Thurston Foundation
Thurston Foundation Inc. is a private family foundation established in 1989 and based in Carmel, Indiana. The foundation focuses on philanthropic giving in education, human services, and community development, with a particular emphasis on supporting nonprofits and addressing social needs in the Midwest.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.1M
+6.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$743K
-18.5% YoY
Grant Count
39
+44.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
-43.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Food security and hunger relief
- Addiction recovery and substance abuse support
- Youth services and homeless programming
- Special needs programming
- Medical care and health services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept applications.
Grant Range
$800–$170,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina, with a strong concentration of grants to Indianapolis-based nonprofits.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $18,102,437 (2024)
- Total Annual Giving: $743,050 (2024)
- EIN: 35-1754670
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since July 1989
Historical Giving Trends:
| Year | Assets | Total Giving | Number of Grants | Median Grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $18.1M | $811,000 | 32 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | $19.2M | $367,000 | 34 | $6,000 |
| 2021 | $18.4M | $157,000 | 26 | $3,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,102,437 | $17,057,242 | $18,073,246 |
| Revenue | $1,979,666 | $151,026 | $-166,712 |
| Expenses | $935,762 | $1,167,155 | $979,809 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $801,441 | $965,749 | $863,835 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,846,848 | $343,070 | $161,395 |
| Distributable Amount | $939,331 | $927,213 | $918,689 |
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
158 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Marcia Thurston Roberts — President and Registered Agent
- Jim Thurston — Director
- Tim Thurston — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARCIA THURSTON ROBERTS | PRESIDENT | 10 | $42,000 |
| TIM THURSTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JIM THURSTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
Contact Information
Address: 5307 Woodfield Drive South, Carmel, IN 46033-8604
Phone: 317-373-1688
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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