The foundation concentrates its modest giving on a very small number of recipients, notably repeat support for Ithaca High School and a sizable award to an individual public policy researcher. Their grants suggest an interest in supporting secondary school programming (likely extracurricular/charitable school needs) and commissioning public policy research or analysis. The giving is selective rather than broad, with an arts/culture tilt in their NTEE mix alongside education and policy interests.
Concentrated, small-scale portfolio: few grants overall, repeat multi-year or multiple grants to the same high school, and one relatively large payment to an individual researcher. Grants are moderate in size and targeted rather than widely distributed.
Query on Inc C/o Mark S Thompson’s largest recent grant was a $34,626 public policy research award to Nicolas Jofre in 2025, which fits a pattern of direct support for individual researchers rather than large institutions. The foundation’s giving is modest in total dollars but highly selective, with repeated awards to Ithaca High School and a mix of public policy, education, and advocacy-oriented charitable contributions. Across the recent grants list, it supports both individuals and nonprofits, including research grants, school-related charitable contributions, and small gifts to organizations working in journalism, environment, health, and civil society. The repeated support for Ithaca High School is especially notable: the school appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 with $10,000 grants each year. The foundation also issued smaller public policy research grants to named individuals in Massachusetts and elsewhere, suggesting a project-based approach that funds specific work products or research efforts. In addition to those larger awards, it made smaller contributions to organizations such as Open Secrets, ProPublica, Investigative Reporting Workshop, and environmental and health nonprofits.
Public policy research is the clearest thread in the grant list. In 2025, Query on Inc C/o Mark S Thompson gave $34,626 to Nicolas Jofre for a public policy research grant, and it also awarded $6,130 to Selina Tang, $3,657 to Eamon O'cearuil, and $3,472 to Vikram Kolli for similar research support. Education is another recurring area, anchored by Ithaca High School. The foundation gave the school $10,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, along with $1,500 to the Ithaca Public Education Initiative in 2024. Its charitable contributions also reach policy and watchdog groups. Open Secrets received $3,000 in 2025 and $2,000 in 2023, while ProPublica and the Investigative Reporting Workshop each received $2,000 in 2025.
The typical grant size is small: p25 is $300, median is $900, and p75 is $1,950. That distribution sits alongside a few much larger awards, including a $34,626 research grant and multiple $10,000 school grants. The pattern suggests a mix of one-off project support and repeat annual support, especially for Ithaca High School, which received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Query on Inc C/o Mark S Thompson funds individuals and nonprofits, and the recent grants are all charitable contributions or research grants rather than program-related investments. The grants are national in scope.
$108K
$111K
$7K
$76K
Most grants fall between $300 and $2K, with a median of $900.
25th Percentile
$300
Median
$900
75th Percentile
$2K
About 31% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Notable grantees: Ithaca High School, Nicolas Jofre, Other A-category arts/culture organizations (small/local grantees)
Grantmaking is national, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and 31% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state. Recent geography is concentrated in a few places: Ithaca, NY appears repeatedly through Ithaca High School and Ithaca Public Education Initiative; Boston, MA appears through Pine Street Inn, Environmental Defense Fund, Nature Conservancy, and Planned Parenthood; and Washington, DC shows up with Open Secrets, Investigative Reporting Workshop, C-tac Clue Chair Fund, Population Connection, and Responsive Law. Other recipient cities include New York, NY and Easton, MD.
The recent grants include both individuals and nonprofits. Named recipients include public policy researchers such as Nicolas Jofre, Selina Tang, Eamon O'cearuil, and Vikram Kolli, as well as organizations like Ithaca High School, Open Secrets, ProPublica, and the Investigative Reporting Workshop.
Typical grants are small. The distribution is p25 at $300, median at $900, and p75 at $1,950. The recent record also includes a few larger outliers, such as a $34,626 research grant and several $10,000 awards to Ithaca High School.
Yes. Ithaca High School received $10,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Open Secrets also appears twice, with grants in 2023 and 2025, and Planned Parenthood appears in both 2023 and 2025.
Public policy research is the clearest focus, with multiple research grants to named individuals. Education is another recurring area through Ithaca High School and the Ithaca Public Education Initiative. The list also includes charitable contributions to journalism, environmental, health, and civil-society organizations.
The giving is national, but Massachusetts is the top state by grant count, and 31% of grants went to recipients in MA. Recent recipient cities also cluster in Ithaca, NY, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NICOLAS JOFRE | FONTANA, CA | $34,626 | 2025 | PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT |
| ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL | ITHACA, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| SELINA TANG | ROSLINDALE, MA | $6,130 | 2025 | PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT |
| EAMON O'CEARUIL | NORTH ANDOVER, MA | $3,657 | 2025 | PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT |
| VIKRAM KOLLI | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $3,472 | 2025 | PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT |
| OPEN SECRETS | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PROPUBLICA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING WORKSHOP | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,800 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,400 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PINE STREET INN | BOSTON, MA | $1,200 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| POPULATION CONNECTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $900 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | BOSTON, MA | $900 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ALL SEASONS INC | EASTON, MD | $500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHESAPEAKE MULTICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER | EASTON, MD | $500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| WIKIMEDIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| CHARITY WATCH | CHICAGO, IL | $250 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $100 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE | ARLINGTON, VA | $100 | 2025 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL | ITHACA, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ITHACA PUBLIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE | ITHACA, NY | $1,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| C-TAC CLUE CHAIR FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| LUKE SCUITTO | TULSA, OK | $1,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | BOSTON, MA | $900 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| RESPONSIVE LAW | WASHINGTON, DC | $900 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $900 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $300 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHARITY WATCH | CHICAGO, IL | $250 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $100 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE | ARLINGTON, VA | $100 | 2024 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL | ITHACA, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| OPEN SECRETS | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| UMASS MEMORIAL DIABETES CENTER | WORCESTER, MA | $1,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL | ALBANY, NY | $900 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | BOSTON, MA | $900 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| PINE STREET INN | BOSTON, MA | $900 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER FOUNDATION | HOLBROOK, MA | $800 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| WIKIMEDIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| CHARITY WATCH | CHICAGO, IL | $250 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB | BOSTON, MA | $100 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
| BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE | ARLINGTON, VA | $100 | 2023 | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION |
NICOLAS JOFRE
$34,626PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT
ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
SELINA TANG
$6,130PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT
EAMON O'CEARUIL
$3,657PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT
VIKRAM KOLLI
$3,472PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH GRANT
OPEN SECRETS
$3,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PROPUBLICA
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING WORKSHOP
$2,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NATIONAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
$1,800CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
$1,400CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PINE STREET INN
$1,200CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
POPULATION CONNECTION
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ALL SEASONS INC
$500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
CHESAPEAKE MULTICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER
$500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
WIKIMEDIA
$300RESEARCH
CHARITY WATCH
$250CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ITHACA PUBLIC EDUCATION INITIATIVE
$1,500CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
C-TAC CLUE CHAIR FUND
$1,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
LUKE SCUITTO
$1,000RESEARCH GRANT
NATURE CONSERVANCY
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
RESPONSIVE LAW
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
$300CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
CHARITY WATCH
$250CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
OPEN SECRETS
$2,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
UMASS MEMORIAL DIABETES CENTER
$1,000RESEARCH
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
$1,000CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
PINE STREET INN
$900CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER FOUNDATION
$800CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
WIKIMEDIA
$300CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
CHARITY WATCH
$250CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION
BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE
$100CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION