The Thiel Foundation
The Thiel Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Its website lists the Thiel Fellowship and Imitatio, a René Girard research site, as programs, and says the foundation backs people working on hard problems that otherwise would not get solved.
Key facts about The Thiel Foundation
In short: The Thiel Foundation gave $1.0M across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $84K), top state Virginia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-3846597
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,012,338
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $84,362
- Median grant
- $64,000
- Total assets
- $45,244,823
- Primary geography
- Virginia (42% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$45.2M
+1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
-76.6% YoY
Grant Count
12
-79.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$84K
+14.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thiel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Thiel Foundation gives
- Giving fell 90% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 146% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes its support in terms of backing people working on hard problems. Its listed programs include Imitatio, which is identified as a René Girard research site.
Among its 2024 grantees, Lumen Christi Institute received $63,000. The institute describes its mission as making the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of university culture, enriching academic communities with Catholic thought, and forming leaders.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $1,012,338. Grant amounts ranged from $8,000 to $426,775, with a median of $64,000. The largest grant was $426,775 to DonorTrust in Alexandria, Virginia, for a general foundation grant. Other grants included $95,000 to James Alison, $80,000 each to Association Recherches Mimétiques and Benoit Chantre, and $65,000 each to Cynthia Haven and Mark Anspach. These were listed as Imitatio grants.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar shares by recipient state included Virginia (42%), Illinois (16%), California (8%), and Georgia (1%); a further 33% was listed with the state unspecified.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2024) to $9.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Donorstrust ($427K). Together the top 10 received $993K.
Grant Size Distribution
234 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 123 grants of 234 (53%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Donorstrust Alexandria, VA | General Foundation Grant | $426,775 |
| James Alison | Imitatio Grant | $95,000 |
| Association Recherches Mimetiques | Imitatio Grant | $80,000 |
| Benoit Chantre | Imitatio Grant | $80,000 |
| Cynthia Haven Stanford, CA | Imitatio Grant | $65,000 |
| Mark Anspach | Imitatio Grant | $65,000 |
| Lumen Christi Institute Chicago, IL | Imitatio Grant | $63,000 |
| Glass Darkly Films Inc Bourbonnais, IL | Imitatio Grant | $53,313 |
| Samuel Sorich Bourbonnais, IL | Imitatio Grant | $50,000 |
| Adeodatus Pasadena, CA | General Foundation Grant | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $45,244,823 | $454,852 | $3,922,878 | $1,012,338 |
| 2023 | $44,447,969 | $8,240,688 | $3,316,210 | $4,334,013 |
| 2022 | $28,591,177 | $5,743,115 | $7,433,736 | $4,668,150 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $45,244,823 | $44,447,969 | $28,591,177 |
| Revenue | $454,852 | $8,240,688 | $5,743,115 |
| Expenses | $3,922,878 | $3,316,210 | $7,433,736 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,420,251 | $4,949,888 | $5,056,776 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $2,727,422 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $2,347,887 | $3,522,320 | $2,579,381 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Peter Thiel as chairman of the board; David Wheelock as president; and Blake Masters, Jason Camm, and Matthew Alexander as directors. The foundation’s website identifies Peter Thiel as founder and Clare O’Brien as foundation administrator.
The Thiel Foundation is led by David Wheelock, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Wheelock
President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Thiel
Chairman of the Board
Chairmain of → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Blake Masters
Director
President → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Camm
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Alexander
Director
Treasurer & Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Ajay Royan (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Sonia Arrison (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Brian Rowen (2021–2022) — President
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 2121 Avenue Of The Stars 3300, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: (323) 990-2000
Website: https://thielfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Thiel Foundation
How much does The Thiel Foundation give each year?
The Thiel Foundation gave $1.0M across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.3M across 59 grants.
What is The Thiel Foundation's typical grant size?
The Thiel Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $64,000, and its average grant was $84,362, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Thiel Foundation give grants?
The Thiel Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (16%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bourbonnais, IL (2 grants).
Does The Thiel Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 17% of The Thiel Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Imitatio Grant" (10 grants).
Who are The Thiel Foundation's largest grantees?
The Thiel Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Donorstrust ($426,775), James Alison ($95,000) and Association Recherches Mimetiques ($80,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Thiel Foundation?
The Thiel Foundation reported $45.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Thiel Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its support in terms of backing people working on hard problems. Its listed programs include Imitatio, which is identified as a René Girard research site. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thiel Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Thiel Foundation's EIN?
The Thiel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3846597. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Thiel Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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