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Tom And Julie Wood Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$3.9M
Grant Range
$50K - $29.0M

Tom And Julie Wood Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,925,500 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $32.6 million (2024)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-based)
  • Grant Range: Varies widely - from smaller grants to multi-million dollar commitments
  • Geographic Focus: Indianapolis/Central Indiana
  • Number of Awards: 31 grants (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 9820 Association Court, Carmel, IN 46280
Phone: (317) 688-6534
Contact: Julie Wood
EIN: 27-4826335

Note: As a private family foundation, there is no public application process. Contact information is provided for informational purposes.

Overview

The Tom And Julie Wood Family Foundation Inc was established in 2011 by Julie Wood to memorialize her late husband Tom Wood, a prominent Indianapolis auto executive who died of lung cancer in 2010 after a four-year battle with the disease. Tom and Julie were married for 51 years, and Tom founded and led the Tom Wood Automotive Group, which grew from a single dealership in 1967 to a major automotive empire in the Midwest. The foundation operates with approximately $32.6 million in assets and distributed $3.9 million in grants in 2023. The foundation's philanthropic vision is carried out by Julie Wood along with their son Jeff Wood (President of Tom Wood Automotive) and daughter-in-law April. The foundation has emerged as one of the top four donors to the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, having contributed over $28 million to lung cancer research and care. Their giving philosophy reflects Tom Wood's belief in "giving back to the community that made our family successful."

Funding Priorities

Major Focus Areas

Healthcare & Medical Research (Primary Focus)

  • Lung cancer research and screening programs (in memory of Tom Wood)
  • Pediatric medical research and emerging therapies
  • Substance use disorder treatment and recovery housing
  • Medical education and physician training

Geographic Priorities

  • Indianapolis and Central Indiana
  • Statewide Indiana programs (particularly healthcare access)

Recent Major Grants

Medical Education:

  • Marian University: $29 million (2024) - Largest gift in university history to support the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine, including facility enhancements, endowed scholarships for primary care physicians, and endowed faculty positions

Lung Cancer Research & Screening:

  • Indiana University: $20 million (2024) - Established the Tom and Julie Wood Center for Lung Cancer Research
  • IU Simon Cancer Center & IU Health: $4.5 million (2023) - Mobile lung cancer screening program (with IU Health matching $4 million for $8.5 million total impact)
  • Indiana University: $2 million (2018) - Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation Chair in Lung Cancer Clinical Research

Substance Use Disorder:

  • Community Health Network Foundation: $5 million (2024, paid over 5 years) - Largest gift in Community Health Network history to endow Community Fairbanks Recovery Center's Recovery Housing program
  • Community Fairbanks Recovery Center: $1.2 million (2018-2023) - Rent assistance for over 1,400 clients in recovery

Pediatric Research:

  • Riley Children's Foundation: Ongoing partnership since 2013 supporting the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research through bridge funding for emerging therapies

What They Don't Fund

Based on their giving patterns, the foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Organizations outside of Indiana
  • General operating support for organizations not aligned with their healthcare mission
  • Arts, culture, or environmental causes
  • International programs

Governance and Leadership

Julie Wood - Foundation contact and primary decision-maker. Julie is the widow of Tom Wood and has led the foundation since its establishment in 2011. She continues her husband's legacy of community giving while focusing particularly on causes related to his battle with lung cancer.

Jeff Wood - Son of Tom and Julie Wood, President and Dealer Principal of Tom Wood Automotive Group, involved in family foundation decisions

April Wood - Daughter-in-law, involved in family foundation philanthropy

Key Quotes from Leadership

On their philanthropic philosophy: "Tom's whole philosophy was giving back to the community that made our family successful. It's a responsibility we all share." - Julie Wood

On lung cancer research: "We believe strongly that IU is the finest place you can be treated for cancer. And we hope through this research we will make it so other people won't have to suffer the way Tom did." - Julie Wood

On substance use disorder: "There are so many people that are affected by substance use disorder; it's heartbreaking. I have experienced the heartache of a loved one with addiction – it affects the whole family and the whole community around that person." - Julie Wood

