The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo is a private foundation based in Jacksonville, Florida. It makes grants to organizations, with 2025 awards supporting recipients in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo at a glance
In short: The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo gave $2.0M across 159 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Florida. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,041,000
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 159
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,836
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $50,035,060
- +6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (15 of 150, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Martha J. Jenks Sawyer as the contact and “Statement 13” as the form and materials. It gives no deadline. Grants are to be made to aid religious, educational, cultural, charitable, scientific, and literary institutions.
- Contact
Application contact: Martha Jenks Sawyer
Mailing address: 2720 Park St Ste 211, Jacksonville, FL 32205
Phone: (904) 384-0440
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jacksonville Museum of Science and History ($125K). Together the top 10 received $555K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($100,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
813 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 788 grants of 813 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 54% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida and 44% to recipients in Georgia; Tennessee and North Carolina each received 1%. Examples include grants to Jacksonville-area organizations in Florida and to organizations in Bainbridge, Thomasville, and other Georgia communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 159 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 150 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 $1.9M (2022) to $2.3M (2020). In 2025 it made 159 grants totaling $2.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Museum of Science and History Jacksonville, FL | Genesis capital campaign to fund a new museum facility | $125,000 |
| Jack Hadley Black History Museum Thomasville, GA | Maintenance of museum to honor black history and support of the jack hadley yards capital campaign project | $100,000 |
| Ascension St Vincents Foundation Jacksonville, FL | Annual giving fund to provide the economically challenged with health care | $50,000 |
| Atlanta Ronald McDonald Charities Inc Atlanta, GA | A new world of care capital campaign to expand the existing facility to serve families of sick children | $50,000 |
| Baptist Health Foundation Jacksonville, FL | Appreciative Inquiry Nursing Program at Baptist Medical Ctr. | $50,000 |
| Friends with Jesus Bainbridge, GA | After school and summer programs for at risk youth | $50,000 |
| YMCA of the Georgia Sunbelt Moultrie, GA | Providing Health and Counseling Services to Bainbridge, GA | $50,000 |
| 3 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $80,000 |
| Arc Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL | Arc Jacksonville Lodge | $30,000 |
| Bainbridge Memorial Health Foundation Bainbridge, GA | Healthcare Services to the Poor and Indigent | $25,000 |
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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 | $50,035,060 | $2,872,430 | $2,482,688 | $2,041,000 | 159 | $2,168,211 | $2,584,297 | $2,342,655 |
| 2024 | $46,940,680 | $2,143,662 | $2,368,350 | $1,976,000 | 159 | $2,082,436 | $1,873,006 | $2,248,447 |
| 2023 | $43,718,475 | $1,251,596 | $2,293,683 | $1,946,500 | 163 | $2,050,753 | $1,024,875 | $2,032,092 |
| 2022 | $39,632,307 | $2,133,295 | $2,296,397 | $1,913,500 | 164 | $2,017,506 | $1,801,125 | $2,066,830 |
| 2021 | $49,239,618 | $2,634,658 | $2,441,146 | $2,022,742 | 168 | $2,128,130 | $2,353,347 | $2,304,091 |
| 2020 | $44,827,230 | $1,181,808 | $2,687,573 | $2,349,500 | 157 | — | $943,862 | $1,985,081 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo reported a distributable amount of $2.3M 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
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its filing identifies the types of institutions its grants may aid: religious, educational, cultural, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of supported work. Friends With Jesus describes its work as spreading the Gospel and strengthening the community through free programs. An individual recipient Agricultural College Foundation says it advances education by supporting the college, its faculty, staff, and students. Clara White Mission describes its work as preventing and reducing homelessness through housing, job training, employment, advocacy, and community partnerships. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 159 grants totaling $2,041,000. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $125,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $125,000 to Jacksonville Museum of Science and History for a capital campaign for a new museum facility; $100,000 to Jack Hadley Black History Museum for museum maintenance and a capital campaign; and $50,000 each to Ascension St Vincents Foundation for health care for people facing economic hardship, Atlanta Ronald McDonald Charities for a facility expansion, and Friends With Jesus for after-school and summer programs for at-risk youth. Other reported awards included $45,000 to an individual recipient Agricultural College Foundation for scholarships and $25,000 to Downtown Ecumenical Services for a facility providing food, clothing, and financial assistance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following trustees: Charles H. Kirbo Jr., Martha J. Sawyer, Betsy Anne Kirbo, and Thomas M. Jenks.
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Betsy Anne Kirbo
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $20K (2025)
Charles H. Kirbo Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $20K (2025)
Martha J. Sawyer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $44K (2025)
Thomas M. Jenks
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $20K (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 $44K, to Martha J Sawyer (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo
How much does The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo give each year?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo gave $2.0M across 159 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.0M across 159 grants.
What is The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's typical grant size?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,836, across 159 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo give grants?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo gives mostly in Florida: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (44%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jacksonville, FL (75 grants), Atlanta, GA (15 grants), Bainbridge, GA (10 grants) and Athens, GA (6 grants).
Does The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 159) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Student Scholarship Fund" (3 grants).
Who are The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's largest grantees?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's largest 2025 grantees include Jacksonville Museum of Science and History ($125,000), Jack Hadley Black History Museum ($100,000) and Ascension St Vincents Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($100,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo reported $50.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (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 Thomas M and Irene Kirbo fund?
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its filing identifies the types of institutions its grants may aid: religious, educational, cultural, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo?
The filing lists Martha J. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's EIN?
The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-6197946. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 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 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomas-m-and-irene-kirbo-morg_7301a33a2abd49ef89dee0dcc43ddd85
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_596197946_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Thomas M and Irene Kirbo funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomas-m-and-irene-kirbo-morg_7301a33a2abd49ef89dee0dcc43ddd85},
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 Thomas M and Irene Kirbo'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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