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Achilles Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Achilles Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$169k
Granted FY2023
17
Grants FY2023
7
States reached
$20k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead

Read this first · the figures below need context

92% of Achilles Foundation’s FY2024 grant dollars went to Schwab Charitable Fund, not to grantees.

Its money now reaches organizations through that sponsor, which does not report who recommended each grant. FY2024 names 7 organizations directly, so a portfolio cannot be read from it. Everything below is therefore FY2023, the last year Achilles Foundation named its own grantees at scale: 11 organizations, $169k. It is dated, not current.

Organizations named directly on the return

7
’20
7
’21
10
’22
11
’23
7
’24

Amber years are those where most dollars went to a sponsor.

01What it funds
0192% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Philanthropy$2.3MHealth$204kArts & Culture$150kEducation$135kHuman Services$132kInternational$63kRecreation & Sports$40kAnimals$25kOther$0
02FY2023 · 17 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2023

  • Under $10k8 grants · $39k
  • $10k–50k9 grants · $130k
$10,000
Median grant
7
States reached
$1.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ONE TO ONE LEARNING INC$20,000
THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION$20,000
PATCHWORK LLC$20,000
NY UNIVERSITY DEPT OF ART$15,000
PUP CULTURE RESCUE$15,000
HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION$10,000
FRIENDS OF HEMP CO$10,000
OVERTONE INDUSTRIES$10,000
TRIDENT ACADEMY$10,000
SHARE AFRICA$9,100
CASEY LEE BALL FOUNDATION$8,000
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS GROUP INC$7,500
CHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION$5,000
OPERATION GAME ON$5,000
EASTER SEALS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC$2,500
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–23, $82k) land where the poverty rate runs at 17%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS: $5k → 16%ALIVE HOSPICE: $5k → 14%THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION: $20k → 17%THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION: $20k → 17%THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION: $20k → 17%THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION: $12k → 17%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

NY
MA
PA
NJ
CA
NE
KY
VA
MD
AZ
TN
NC
SC
DC
HI
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

53%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$456k · 11 repeat orgs$403k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +65% since the first grant, against +13% for those funded once.

11 repeat relationships: 9 still active in FY2023, 2 since wound down; 12 grantees were first funded in FY2023 (too recent to call). Read against FY2023, the last year this funder named its own grantees directly; its giving has since run through a sponsor, which reports no donor behind each grant.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

11
17

Total granted

$456k
$257k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+65%
+13%

Still filing today

64%
59%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 42% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $114k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24
EducationHuman ServicesArts & CultureHealthRecreation & SportsHousing & ShelterOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • CL
    CASEY LEE BALL FOUNDATION
    4× · 2021–2024 · $81k · revenue +433% · 61% of their budget
  • TG
    THE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION INC
    4× · 2020–2023 · $72k · revenue +446%
  • OT
    One to One Learning Inc
    4× · 2021–2024 · $60k · revenue +9%

Funded once

  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2020 · $58k
  • BF
    BEN'S FRIENDSgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $36k · revenue +61%
  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK FOUNDATION INC
    one grant, 2022 · $25k · revenue -89%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Ucsf Foundation Investment Company

The organization provides professional investment management services for endowed gifts and financial assets entrusted to the ucsf foundation.

Education
2
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Foundation

To aid the alliance for clinical trials in oncology national clinical trials cooperative group and support the clinical trials and laboratory research of the alliance, as well as efforts to educate the medical community on methods of…

Health
3
Donor Alliance Inc

Donor Alliance saves and heals lives through organ and tissue donation. Donor Alliance is one of 55 Federally designated, non-profit organ procurement organizations serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. Additionally, it is a member of the…

Health
4
Amnesty International of the Usa Inc

Amnesty international of the usa, inc. is the united states section of amnesty international - a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. (continued on schedule o).organization's mission…

International
5
Acmg Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine

Support the american college of medical genetics and genomics' (acmg) educational mission to "translate genes into health" by raising funds to attract the next generation of medical geneticists and genetic counselors, to sponsor important…

—
6
American Academy of Neurology

The Academy's mission is to enhance member career fulfillment and promote brain health for all.

