Tomson Family Foundation Trust
Mason City, IA · EIN 35-6947483. Reported 352 grants totalling $5,185,510 to 128 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Tomson Family Foundation Trust did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $3,500. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,000 and $10,000; the smallest was $500 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Northern Iowa Foundation | Cedar Falls, IA | $1,550,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Vesterheim Norweigan-American Museum | Decorah, IA | $325,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Waldorf Lutheran College | Forest City, IA | $275,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| ELCA World Hunger | Merrifield, VA | $250,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield, MN | $250,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wartburg College | Waverly, IA | $220,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Clear Lake Classical | Clear Lake, IA | $201,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Norwegian American Historical Society | Northfield, MN | $153,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Mason City YMCA & Rehabilitation Center | Mason City, IA | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Northeastern Iowa Synod | Waverly, IA | $110,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mason City Foundationmusic Man Square | Mason City, IA | $91,460 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Naval Institute Foundation | Annapolis, MD | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Luther Seminary | St Paul, MN | $85,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| 43 North Iowa | Mason City, IA | $79,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Luther College | Decorah, IA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Niacc Foundation | Mason City, IA | $68,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital Foundation Clarion | Clarion, IA | $65,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Northern Lights Alliance for the Homeless | Mason City, IA | $59,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Cedar Summerstock Theatre | Saint Ansgar, IA | $55,400 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church | Mason City, IA | $49,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Yss Francis Lauer | Mason City, IA | $44,150 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Habitat for Humanity of North Central Iowa | Mason City, IA | $44,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Tlc the Learning Center | Charles City, IA | $40,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lutheran Social Services | Des Moines, IA | $35,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cedar Valley Seminary Foundation | Osage, IA | $30,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Artisans Village | Eatonton, GA | $28,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival | Eatonton, GA | $28,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Artigras | Eatonton, GA | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Newman School Foundation | Mason City, IA | $25,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Winnebago Council Boy Scouts of America | Waterloo, IA | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National 19TH Amendement Society | Charles City, IA | $24,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Youth for Christ | Mason City, IA | $23,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Stebens Chidren's Theatre | Mason City, IA | $22,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Passenger Train History Museum | Charles City, IA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Charles City Family YMCA | Charles City, IA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank | Mason City, IA | $19,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Self Help International | Waverly, IA | $17,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| New Beginnings House of Hope | Mason City, IA | $16,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Georgia Writers Museum | Eatonton, GA | $15,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mora Dollars for Scholars | Mora, MN | $15,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mason City Community School District | Mason City, IA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Midland University | Fremont, NE | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Oconee Performing Arts Society | Greensboro, GA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| River City Sculptures on Parade Inc | Mason City, IA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Una Vocis Choral Ensemble | Mason City, IA | $15,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mora Food Pantry | Mora, MN | $14,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Community Kitchen - North Iowa | Mason City, IA | $13,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mason City Police Department | Mason City, IA | $12,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Niad Center for Human Development | Mason City, IA | $12,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| All Vets Center VFW Post 733 | Mason City, IA | $11,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chirstmas Cheer Fund | Mason City, IA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Mason City Senior Activity Center | Mason City, IA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Messiah Food Pantry | Charles City, IA | $11,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friends of the 457 | Mason City, IA | $10,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Freedom Inn His Grace | Mason City, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Our Daily Bread Food Pantry | Urbandale, IA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The Artisan Village | Eatonton, GA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Riverside Bible Camp | Story City, IA | $9,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cerro Gordo County Sheriff | Mason City, IA | $8,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Caring Pregnancy Center | Mason City, IA | $7,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Iowa Scottish Rite Masonic Foundation | Des Moines, IA | $7,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| University of St Thomas | St Paul, MN | $7,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Amputee Blade Runners | Nashville, TN | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Artigras Co Sara Tomson Hooper | Eatonton, GA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charles City Public Library | Charles City, IA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Eatonton-Putnam County Historical Society | Eatonton, GA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp | Lakeside, MT | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Floyd County Historical Society | Charles City, IA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Floyd