Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is a Washington, DC–based public charity that supports students and member institutions in the Black college community. Established in 1987, it represents publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominantly Black institutions (PBIs), and historically Black community colleges (HBCCs), and works through scholarships, capacity building, research, programs, and partnerships.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund at a glance
In short: Thurgood Marshall College Fund gave $4.5M across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $106K), top state Alabama. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,456,000
- +67.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- +13.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $106,095
- +47.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $112,500
- Total assets
- $189,353,593
- +32.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (13 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alabama (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Thurgood Marshall College Fund
- How to Apply
For scholarships, applicants can review open opportunities on TMCF’s website, log into the Scholarship Portal, create a student profile, apply to matched scholarships, submit the required materials, and check the…
For scholarships, applicants can review open opportunities on TMCF’s website, log into the Scholarship Portal, create a student profile, apply to matched scholarships, submit the required materials, and check the portal for status updates. Eligibility and required materials depend on the specific scholarship. The available information does not state an application process for institutional grants.
- Contact
Mailing address: 901 F St Nw Ste 700, Washington, DC 20004-1436
Phone: (202) 507-4851
Website: https://tmcf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Thurgood Marshall College Fund
TMCF | JPMorgan Chase Hardship Scholarship Grant
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Amount
Up to US $2,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
TMCF | Sallie Mae Fund Completing the Dream Gap Scholarship Grant
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Amount
Up to US $2,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Thurgood Marshall College Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Texas Southern University Foundation ($230K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
197 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 197 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar distribution was led by Delaware (27%), the District of Columbia (17%), Alabama (15%), North Carolina (12%), and Virginia (8%). These are the states and district receiving the largest reported shares of that year’s grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Thurgood Marshall College Fund open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 37 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $120K; repeat grants $121K. How we count
Medians: $145K first-time, $125K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2020) to $32.6M (2021). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $4.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Morehouse College Atlanta, GA | Institutional Grant | $225,000 |
| Alabama A&M University Foundation Normal, AL | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| Florida A&M University Tallahassee, FL | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| Prairie View A&M Foundation Houston, TX | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| Southern University System Foundation Baton Rouge, LA | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX | Institutional Grant | $200,000 |
| Alabama State University Foundation Montgomery, AL | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $145,000 |
| Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $145,000 |
| Grambling State University Grambling, LA | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $145,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $189,353,593 | $116,286,465 | $77,629,106 | $4,456,000 | 42 | $3,398,134 |
| 2024 | $143,339,390 | $88,255,911 | $65,707,834 | $2,659,072 | 37 | $2,329,218 |
| 2023 | $124,287,734 | $77,840,126 | $71,051,129 | $16,170,996 | 38 | $1,143,422 |
| 2022 | $126,922,627 | $69,219,574 | $72,653,668 | $10,700,445 | 48 | $-1,959,457 |
| 2021 | $123,348,684 | $98,157,197 | $63,700,978 | $32,570,237 | 32 | $760,673 |
| 2020 | $86,074,777 | $97,413,793 | $21,874,607 | $2,445,197 | 15 | $98,643 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
TMCF’s mission is to ensure student success by promoting educational excellence and preparing the next generation of workforce talent through leadership development. Its stated mission also includes partnering with member schools to increase student access, retention, and graduation; identifying and preparing students with leadership potential; and creating a pipeline of qualified students and alumni for employers.
Its work includes scholarships, career readiness and leadership development, capacity building, research support, and policy advocacy. The 2024 filing describes scholarships for students with financial need, an internship program for students at member schools, teacher training through the Teacher Quality and Retention Program, institutional leadership search and development services through TM2 Education Search, and research grants supporting work of interest to donors and the research community.
In 2024, TMCF grants supported universities, university foundations, and a community college. For example, Delaware State University Foundation stated that it promotes Delaware State University’s educational interests and seeks funds for university programs and projects. Lawson State Community College stated that its foundation supports the college through fundraising for endowment, equipment, buildings, scholarships, and affordable office space.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, TMCF reported 37 grants totaling $2,659,072. Grant amounts ranged from $10,235 to $675,000, with a median of $25,000. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 42 grants totaling $4.5 million.
The largest reported grant was $675,000 to Delaware State University Foundation for an institutional grant. Other large awards included $429,787 to Howard University for faculty awards and $141,000 each to Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University Foundation, Fayetteville State University, Texas Southern University Foundation, and Virginia State University for the TMCF SOAR Scholar Program. Lawson State Community College received $70,500 for the SOAR program. Other reported awards included $50,000 to Hampton University for a Fellows Summit and $50,000 each to North Carolina A&T University for Boeing Capacity Grants and Apple NSI Microgrant Grants.
TMCF also offers scholarships to students. Its website describes gap-completion scholarships for students with urgent financial needs, access scholarships covering tuition, fees, and on-campus housing, and programmatic scholarships covering tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board. The 2025–2026 JPMorgan Chase Hardship Scholarship, for example, offers need-based awards of up to $2,500 to eligible students at TMCF member schools. Scholarship eligibility varies by opportunity; the 2024 filing states that TMCF scholarships are awarded through a student’s member college or university rather than directly to the student.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Racquel Oden as Chair. Directors listed are Ciara Anfield, Terry Arnold, Gary Bettman, Cynthia Bowman, Greg Carter II, Theodore Colbert III, Byna Elliott, Robert Engel, and Myron Frazier.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund is led by Harry Lee Williams, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 11 of 39 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Harry Lee Williams
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$676K (2020) → $707K (2025)
M Christopher Brown
Executive Director & Research Scientist
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$232K (2025)
Racquel Oden
Chair
Director → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Merinoff
Director
Chairman → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Collis R Jones
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Osswald
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Jones
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Walling
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lane McBride
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Nettles
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul W Sweeney Jr. Esq.