Community Improvement
7
National Comprehensive Cancer Network

To define and advance quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care and prevention so all people can live better lives.

Health
8
Surgical Review Corporation

To provide guidelines and certification for those hospitals and surgeons who practice surgery.

Health
9
Ccof Certification Services Llc

Ccof certification services, llc, a wholly owned subsidiary of california certified organic farmers inc., provides a wide array of cost-effective, organic certification programs. ccof certifies farm and livestock operations, processors,…

Food & Nutrition
10
Silicon Schools Fund Inc

The mission of the silicon schools fund is to improve education through supporting the launch of excellent new schools, improving academic instruction in existing schools, and by funding some of the boldest innovations in education…

Education
11
Autism Opportunities Foundation

We improve the lives of the people in our care affected by autism.

Health
12
The Hospital for Special Surgery Fund Inc

The organization's exempt purpose is to raise funds to support charitable,educational & scientific purposes of its tax-exempt affiliate the hospital for special surgery, and other health care related charitable organizations.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Medecins Sans Frontieres Usa Inc; the most unlike its peers is Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

27 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 27 of the 43 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
26/27
Grantees still filing
18/27
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING INC: $2,272,799 · PhilanthropyDONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING INC+3 more: $53,000 · PhilanthropyOne to One Learning Inc: $60,000 · OtherOne to One Learnin…Individual grant recipient: $58,000 · OtherIndividual grant r…PATCHWORK LLC: $55,000 · OtherPATCHWORK LLCCHILDRENS OF THE CHILMARK PRESCHOOL: $50,000 · OtherCHILDRENS OF THE C…NY UNIVERSITY DEPT OF ART: $40,000 · OtherNY UNIVERSITY DEPT…NORTH COUNTY JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION (NCJGA): $25,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 · OtherBRITISH SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES: $20,000 · OtherSHARE AFRICA: $17,600 · Other+19 more: $155,900 · Other+19 moreCASEY LEE BALL FOUNDATION: $81,213 · Arts & CultureOvertone Industries: $40,000 · Arts & CultureTHE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION INC: $72,000 · Human ServicesNATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY: $5,000 · Human ServicesALIVE HOSPICE INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesTRIDENT ACADEMY INC: $40,000 · EducationAMERICAN NURSES FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 · EducationThe Foundation for Tomorrow Inc: $10,000 · EducationBEN'S FRIENDS: $36,000 · HealthCHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION: $5,000 · HealthPUP CULTURE RESCUE: $25,000 · Animals
Philanthropy$2,325,799Other$506,500Arts & Culture$121,213Human Services$82,000Education$65,000Health$41,000Animals$25,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetDONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING INC: $2,272,799 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCASEY LEE BALL FOUNDATION: $81,213 over 4y, 61% of budgetTHE GURDJIEFF FOUNDATION INC: $72,000 over 4y, 4.5% of budgetOne to One Learning Inc: $60,000 over 4y, 7.8% of budgetTRIDENT ACADEMY INC: $40,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetOvertone Industries: $40,000 over 4y, 7.4% of budgetBEN'S FRIENDS: $36,000 over 1y, 22% of budgetCHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPUP CULTURE RESCUE: $25,000 over 2y, 6.2% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetMental Health Coalition Inc: $18,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetAMERICAN NURSES FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetOne-Eighty Place: $12,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetThe Foundation for Tomorrow Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetHAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetINTERNATIONAL SPORTS GROUP INC: $7,500 over 1y, 6.0% of budgetMake the Road New York: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOperation Game On: $5,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetNATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY: $5,000 over 1y, 10% of budgetNEBRASKA VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCHILDREN'S TUMOR FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetALIVE HOSPICE INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEASTER SEALS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSPECIAL OLYMPICS INC: $2,400 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Paypal Charitable Giv…The Bank of America C…Vanguard Charitable E…American Endowment Fo…National Philanthropi…Fidelity Investments …Donor Advised Charita…American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
Paypal Charitable Giving FundDC7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 8 of 8Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Paypal Charitable Giving Fund · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Endowment Foundation · National Philanthropic Trust · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Amazonsmile Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Achilles Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Achilles Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 30%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    3get no government money at all
    2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Achilles Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Achilles Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 43 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Achilles’ filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home