The Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds are a Phoenix, Arizona, public charity that hosts the WM Phoenix Open and supports community organizations through charitable giving. The organization says its purpose is to promote Phoenix and the metropolitan area through athletic events and financial assistance to amateur athletes and youth-oriented charities.
The Thunderbirds at a glance
In short: The Thunderbirds gave $12.6M across 57 grants in 2025 (avg $220K), mostly in Arizona. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $12,551,854
- +0.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 57
- +26.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $220,208
- -20.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $77,744,819
- +16.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (14 of 57, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Thunderbirds
- Contact
Mailing address: 7226 N 16Th St 100, Phoenix, AZ 85020
Phone: (602) 870-0163
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Thunderbirds funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Thunderbirds Charities ($10.0M). Together the top 10 received $11.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
220 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 171 grants of 220 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant-dollar distribution was 98% to Arizona recipients, 1% to Florida, and 1% to Georgia; California and Virginia each accounted for 0% as reported. The organization’s stated purpose centers on Phoenix and the Phoenix metropolitan area, and its filing describes the WM Phoenix Open as raising money for Arizona charities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Thunderbirds open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 57 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $16K; repeat grants $287K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 $2.6M (2021) to $12.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 57 grants totaling $12.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Thunderbirds Charities Phoenix, AZ | Community Service | $10,026,308 |
| Thunderbirds Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Growth of Game | $497,000 |
| Change the Course BEF Portland, AZ | Environmental | $323,334 |
| First Tee of Phoenix (The) Phoenix, AZ | Youth Development | $304,500 |
| Junior Golf Association of Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Youth Development | $207,500 |
| Arizona Community Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Community Service | $160,000 |
| PGA Tour First Tee Foundation Inc Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | Youth Development | $100,000 |
| Phoenix Panhellenic Association Scottsdale, AZ | Education | $92,394 |
| American Junior Golf Foundation Braselton, GA | Health/Human Service | $70,000 |
| Waste Not AZ Scottsdale, AZ | Community Service | $56,666 |
Ready to take the next step with The Thunderbirds?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $77,744,819 | $123,272,559 | $111,955,641 | $12,551,854 | 57 | $2,606,314 |
| 2024 | $66,570,797 | $117,217,368 | $102,916,230 | $12,525,601 | 45 | $1,424,385 |
| 2023 | $44,363,845 | $110,857,418 | $102,211,158 | $9,225,842 | 52 | $349,230 |
| 2022 | $33,696,955 | $84,390,943 | $77,664,373 | $8,844,362 | 43 | $660,046 |
| 2021 | $29,379,853 | $17,157,087 | $23,293,799 | $2,576,917 | 23 | $629,631 |
| 2020 | $25,753,853 | $67,396,723 | $68,490,357 | $11,623,060 | 59 | $780,158 |
| 2019 | $26,594,766 | $61,564,761 | $59,398,661 | $11,052,234 | 50 | $746,831 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Thunderbirds’ stated purpose is “to publicize the City of Phoenix, Arizona, and the Phoenix metropolitan area, by sponsoring athletic events and by providing financial assistance to amateur athletes and youth-oriented charities.” Its 2024 filing describes support for youth and family programs and for high school, college, and amateur athletics.
The 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley says it empowers young people to reach their potential as community members; the Arizona Community Foundation says its mission is to mobilize enduring philanthropy for a better Arizona; and the PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation says First Tee helps kids build character through golf and life-skills programming. These are the grantees’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, The Thunderbirds reported 57 grants totaling $12,551,854. Grant amounts ranged from $5,107 to $10,026,308, with a median of $15,000.
The largest listed grant was $10,026,308 to Thunderbirds Charities for community service. Other large grants included $497,000 to Thunderbirds Foundation for growth of the game; $323,334 to Change the Course BEF for environmental purposes; $304,500 to First Tee of Phoenix for youth development; and $207,500 to Junior Golf Association of Arizona for youth development.
The organization’s website describes Thunderbirds Charities as its charitable giving arm. In its 2024 Fall funding cycle, Thunderbirds Charities awarded more than $4.8 million to 70 Valley charities. Among the grants highlighted were $1 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, $500,000 to The Phoenix Zoo, and $200,000 each to Barrow Neurological Foundation and A New Leaf.
The 2024 filing states that The Thunderbirds vet organizations to ensure they are legitimate charities or that contributions will be used for charitable purposes. It says no further monitoring is considered necessary based on that pre-grant vetting process.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists George Thimsen as Big Chief, Jason Adler as Little Chief, John Damiris as Medicine Man, Brandon Stein as Mis Chief, and Tom Grace as Sachem, all for 2024–25. It also lists Matt Mooney as Active (Tournament Chairman), Bull Earnhardt and Jason Pritchett as directors and active members, and Tony Petelin and Carlos Sugich as directors and life members for 2024–25.
