Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation
The Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Murray, Utah. It was created to support and fulfill the family’s charitable endeavors, with stated primary interests in education, health care, humanitarian causes, and family services.
Key facts about Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation
In short: Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation gave $901K across 66 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Utah. 45% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-1903071
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $901,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 66
- Average grant
- $13,652
- Median grant
- $6,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (30 of 66, 2024)
- Total assets
- $15,083
- Primary geography
- Utah (73% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s website provides an application to download and complete, and says applicants must be IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- N/A on the 2024 filing.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15K
-55.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$901K
+7.2% YoY
Grant Count
66
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-12.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 30 of 66 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+17%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s guiding phrase is “In all things, charity.” It says it values a wide range of charitable causes, with primary focus on education, health care, humanitarian causes, and family services.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the variety of organizations it supports. Holbrook Community Center says it creates an inclusive environment for arts and education for individuals with disabilities; Murray Education Foundation says it assists schools, teachers, and students in the Murray City School District. Special Olympics Utah says it provides sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. Other grantees describe work in historical research (Book of Mormon Central), family support (Anasazi Foundation and Live Your Dream), and film exhibition and education (Utah Film Center).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $901,000. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $100,000, with a median of $6,000. The largest grants included $100,000 each to American Heritage and Holbrook Community Center; $60,000 to Institute for Advancement of Montessori; $50,000 to Book of Mormon Central; and $46,000 to Anasazi Foundation. Other notable grants included $40,000 to Tennis for Life, $35,000 to Utah Film Center, $25,000 to Murray Education Foundation, and $22,500 to Special Olympics Utah.
Review Cycle
N/A on the 2024 filing.
How to Apply
The foundation’s website provides an application to download and complete, and says applicants must be IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organizations. The 2024 filing lists a written request to Vanessa Williamsen and no stated restrictions on awards.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in Utah, 9% to California, 5% to Arizona, 3% to New York, and 3% to the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 66 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $250K (2020) to $901K (2024). In 2024 it made 66 grants totaling $901K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Heritage ($100K). Together the top 10 received $499K.
Grant Size Distribution
274 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 262 grants of 274 (96%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Heritage American Fork, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Holbrook Community Center Lehi, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $100,000 |
| Institute for Advancement of Montessori Sebastopol, CA | General Charitable Purpose | $60,000 |
| Book of Mormon Central Lehi, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $50,000 |
| Anasazi Foundation Inc Mesa, AZ | General Charitable Purpose | $46,000 |
| Tennis for Life St George, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $40,000 |
| Utah Film Center Salt Lake City, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $35,000 |
| Murray Education Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $25,000 |
| Special Olympics Utah Inc Draper, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $22,500 |
| Pregnancy Resource Center Salt Lake City, UT | General Charitable Purpose | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $901,000 | 66 |
| 2023 | $840,124 | 54 |
| 2022 | $845,000 | 73 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,083 | $33,569 | $18,610 |
| Revenue | $1,161,758 | $1,089,837 | $1,095,198 |
| Expenses | $1,178,235 | $1,075,958 | $1,102,356 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,180,244 | $1,057,878 | $1,102,813 |
| Net Investment Income | $758 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $2,454 | $1,860 | $5,127 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas E Williamsen as director and president; Gail S Williamsen, Natalie Williamsen, Brianna Sonkens, Madeline R Williamsen, Emma Williamsen, Brooke Williamsen, and Stephen Sonkens as directors; Vanessa Williamsen as director, secretary, and treasurer; and Jared Hopkins as a director.
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation is led by Thomas E. Williamsen, Director & President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); all 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Thomas E. Williamsen
Director & President
President → Director & President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$6K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Brianna Sonkens
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Brooke Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Emma Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$20K (2020) → $34K (2024)
Gail S. Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$6K (2020) → $7K (2024)
Madeline R. Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Natalie Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Stephen Sonkens
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Travis Williamsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$35K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Vanessa Williamsen
Director, Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary & Treasurer → Director, Secretary & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$21K (2020) → $22K (2024)
Jared Hopkins
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$11K (2021) → $22K (2024)
Rickard Busselberg
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$2K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Lauren Williamsen (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $34K, to Emma Williamsen (Director). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Vanessa Williamsen
Mailing address: 154 S Mrytle Ave Ste 303, Murray, UT 84107
Phone: (801) 364-2602
Website: https://williamsenfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation
How much does Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation give each year?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation gave $901K across 66 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $840K across 54 grants.
What is Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,000, and its average grant was $13,652, across 66 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation give grants?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (9%) and Arizona (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (15 grants), Lehi, UT (4 grants), Ogden, UT (4 grants) and Provo, UT (3 grants).
Does Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (65 of 66) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Heritage ($100,000), Holbrook Community Center ($100,000) and Institute for Advancement of Montessori ($60,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation reported $15K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s guiding phrase is “In all things, charity.” It says it values a wide range of charitable causes, with primary focus on education, health care, humanitarian causes, and family services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation?
The foundation’s website provides an application to download and complete, and says applicants must be IRS-approved 501(c)(3) organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's EIN?
Thom & Gail Williamsen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1903071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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