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Plinth

· Public charity

Austin Parks Foundation

AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION partners with our community to enhance people's lives by making our public parks, trails and green spaces better through volunteerism, innovative programming, advocacy and financial support.

$534k
Granted FY2024still arriving
12
Grants FY2024still arriving
2
States reached
$302k
Largest
01What you fund
01100% classified

What you funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year — across FY20172024.

Recreation & Sports$1.5MArts & Culture$1.1MEnvironment$722kPhilanthropy$190kEducation$100kEmployment$66kCommunity Improvement$46kAnimals$11kOther$0
02FY2024 · 12 grants

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

The 12 grants below total $514,077 — the rows itemised in this filing. The $534,077 headline is the total grant expense reported on the return, so the remaining $20,000 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 · FY2024

  • Under $10k2 grants · $16k
  • $10k–50k9 grants · $197k
  • $250k+1 grant · $302k
$25,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$26M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CITY OF AUSTIN PARD$301,500
TRAIL CONSERVANCY$37,500
FUN TIME TRAIN RIDES$32,520
AUSTIN YMBL SUNSHINE CAMPS$30,000
DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC$26,700
AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF$25,000
WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY$15,357
GREATER EAST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION$10,000
AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC$10,000
CITY PARK ALLIANCE$10,000
TRI-COUNTY GRAVESITE MAINTENANCE$9,500
KUTKUTX RADIO$6,000
02The need
03

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:

Dollar for dollar, your grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 99% of your dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of your grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $11k → 10%FUN TIME TRAIN RIDES: $33k → 16%CITY PARK ALLIANCE: $10k → 14%AMERICAN YOUTHWORKS E-CORPS: $41k → 10%AMERICAN YOUTHWORKS E-CORPS: $19k → 10%DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC: $238k → 10%DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC: $125k → 10%DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC: $27k → 10%DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC: $16k → 10%DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC: $14k → 10%AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC: $10k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARD: $302k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARD: $297k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARD: $270k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $200k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $150k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $116k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARD: $100k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $70k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $40k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $28k → 10%ULAUF SCULTPURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM: $25k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $25k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $20k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $20k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $19k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $17k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $17k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $15k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARD: $10k → 10%CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS & RECREATION: $10k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $25k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - FBO TOLF: $15k → 10%ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY INC: $75k → 10%AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION - (FRIENDS OF ELIZABET NEY MUSUEM): $10k → 10%HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY - V: $15k → 10%WEVIVA: $32k → 10%TREEFOLKS INC: $13k → 10%FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS: $10k → 10%FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS: $10k → 10%FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS: $10k → 10%FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS: $10k → 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 edge
repeat funding

Who you back again

Which organizations you funded more than once, and which you funded a single time. Each grantee is matched to its own filings.

91%of every dollar goes to organizations you’ve funded before.
$3.3M · 12 repeat orgs$321k to everyone else

12 repeat relationships — 4 still active in FY2024, 8 since wound down; 7 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

12
12

Total granted

$3.3M
$205k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+19%
+24%

Still filing today

83%
67%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 76% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $116k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEnvironmentRecreation & SportsCommunity ImprovementOther

First-time = a grantee’s first year in your filing window; renewed = funded in an earlier year too. As a portfolio matures the renewed share naturally climbs — once funded, an org stays “renewable” — so the signal is the years that buck it (a new-grantee intake wave). 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

  • TT
    The Trail Conservancy
    2× · 2017–2018 · $293k · revenue +405%
  • AY
    AMERICAN YOUTHWORKS
    2× · 2017–2018 · $66k · revenue +111%
  • AY
    AUSTIN YMBL SUNSHINE CAMP
    2× · 2023–2024 · $60k · revenue +19%

Funded once

  • ZB
    ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
    one grant, 2022 · $75k · revenue +24%
  • W
    WEVIVA
    one grant, 2017 · $32k
  • US
    UMLAUF SCULPTURE GARDEN & MUSEUM
    one grant, 2023 · $25k · revenue +9%

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

04Your 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
Shoal Creek Conservancy

The conservancy is dedicated to restoring, protecting and enhancing the ecological, social and cultural vibrancy of shoal creek in austin, texas, for the people of austin by engaging the public and partnering with the community, including…

Environment
2
Trinity Park Conservancy

Trinity Park Conservancy champions the transformation of the Trinity River to become the heart of Dallas. With the community, the Conservancy will design public spaces that unite us, enrich people's lives through access to nature, create…

Community Improvement
3
Austin Creative Alliance

The mission of Austin Creative Alliance is to advance, connect, and celebrate Austin's arts, culture, and creative communities in order to nourish and strengthen the character, quality of life, and economic prosperity of our region.

Arts & Culture
4
Good Work Austin

Good Work Austin's mission is to foster healthy careers in the local food and beverage industry through professional development and advocacy for more equitable practices.

Public Benefit
5
Guadalupe River Park Conservancy

Guadalupe River Park Conservancy provides community leadership for the development and active use of Guadalupe River Park & Garden through education, advocacy and stewardship.

