the Cleveland Institute of Music dedicated its student lounge as the Ellen and Joe Thomas Student Commons in recognition of the Thomases' $600,000 gift designated for student scholarships. This gift brought their cumulative support to the conservatory to over $1.2 million, reflecting a philanthropic partnership spanning more than 25 years.

CIM Student Lounge Dedicated as the Ellen and Joe Thomas Student Commons

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas?

The foundation made 50 grants in 2024, with recent recipients including: • University Circle (UCI) — $50,000 for Community Health • Cleveland Clinic Health Services Professional Association — $44,905 for Community Health • Denison University — $25,000 for Educational Purposes An additional 25 grants totaling $140,005 were distributed in 2024. The foundation has demonstrated sustained commitment to certain institutions over extended periods, including over $1.2 million in cumulative support to t…

Where does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas make grants?

The foundation supports organizations primarily in Ohio, with particular emphasis on the Cleveland area and surrounding communities.

What size grants does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas award?

In 2024, The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas awarded 63 grants totaling $226K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas reported a distributable amount of $261K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.