Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community. Established in 1987, TMCF is headquartered in Washington, DC and serves as a vital resource for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), predominantly Black institutions (PBIs), and historically Black community colleges (HBCCs). The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.
Key facts about Thurgood Marshall College Fund
- EIN
- 41-1750692
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,659,072
- Grants made (2024)
- 37
- Average grant
- $71,867
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (8 of 25, 2024)
- Total assets
- $143,339,390
- Primary geography
- Delaware (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Thurgood Marshall College Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Thurgood Marshall College Fund's 37 itemized 2024 grants were Delaware (27%), District of Columbia (17%) and Alabama (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (5 grants), Greensboro, NC (4 grants), Houston, TX (3 grants) and Baton Rouge, LA (3 grants). None of its 37 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Novartis Faculty Grant" (7 grants), "Boeing Capacity Grant" (6 grants) and "Institutional Grant" (6 grants).
Is Thurgood Marshall College Fund open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 25 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $64K; repeat grants $126K. How we count
Medians: $45K first-time, $53K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Thurgood Marshall College Fund
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$143.3M
+15.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
-83.6% YoY
Grant Count
37
-2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
-83.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To ensure student success by promoting educational excellence and preparing the next generation of workforce talent through leadership development.
Vision: Changing the world…one leader at a time.
TMCF's work spans K-12 through higher education and focuses on:
- Scholarships and student investment – Direct financial support to students
- Capacity building – Strengthening institutional capabilities at member schools
- Research initiatives – Supporting scholarly work and innovation
- Workforce development – Connecting students with internships and employment opportunities through partnerships with major employers
- Leadership development – Professional development and networking opportunities for students
Grantmaking
TMCF distributes 98% of its awards exclusively to HBCUs, PBIs, and HBCCs—more than any other organization supporting the Black college community.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
TMCF's grantmaking focuses primarily on North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, though the organization serves member institutions across the nation.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 37 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $124 million
- Annual Revenue: $77.8 million
- Annual Expenses: $71.1 million
- Total Liabilities: $5.64 million
- Total Giving: $25.2 million
Degrees Conferred by Member Schools (FY2022):
- Associate degrees: 3,913
- Undergraduate degrees: 28,634
- Graduate degrees: 6,526
- Doctorate degrees: 2,208
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $143,339,390 | $124,287,734 | $131,416,499 |
| Revenue | $88,255,911 | $77,840,126 | $69,437,783 |
| Expenses | $65,707,834 | $71,051,129 | $71,118,629 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,329,218 | $1,143,422 | $-1,778,248 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
170 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Delaware State University Foundation Inc ($720,032 across 2 grants), Howard University ($454,787 across 2 grants), Alabama A&M University ($141,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware State University Foundation Inc Dover, DE | Institutional Grant | $675,000 |
| Howard University Washington, DC | Faculty Awards | $429,787 |
| Alabama A&M University Normal, AL | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $141,000 |
| Alabama State University Foundation Montgomery, AL | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $141,000 |
| Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $141,000 |
| Texas Southern University Foundation Houston, TX | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $141,000 |
| Virginia State University Virginia State Univers, VA | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $141,000 |
| Lawson State Community College Birmingham, AL | TMCF SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) Scholar Program | $70,500 |
| Hampton University Hampton, VA | Fellows Summit | $50,000 |
| North Carolina A&T University Greensboro, NC | Boeing Capacity Grants | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Dr. Harry L. Williams – President & CEO