Environment
6
Travis County Parks Foundation

To create a powerful community resource that increases awareness, engagement and community support for Travis County parks.

Public Benefit
7
Fruitful Commons

Every neighborhood has vibrant spaces that reconnect people to growing food, nature and each other.

Environment
8
Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy

The Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy ("Willow Waterhole") serves as the leading advocate for public greenspace improvements and nature preservation at the 291-acre Willow Waterhole Greenway. (See Schedule O)Willow Waterhole partners…

Environment
9
Houston Parks Board

The Houston Parks Board mission is to expand, improve, and protect parks and greenspace in the Houston region.

Philanthropy
10
Center for Austin Independent Journalism

To equip Austinites to make informed decisions through independent, in-depth reporting, diverse opinions, and civil dialogue. A strong local press is essential for a healthy community and democracy. We work to make Austin a more empowered…

Arts & Culture
11
Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau

The austin convention and visitors bureau promotes tourism in the austin area to enhance the economy of the community.

12
Evergreen Austin

The corporation is organized for the purpose of working to create a more livable, equitable, resilient, and healthy austin, texas through investments in green space and green infrastructure.

Environment

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and the most unlike its peers is Greater East Austin Youth Assn. 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 32 years old; the field is 12. You back the established end — and your money leans older still.

THE FIELDby orgYOUR GRANTEESby number26%0%<5yr16%9%5–10yr18%17%10–20yr15%26%20–35yr13%30%35–55yr13%17%55yr+
THE FIELDby orgYOUR MONEYby value26%0%<5yr16%26%5–10yr18%8%10–20yr15%23%20–35yr13%38%35–55yr13%6%55yr+

The field is 26% startups (under 5 years old) — 0% of your grantees by number, and just 0% of your money.

Closures · last 5 years

The orgs you fund almost never close 0.0% lost their exemption, against 14% of the field you don’t fund.

orgs you fund
0.0%0/32
the rest of the field
14%
2,206/16,117

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.

04the grantee network

26 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 20172025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 26 of the 32 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.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
23/26
Grantees still filing
14/26
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

City of Austin — $1,733,085 · OtherCity of AustinNORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION — $271,565 · OtherNORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION+10 more — $188,372 · Other+10 moreDOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC — $420,046 · Arts & CultureDOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LL…ZILKER THEATRE PRODUCTIONS — $315,791 · Arts & CultureZILKER THEATRE PRODUCTIO…ALLISON ORR DANCE INC — $40,000 · Arts & Culture+5 more — $68,000 · Arts & Culture+5 moreThe Trail Conservancy — $293,300 · EnvironmentThe Trail Co…ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION — $75,000 · EnvironmentZILKER BOTAN…HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY — $20,000 · Environment+2 more — $21,296 · EnvironmentAUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC — $200,040 · PhilanthropyAUSTIN YMBL SUNSHINE CAMP — $60,000 · Recreation & SportsTRAIL CONSERVANCY INC — $37,500 · Recreation & SportsPease Park Conservancy — $18,737 · Recreation & SportsCITY PARKS ALLIANCE INC — $10,000 · Recreation & SportsBarton Springs Conservancy — $7,500 · Recreation & SportsWATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY — $45,714 · Community Improvement
Other$2,193,022Arts & Culture$843,837Environment$409,596Philanthropy$200,040Recreation & Sports$133,737Community Improvement$45,714

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetDOWNTOWN AUSTIN PARKS LLC — $420,046 over 5y, 61% of budgetZILKER THEATRE PRODUCTIONS — $315,791 over 5y, 14% of budgetThe Trail Conservancy — $293,300 over 2y, 17% of budgetNORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION — $271,565 over 2y, 48% of budgetAUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC — $200,040 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN CONSERVANCY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION — $75,000 over 1y, 10% of budgetAMERICAN YOUTHWORKS — $66,108 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetAUSTIN YMBL SUNSHINE CAMP — $60,000 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetWATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY — $45,714 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetALLISON ORR DANCE INC — $40,000 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetWEVIVA — $32,400 over 1y, 16% of budgetUMLAUF SCULPTURE GARDEN & MUSEUM — $25,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetCAPITAL OF TEXAS PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL — $21,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetHILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY — $20,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetPease Park Conservancy — $18,737 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetTHE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE — $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SOCIETY INC — $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCITY PARKS ALLIANCE INC — $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetBarton Springs Conservancy — $7,500 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetTEXAS PUBLIC RADIO — $6,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER — $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% 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.

Austin Community Foundation IncTX35.7× affinity16 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Austin Community Foundation Inc · Alice Kleberg Reynolds Meyer Foundat A0479800 · Better Business Bureau · The Applied Materials Foundation · St David's Foundation · Shield-Ayres Foundation · Still Water Foundation · Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation · The Powell Foundation · The Moody Foundation · The Kabacoff Family Foundation · Greater Austin Performing Arts Center Inc

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 Austin Parks Foundation 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
202122232425
no gov · 00%5%19%42%75%your 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
    8report 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, FY2025

    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 32 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    More from the funding graph