Thoresen Foundation
The Thoresen Foundation is a private foundation headquartered in Canton, Georgia. Established in 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation was created to provide contributions to worthy charitable and eleemosynary causes including scientific, educational, medical, and environmental issues. The foundation operates with a small staff of two employees and maintains a discretionary grantmaking approach.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-36.7% YoY
Grant Count
32
-27.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
-12.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports higher education, environmental and wildlife conservation, and health-related causes. Primary funding priorities include:
- Higher education
- Environmental and wildlife conservation
- Health associations
- Education
- Science and STEM education
Grantmaking
The Thoresen Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation operates on a preselected basis only, with trustees identifying and selecting organizations for operational support on a discretionary basis. There are no formal grant programs with defined application cycles.
Grant Range
$5,000–$300,000
Average Grant
amount: $52,795
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with particular focus on:
- North Carolina
- California
- Mississippi
- Florida
- Georgia
- Arizona
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Annual Giving (as of 2024):
- Total assets: $39,138,731–$44,000,000
- Total annual giving: $1,471,000–$2,500,000
- Total revenues (2024): $2,762,817
- Total expenses (2024): $1,920,440
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Dolphin Swimming and Boating ($275,000), Parc ($120,000), Appalachian Regional Healthcare System ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Anne's Kids Inc Newland, NC | Operational Support | $5,000 |
| Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Boone, NC | Operational Support | $100,000 |
| Banner Elk Presbyterian Church Banner Elk, NC | Operational Support | $25,000 |
| The Beech Mountain Community Development Club Elk Park, NC | Operational Support | $20,000 |
| Beech Mtn Historial Soc Beech Mountain, NC | Operational Support | $5,000 |
| Catholic Charities San Fransisco, CA | CYO Aging Adult Services, CYO Athletics, CYO Camp & CYO Treasure Island Child Development | $6,000 |
| Childhelp Inc Scottsdale, AZ | Operational Support | $12,500 |
| Community Youth Center Concord, CA | Operational Support | $50,000 |
| De Paul Youth Club Long Beach, MS | Operational Support | $10,000 |
| Dolphin Swimming and Boating San Francisco, CA | Operational Support | $275,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by two trustees:
- Michael Thoresen – Trustee (20 hours/week, $120,000 annual compensation)
- Paul O'Connell – Trustee (20 hours/week, $120,000 annual compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Contact Information
Address: 2725 Woodridge Chase Canton, GA 30114
Phone: 828-260-5480
Website: thoresenfoundation.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Thoresen Foundation fund?
The foundation supports higher education, environmental and wildlife conservation, and health-related causes. Primary funding priorities include: • Higher education • Environmental and wildlife conservation • Health associations • Education • Science and STEM education
How do I apply for a grant from Thoresen Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000–$300,000 • Median grant amount: $22,000 • Average grant amount: $52,795 • Annual number of grants: 32–44 grants per year **Application Process:** The Thoresen Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation operates on a preselected basis only, with trustees identifying and selecting organizations for operational support on a discretionary basis. There are no formal grant programs with defined application cycles. **Recent Gran…
Where does Thoresen Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with particular focus on: • North Carolina • California • Mississippi • Florida • Georgia • Arizona
What size grants does Thoresen Foundation award?
In 2024, Thoresen Foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $46K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Thoresen Foundation's EIN?
Thoresen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6102493. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Thoresen Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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