The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas is a private foundation based in Pepper Pike, Ohio. It made 63 grants totaling $225,505 in 2024, with listed grant purposes including community health and educational purposes.
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas at a glance
In short: The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas gave $226K across 63 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Ohio. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $225,505
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 63
- +5.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,579
- -7.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $400
- Total assets
- $3,471,950
- +0.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (11 of 63, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (94% 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 Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas
- How to Apply
-
Any form of application is acceptable; the filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- Not applicable.
- Deadline
- Not applicable.
- Contact
Application contact: Joseph H Thomas
Mailing address: 50 Glenbrooke Chase, Pepper Pike, OH 44124
Phone: (216) 292-5971
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University Circle ($50K). Together the top 10 received $186K.
Grant Size Distribution
277 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 275 grants of 277 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Ohio recipients accounted for 94% of grant dollars. The filing also lists shares for Massachusetts (2%), the District of Columbia (1%), Maryland (1%), and Virginia (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 63 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 63 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $745; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 $191K (2022) to $234K (2021). In 2024 it made 63 grants totaling $226K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University Circle Cleveland, OH | Community Health | $50,000 |
| Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, OH | Community Health | $44,905 |
| Children's Guild Chagrin Falls, OH | Community Health | $25,950 |
| Denison University Granville, OH | For Educational Purposes | $25,000 |
| Case Western Reserve Cleveland, OH | For Educational Purposes | $10,000 |
| United Way Cleveland, OH | Community Health | $10,000 |
| Church of the Western Reserve Cleveland, OH | Community Health | $5,000 |
| Overland Summer Fund Williamstown, MA | For Educational Purposes | $5,000 |
| Playhouse Square Cleveland, OH | For Educational Purposes | $5,000 |
| Stpaul's Church Cleveland Heights, OH | Community Health | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas?
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 | $3,471,950 | $247,580 | $234,105 | $225,505 | 63 | $225,505 | $238,980 | $260,748 |
| 2023 | $3,440,322 | $357,701 | $240,380 | $232,180 | 60 | $232,180 | $349,501 | $233,377 |
| 2022 | $2,976,340 | $636,910 | $198,975 | $190,775 | 49 | $190,775 | $430,356 | $237,896 |
| 2021 | $3,023,865 | $657,952 | $241,242 | $233,760 | 50 | $233,760 | $456,591 | $232,785 |
| 2020 | $2,722,551 | $-82,381 | $207,535 | $200,355 | 55 | — | $153,527 | $178,352 |
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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for community health and educational purposes. Among its grantees, the Cleveland Institute of Music describes its mission as empowering talented classical music students to fulfill their potential. The Cleveland Museum of Art says it serves as both a comprehensive art museum and a civic and cultural institution in Northeast Ohio. University Circle Incorporated describes the district as home to arts, educational, and medical institutions and public spaces.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 63 grants totaling $225,505. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $50,000, with a median grant of $400. The largest listed awards were $50,000 to University Circle for community health, $44,905 to Cleveland Clinic for community health, $25,950 to Children’s Guild for community health, and $25,000 to Denison University for educational purposes. Other listed grants included $10,000 each to Case Western Reserve for educational purposes and United Way for community health.
The foundation stated that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Any form of application is acceptable, and restrictions on awards are listed as not applicable.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph H and Ellen B Thomas, Virginia H Wylder, and Elizabeth H Leathery as trustees.
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth H. Leathery
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Virginia H. Wylder
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Joseph H. And Ellen B. Thomas
Trustees
On filings since 2020
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas
How much does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas give each year?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas gave $226K across 63 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $232K across 60 grants.
What is The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's typical grant size?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's median grant in 2024 was $400, and its average grant was $3,579, across 63 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas that year got $745 on average.
Where does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas give grants?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas gives mostly in Ohio: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (30 grants), Columbus, OH (5 grants), Chagrin Falls, OH (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 63 grants with a stated purpose on The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Health" (40 grants) and "For Educational Purposes" (21 grants).
Who are The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's largest grantees?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's largest 2024 grantees include University Circle ($50,000), Cleveland Clinic ($44,905) and Children's Guild ($25,950), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $226K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $261K (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 Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for community health and educational purposes. Among its grantees, the Cleveland Institute of Music describes its mission as empowering talented classical music students to fulfill their potential. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas?
Any form of application is acceptable; the filing lists no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's EIN?
The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1615922. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-joseph-h-and-ellen-b-thomas-morg_76274bac562a4a3eb507ccaf1cfe04f8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341615922_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joseph H \& Ellen B Thomas funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-joseph-h-and-ellen-b-thomas-morg_76274bac562a4a3eb507ccaf1cfe04f8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Joseph H & Ellen B Thomas'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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