Thompson Charitable Foundation
The Thompson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York, established in 1987 by B. Ray Thompson, Sr. It supports nonprofit organizations working to improve quality of life for individuals and communities in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Thompson Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Thompson Charitable Foundation gave $2.4M across 76 grants in 2025 (avg $32K), top state Tennessee. 49% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,438,534
- -22.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 76
- -19.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $32,086
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $28,892,306
- +11.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 49% first-time grantees (37 of 76, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (41% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Thompson Charitable Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
Applicants must first submit a Letter of Inquiry through the online portal during its March 1–31 submission period. Applications are by invitation only; invited organizations may submit a proposal through the application portal, which is open April 1–30. The Foundation usually holds one grantmaking meeting in mid-July, and applicants may not learn the status of a request until late July. The Foundation gives preference to prior grantees, but past funding does not guarantee an invitation or award. It may refer organizations not invited to apply to regranting partners. A current grantee with three or more consecutive years of funding may be asked to pause for three years before submitting another request. Urgent or emergency requests may be considered outside the annual cycle at the Foundation’s discretion.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists March 1–31 for Letters of Inquiry and April 1–30 for invited applications. The Foundation’s 2024 filing separately lists March 1 and August 15 as deadlines.
- Deadline
- The website lists March 1–31 for Letters of Inquiry and April 1–30 for invited applications.
- Contact
Application contact: Jeffrey Mansour Co Brown Brothers
Mailing address: 1942 E 7Th Street Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28204
Phone: (865) 337-8675
Website: https://thompsoncharitable.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 Thompson Charitable Foundation
Who Thompson Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cumberland Plateau Planning District ($125K). Together the top 10 received $828K.
Grant Size Distribution
443 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 340 grants of 443 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s guidelines limit contributions to charitable organizations serving these counties:
- Kentucky: Bell, Clay, Laurel, and Leslie
- Tennessee: Anderson, Blount, Knox, and Scott
- Virginia: Buchanan and Tazewell
In its 2025 grant data, recipient-state shares of grant dollars were Tennessee 41%, Virginia 41%, Kentucky 17%, and Georgia 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 76 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Thompson Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
49%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 37 of 76 grantees (49%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $22K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 151% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $2.2M (2021) to $3.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 76 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Plateau Planning District Lebanon, VA | General | $125,000 |
| Virigina Community Capital (Locus Imapct Richmond, VA | General | $125,000 |
| YWCA Knoxville Knoxville, TN | General | $100,000 |
| Sunset Holler Richmond, VA | General | $100,000 |
| Theatre Guild of Buchanan CO Oakwood, VA | General | $81,324 |
| Care Center of SWVA Richlands, VA | General | $75,000 |
| Teen Venture Richlands, VA | General | $60,000 |
| Mission Dental Bristol, VA | General | $56,250 |
| Boys & Girls Club of the Cumberland Plat Oneida, TN | General | $55,000 |
| Helen Ross McNabb Knxoville, TN | General | $50,000 |
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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 | $28,892,306 | $3,334,300 | $3,007,439 | $2,438,534 | 76 | $2,706,616 | $2,577,429 | $1,789,675 |
| 2024 | $25,978,486 | $806,447 | $3,768,120 | $3,142,616 | 94 | $3,347,542 | $384,170 | $1,714,786 |
| 2023 | $28,558,365 | $3,148,097 | $3,858,377 | $3,112,653 | 91 | $3,346,063 | $2,427,244 | $1,609,961 |
| 2022 | $29,176,573 | $4,272,915 | $3,884,344 | $3,102,489 | 98 | $3,314,553 | $3,564,184 | $1,977,929 |
| 2021 | $30,271,945 | $3,972,796 | $3,023,955 | $2,194,119 | 84 | — | $3,250,826 | $2,058,223 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thompson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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 Foundation’s mission is to support projects that improve quality of life for individuals and communities. Its stated areas of support include community and economic development, education and workforce development, health and human services, and quality of life.
Examples of grantees’ work include Sunset Holler’s development and operation of a Buchanan County amphitheater, and Teen Venture’s teen center and activities for young people in Southwest Virginia. Other grantees describe missions that include low-cost dental care (Mission Dental), affordable healthcare for underserved people (Interfaith Health Center), and free meals for senior citizens and support for families in need (Stinnett Area Community Center).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 76 grants totaling $2,438,534. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $125,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable awards included $125,000 to Cumberland Plateau Planning District and $125,000 to Virginia Community Capital; $100,000 each to YWCA Knoxville and Sunset Holler; and $81,324 to Theatre Guild of Buchanan County. The listed 2025 awards were designated for general purposes.
The Foundation does not accept requests for endowments or deficit operating budgets. It does not fund worship, evangelism, general operations of organizations whose primary purpose is worship and evangelism, or repair or expansion of buildings primarily used for religious activities. At its board’s discretion, it may fund religious nonprofits providing human services that do not require adherence to religious beliefs or participation in religious activities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jessie L. Thompson as president; J. Kyle Derham as vice president; Ginny Thompson as secretary; and Jo Anne T. Manofsky as treasurer. Directors listed are Gregory E. Erickson, J. Matthew Derham, T. J. Derham, Laura Olesky, Douglas Manofsky, and Philip Manofsky.
Thompson Charitable Foundation is led by Jeffrey W. Mansour-Bruderer, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeffrey W. Mansour-Bruderer
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$166K (2024) → $215K (2025)
Jessie L. Thompson
President
Secretary → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Manofsky
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory E. Erickson
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. Matthew Derham
Vice President & Director
Director → Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Olesky
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
T. J. Derham
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philip Manofsky
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginny Thompson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jo Anne T. Manofksy
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Debbie Black (2021–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: Jo Anne T. Manofsky (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Merle D. Wolfe (2021–2023) — President
- Former: Sylvia M. Thompson (2021–2023) — Vice President
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 $215K, to Jeffrey W Mansour-Bruderer (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Thompson Charitable Foundation
How much does Thompson Charitable Foundation give each year?
Thompson Charitable Foundation gave $2.4M across 76 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 94 grants.
What is Thompson Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Thompson Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $32,086, across 76 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Thompson Charitable Foundation that year got $37K on average.
Where does Thompson Charitable Foundation give grants?
Thompson Charitable Foundation's top state is Tennessee, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (41%) and Kentucky (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (19 grants), Grundy, VA (5 grants), Maryville, TN (5 grants) and Oak Ridge, TN (4 grants).
Does Thompson Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Thompson Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (76 of 76) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Thompson Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Thompson Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cumberland Plateau Planning District ($125,000), Virigina Community Capital (Locus Imapct ($125,000) and YWCA Knoxville ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Thompson Charitable Foundation?
Thompson Charitable Foundation reported $28.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Thompson Charitable Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support projects that improve quality of life for individuals and communities. Its stated areas of support include community and economic development, education and workforce development, health and human services, and quality of life. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thompson Charitable Foundation?
Applicants must first submit a Letter of Inquiry through the online portal during its March 1–31 submission period. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Thompson Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Thompson Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1754763. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Thompson Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/thompson-charitable-foundation-morg_b0e13c7693b1472cacd0e169016d2ffd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581754763_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Thompson Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/thompson-charitable-foundation-morg_b0e13c7693b1472cacd0e169016d2ffd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Thompson Charitable Foundation'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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