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Aphorism Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Aphorism 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.

$43M
Granted FY2024still arriving
27
Grants FY2024still arriving
9
States reached
$10M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Science & Tech$47MEducation$35MPhilanthropy$33MPublic Benefit$25MHealth$18MEnvironment$11MSocial Science$8.7MEmployment$8.0MOther$0
02FY2024 · 27 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $50k–250k7 grants · $703k
  • $250k+20 grants · $43M
$1,000,000
Median grant
9
States reached
$1.1B
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
EARTH SPECIES PROJECT$10,005,300
PROBABILISTIC COMPUTING FOUNDATION INC$10,000,000
SCIENCE FOR AMERICA INC$3,000,000
NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION$2,200,000
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK$2,000,000
Individual grant recipient$2,000,000
CONNECTED LEARNING ALLIANCE$1,865,000
MATHESAR FOUNDATION INC$1,498,500
ASSOCIATION OF MARSHALL SCHOLARS INC$1,461,858
LEADERSHIP NETWORK$1,200,000
CORTICO CORPORATION$1,000,000
LEADERS IN TECH INC$1,000,000
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY$1,000,000
US JAPAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE$1,000,000
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY$1,000,000
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 (FY22–24, $1.5M) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 20% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%CHOOSE LOVE INC: $300k → 17%DOLLAR FOR: $200k → 9%KNOWLEDGE FUTURES INC: $1.0M → 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.

Which US states its grants reach

VT
NH
WA
MN
IL
WI
NY
MA
PA
NJ
RI
CA
MO
VA
MD
NC
DC
AL
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.

64%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$104M · 25 repeat orgs$58M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +24% since the first grant, against +5% for those funded once.

25 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2024, 9 since wound down; 9 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

25
39

Total granted

$104M
$45M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+24%
+5%

Still filing today

76%
85%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 68% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $13M went to new ones.

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

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

’17’19’20’21’22’23’24
Science & TechEducationArts & CultureCivil RightsInternationalPublic BenefitOther
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

  • CZ
    CHAN ZUCKERBERG BIOHUB INC
    5× · 2017–2022 · $10M · revenue +949%
  • OI
    OPPORTUNITYWORK INC
    2× · 2017–2020 · $7.5M · revenue +240% · 56% of their budget
  • CC
    CORTICO CORPORATION
    3× · 2017–2024 · $3.0M · revenue +175% · 76% of their budget

Funded once

  • THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $8.3M · revenue +48%
  • HL
    HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
    one grant, 2017 · $8.0M
  • OF
    OpenAI Foundation fka OpenAI Inc
    one grant, 2017 · $5.0M · revenue -98%
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
Orcid Inc

Orcid provides an identifier for individuals to use with their name as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities. we provide open tools that enable transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers, their…

Education
3
Open Markets Institute

The open markets institute works to help people relearn how to use competition policy to build stronger democracies, more just and equitable societies, more innovative and sustainable economies, and a more secure and peaceful world.

Education
4
Activate Global Inc

Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. activate partners with u.s. based funders, research institutions, and other pillars of the hard technology community to help entrepreneurial…

Environment
5
Finreglab Inc

Finreglab is a d.c.-based research organization working at the intersection of financial innovation and public policy. our mission is to advance technology and data use to help people and small businesses manage their financial lives,…

Science & Tech
6
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
7
Pew Research Center

Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan "fact tank" that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. Pew Research Center generates a foundation of facts that enriches the public dialogue and…

Social Science
8
National Opinion Research Center

See schedule onorc at the university of chicago conducts research and data science on critical societal issues to guide decision-making and the development of programs and public policy. our experts identify relationships and trends, and…

Social Science
9
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all. the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its science family of journals,…

Science & Tech
10
Upturn Inc

Upturn advances equity and justice in the design, governance, and use of technology.

—
11
Partnership On Ai to Benefit People and Society

Bringing diverse voices together across global sectors, disciplines, and demographics so developments in ai advance positive outcomes for people and society.

Science & Tech
12
Center for Democracy and Technology

Advocating for public policies that advance democratic values in the digital age.

Civil Rights
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Science and Technology Futures Inc; the most unlike its peers is Us-Japan Research Institute Suite 801. 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

70 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. 70 of the 85 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.