The Thunderbirds is led by Chance Cozby, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 7 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chance Cozby
Executive Director
Executive Director → Tb Executive Director, 2024
Tb Executive Director → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
38 hrs/week
$529K (2021) → $666K (2025)
Carlos Sugich
Director-Life Member
Past Big Chief → Director, 2021
Director → Director-Life Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Petelin
Director-Life Member
Medicine Man → Director - Active Member, 2021
Director - Active Member → Director-Life Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Mooney
Non Tbird Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bull Earnhardt
Director - Active Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Pritchett
Director - Active Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Pacheco
Non Tbird Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Simpson
CFO
On filings since 2019
38 hrs/week
$205K (2019) → $288K (2025)
Cheryl C. Hussey
Tournament Chairmans Executive Assistant
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$122K (2022) → $161K (2025)
Cheryl R. Ruggiero
Thunderbirds Charities Coordinator
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$122K (2022) → $165K (2025)
John Willard Goff
Event Build Manager
Event Manager → Event Build Manager, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$110K (2022) → $150K (2025)
Laura L. Moore
Sales & Marketing Coordinator
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$131K (2022) → $170K (2025)
Jonathan Jones
Event Build Manager
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$145K (2024) → $177K (2025)
George Thimsen
Big Chief
Mis Chief → Active, 2024
Active → Big Chief, 2025
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pat Williams
1st Past Big Chief
Active → Big Chief, 2024
Big Chief → 1st Past Big Chief, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Damiris
Medicine Man
Little Chief → Medicine Man, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Adler
Little Chief
Mis Chief → Little Chief, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Mooney
Active
Little Chief → Active, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Stein
Mis Chief
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Grace
Sachem
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (41)
- Former: Brandon Bell (2021–2024) — Mis Chief
- Former: Brent Tally (2021–2024) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Darryl Berger (2022–2024) — Medicine Man
- Former: Michael Golding (2022–2024) — 1st Past Big Chief
- Former: Jeri Williams (2023–2024) — Non Tbird Director
- Former: Andy Markham (2024) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Blake Marum (2024) — Director - Active Member
- Former: David Baum (2024) — Little Chief
- Former: Josh Isner (2024) — Director - Active Member
- Former: Josh Swift (2024) — Sachem
- Former: Tim Chester (2020–2023) — Medicine Man
- Former: Scott Jenkins (2021–2023) — Past Big Chief
- Former: Dan Mahoney (2023) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Geoff Turbow (2023) — Sachem
- Former: Jason Wood (2023) — Director - Active Member
- Former: Kevin Kopp (2023) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Steven C. Cozby (2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Molly Carson (2020–2022) — Thunderbirds Charities Board Member
- Former: Timothy Woods (2021–2022) — Past Big Chief
- Former: Chris Camacho (2022) — Director - Life Member
- Former: Danny Calihan (2022) — Director
- Former: Dave King (2022) — Mis Chief
- Former: Ian Swiergol (2022) — Medicine Man
- Former: Jason Goldman (2022) — Sachem
- Former: Keith Bierman (2022) — Director - Life Member
- Former: John Bridger (2019–2021) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Jason Eisenberg (2020–2021) — Director - Active Member
- Former: Jodi Noble (2020–2021) — Tb Charities Board Member
- Former: Craig Weems (2021) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Rustin Roach (2021) — Medicine Man
- Former: Tom King (2021) — Director-Life Member
- Former: Billy Malkovich (2020) — Medicine Man
- Former: Chris Janson (2020) — Mis Chief
- Former: Ed Grant (2020) — Director - Active Member
- Former: John Creighton (2020) — Life Member
- Former: Tim Woods (2020) — Tournament Chairman
- Former: Tom Altieri (2020) — Life Member
- Former: Ben Heglie (2019) — Director - Active Member
- Former: Kevin Calihan (2019) — Little Chief
- Former: Mike Bianco (2019) — Mis Chief
- Former: Tyler Kent (2019) — Sachem
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $666K, to Chance Cozby (Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Thunderbirds
How much does The Thunderbirds give each year?
The Thunderbirds gave $12.6M across 57 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $12.5M across 45 grants.
What is The Thunderbirds's typical grant size?
The Thunderbirds's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $220,208, across 57 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Thunderbirds that year got $16K on average.
Where does The Thunderbirds give grants?
The Thunderbirds gives mostly in Arizona: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (30 grants), Scottsdale, AZ (6 grants), Mesa, AZ (3 grants) and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (2 grants).
Does The Thunderbirds give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 57 grants with a stated purpose on The Thunderbirds's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Service" (18 grants), "Health/Human Service" (15 grants) and "Youth Development" (10 grants).
Who are The Thunderbirds's largest grantees?
The Thunderbirds's largest 2025 grantees include Thunderbirds Charities ($10,026,308), Thunderbirds Foundation ($497,000) and Change the Course BEF ($323,334), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Thunderbirds?
The Thunderbirds reported $77.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $123.3M.
What does The Thunderbirds fund?
The Thunderbirds’ stated purpose is “to publicize the City of Phoenix, Arizona, and the Phoenix metropolitan area, by sponsoring athletic events and by providing financial assistance to amateur athletes and youth-oriented charities.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Thunderbirds?
The Thunderbirds has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Thunderbirds's EIN?
The Thunderbirds's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0373052. 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
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Thunderbirds's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Thunderbirds funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-thunderbirds-morg_184b831cd222490aa378608d62fd2f6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860373052_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Thunderbirds funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-thunderbirds-morg_184b831cd222490aa378608d62fd2f6c},
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 Thunderbirds'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 Thunderbirds down — hundreds of funders to go?