The Thomson Charitable Foundation appears to prioritize supporting direct hunger-relief efforts by providing sizable, unrestricted operating support. Their single recorded grant is a large general-purpose contribution to a regional food bank, suggesting an interest in strengthening frontline social service providers that address food insecurity. Although based in Dallas, this grant was directed to Santa Barbara County, indicating willingness to fund outside their home city for specific needs or relationships.
Walter J & Holly O Thomson Charitable shows a strong tilt toward Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles nonprofits, with its largest recorded grant going to the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County for unrestricted general support. The pattern is not limited to one sector: the foundation also backed direct-care providers, housing organizations, arts groups, and education-related institutions. Several of the larger awards support operating needs rather than tightly restricted projects, which points to a preference for general-purpose funding when the recipient fits the foundation’s priorities. Across the recent grants list, the foundation gave $130,000 to Music Academy of the West for the Thomson Memorial and $100,000 to Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara for its Wrap Around Care Program. Other grants in the same record support groups serving people experiencing homelessness, community clinics, museum programming, and conservation work. The mix suggests a funder that invests in local civic and human services as well as cultural and environmental institutions, with California recipients appearing throughout the record.
Housing and homelessness are a visible part of the portfolio. Walter J & Holly O Thomson Charitable gave $50,000 to Midnight Mission for Support Homeless to Housed and another $50,000 to SRO Housing Corporation aka Single Room Occupancy Housing Corp for Permanent Supportive. In Santa Barbara, Transition House received $50,000 for Family Emergency Shelter. Health and emergency response also appear repeatedly. The foundation awarded $100,000 to Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara for Wrap Around Care Program and $75,000 to Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics for unrestricted general support. It also gave $100,000 to Direct Relief for Ukraine Relief, showing support for crisis response beyond local service delivery. Arts and culture make up another clear thread. Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra received $100,000 for Music Education Program, while Los Angeles Conservancy received $100,000 for Last Remaining Seats; and $50,000 in a separate grant with the same purpose text.
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $30,000 for the 25th percentile, median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile, while its recent record also includes awards far above that range. The grant list shows repeated support for some organizations across multiple years, including Los Angeles Conservancy and Midnight Mission, which indicates more than one-off giving in parts of the portfolio. The organization is classified as a regular funder and does not make program-related investments. It also funds individuals, though the recent grants provided here are all to organizations.
$2.2M
$38.8M
$2.6M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $30K and $40K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$30K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$40K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, one-time large grant: a single $200,000 unrestricted gift rather than multiple smaller or recurring awards; focused support to a frontline service organization.
Notable grantees: Food Bank of Santa Barbara County
Grantmaking is concentrated in California, with Santa Barbara and Los Angeles appearing most often in the recent record. Santa Barbara recipients include the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara, and The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. Los Angeles recipients include Inner-City Arts, The Chrysalis Center, and SRO Housing Corporation aka Single Room Occupancy Housing Corp. All recorded grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients, and none were made to recipients in Texas.
The recent record includes food relief, housing and homelessness services, health care, arts, conservation, education, and workforce support. Examples include the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County, Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara, Midnight Mission, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County.
Its grants are concentrated in California, especially Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Santa Barbara-based recipients include Food Bank of Santa Barbara County and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics, while Los Angeles-based recipients include Inner-City Arts and The Chrysalis Center.
The distribution centers on $30,000 grants: the 25th percentile is $30,000, the median is $30,000, and the 75th percentile is $40,000. Recent awards also include larger grants such as $100,000 and $200,000.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to some organizations across multiple years, including Los Angeles Conservancy and Midnight Mission. That indicates recurring support for at least part of the portfolio.
It has supported frontline service providers with sizable grants, including Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara for Wrap Around Care Program, Direct Relief for Ukraine Relief, and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics with unrestricted general support. The record also includes housing and shelter support through organizations such as Transition House.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $125,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SRO HOUSING CORPORATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER FDN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LAND TRUST FOR SB - SEDGWICK RESERVE | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $80,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FOOD BANK OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE MIDNIGHT MISSION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA HUMANE SPCA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION CORPS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WEST | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | THOMSON MEMORIAL |
| LOS ANGELES CONSERVANCY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| WILDERNESS YOUTH PROJECT INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $45,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UNITED WAY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LOBERO THEATRE FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DIRECT RELIEF | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| YOUNG MUSICIANS FOUNDATION (YMF) | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY ACTION OF SANTA BARBARA | GOLETA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY | BUELTON, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CARE 4 PAWS INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GIRLS INC OF GREATER SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA CHORAL SOCIETY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BRAILLE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TRANSITION HOUSE | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CHANNEL ISLAND YMCA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW BEGINNINGS COUNSELING CENTER | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UNITED BOYSGIRLS CLUBS OF SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PATH aka PEOPLE ASSISTING THE HOMELESS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CASA OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ELINGS PARK FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSN | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| INNER-CITY ARTS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY ARTS MUSIC ASSOCIATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | FOR THOMSON SCHOLARSHIP |
| SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA COMMUNITY YOUTH | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA RESCUE MISSION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA 4-H FOUNDATION | DAVIS, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HOSPICE OF SANTA BARBARA INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT WALLS-SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FOOD FROM THE HEART INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SANTA BARBARA NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PARA LOS NINOS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
PLANNED PARENTHOOD SANTA BARBARA
$125,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SRO HOUSING CORPORATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
LAND TRUST FOR SB - SEDGWICK RESERVE
$80,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FOOD BANK OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
$75,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COMMUNITY ACTION OF SANTA BARBARA
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SANTA BARBARA CHORAL SOCIETY
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW BEGINNINGS COUNSELING CENTER
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
LOS ANGELES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UNITED BOYSGIRLS CLUBS OF SANTA BARBARA
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CASA OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
COMMUNITY ARTS MUSIC ASSOCIATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SANTA BARBARA COMMUNITY YOUTH
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HOSPICE OF SANTA BARBARA INC
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FOOD FROM THE HEART INC
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL