Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: Data not publicly available (6 grants reported in recent year)
- Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only funder)
- Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
- Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
- Geographic Focus: California, Idaho, Michigan
Contact Details
- Phone: (858) 558-9200
- Address: 4225 Executive Square, Suite 1150, La Jolla, CA 92037-9153
- Website: None
- Email: Not publicly available
Overview
The Tomlinson Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1990 with assets of approximately $68.7 million. Operating from La Jolla, California, the foundation makes charitable grants across multiple states including California, Idaho, and Michigan. As a trustee-discretion foundation, it operates without a public application process, making grants only to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation is connected to the Tomlinson Family Trust and is led by three volunteer officers who oversee its grant-making activities.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The foundation does not operate specific named grant programs. All grants are made at trustee discretion to preselected organizations.
Priority Areas
Specific funding priorities are not publicly disclosed. Known grants have included support for the Alzheimer's Association. The foundation's geographic spread across California (San Diego, Escondido, Oceanside, Pasadena), Idaho (Boise, Garden City), and Michigan suggests broad charitable interests.
What They Don't Fund
The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. No other specific exclusions are publicly documented.
Governance and Leadership
The foundation is led by three volunteer officers:
- Lynora S. Brown - President
- Mark W. Lindsay - Vice President and Secretary
- Steve Totten - Vice President and Treasurer
All officers serve without compensation. The foundation is administratively supported by the Tomlinson Family Trust.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are awarded solely at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified independently.
Decision Timeline
Not applicable - decisions are made on a trustee-discretion basis without a formal application timeline.
Success Rates
Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.
Reapplication Policy
Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.
Application Success Factors
As this foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. Organizations cannot directly influence selection for funding. The foundation's grant-making decisions appear to be based entirely on trustee relationships and interests.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- The Tomlinson Foundation is a legitimate grant maker but operates exclusively through trustee discretion
- With $68.7 million in assets, it has substantial capacity for grant-making
- Geographic focus includes California, Idaho, and Michigan communities
- No pathway exists for unsolicited applications or inquiries
- Organizations in their geographic areas may benefit from awareness of the foundation's existence for potential future relationship building
- Limited public information makes it difficult to identify specific funding interests beyond known support for Alzheimer's-related causes
References
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF filings (https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/330383793) - Accessed March 2025
- Cause IQ Foundation Database (https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/tomlinson-foundation,330383793/) - Accessed March 2025
- Grantmakers.io Foundation Profile (https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/330383793-tomlinson-foundation/) - Accessed March 2025
- Charity Navigator (https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/330383793) - Accessed March 2025
- Candid Foundation Directory (https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=TOML006) - Accessed March 2025
- Grantable Foundation Database (https://www.grantable.co/search/funders/profile/tomlinson-foundation-us-foundation-330383793) - Accessed March 2025
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