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Alena Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Alena Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$267k
Granted FY2025still arriving
11
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$200k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Education$387kHuman Services$331kHealth$199kFood & Nutrition$140kArts & Culture$98kYouth Development$68kEnvironment$18kPhilanthropy$3k
02FY2025 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k7 grants · $23k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $44k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $200k
$5,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$2.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER$200,000
AVALON HEALING CENTER$23,000
VISTA MARIA$11,000
CAPUCHIN SOUP KITCHEN$10,000
COMM FD OF GREAT ROCHESTER$5,000
BUILDING BEDS 4 KIDS$5,000
OXFORDORION FISH FOOD PANTRY$5,000
HARRISON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS$2,000
PERE MARQUETTE DISTRICT LIBRARY$2,000
FARWELL AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT$2,000
OXFORD OPEN HANDED$2,000
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 (FY19–19, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 8%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%House of Providence: $5k → 8%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.
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.

78%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$968k · 28 repeat orgs$273k to everyone else

28 repeat relationships: 9 still active in FY2025, 19 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

28
9

Total granted

$968k
$68k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+18%
+75%

Still filing today

36%
44%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 23% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $205k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
HealthArts & CultureEducationHousing & ShelterHuman ServicesFood & NutritionOther
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

  • TA
    The Art Experience Inc
    7× · 2017–2024 · $70k · revenue +59%
  • AH
    AVALON HEALING CENTER
    3× · 2023–2025 · $56k · revenue +8%
  • VISTA MARIA
    5× · 2021–2025 · $54k · revenue +37%

Funded once

  • GC
    GLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
    one grant, 2020 · $15k · revenue -22%
  • OM
    Oxford Middle School
    one grant, 2017 · $13k
  • 4P
    4 PAWZ STRONG
    one grant, 2022 · $10k · revenue -86%
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
Michigan Assoc of Community Mental Health Boards

Assisting the community mental health boards of michigan in developing methods for mental health planning, care and treatment.

—
2
Michigan School of Psychology

Educate psychologists today who will transform our world tomorrow. we provide experiential and scholarly training in clinical psychology for students who want to make a difference. our experienced faculty of practitioner-scholars teach…

—
3
Mymichigan Medical Group

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
4
Care of Southeastern Michigan

To strengthen resiliency in people and their communities through prevention, education, and services that improve the quality of life

Health
5
Interact of Michigan Inc

Interact of michigan, inc. is dedicated to collaborative delivery of evidence-supported mental health and substance abuse treatments that foster hope and wellness. interact of michigan, inc. has developed services designed to meet the…

—
6
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
7
Association for Children's Mental Health

To ensure all michigan children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges and their families live in a safe, welcoming community with access to needed services and supports.

Health
8
Michigan Center for Clinical Systems Improvement

The organization's mission is to support community-based, stakeholder driven training for care teams including physicians, care managers, care coordinators, medical assistants and behavioral health specialists; facilitate training and…

Health
9
The Center for Michigan

For all state residents, diverse civic stakeholders and philanthropy, the center for michigan (the center) and its nonprofit newsrooms - bridge michigan and bridgedetroit - make michigan better through high-quality, nonpartisan journalism…

Public Benefit
10
Business Leaders for Michigan

Business leaders for michigan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan statewide organization driven by ceos from the state's leading employers, all working toward a shared goal: making michigan a top 10 state for jobs, talent and a thriving economy.…

—
11
Michigan Psychiatric Society

Mission is to represent the interests and professional needs of psychiatric physicians in michigan while striving to ensure quality care for people with mental disorders and their families through promotion of education, research and…

—
12
Michigan Virtual University

Maximize learning and teaching by bringing together the best in people and technology.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Four County Community Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Yoga By Design Foundation. 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

17 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. 17 of the 40 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.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
2
Early backer (in before they grew)
16/17
Grantees still filing
12/17
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER: $200,000 · OtherFAMILY OUTREACH CENTERCAPUCHIN SOUP KITCHEN: $62,000 · OtherCAPUCHIN SOUP KITCHENPere Marquette District Library: $59,700 · OtherPere Marquette District LibraryOXFORDORION FISH FOOD PANTRY: $55,000 · OtherOXFORDORION FISH FOOD PANTRYVISTA MARIA: $54,000 · OtherVISTA MARIAREADY FOR LIFE: $48,000 · OtherREADY FOR LIFEFARWELL AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT: $37,000 · OtherClare Public Schools: $35,000 · OtherOXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS GENERAL FUND: $31,150 · OtherBUILDING BEDS 4 KIDS: $29,000 · Other+18 more: $247,200 · Other+18 moreYOGA BY DESIGN FOUNDATION: $60,000 · HealthYOGA BY DESIGN FOUN…AVALON HEALING CENTER: $56,000 · HealthAVALON HEALING CENT…MYMICHIGAN HEALTH: $47,650 · HealthMYMICHIGAN HEALTHMICHIGAN DYSLEXIA INSTITUTE INC: $35,000 · HealthMICHIGAN DYSLEXIA I…COMMON GROUND: $20,000 · HealthCOMMON GROUNDThe Art Experience Inc: $70,200 · Arts & Culture4 PAWZ STRONG: $10,000 · Arts & CultureCRANBROOK EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY: $20,000 · EducationCOLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES: $9,150 · Education42STRONG: $25,000 · Youth DevelopmentRELEAF MICHIGAN INC: $18,000 · EnvironmentGLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $15,000 · Food & Nutrition
Other$858,050Health$218,650Arts & Culture$80,200Education$29,150Youth Development$25,000Environment$18,000Food & Nutrition$15,000

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 budgetThe Art Experience Inc: $70,200 over 7y, 9.4% of budgetYOGA BY DESIGN FOUNDATION: $60,000 over 5y, 15% of budgetAVALON HEALING CENTER: $56,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetVISTA MARIA: $54,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetMYMICHIGAN HEALTH: $47,650 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetMICHIGAN DYSLEXIA INSTITUTE INC: $35,000 over 3y, 2.5% of budget42STRONG: $25,000 over 3y, 4.0% of budgetCOMMON GROUND: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCRANBROOK EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetRELEAF MICHIGAN INC: $18,000 over 3y, 4.5% of budgetGLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget4 PAWZ STRONG: $10,000 over 1y, 4.2% of budgetCOLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES: $9,150 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetHOUSE OF PROVIDENCE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetFOUR COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $3,000 over 1y, 0.1% 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.

  • Who funds FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER ↗
  • Who funds The Art Experience Inc ↗
  • Who funds YOGA BY DESIGN FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds AVALON HEALING CENTER ↗
  • Who funds VISTA MARIA ↗
  • Who funds MYMICHIGAN HEALTH ↗
  • Who funds MICHIGAN DYSLEXIA INSTITUTE INC ↗
  • Who funds 42STRONG ↗
  • Who funds COMMON GROUND ↗
  • Who funds CRANBROOK EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY ↗
  • Who funds RELEAF MICHIGAN INC ↗
  • Who funds GLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN ↗
  • Who funds 4 PAWZ STRONG ↗
  • Who funds COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES ↗
  • Who funds SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE INC ↗
  • Who funds HOUSE OF PROVIDENCE ↗
  • Who funds FOUR COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ↗

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.

Community Foundation …Michigan Health Endow…Consumers Energy Foun…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganMI15× affinity5 shared granteesties to 5 of 5Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Michigan Health Endowment Fund · Consumers Energy Foundation · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · 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 Alena Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Alena Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%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
    0get no government money at all
    7report 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.

    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 40 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Alena’s 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