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The Thompson Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$21.4M
Grant Range
$10K - $25.0M
00

The Thompson Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $21.4 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $453.5 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $25,000,000
  • Most Common Grant: $10,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York City, with some national/international reach
  • Total Grants (2024): 40 grants totaling $21.4 million

Contact Details

The Thompson Family Foundation, Inc.

  • Address: 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Floor 21 (also: 230 Park Ave., Ste. 1541), New York, NY 10169
  • Phone: (646) 480-3532
  • EIN: 06-1194385
  • Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals

Overview

The Thompson Family Foundation was established in 1986 (incorporated in 1988) by the late Wade F.B. Thompson, co-founder and CEO of Thor Industries, a recreational vehicle manufacturer. Thompson, who passed away in 2009 after a 14-year battle with cancer, was a five-time cancer survivor who devoted enormous energy to funding cancer research and early detection programs. The foundation currently holds approximately $453.5 million in assets and distributes around $21.4 million annually (as of 2024). Led by Thompson's daughter, Amanda JT Riegel, the foundation maintains a notably low profile and operates as a private foundation that makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation's giving has been particularly transformational for New York City cultural institutions, having provided over $130 million to Park Avenue Armory alone, along with major gifts to Central Park Conservancy and the Museum of the City of New York.

Funding Priorities

Primary Focus Areas

Arts & Culture (Largest funding area)

  • Performing arts institutions
  • Historic preservation and restoration
  • Visual arts and museums
  • Cultural education programs

Health & Medical Research (Focus on Cancer)

  • Cancer research institutions
  • Cancer screening and early detection programs
  • Medical centers and hospitals
  • Health sciences research

Human Services

  • Food security organizations
  • Social service agencies
  • Community support programs

Education

  • Museum educational programming
  • Youth education initiatives

Major Grant Recipients

Arts & Culture:

  • Park Avenue Armory: $65 million bequest in 2015 to create an endowment for arts and educational programs, plus additional gifts bringing total Thompson family giving to approximately $130 million. The music, visual arts, and performance spaces were renamed the Thompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory for fifty years in recognition
  • Central Park Conservancy: $25 million to fund restoration of Belvedere Castle, the Children's District (including the Dairy and Kinderberg), and Chess and Checkers House. The Thompsons received the Frederick Law Olmsted Award from Central Park Conservancy in June 2009
  • Museum of the City of New York: $10 million endowment gift in 2017 (the largest gift in the museum's 94-year history) to support educational programming related to "New York at Its Core" permanent exhibition
  • Dance Theatre of Harlem
  • Atlantic Theater Company
  • Save Venice (restoration of art and architecture in Venice, Italy)

Health & Medical Research:

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (including specifically Pancreatic Cancer programs)
  • Cancer Research Institute (Wade Thompson received the Oliver R. Grace Award for distinguished service in advancing cancer research in 2007)
  • Beth Israel Medical Center
  • Columbia Medical Center
  • American Committee for Weizmann Institute of Science

Human Services:

  • City Harvest: $1.25 million (2024)
  • Job Path
  • Yorkville Common Pantry (now New York Common Pantry)

Recent 2024 Grant Activity

In fiscal year 2024, the foundation made 40 grants totaling approximately $21.4 million, with notable recipients including:

  • Central Park Conservancy: $1.68 million
  • City Harvest: $1.25 million
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Pancreatic Cancer programs)

The foundation also made 121 awards in 2024 across various recipients, 107 awards in 2023, and 52 awards in 2022, showing increased grant-making activity.

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation's grantmaking history indicates a clear focus on New York City institutions, particularly in arts/culture and health. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals from organizations outside their preselected network.

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership:

  • Amanda JT Riegel: President (daughter of Wade F.B. Thompson)
  • Angela E Thompson: Trustee
  • Charles Ay Thompson: Trustee
  • Alan Siegel: Director/Trustee (also a director of Thor Industries and trustee of Museum of the City of New York)

Staffing: The foundation operates with 2 employees.

