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Plinth

· Public charity

Arts Sciences & Cultural Council of Charlotte Mecklenburg Inc

Foster an inclusive, sustainable, culturally rich and engaged community where arts, science, and history play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life for all.

$6.7M
Granted FY2025still arriving
92
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$483k
Largest
01What you fundRead
02The needRead
03Your fieldRead
01What you fund
01FY2025 · 92 grants

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

The 92 grants below total $5,979,695 — the rows itemised in this filing. The $6,699,324 headline is the total grant expense reported on the return, so the remaining $719,629 is giving the schedule does not break out: grants under the $5,000 itemisation floor, grants to individuals, and grants reported on other schedules. Every figure below describes the itemised rows only.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k22 grants · $159k
  • $10k–50k43 grants · $976k
  • $50k–250k21 grants · $2.9M
  • $250k+6 grants · $2.0M
$20,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$5.4M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ARTS & SCIENCE COUNCIL$482,850
BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART$343,195
CORNELIUS ARTS COMMUNITY CENTER INC$323,500
CAROLINA RAPTOR CENTER INC$292,500
CHARLOTTE BALLET$275,211
OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT$250,000
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC$237,936
CHILDRENS THEATRE OF CHARLOTTE$236,303
CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF HISTORY INC$225,000
MINT MUSEUM OF ART INC$225,000
DISCOVERY PLACE INC$225,000
DAVIDSON COMMUNITY PLAYERS$184,500
OPERA CAROLINA$159,876
CLAYWORKS INC$148,995
MATTHEWS PLAYHOUSE OF THE PERFORMING ARTS INC$146,000
02The need
02

Do your dollars go where the need is?

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

show:

Your human-services grants (FY25–25, $107k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Your grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%THE CREATIVE CORNERSTONE: $9k → 10%EMBRACE ALL LATINO VOICES: $20k → 10%LORIEN ACADEMY OF THE ARTS: $58k → 10%QC FAMILY TREE INC: $5k → 10%APPLESAUCE GROUP: $10k → 10%CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CHARLOTTE: $6k → 10%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount

Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty linein the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP; grantee ZIP can differ from where services are delivered.

US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are actually delivered. Need from public data — U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA — shown as context about the area, never attributed to your giving.

03Your field

The map has a center of gravity: the average direction from the rest of the sector toward the organizations the foundation funds — the shape of its giving. Scoring every nonprofit along that direction surfaces the ones that look most like the portfolio. These are the closest matchesthat aren’t grantees — a resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Cabarrus Arts Council

The mission of Cabarrus Arts Council is to present, promote and inspire creativity in our community.

—
2
Charlotte Is Creative

Charlotte Is Creative develops programs and initiatives designed to break the Charlotte mold and remake it with creativity into a city that draws people in, excites them, and inspires them to invest their financial, social and creative…

Arts & Culture
3
African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh Wake County Inc

To promote, preserve and celebrate African American cultural and heritage through artistic expression and education culminating in a cultural festival held in downtown Raleigh, see schdule O for more info.

Arts & Culture
4
MakerSpace Charlotte

Encourage technological creativity and community by enabling people to use tools, to learn by making things and to share knowledge.

—
5
The Carolinas Latin Dance Company

Promote cultural awarenes and acceptance through dance performances

Arts & Culture
6
Wilkes Playmakers Inc

Provide cultural and artistic programs for the public of Wilkes County, NC and the surrounding area

Arts & Culture
7
Greenville Theatre Arts Center
—
8
Young Icons

Our mission is to stabilize the music community by Providing direct access to the recording arts for young musicians via mentorship, training and collaboration. We built this program to attack a major issue we see in Charlotte. "There are…

—
9
Studio 1

To provide performance arts opportunities for youth and adults of all different abilities through live performances and classes.

Arts & Culture
10
Columbia Childrens Theatre

Inspired by the intelligence and emotional wisdom of young people, we create professional theatre for youth and families, foster inclusive community, and nurture meaningful learning through the arts. We provide these experiences through…

Arts & Culture
11
The Center for Craft Creativity & Design Inc

To resource, catalyze, and amplify how and why craft matters.

Arts & Culture
12
Bechtler Collection Preservation Foundation
Arts & Culture

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Society Inc and the most unlike its peers is Ciao Italia Matthews. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.

Your grantees are a median of 10 years old; the field is 9. You back the established end — and your money leans older still.