18
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
12
Early backer (in before they grew)
69/70
Grantees still filing
39/70
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: $11,150,000 · OtherNEW AMERICA FOUNDATIONTHE EARTH SPECIES PROJECT: $10,005,300 · OtherTHE EARTH SPECIES PROJECTHARVARD LAW SCHOOL: $8,000,000 · OtherHARVARD LAW SCHOOLSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK: $5,880,000 · OtherSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANKMASS GENERAL BRIGHAM INCORPORATED: $4,000,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $4,000,000 · OtherHYPOTHESIS FUND PBLLC: $2,875,000 · OtherDO SOMETHING INC: $4,000,000 · Other+41 more: $29,882,110 · Other+41 moreProbalistic Computing Foundation Inc: $24,500,000 · Science & TechProbalistic Computing F…SCIENCE FOR AMERICA INC: $9,000,000 · Science & TechSCIENCE FOR AMERICA INCOpenAI Foundation fka OpenAI Inc: $5,000,000 · Science & TechOpenAI Foundation fka O…CORTICO CORPORATION: $3,000,000 · Science & TechCORTICO CORPORATION+4 more: $3,517,940 · Science & Tech+4 moreDONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING INC: $24,455,517 · PhilanthropyDONOR ADVISED CHA…THE MIAMI FOUNDATION INC: $5,000,000 · PhilanthropyTHE MIAMI FOUNDAT…FFWD: $1,250,000 · Philanthropy+4 more: $2,285,000 · Philanthropy+4 moreTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $10,000,000 · EducationTHE BOARD OF T…Mathesar Foundation Inc: $5,723,500 · EducationMathesar Found…Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $5,648,000 · EducationMassachusetts …THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $2,000,000 · EducationTHE TRUSTEES O…President and Fellows of Harvard College: $1,500,000 · EducationPresident and …LEADERS IN TECH INC: $1,200,000 · Education+6 more: $1,789,006 · Education+6 moreCHAN ZUCKERBERG BIOHUB INC: $10,000,000 · HealthTHE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION: $8,334,000 · Arts & CultureCOMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM: $500,000 · Arts & Culture+3 more: $640,000 · Arts & CultureOPPORTUNITYWORK INC: $7,500,000 · EmploymentHIM FOR HER INC: $700,000 · Employment+1 more: $100,000 · Employment
Other$79,792,410Science & Tech$45,017,940Philanthropy$32,990,517Education$27,860,506Health$10,000,000Arts & Culture$9,474,000Employment$8,300,000

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetProbalistic Computing Foundation Inc: $24,500,000 over 2y, 99% of budgetDONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING INC: $24,455,517 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetNEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: $11,150,000 over 5y, 6.5% of budgetTHE EARTH SPECIES PROJECT: $10,005,300 over 1y, 48% of budgetCHAN ZUCKERBERG BIOHUB INC: $10,000,000 over 5y, 21% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $10,000,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSCIENCE FOR AMERICA INC: $9,000,000 over 2y, 36% of budgetTHE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION: $8,334,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetOPPORTUNITYWORK INC: $7,500,000 over 2y, 56% of budgetMathesar Foundation Inc: $5,723,500 over 4y, 89% of budgetMassachusetts Institute of Technology: $5,648,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetTHE MIAMI FOUNDATION INC: $5,000,000 over 1y, 4.1% of budgetOpenAI Foundation fka OpenAI Inc: $5,000,000 over 1y, 15% of budgetDO SOMETHING INC: $4,000,000 over 1y, 28% of budgetCORTICO CORPORATION: $3,000,000 over 3y, 76% of budgetCONNECTED LEARNING ALLIANCE: $2,285,000 over 2y, 73% of budgetPAHARA INSTITUTE INC: $2,250,000 over 3y, 21% of budgetCENTER ON RURAL INNOVATION INC: $2,030,000 over 3y, 29% of budgetTHE ASSOCIATION OF MARSHALL SCHOLARS INC: $2,000,001 over 2y, 42% of budgetAMERICAN FRIENDS OF LIBI INC: $2,000,000 over 2y, 22% of budgetPECAN STREET INC: $2,000,000 over 1y, 39% of budgetTHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $2,000,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPresident and Fellows of Harvard College: $1,500,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDREAMORG: $1,250,000 over 1y, 19% of budgetFFWD: $1,250,000 over 1y, 5.6% of budgetLEADERS IN TECH INC: $1,200,000 over 2y, 29% of budgetSECUREBIO INC: $1,160,000 over 1y, 27% of budgetB LAB COMPANY: $1,000,000 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetPLAYERS PHILANTHROPY FUND INC: $1,000,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetNEW VENTURE FUND: $1,000,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetKNOWLEDGE FUTURES INC: $1,000,000 over 1y, 14% of budgetUBI Charitable Inc: $1,000,000 over 1y, 100% of budgetAURELIA INSTITUTE INC: $1,000,000 over 1y, 53% of budgetWoodwell Climate Research Center Inc: $857,940 over 1y, 3.7% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION: $750,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetHIM FOR HER INC: $700,000 over 2y, 13% of budgetVOTEORG: $600,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetCOMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM: $500,000 over 1y, 3.2% of budgetMANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW: $500,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FUTURES INC: $500,000 over 1y, 6.8% of budgetMercatus Center Inc: $360,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetTHE CHANGEORG CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC: $331,000 over 1y, 38% of budgetKIVA MICROFUNDS: $302,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetFrom The Heart Productions: $300,000 over 1y, 4.8% of budgetCHOOSE LOVE INC: $300,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX: $254,066 over 1y, 28% of budgetCivic Nation: $250,000 over 1y, 3.0% of budgetDEMOCRACY WORKS INC: $250,000 over 1y, 6.1% 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.

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.

Silicon Valley Commun…ImpactassetsincThe Eric and Wendy Sc…Gates FoundationTides FoundationSkoll FundThe Ford FoundationThe Goldman Sachs Cha…Walton Family Foundat…Combined Jewish Phila…The William & Flora H…The Robert Wood Johns…
Silicon Valley Community FoundationCA30.1× affinity22 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Impactassetsinc · The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation · Gates Foundation · Tides Foundation · Skoll Fund · The Ford Foundation · The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund · Walton Family Foundation Inc · Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc · The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation · The Robert Wood Johnson 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 Aphorism Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Aphorism Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 130%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 11%
  • Center On Rural Innovation Inc: 37% of income from government
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 35% of income from government
  • Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc: 11% of income from government
  • President and Fellows of Harvard College: 7% of income from government
  • American Academy of Arts & Sciences: 3% of income from government
  • Cortico Corporation: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
13get no government money at all
5report 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 85 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Aphorism’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