Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
The Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals is a private foundation based in Alameda, California. It supports organizations working to improve the lives of animals through direct intervention and education, including work involving wild and domestic animals.
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals at a glance
In short: Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals gave $410K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in California. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $410,000
- -7.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +5.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,524
- -11.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $7,897,515
- +2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (5 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Trust accepts unsolicited requests. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofits operating in California, subject to the jurisdiction of the California Attorney General, and dedicated to animal care and maintenance and/or preventing cruelty to animals. Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year. Organizations that have not previously received a grant are encouraged to submit a Letter of Inquiry before preparing a full application. The Trust accepts applications by email, which it prefers, or by mail; mailed applications should include four complete copies with attachments and exhibits. The application form for the current year includes submission instructions.
- Contact
Application contact: Paul M Gordon
Mailing address: 1516 Oak Street Suite 318, Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: (510) 465-0900
Website: https://thelmadoelgertrustforanimals.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
Who Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Humane Society of Sonoma County ($50K). Together the top 10 received $290K.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 86 grants of 93 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust considers applications from anywhere in California, with grantmaking focused on Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 5% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 21 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 48% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $286K (2022) to $442K (2024). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $410K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Humane Society of Sonoma County Santa Rosa, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe Truckee, CA | General Support | $35,000 |
| Vets in Vans Alameda, CA | General Support | $35,000 |
| Fix Our Ferals Pinole, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Cat Town Oakland, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Marine Mammal Center Sausalito, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Pasadena Humane Pasadena, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Friends of Oakland Animal Services Oakland, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium San Francisco, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Animal Legal Defense Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals?
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 | $7,897,515 | $741,889 | $556,237 | $410,000 | 21 | $531,704 | $717,331 | $560,879 |
| 2024 | $7,711,863 | $563,343 | $575,470 | $442,000 | 20 | $558,933 | $546,750 | $511,597 |
| 2023 | $7,723,990 | $354,318 | $494,332 | $355,500 | 19 | $477,295 | $337,199 | $480,792 |
| 2022 | $7,864,004 | $441,971 | $411,739 | $285,534 | 16 | $395,878 | $423,509 | $549,244 |
| 2021 | $7,833,772 | $552,030 | $452,956 | $314,000 | 17 | — | $539,620 | $510,745 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals reported a distributable amount of $561K 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
The Trust’s mission is to support organizations that effectively and efficiently make better the lives of animals, both wild and domestic, through direct intervention and education.
Its 2025 grants included organizations working in areas such as animal sheltering, veterinary care, spay/neuter services, animal rescue, and legal protection. For example, the Humane Society of Sonoma County says its mission is to benefit the well-being of pets and their people; Vets in Vans says it supports the human-animal bond by providing equitable access to veterinary care; and the Animal Legal Defense Fund says it works to protect animals through the legal system. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Trust awarded 21 grants totaling $410,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grants included $50,000 to the Humane Society of Sonoma County; $35,000 each to the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe and Vets in Vans; and $25,000 each to Fix Our Ferals, Cat Town, the Marine Mammal Center, Pasadena Humane, Friends of Oakland Animal Services, and the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium. The listed grants were for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Katherine Doelger, Margaret K. Burks, and Paul M. Gordon as trustees.
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Katherine Doelger
Trustee
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$30K (2021) → $33K (2025)
Paul M. Gordon
Trustee
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$30K (2021) → $33K (2025)
Margaret K. Burks
Trustee
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
$30K (2024) → $33K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Peggy Burks (2021–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $33K, to Katherine Doelger (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals
How much does Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals give each year?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals gave $410K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $442K across 20 grants.
What is Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's typical grant size?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $19,524, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals that year got $15K on average.
Where does Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals give grants?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (3 grants) and Santa Rosa, CA (2 grants).
Does Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's largest grantees?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's largest 2025 grantees include Humane Society of Sonoma County ($50,000), Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe ($35,000) and Vets in Vans ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals reported $7.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $532K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $561K (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 Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals fund?
The Trust’s mission is to support organizations that effectively and efficiently make better the lives of animals, both wild and domestic, through direct intervention and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals?
The Trust accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's EIN?
Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3318485. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/thelma-doelger-trust-for-animals-morg_4de2b12f08044694b7f0ca5f1aaed59a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943318485_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/thelma-doelger-trust-for-animals-morg_4de2b12f08044694b7f0ca5f1aaed59a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals'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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