THE FIELDby orgYOUR GRANTEESby number32%26%<5yr20%15%5–10yr21%25%10–20yr12%13%20–35yr8%11%35–55yr8%9%55yr+
THE FIELDby orgYOUR MONEYby value32%5%<5yr20%12%5–10yr21%17%10–20yr12%15%20–35yr8%25%35–55yr8%26%55yr+

The field is 32% startups (under 5 years old) — 26% of your grantees by number, and just 5% of your money.

Closures · last 5 years

The orgs you fund almost never close — 0.0% lost their exemption, against 22% of the field you don’t fund.

orgs you fund
0.0%0/91
the rest of the field
22%
1,394/6,407

Age = years since IRS exemption (a founding proxy). “Closed” = auto-revocation for 3 years of non-filing — a floor on closure, not proof, and bigger established orgs lapse least. Association, not causation.

03the grantee network

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

Each one resolved to its own IRS returns and tracked year by year — your grant beside their revenue from every source. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

Counted here: distinct organizations you funded across 2017–2025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 53 of the 91 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile; the rest are funded organizations whose filings we could not track year by year.

4
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
53/53
Grantees still filing
8/53
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

Andreas H Bechtler Arts Foundation — $343,195 · Arts & CultureAndreas H Bechtler Arts FoundationCORNELIUS ARTS COMMUNITY CENTER INC — $323,500 · Arts & CultureCORNELIUS ARTS COMMUNITY CENTER INCCHARLOTTE BALLET — $275,211 · Arts & CultureCHARLOTTE BALLETCHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC — $237,936 · Arts & CultureCHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INCThe Childrens Theatre of Charlotte Inc — $236,303 · Arts & CultureThe Childrens Theatre of Charlotte IncCharlotte Museum of History — $225,000 · Arts & CultureCharlotte Museum of HistoryMINT MUSEUM OF ART INC — $225,000 · Arts & CultureMINT MUSEUM OF ART INCDISCOVERY PLACE INC — $225,000 · Arts & CultureDISCOVERY PLACE INCMatthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts Inc — $203,500 · Arts & CultureMatthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts IncDavidson Community Players — $184,500 · Arts & CultureOPERA CAROLINA — $159,876 · Arts & CultureCHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG AFRO-AMERICAN CULTURAL AND SERVICE CENTER INC — $123,000 · Arts & Culture+22 more — $901,003 · Arts & Culture+22 moreARTS & SCIENCE COUNCIL CHARLOTTE/MECKLENBURG INC — $482,850 · OtherARTS & SCIENCE COUNCIL CHAR…CLAYWORKS INC — $148,995 · OtherCLAYWORKS INCArtsPlus — $122,380 · OtherArtsPlusB MUSIC YOUTH LLC — $48,660 · Other+40 more — $653,744 · Other+40 moreCarolina Raptor Center Inc — $292,500 · AnimalsFOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS — $250,000 · PhilanthropyDigi-Bridge — $115,000 · EducationQUEEN CITY ROBOTICS ALLIANCE INC — $29,109 · EducationLORIEN ACADEMY OF THE ARTS INC — $57,500 · Human ServicesEMBRACE ALL LATINO VOICES — $20,000 · Human ServicesTHE APPLESAUCE GROUP — $9,890 · Human ServicesTHE CREATIVE CORNERSTONE — $8,717 · Human ServicesChinese American Association of Charlotte — $5,905 · Human ServicesTHE QC FAMILY TREE INC — $5,330 · Human ServicesSMITHVILLE COMMUNITY COALITION INC — $41,000 · Community ImprovementUNIVERSITY CITY FOUNDATION INC — $18,104 · Community ImprovementSTEELE CREEK COMMUNITY PLACE INC — $6,987 · Community Improvement
Arts & Culture$3,663,024Other$1,456,629Animals$292,500Philanthropy$250,000Education$144,109Human Services$107,342Community Improvement$66,091

