The Thomasson Foundation
The Thomasson Foundation is a private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including universities and organizations whose stated missions include education and Christian ministry.
The Thomasson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Thomasson Foundation gave $387K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), top state Ohio. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $387,260
- -0.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,390
- -0.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $165,206
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (6 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (28% 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 Thomasson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 80238, Indianapolis, IN 46280
Phone: (317) 805-5070
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thomasson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cedarville University ($100K). Together the top 10 received $265K.
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 170 grants of 173 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest reported shares were Ohio (28%), Indiana (21%), Florida (12%), Texas (10%), and Illinois (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Thomasson Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 34 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $302K (2021) to $554K (2020). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $387K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cedarville University Cedarville, OH | Education | $100,260 |
| Taylor University Upland, IN | Education | $30,000 |
| The CRU Foundation Orlando, FL | Missions | $26,250 |
| Mayo Foundation for Medical Education & Research Rochester, MN | Donation | $25,000 |
| Texas A&M University College Station, TX | Education | $20,000 |
| Wheaton College Wheaton, IL | Education | $20,000 |
| Mission Stream Meadow Vista, CA | Missions | $13,500 |
| Anderson University Anderson, SC | Education | $10,000 |
| Bob Jones University Greenville, SC | Education | $10,000 |
| Grace College Winona Lake, IN | Education | $10,000 |
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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 | $165,206 | $391,155 | $392,470 | $387,260 | 34 | $391,970 | $146,517 | $6,200 |
| 2024 | $166,521 | $249,019 | $394,657 | $389,312 | 34 | $394,598 | $24,530 | $9,896 |
| 2023 | $312,159 | $311,503 | $377,741 | $369,347 | 35 | $373,748 | $99,201 | $13,424 |
| 2022 | $378,397 | $647,042 | $382,020 | $376,438 | 37 | $380,159 | $195,156 | $12,443 |
| 2021 | $113,375 | $272,351 | $309,554 | $301,500 | 33 | $305,484 | $101,805 | $6,623 |
| 2020 | $150,578 | $670,658 | $560,178 | $554,250 | 31 | — | $307,235 | $6,270 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Thomasson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. In 2025, grant purposes included education, missions, and donation. The supported organizations’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work represented: Cedarville University says it transforms lives through education and intentional discipleship, while Taylor University describes its mission as developing servant-leaders to minister Christ’s redemptive love, grace, and truth. Wheaton College says it advances Jesus Christ’s kingdom through liberal arts and graduate education, and Southern Methodist University describes education through research and teaching as its primary mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $387,260. Grant amounts ranged from $750 to $100,260, with a median of $10,000. The largest award was $100,260 to Cedarville University for education. Other large grants included $30,000 to Taylor University for education, $26,250 to The Cru Foundation for missions, and $25,000 to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education & Research as a donation. Texas A&M University and Wheaton College each received $20,000 for education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jeffrey Thomasson as president, treasurer, secretary, and director; Benita Thomasson as vice president and director; and Brittany Thomasson Pittman and J Elliott Thomasson as vice presidents.
The Thomasson Foundation is led by Jeffrey Thomasson, President, Treasurer, Secrt. & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeffrey Thomasson
President, Treasurer, Secrt. & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Benita Thomasson
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. Elliott Thomasson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Brittany Thomasson Pittman
Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Brittany Thomasson (2020) — Vice President
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Thomasson Foundation
How much does The Thomasson Foundation give each year?
The Thomasson Foundation gave $387K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $389K across 34 grants.
What is The Thomasson Foundation's typical grant size?
The Thomasson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,390, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Thomasson Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Thomasson Foundation give grants?
The Thomasson Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 28% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Indiana (21%) and Florida (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Indianapolis, IN (6 grants), Orlando, FL (2 grants) and Wheaton, IL (2 grants).
Does The Thomasson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Thomasson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (15 grants), "Missions" (10 grants) and "Donation" (9 grants).
Who are The Thomasson Foundation's largest grantees?
The Thomasson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cedarville University ($100,260), Taylor University ($30,000) and The CRU Foundation ($26,250), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Thomasson Foundation?
The Thomasson Foundation reported $165K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $392K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Thomasson Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. In 2025, grant purposes included education, missions, and donation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thomasson 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 Thomasson Foundation's EIN?
The Thomasson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-1870799. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Thomasson 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.
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 April 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Thomasson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Thomasson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomasson-foundation-morg_4cb5caea45204e3191d1193c1c8ab079
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_351870799_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Thomasson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-thomasson-foundation-morg_4cb5caea45204e3191d1193c1c8ab079},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Thomasson 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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