County Sheriff Department | Charles City, IA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Floyd County Veterans Affairs | Charles City, IA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Greater Youth for Christ | Mason City, IA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jordan River Inc Dba Messiah Food Pantry | Charles City, IA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Lake Oconee Performing Arts Society | Greensboro, GA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mason City YMCA | Mason City, IA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Norman Borlaug Heritgage Foundation | Cresco, IA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wirth Cetner for the Performing Arts | St Cloud, MN | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wright County Historical Society | Belmond, IA | $5,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| YMCA Mason City | Mason City, IA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| CASA | Mason City, IA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Masonic Temple - Harding Lodge Scholarship | Mason City, IA | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| New Life Tabernacle | Mason City, IA | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Reason Outdoors Inc | Harrells, NC | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The Plaza Arts Center | Eatonton, GA | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Aging Services Coalition of North Iowa | Mason City, IA | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Faith Lutheran Church | Monticello, MN | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa | Urbandale, IA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Humane Society of North Iowa | Mason City, IA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| St John Lutheran Church | Charles City, IA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Trinity United Methodist Church | Charles City, IA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| United Way of North Central Iowa | Mason City, IA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Belmont University | Nashville, TN | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| North Iowa Southern Minnesota Veterans | Mason City, IA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| CASA of North Central Iowa | Des Moines, IA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Iowa CASA & Icfcrb | Des Moines, IA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Harding Lodge 549 | Mason City, IA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Hospice of North Iowa | Mason City, IA | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mason City High School | Mason City, IA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| On With Life Foundation | Ankeny, IA | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Northern Lights Shelter | Mason City, IA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alzheimers Association | Chicago, IL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders | West Des Moines, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Charles City Police Department | Charles City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Circle of Love Center | Greensboro, GA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Crisis Intervention Service | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Disabled Veterans National Foundation | Lanham, MD | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dogs on Deployment | Escondido, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ingham Okoboji Luthern Bible Camps | Milford, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Iowa State University Foundation | Ames, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mason City Fire Department | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mason City Instrumental Music Boosters | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mason City Soccer Club | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mason City Youth Football Association | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Meals on Wheels of Mason City Inc | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mitchell County Food Bank | Osage, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mollie's Mission | Nora Springs, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| North Iowa Community Action Organization | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Northland Amateur Communications Group | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Paws Humance Society | Charles City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Post 733 San-Juan Marne Veterans | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| SPCA International | Washington DC, MD | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Plaza Old School History Museum | Eatonton, GA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trondhjem Lutheran Church | Lonsdale, MN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wartburg Community Symphony Association | Waverly, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wounded Warrior Project | Jacksonville, FL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wright on the Park | Mason City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Young Mens Christian Association of Forest City Iowa | Forest City, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Nashville Symphony Choir | Nashville, TN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
76 of 128 (59%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 82%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- University of Northern Iowa Foundation
CENTER FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION - Wartburg College
INTEGRATED BA/MDIV DEGREE PROGRAM, SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT - St Olaf College
ST. OLAF CHOIR BROADCASE OF CHRISTMAS CONCERT - Waldorf Lutheran College
GENERAL SUPPORT, BUILDING A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FOR WALDORF - Vesterheim Norweigan-American Museum
VESTERHEIM COMMONS PROJECT MATCHING PLEDGE - Iowa Specialty Hospital Foundation Clarion
GENERAL SUPPORT, IOWA SPECIALTY HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 124 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 56 | $1,100,000 | $2,500 |
| 2022 | 71 | $1,048,000 | $2,500 |
| 2023 | 69 | $915,500 | $3,000 |
| 2024 | 77 | $1,156,510 | $5,000 |
| 2025 | 79 | $965,500 | $5,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
79% of its giving went to organizations in Iowa. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $3,500. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Iowa.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Tomson Family Foundation Trust's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 2601 Fourth Street Sw, Mason City, IA, 50401. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 35-6947483 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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