Each org by its size and your share of it — top-left is where you’re load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetARTS & SCIENCE COUNCIL CHARLOTTE/MECKLENBURG INC — $482,850 over 1y, 89% of budgetCarolina Raptor Center Inc — $292,500 over 1y, 17% of budgetCHARLOTTE BALLET — $275,211 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetCHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC — $237,936 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetThe Childrens Theatre of Charlotte Inc — $236,303 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetCharlotte Museum of History — $225,000 over 1y, 16% of budgetMINT MUSEUM OF ART INC — $225,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetDISCOVERY PLACE INC — $225,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetMatthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts Inc — $203,500 over 1y, 14% of budgetDavidson Community Players — $184,500 over 1y, 13% of budgetOPERA CAROLINA — $159,876 over 1y, 13% of budgetCLAYWORKS INC — $148,995 over 1y, 13% of budgetCHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG AFRO-AMERICAN CULTURAL AND SERVICE CENTER INC — $123,000 over 1y, 3.8% of budgetArtsPlus — $122,380 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetDigi-Bridge — $115,000 over 1y, 5.8% of budgetNORTH CAROLINA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT CHARLOTTE FOUNDATION — $115,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetSullenberger Aviation Museum — $115,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetMUSEUM OF THE NEW SOUTH INC — $115,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetCaroline Calouche & Co — $93,389 over 1y, 17% of budgetTheatre Gap Initiative — $60,000 over 1y, 17% of budgetLORIEN ACADEMY OF THE ARTS INC — $57,500 over 1y, 44% of budgetMcColl Center for Art Innovation — $57,500 over 1y, 3.9% of budgetJAZZARTS CHARLOTTE — $57,500 over 1y, 4.8% of budgetNORTH CAROLINA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA — $43,000 over 1y, 15% of budgetMINT HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY — $43,000 over 1y, 11% of budgetROBIN ANTOINETTE ARTS FOR ALL — $32,176 over 1y, 31% of budgetQUEEN CITY ROBOTICS ALLIANCE INC — $29,109 over 1y, 10% of budgetMINT HILL ARTS — $24,000 over 1y, 20% of budgetROYAL CITY COLLABORATION CORP — $20,000 over 1y, 26% of budgetMUSIC AT ST ALBANS — $20,000 over 1y, 19% of budgetNORTH CAROLINA YOUTH ORCHESTRA — $20,000 over 1y, 11% of budgetUNIVERSITY CITY FOUNDATION INC — $18,104 over 1y, 4.0% of budgetPiedmont Music Therapy — $17,847 over 1y, 6.5% of budgetQUE-OS — $13,474 over 1y, 5.1% of budgetArtWalks Clt Inc — $12,137 over 1y, 14% of budgetLotus Project Inc — $10,709 over 1y, 7.1% of budgetCharlotte Film Society — $9,729 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetCiao Italia Matthews — $8,929 over 1y, 7.9% of budgetTHE CREATIVE CORNERSTONE — $8,717 over 1y, 12% of budgetTOSCO MUSIC PARTIES INC — $7,912 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetONE VOICE INC — $7,025 over 1y, 3.3% of budgetTHE QC FAMILY TREE INC — $5,330 over 1y, 1.2% of budget
Go grantee by grantee — a decade per org, and how each moved after you funded them

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

The grantmakers whose grantees overlap with yours far more than size alone predicts. Each orbits closer the stronger the alignment; the arcs between them show where they also fund each other. Here it reads as a tightly interlocked camp — most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Arts & Science Counci…Foundation for the Ca…Duke Energy FoundationUnited Way of Greater…Greater Charlotte Cul…Womens Impact FundJohn S and James L Kn…Albemarle FoundationThe Dickson Foundatio…Emc Arts IncBlumenthal Foundation…The Presbyterian Hosp…
Arts & Science Council Charlotte/Mecklenburg IncNC103.8× affinity48 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Arts & Science Council Charlotte/Mecklenburg Inc · Foundation for the Carolinas · Duke Energy Foundation · United Way of Greater Charlotte Inc · Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust · Womens Impact Fund · John S and James L Knight Foundation · Albemarle Foundation · The Dickson Foundation Inc · Emc Arts Inc · Blumenthal Foundation for Charity Religion Education & Better Inter- · The Presbyterian Hospital

Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. A research starting point: overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Government reliance of your grantees

Every dot is one organization Arts Sciences & Cultural Council of Charlotte Mecklenburg Inc funds. Left–right is the share of its income from government; up–down is the share from you. Bigger dots raise more. Filter to federal or a single department — and drag the year to watch it move.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%23%51%90%your share of their income ↑0%15%30%45%60%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    15report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–60%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25

    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 your grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first — a floor, not 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 12–24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read directly from IRS e-file XML — your own 990/990-PF and the multi-year returns of the 91 grantees we resolved across every year we hold, several hundred filings in all (a different count from the grant rows on the cover, which are one fiscal year)— each linked to its source. Grantee achievements and outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III); we read these as association with sustained funding — the foundation is one of several forces — suppress low-confidence name matches rather than guess, and say so where a figure rests on a single grant or filing. Not everything on this page is a filed figure, and the difference matters. Filed is what you reported on your 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. How we build these →

    Generated from your IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    More from the funding graph

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    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 camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home
    State money flows
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