Tomlinson Foundation
The Tomlinson Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1989 and based in La Jolla, California. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, it operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on philanthropic activities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$85.4M
+24.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
+111.5% YoY
Grant Count
8
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$223K
+58.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tomlinson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Reproductive Health
- Children's Services
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Idaho and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $85,400,957
- Total Revenues: $17,446,902
- Total Expenses: $2,101,709
- Investment Income and Dividends: $3,501,963
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $4,641,534
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $68.7M
- Total Revenues: $6.96M
- Total Expenses: $1.03M
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $85,400,957 | $68,671,226 | $65,174,387 |
| Revenue | $17,446,902 | $6,962,454 | $5,312,109 |
| Expenses | $2,101,709 | $1,026,805 | $3,752,784 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,839,283 | $896,540 | $1,680,124 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,273,123 | $6,902,855 | $5,444,526 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,782,899 | $3,233,844 | $3,026,466 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
33 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Teri Campus of Life ($500,000), Ymca ($300,000), Boys & Girls Club of Ada County ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BLUUM INC (IDAHO CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK) BOISE, ID | GENERAL SUPPORT | $83,333 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ADA COUNTY GARDEN CITY, ID | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| INTERFAITH SANCTUARY HOUSING BOISE, ID | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| JUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| TERI CAMPUS OF LIFE OCEANSIDE, CA | CONSTRUCTION OF VOCATIONAL CENTER | $500,000 |
| TREASURE VALLEY FAMILY YMCA BOISE, ID | AQUATICS CENTER | $50,000 |
| VILLA ESPERANZA SERVICES PASADENA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| YMCA SAN DIEGO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYNORA S BROWN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARK W LINDSAY | VICE PRES & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| STEVE TOTTEN | VICE PRES & TREASURER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4225 Executive Square, Suite 1150, La Jolla, CA 92037-9153
Phone: 858-558-9200
EIN: 33-0383793
Tax-Exempt Status: February 1990
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tomlinson Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Reproductive Health • Children's Services
How do I apply for a grant from Tomlinson Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $10,000–$600,000 • Recent grants (2024) include: • Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services: $250,000 (General Support) • Villa Esperanza Services: $200,000 (General Support) • Just in Time for Foster Youth: $150,000 (General Support) **Total Giving:** $1,783,333 (2024)
Where does Tomlinson Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Idaho and California.
What size grants does Tomlinson Foundation award?
In 2024, Tomlinson Foundation awarded 8 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $223K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tomlinson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tomlinson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Tomlinson Foundation's EIN?
Tomlinson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0383793. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tomlinson 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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