On supporting Marian University: "We believe in the mission of the school and its commitment to training compassionate and skilled healthcare professionals. We hope this gift will enhance the facilities and resources available to students and ensure that Indiana continues to benefit from dedicated primary care physicians." - Julie Wood

On their approach: "We just hope we can save as many lives as possible." - Julie Wood

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Tom And Julie Wood Family Foundation does not have a public application process. This is a private family foundation that makes grants based on trustee discretion and invitation only. The foundation identifies funding opportunities through:

  • Direct relationships with institutional partners (IU, Marian University, Riley Children's Hospital, Community Health Network)
  • Board members' knowledge of community needs
  • Strategic alignment with the foundation's mission to honor Tom Wood's legacy

Unsolicited applications are not accepted.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has established long-term partnerships with major Indianapolis healthcare institutions. Their giving pattern suggests:

Key institutional relationships:

  • Indiana University School of Medicine & IU Health - Multi-year, multi-million dollar relationship focused on lung cancer research and screening
  • Marian University - Major support for osteopathic medical education
  • Riley Children's Hospital - Partnership since 2013 for pediatric research bridge funding
  • Community Health Network - Multi-year support for substance use disorder recovery programs

Foundation priorities emerge from:

  • Personal family experiences (lung cancer, substance use disorder)
  • Tom Wood's legacy and commitment to Indianapolis
  • Focus on healthcare access for underserved Hoosiers
  • Medical research that saves lives
  • Training healthcare professionals to serve Indiana

Organizations seeking support should note that the foundation's giving is highly focused on healthcare causes in Indiana and typically involves substantial, transformational gifts to established institutions rather than broad-based grantmaking.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion rather than through a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only, the traditional application success factors do not apply. However, their giving patterns reveal clear priorities:

Causes that align with the Wood family's personal experiences:

  • Lung cancer research, treatment, and screening (Tom Wood's illness)
  • Substance use disorder recovery (family experience with addiction)
  • Pediatric medical research (supporting children and families)

Institutional characteristics they value:

  • Location in Indiana - All major grants have gone to Indiana-based institutions
  • Commitment to serving Hoosiers - Particularly underserved populations and rural communities
  • Medical education for Indiana - Supporting physicians who will practice in the state
  • Research excellence - Institutions with strong track records (IU's ranking in cancer research, Riley's NIH funding)

Types of impact they seek:

  • Life-saving interventions and early detection programs
  • Sustainable, long-term solutions (endowments, capital improvements)
  • Expanding access to care for those who might otherwise go without
  • Supporting "smaller diseases that get ignored" (per their comments about Riley)
  • Bridge funding to keep critical research going during funding gaps

Language and values they use:

  • "Giving back to the community that made our family successful"
  • "Saving as many lives as possible"
  • "Blessing and privilege" to support healthcare
  • "Compassionate and skilled healthcare professionals"
  • Supporting Indiana and central Indiana specifically

Their approach to major gifts:

  • Transformational rather than incremental (gifts of $2M-$29M)
  • Multi-year commitments (Community Fairbanks: 5 years)
  • Naming opportunities that memorialize Tom Wood
  • Collaborative family decision-making involving Julie, Jeff, and April Wood

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - they operate through trustee discretion and established institutional partnerships
  • Geographic requirement is absolute - all major giving focuses on Indianapolis and Indiana; organizations outside this area should not pursue this funder
  • Healthcare is the exclusive focus - lung cancer, pediatric research, medical education, and substance use disorder recovery are the clear priorities
  • Personal connection drives giving - causes stem directly from the Wood family's experiences with Tom's lung cancer and family addiction issues
  • They think big - recent grants range from $2 million to $29 million; this is not a funder for small projects
  • Legacy and naming matter - major gifts have resulted in named centers, colleges, and chairs that honor Tom Wood
  • Long-term relationships - partnerships with institutions like IU, Riley, and Marian span multiple years and multiple gifts
  • Family values guide decisions - Tom's philosophy of community responsibility and giving back remains central to the foundation's mission

References

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