Thornburg Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Thornburg Foundation’s priority geographic focus is New Mexico, so check your organisation’s work sits within this area before approaching it.
- Typical grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000, with a median grant of $25,000 and about 8 in 10 of its 422 grants to organisations in this range, so a modest request is the realistic starting point, though a handful of grants have reached as high as $250,000.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so there is no fixed deadline to plan around; the foundation asks that organisations whose work aligns with one of its initiatives make contact by email rather than send an unsolicited proposal.
- With 77% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in its two previous filings, this points to a relationship-led approach, so first-time applicants should expect to build a connection over time rather than expect a large grant immediately.
- Its programmes cover human services, education, homelessness, good government, water resilience, land stewardship and sustainable food systems, so check your work matches one of these themes before getting in touch.
Overview
Thornburg Foundation is a US private foundation based in Santa Fe, NM.
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 uses an evidence-based, collaborative approach to systemic change, supporting organisations in New Mexico. Its Community Funding programme supports organisations in human services, education, homelessness and policy, and seeks partners with strong leadership, good financial management, entrepreneurship, commitment to excellence and a record of making a difference. In education, it supports organisations strengthening the educator ecosystem and creating rigorous, meaningful learning experiences for students, including teacher residencies, career and technical education and out-of-school learning. Its land and agriculture work advances sustainable local food systems and healthier working lands. Its water work promotes collaborative, evidence-based solutions for resilient water systems and fair governance. On homelessness, it supports organisations working directly with people experiencing homelessness and coordinated community responses.
Themes
- Human services
- Education
- Homelessness
- Good government
- Water resilience
- Land stewardship
- Sustainable food systems
Geographic Focus
Priority: New Mexico.
How to apply
Organisations whose work aligns with an initiative should contact the Foundation by email.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 77% 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 422 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Community Funding seeks organisations with strong leadership, good financial management, an entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to excellence and a record of making a difference.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 8%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to organisations Thornburg Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 144 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · Provide technical assistance for teacher residency programs at nm colleges of education$225,0002024 tax year
- Catalyst Education · Nm public education department- research support$200,0002024 tax year
- Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security · The untapped potential of water supply alternatives in nm project$160,4052024 tax year
- Ndi-NM · General operating$150,0002024 tax year
- Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation · Principal licensure work group and residency advocacy project$136,0002024 tax year
- Ogallala Land & Water Conservancy · Conserving groundwater for community survival and sustainable land use in eastern nm project$130,0002024 tax year
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · To provide technical assistance for teacher residency programs at nm colleges of education$125,0002024 tax year
- New Mexico School for the Arts - Art Institute · General operating$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
- Lloyd Thornburg — Director
- Elliot Thornburg — Director
- Alon Kasha — Director
- Brian Boyd — Director
- Fred Nathan — Director / Secretary
- Jim Minich — Director / Treasurer
- Blair Naylor — Director / Vice President
- Garrett Thornburg — President
- Allan Oliver — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $7,624,695 | $6,202,547 | $146,985,101 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,482,223 | $5,825,717 | $163,359,079 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $8,187,818 | $6,402,934 | $179,398,522 | 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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At a glance
Applying to Thornburg Foundation?
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Applying to Thornburg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required