Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Work that fits its collection areas (Spanish Americas art, digital and media art, Japanese bamboo, post-war painting and sculpture, or arts of the American Southwest) is the clearest match, and projects highlighting artists from its collections get strong preference, with priority for Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
- Most of its grants are modest: half of its 112 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $250,000, so a request in that range is realistic.
- Organisations new to the foundation are encouraged to contact its grants team in advance, and for Collections-Related Grants a letter of inquiry goes through the online portal, with the foundation preferring 12 months' notice before a project starts.
- Giving is largely repeat, as 94% of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in the two earlier filings, so it looks relationship-led and a long-term connection helps.
- Do not apply for general operating costs, debt reduction, art supplies, individuals' art projects, political campaigns or lobbying, and do not approach its invitation-only education stream unsolicited.
Overview
Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation is a US private foundation based in Dallas, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organisations for innovative projects and original ideas that advance scholarship in its collection areas: Spanish Americas art, digital and media art, Japanese bamboo, and post-war painting and sculpture. It welcomes work on arts and culture of the American Southwest. Grants support projects from across the United States, with particular interest in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, especially rural and nonmetro institutions. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organisations, fiscally sponsored organisations and university departments. A distinct education-and-community stream supports educational institutions and nonprofit organisations seeking to improve opportunities for young people in nonmetro and rural areas of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma; those grants are by invitation only. Its approach values innovative scholarship, long-term grantee relationships and collaborative project development.
Themes
- Spanish Americas art
- Digital & Media Art
- Japanese Bamboo
- Post-War Painting & Sculpture
- American Southwest arts
- Rural education
Geographic Focus
United States; international. Priority: Arizona; New Mexico; Oklahoma; Texas.
What They Don't Fund
- General operational costs
- Debt reduction
- Political campaigns
- Legislative lobbying
- Art supplies
- Individuals’ art projects
- Projects that promote or proselytize any religion
- Organizations that discriminate on any basis
How to apply
For Collections-Related Grants, applicants submit an initial letter of inquiry through the online grant portal with the project start and end dates, requested amount and total budget.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 112 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation gives strong preference to projects highlighting one or more artists from its collections.
- It prefers projects organised by small and midsize institutions.
- The Foundation particularly welcomes proposals from its target regions, especially rural and nonmetro institutions.
- It prefers 12 months’ notice before a project starts.
- Organisations that have not previously worked with the Foundation are encouraged to contact its grants team in advance to discuss the project.
- The Foundation values long-term relationships with grantees and encourages them to connect at any stage of the application process.
- Academic projects should culminate in a clear final deliverable, such as a book manuscript or peer-reviewed article.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 91% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Peru, Colombia).
- 91% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 45 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Schwab Charitable · General support$35,100,0002024 tax year
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab · General support$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater · General support$350,0002024 tax year
- Sponsors for Educational Opportunity · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Site Santa Fe · General support$125,0002024 tax year
- Oklahoma State University Foundation · General support$111,2002024 tax year
- Buffalo Fine Arts Academy · Publication grant$100,0002024 tax year
- Golden Apple Foundation · General support$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Mark D Thoma — Director
- Margo E Thoma — Director
- Gary S Hart — Secretary
- Marilynn J Thoma — Vice President & Treasurer
- Carl D Thoma — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $30,927,373 | $24,451,982 | $921,382,344 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $44,349,752 | $36,707,186 | $1,091,595,718 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $48,370,008 | $37,681,099 | $1,213,611,607 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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Applying to Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required