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert A Engel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tatia Williams
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore Colbert III
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Bettman
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melonie Parker
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Toni Townes-Whitley
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alicia West
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Carter II
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Payne-McMillian
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Byron Taylor
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Hurd
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Quinton Ross Jr.
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Arnold
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Byna Elliott
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Bowman
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Nelson
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Myron Frazier
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Sims
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Buchanan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aisha T Brown
COO & Chief Strategy Officer
Chief Financial & Operations Officer → Chief Finance & Operations Officer, 2021
Chief Finance & Operations Officer → COO & Chief Strategy Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$235K (2020) → $435K (2025)
Betsy Ann Burton-Strunk
Vice President of Development
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$145K (2020) → $180K (2025)
David Kyle Sheppard
Chief Business & Legal Officer
Chief Legal Officer & Chief of Staff → Chief Business & Legal Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$282K (2020) → $382K (2025)
Jason Hundley
Executive Vice President, Finance & Operations
Executive Vice President of Finance & Operations → Executive Vice President of Finance & Ops, 2024
Executive Vice President of Finance & Ops → Executive Vice President, Finance & Operations, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$136K (2020) → $310K (2025)
Martinique Lashawn Taylor
Senior Vice President of Programs
Interim Chief Learning Officer → Senior Vice President of Programs, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$175K (2023) → $210K (2025)
Tamara Mathis Thompson
Chief Program Officer
Interim Chief of Programs → Chief Programs Officer, 2024
Chief Programs Officer → Chief Program Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$178K (2023) → $240K (2025)
Tamaria Kai Perry
Senior Vice President Special Projects
Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth & Initiatives → Senior Vice President Special Projects, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$186K (2024) → $204K (2025)
Clara Stamps Jones
Chief Mktg & Communications Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$290K (2025)
Jonathan Sandville
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$67K (2025)
Former officers (31)
- Former: Chris Scalia (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: George Spencer (2020–2024) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Sandra Hurse (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Ciara Anfield (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Yvette Hunsicker (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Christopher Brown (2023–2024) — Executive Director & Research Scientist
- Former: Josh Petty (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Sean Lee (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Clara Ross Stamps (2024) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Dakota Doman (2024) — Executive Director Tm2
- Former: Machell Mims (2024) — Director
- Former: Amy D Goldstein (2020–2023) — Vice President & Strategy
- Former: Andrea Horton (2020–2023) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Eric D Hart (2021–2023) — Chief Programs Officer
- Former: Barbara Whye (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Joshua Petty (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Kent J Smith Jr. Esq. (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Maria D Melendez (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: N Joyce Payne (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Pierre Breber (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Brandon Kenny (2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Martinique Lashawn Thompson (2022) — Vice President of Talent Acquisition
- Former: Sean D Burns (2020–2021) — Assistant Vice President Government Relations
- Former: Tony Rogers (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ja'Ron Kenneth Smith (2021) — Executive Director & CAO
- Former: Doris E Harley (2020) — Director
- Former: Jamaal Bailey (2020) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Neil A Simmons (2020) — Director
- Former: Toni Townes-Whitely (2020) — Director
- Former: Virgis W Colbert (2020) — Director
- Former: William H Walton III (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $707K, to Dr Harry Lee Williams (President & CEO). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Thurgood Marshall College Fund
How much does Thurgood Marshall College Fund give each year?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund gave $4.5M across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 37 grants.
What is Thurgood Marshall College Fund's typical grant size?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund's median grant in 2025 was $112,500, and its average grant was $106,095, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Thurgood Marshall College Fund that year got $120K on average.
Where does Thurgood Marshall College Fund give grants?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund's top state is Alabama, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (19%) and North Carolina (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (4 grants), Greensboro, NC (3 grants), Atlanta, GA (2 grants) and Tallahassee, FL (2 grants).
Does Thurgood Marshall College Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Thurgood Marshall College Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Institutional Grant" (21 grants) and "Faculty Grant" (9 grants).
Who are Thurgood Marshall College Fund's largest grantees?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Texas Southern University Foundation ($230,000 across 2 grants), Florida A&M University ($225,000 across 2 grants) and Morehouse College ($225,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Thurgood Marshall College Fund?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund reported $189.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $116.3M.
What does Thurgood Marshall College Fund fund?
TMCF’s mission is to ensure student success by promoting educational excellence and preparing the next generation of workforce talent through leadership development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thurgood Marshall College Fund?
For scholarships, applicants can review open opportunities on TMCF’s website, log into the Scholarship Portal, create a student profile, apply to matched scholarships, submit the required materials, and check the… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Thurgood Marshall College Fund's EIN?
Thurgood Marshall College Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1750692. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 21, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 23, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Thurgood Marshall College Fund funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Thurgood Marshall College Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Thurgood Marshall College Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/thurgood-marshall-college-fund-morg_90654a5983ac48b789d3bb5b7366bfcf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411750692_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Thurgood Marshall College Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/thurgood-marshall-college-fund-morg_90654a5983ac48b789d3bb5b7366bfcf},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-06. 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 Thurgood Marshall College Fund'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.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?