About the Founder: Wade F.B. Thompson (1940-2009) was born in Wellington, New Zealand, came to New York City in 1963, and received a scholarship to New York University. On August 29, 1980, he and Peter Busch Orthwein founded Thor Industries after acquiring Airstream from Beatrice Foods. Thompson became chairman, president and CEO of Thor Industries Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of recreation vehicles. A true believer in cancer screening and early detection, Thompson founded the Drive Against Prostate Cancer in 2000, consisting of two Thor mobile medical vehicles that traveled coast to coast offering free prostate cancer screenings to over 100,000 men, largely the under-served and armed forces veterans.

Foundation Philosophy: According to Alan Siegel, a Thompson Family Foundation director and MCNY trustee: Wade Thompson "had a similar dream of being part of New York," and the foundation wants "youth to know New York's remarkable history, particularly the diversity of its people."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Thompson Family Foundation operates as a private foundation that makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. According to their official documentation, they "only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations and do not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

The foundation maintains a low profile and does not provide application guidelines, deadlines, or an online portal. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations within their established network.

Getting on Their Radar

While the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, the following context may be helpful for understanding how they operate:

Trustee Connections: The foundation's leadership includes Alan Siegel, who serves as a trustee and also holds positions with major New York institutions. Building relationships within the foundation's existing network of supported organizations may provide insight into their priorities.

Focus on New York City: The foundation demonstrates a strong commitment to New York City institutions, particularly those focused on arts, culture, and the city's history. Organizations that align with this geographic and thematic focus are most likely to be within their consideration set.

Long-term Partnerships: The foundation's giving pattern shows sustained, multi-year relationships with key institutions (Park Avenue Armory, Central Park Conservancy, Memorial Sloan Kettering). They appear to prefer deep partnerships rather than one-time grants to many organizations.

Cancer Research Legacy: Given Wade Thompson's personal experience as a five-time cancer survivor and his founding of the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, organizations focused on cancer screening, early detection, and cancer research that serve underserved populations may align with the foundation's mission.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grants are made at trustee discretion throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, the foundation's giving history reveals clear patterns:

Geographic Alignment: The foundation's largest grants have gone to New York City institutions. Organizations based in or serving New York City, particularly Manhattan, appear to be the primary focus.

Transformational Giving: The foundation makes both major transformational gifts ($65 million to Park Avenue Armory, $25 million to Central Park Conservancy, $10 million to Museum of the City of New York) and smaller grants (most common amount: $10,000). They appear willing to make significant commitments to organizations that align closely with their mission.

Causes Close to the Founder: Wade Thompson's personal experiences and passions clearly shaped the foundation's priorities:

  • Cancer research and early detection (reflecting his own journey as a five-time cancer survivor)
  • Historic preservation and New York City cultural institutions (reflecting his love of the city and its history)
  • Service to underserved populations (his Drive Against Prostate Cancer specifically targeted underserved men and veterans)

Multi-Year Relationships: The foundation demonstrates loyalty to organizations over time. Park Avenue Armory has received approximately $130 million total from the Thompson family, suggesting they prefer sustained partnerships rather than one-off grants.

Educational Focus Within Programs: Several major gifts have supported educational programming (Museum of the City of New York, Park Avenue Armory's arts and educational programs), suggesting the foundation values public education and accessibility alongside preservation and research.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. They work exclusively with preselected organizations, making it extremely difficult for new organizations to access funding
  • New York City Focus: The vast majority of funding goes to New York City-based institutions, particularly in Manhattan. Geographic alignment with NYC is essential
  • Transformational Arts Giving: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make extraordinary gifts to arts and cultural institutions ($130M+ to Park Avenue Armory, $25M to Central Park Conservancy)
  • Cancer Research Legacy: Wade Thompson's personal experience as a cancer survivor drives continued support for cancer research, early detection, and treatment institutions, particularly Memorial Sloan Kettering and Cancer Research Institute
  • Capacity for Major Gifts: With $453.5 million in assets and $21.4 million in annual giving, the foundation has significant resources but distributes them selectively to a limited number of preselected organizations
  • Long-term Partnership Model: Grant recipients tend to receive multiple grants over many years, suggesting the foundation values sustained relationships over broad distribution
  • Trustee Discretion: All funding decisions are made at the discretion of the three trustees (Amanda JT Riegel, Angela E Thompson, and Charles Ay Thompson), with guidance from director Alan Siegel

References

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