The Ticknor Foundation Inc
The Ticknor Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2023 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
The Ticknor Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Ticknor Foundation Inc gave $3.2M across 33 grants in 2023 (avg $98K), mostly in Florida. 16% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $3,223,622
- +2379.7% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 33
- +6.5% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $97,686
- +2229.4% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $3,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 32, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Florida (96% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ticknor Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1521 2Nd Avenue 2800, Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (208) 841-9524
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ticknor Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Schwab Charitable ($3.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
140 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 140 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 grant-dollar distribution by recipient state was reported as 96% Florida, 2% California, and 0% each for Washington, New York, and New Mexico. The Florida share was dominated by the large transfer to Schwab Charitable to close out the foundation; these figures do not by themselves establish a geographic funding focus.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ticknor Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 5 of 32 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $624K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 84% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 3482% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2020) to $3.2M (2023). In 2023 it made 33 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Schwab Charitable Orlando, FL | Transfer of assets to daf to close out foundation | $3,101,342 |
| Heifer International Little Rock, AR | Support Mission of Ending Global Hunger and Poverty | $12,500 |
| Lucile Packard Found for Childrens Palo Alto, CA | PROMOTE EXEMPT ACTIVITY OF RECIPIENT - TO help caregivers at Packard Children's deliver the best pediatric and obstetric medicine available, and allow scientists at the Stanford School of Medicine to pursue promising new cures for childhood illness | $10,000 |
| KCTS 9 Seattle, WA | Promote exempt activity of recipient - public tv programming | $10,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Support programs to respond to medical emergencies in more than 70 countries | $10,000 |
| Food Bank for Monterey County Salinas, CA | To promote program that provides nutritious staple foods and fresh produce to the needy | $7,500 |
| Christ House Washington, DC | Promote exempt activity of recipient - to help provide health care to homeless persons | $5,000 |
| Students Rising Above San Francisco, CA | Promote exempt activity of recipient - to support program to help low income bay area high school students attend and graduate from college. | $5,000 |
| Kuow 949 Seattle, WA | Promote Exempt Activity of Recipient - Public Radio | $5,000 |
| Pajarito Environmental Education Ce Los Alamos, NM | Promote exempt activity of recipient in support of their services | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ticknor Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2023 filing reports 33 grants; the 2022 and 2021 filings report 31 grants each.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $47,819 | $3,226,186 | $3,223,622 | 33 | $3,225,398 | $47,285 | $107,720 |
| 2022 | $2,265,516 | $26,174 | $132,070 | $130,000 | 31 | $131,570 | $25,674 | $112,995 |
| 2021 | $3,395,009 | $19,868 | $132,295 | $130,000 | 31 | $132,045 | $19,618 | $123,520 |
| 2020 | $2,699,109 | $25,069 | $92,264 | $90,000 | 22 | — | $24,540 | $114,693 |
| 2019 | $2,118,917 | $24,964 | $101,245 | $98,000 | 23 | — | $24,399 | $98,684 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ticknor Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108K for 2023 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants went to organizations working in areas including hunger relief, health care, education, public media, environmental conservation, and support for young people and families.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. For example, the Food Bank for Monterey County says its mission is to distribute food to alleviate hunger and provide emergency food services. Christ House says it provides comprehensive care for people experiencing homelessness with acute medical needs. The Access Fund says it works to promote sustainable access to and conservation of the climbing environment.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $3,223,622. Grant amounts ranged from $280 to $3,101,342, with a median grant of $3,500. The largest item was $3,101,342 to Schwab Charitable for a transfer of assets to a donor-advised fund to close out the foundation.
Other grants included $12,500 to Heifer International to support its mission of ending global hunger and poverty; $10,000 each to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, KCTS 9, and Doctors Without Borders; and $7,500 to the Food Bank for Monterey County. Christ House received $5,000, and The Food Depot and The Access Fund each received $4,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Donald E Ticknor as President; Sean D Ticknor and Christopher C Ticknor as Vice Presidents; and Carolyn M Ticknor as Secretary.
The Ticknor Foundation Inc is led by Donald E. Ticknor, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Donald E. Ticknor
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Carolyn M. Ticknor
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Christopher C. Ticknor
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sean D. Ticknor
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "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 Ticknor Foundation Inc
How much does The Ticknor Foundation Inc give each year?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc gave $3.2M across 33 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $130K across 31 grants.
What is The Ticknor Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc's median grant in 2023 was $3,500, and its average grant was $97,686, across 33 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ticknor Foundation Inc that year got $624K on average.
Where does The Ticknor Foundation Inc give grants?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc gives mostly in Florida: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), San Rafael, CA (3 grants), Orlando, FL (2 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does The Ticknor Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 9% of The Ticknor Foundation Inc's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ticknor Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc's largest 2023 grantees include Schwab Charitable ($3,101,622 across 2 grants), Heifer International ($12,500) and Lucile Packard Found for Childrens ($10,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does The Ticknor Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants went to organizations working in areas including hunger relief, health care, education, public media, environmental conservation, and support for young people and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ticknor Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 ↑
How much is The Ticknor Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Ticknor Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $108K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ticknor Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Ticknor Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-0516610. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
Does The Ticknor Foundation Inc 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 12, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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