Dr. Williams oversees TMCF's 57 member schools and has led the organization through significant growth, including revenue expansion exceeding 250%. Under his leadership, TMCF has forged strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies including The Boeing Company, Medtronic, Visa, Ally Financial, and Hennessy.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racquel Oden | Chair | 1 | — |
| Ciara Anfield | Director | 1 | — |
| Terry Arnold | Director | 1 | — |
| Gary Bettman | Director | 1 | — |
| Cynthia Bowman | Director | 1 | — |
| Greg Carter II | Director | 1 | — |
| Theodore Colbert III | Director | 1 | — |
| Byna Elliott | Director | 1 | — |
| Robert Engel | Director | 1 | — |
| Myron Frazier | Director | 1 | — |
| Yvette Hunsicker | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Hurd | Director | 1 | — |
| Sandra Hurse | Director | 1 | — |
| Collis Jones | Director | 1 | — |
| Gregory Jones | Director | 1 | — |
| Sean Lee | Director | 1 | — |
| Lane McBride | Director | 1 | — |
| April Payne-McMillian | Director | 1 | — |
| Charles Merinoff | Director | 1 | — |
| Machell Mims | Director | 1 | — |
| Mark Nelson | Director | 1 | — |
| Michelle Nettles | Director | 1 | — |
| David Osswald | Director | 1 | — |
| Melonie Parker | Director | 1 | — |
| Josh Petty | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Quinton Ross Jr | Director | 1 | — |
| Chris Scalia | Director | 1 | — |
| Paul Sweeney Jr Esq | Director | 1 | — |
| Byron Taylor | Director | 1 | — |
| Toni Townes-Whitley | Director | 1 | — |
| Kevin Walling | Director | 1 | — |
| Alicia West | Director | 1 | — |
| Tatia Williams | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Harry Lee Williams | President & CEO | 40 | $793,000 |
| Tamara Mathis Thompson | Chief Programs Officer | 40 | $225,616 |
| George Spencer | Chief Development Officer | 40 | $289,800 |
| David Kyle Sheppard | Chief Business and Legal Officer | 40 | $335,350 |
| Aisha T Brown | Chief Finance & Operations Officer | 40 | $399,832 |
| Clara Ross Stamps | Chief Marketing Officer | 40 | $152,789 |
| Jason Hundley | Executive VP of Finance & Ops | 40 | $254,500 |
| Christopher Brown | Exec. Director & Research Scientist | 40 | $219,808 |
| Martinique Lashawn Taylor | Sr. VP of Programs | 40 | $216,000 |
| Dakota Doman | Executive Director TM2 | 40 | $185,980 |
| Tamaria Kai Perry | SVP of Strategic Growth & Initiatives | 40 | $185,885 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**June 2024:** TMCF's Charity Navigator rating increased to 99% from 96%, reflecting excellence across accountability and finance, impact and measurement, leadership and adaptability, and culture and community.
**2025:** Multiple $2 million grants awarded to HBCUs for research and student success initiatives, including awards to Lincoln University, Virginia State University, and Alabama State University.
TMCF Awards $2M to Lincoln for Research & Student Success**Partnership Expansion:** Ongoing strategic partnerships with major corporations to create internship and employment pathways for HBCU students.
Contact Information
Mailing Address: Thurgood Marshall College Fund 901 F Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202.507.4851 Fax: 202.652.2934
General Email: info@tmcf.org
Specialized Contacts:
- Corporate and Government Partnerships: partners@tmcf.org
- Individual Donors: invest@tmcf.org
- Scholarships (General): scholarships@tmcf.org
- Scholarships (Technical Support): application-support@tmcf.org
- Programs: programs@tmcf.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Thurgood Marshall College Fund fund?
**Mission:** To ensure student success by promoting educational excellence and preparing the next generation of workforce talent through leadership development. **Vision:** Changing the world…one leader at a time. TMCF's work spans K-12 through higher education and focuses on: • **Scholarships and student investment** – Direct financial support to students • **Capacity building** – Strengthening institutional capabilities at member schools • **Research initiatives** – Supporting scholarly work …
How do I apply for a grant from Thurgood Marshall College Fund?
TMCF distributes 98% of its awards exclusively to HBCUs, PBIs, and HBCCs—more than any other organization supporting the Black college community. **Recent Grant Activity:** • Awarded $16 million in grants to eight HBCUs to advance capacity-building and innovation • Launched a $3 million scholarship program in partnership with Truist to support HBCU students • Awarded $2 million grants to individual institutions including Lincoln University, Virginia State University, and Alabama State Universit…
Where does Thurgood Marshall College Fund make grants?
TMCF's grantmaking focuses primarily on North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, though the organization serves member institutions across the nation.
What size grants does Thurgood Marshall College Fund award?
In 2024, Thurgood Marshall College Fund awarded 37 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.