The Thrift Shop
The Thrift Shop is a public charity based in Aspen, Colorado. It sells donated goods and makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the Roaring Fork Valley, as well as providing scholarships to local high school graduates.
The Thrift Shop at a glance
In short: The Thrift Shop gave $158K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $157,500
- +12.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,848
- +2.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,500
- Total assets
- $2,893,593
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Thrift Shop
- How to Apply
-
The shop offers one application cycle per year. Its 2026 application deadline was September 30, 2025, and the website states that it is no longer accepting applications for 2026. The Grants Committee was scheduled to communicate with applicants in early January 2026. The website does not specify application materials.
- Review Cycle
- The stated deadline for the 2026 cycle, September 30, 2025, has passed.
- Deadline
- The stated deadline for the 2026 cycle, September 30, 2025, has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 126, Aspen, CO 81612
Phone: (970) 925-8292
Website: https://aspenthriftshop.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thrift Shop funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Blue Lake Preschool ($9K). Together the top 10 received $77K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 61 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website describes eligible grant recipients as locally based organizations, primarily from Aspen to Carbondale, that benefit the community and do not promote a particular political or religious ideology. In filing year 2025, all grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Thrift Shop gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2021) to $192K (2019). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $158K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Lake Preschool Carbondale, CO | To Provide Youth Education | $9,000 |
| Early Learning Center Aspen, CO | To Support Early Education | $9,000 |
| Alpine Legal Services Glenwood Spring, CO | — | $8,000 |
| Aspen Family Connections Aspen, CO | To Provide a Family Resource Center | $7,500 |
| Aspen Youth Center Aspen, CO | To Provide Services to Youth | $7,500 |
| Family Resource Center RFSD Carbondale, CO | Provide Support to Children | $7,500 |
| Summit 54 Aspen, CO | To Provide Education | $7,500 |
| Carbondale Arts Carbondale, CO | To Provide Art Education | $7,000 |
| English in Action CNDC Basalt, CO | To Provide Support for Immigrants | $7,000 |
| Forest Conservancy Carbondale, CO | To Provide Forest Services | $7,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,893,593 | $1,116,313 | $1,075,812 | $157,500 | 23 | $44,049 |
| 2024 | $2,785,844 | $1,028,807 | $1,012,762 | $140,500 | 21 | $57,114 |
| 2023 | $2,706,861 | $1,013,450 | $851,407 | $72,500 | 11 | $20,610 |
| 2022 | $2,492,397 | $824,986 | $722,371 | $41,000 | 6 | $-1,394 |
| 2021 | $2,533,941 | $591,584 | $346,479 | $1,500 | Total only | $19,480 |
| 2020 | $2,230,084 | $257,304 | $415,809 | $40,000 | 5 | $64,044 |
| 2019 | $2,350,817 | $889,399 | $898,096 | $191,500 | 24 | $15,115 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s website states that its mission is to sell donated goods at affordable prices, make grants to other nonprofit organizations in the Roaring Fork Valley, and provide scholarships to Roaring Fork Valley area high school graduates. Its 2025 filing says its mission includes funding local civic and educational projects and assisting local students with higher-education needs.
The shop’s grant recipients include organizations working in early education, legal services, youth development, arts, family education and support, recovery, and conservation. For example, Blue Lake Preschool describes its mission as providing early childhood education and supporting families; Aspen Youth Center describes its work as providing a safe, supportive out-of-school environment for youth in grades 4–12; and Wilderness Workshop describes its mission as protecting western Colorado’s public-land wilderness, water, and wildlife. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the funder’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, The Thrift Shop gave 23 grants totaling $157,500. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $9,000, with a median of $6,500. Notable recipients included Blue Lake Preschool and Early Learning Center ($9,000 each), Alpine Legal Services ($8,000), Aspen Family Connections, Aspen Youth Center, Family Resource Center RFSD, and Summit 54 ($7,500 each), and Carbondale Arts and English in Action CNDC ($7,000 each).
The website says the shop runs one grant cycle per calendar year, with grants disbursed throughout the year. It says grants may support new or existing programs or general operating expenses; organizations with annual operating budgets over $3.5 million are encouraged to request program-specific funding. Eligible applicants must be currently tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3) and have existed for at least one year. Requests from individuals and pass-through organizations are not eligible. Individual entities within a 501(c)(3), such as school sports teams or affiliated programs, may apply once a year. Private educational facilities may receive grants when the specific program benefits the wider community. The guidelines say grants start at $500 and rarely exceed $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Lynda MacCarthy, co-treasurer; Cathy Click Moffroid, Diane Wallace, Bobbi Carson, and Tracy Richmond, board members; Jamie Rich and Robin Haugland, co-secretaries; Margie Throm, co-treasurer and president; Erica Murray, co-president; and Wendy Burge, secretary.
The Thrift Shop is led by Margie Throm, Co Treasurer & President since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Margie Throm
Co Treasurer & President
Co-Treasurer → Co President, 2020
Co President → Co Treasurer & President, 2023
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erica Murray
Co President
Secretary → Co Secretary, 2023
Co Secretary → Co President, 2025
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bobbi Carson
Board Member
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Wallace
Board Member
Co-President → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynda Maccarthy
Co-Treasurer
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shereen Sarick
Board Member
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Soldner
Board Member
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Stranahan
Board Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Haugland
Co Secretary
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Richmond
Board Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Click Moffroid
Board Member
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Rich
Co-Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Nichols
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susanne Morrison
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Burge
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Carolyn Moore (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica Salet (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Judy Schramm (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Karen Ryman (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Katherine Sand (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Shauna Young (2019–2024) — Co President
- Former: Ellen Walbert (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Gail Nichols (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Melissa Bowers (2019–2022) — Co- Treasurer
- Former: Patti Stranahan (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Lynn Tanno (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Vicki Hale (2019–2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Thrift Shop
How much does The Thrift Shop give each year?
The Thrift Shop gave $158K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $141K across 21 grants.
What is The Thrift Shop's typical grant size?
The Thrift Shop's median grant in 2025 was $6,500, and its average grant was $6,848, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Thrift Shop give grants?
The Thrift Shop gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Carbondale, CO (9 grants), Aspen, CO (8 grants), Basalt, CO (4 grants) and Glenwood Spring, CO (2 grants).
Does The Thrift Shop give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on The Thrift Shop's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Thrift Shop's largest grantees?
The Thrift Shop's largest 2025 grantees include Blue Lake Preschool ($9,000), Early Learning Center ($9,000) and Alpine Legal Services ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Thrift Shop?
The Thrift Shop reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.1M.
What does The Thrift Shop fund?
The organization’s website states that its mission is to sell donated goods at affordable prices, make grants to other nonprofit organizations in the Roaring Fork Valley, and provide scholarships to Roaring Fork Valley area high school graduates. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thrift Shop?
The shop offers one application cycle per year. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Thrift Shop's EIN?
The Thrift Shop's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2291594. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 26, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Thrift Shop's focus areas in our free grants database
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More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Thrift Shop funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-thrift-shop-morg_57a4bb8074fe4498bcb14d32416cd799
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742291594_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Thrift Shop funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-thrift-shop-morg_57a4bb8074fe4498bcb14d32416cd799},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Thrift Shop'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.
The Thrift Shop down — hundreds of funders to go?