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Believe in Me at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

Believe in Me

To help every kid develop the self-confidence they need to succeed by funding children's charities that provide disadvantaged kids with a safe place to call home, a family that loves them, a feeling of community, and opportunities to learn, build self-esteem and have fun.

$212k
Granted FY2023
5
Grants FY2023
2
States reached
$14k
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 2023.

Youth Development$4.5MEducation$195kHuman Services$117kReligion$64kHealth$40kEnvironment$32kCommunity Improvement$21kArts & Culture$20kOther$0
02FY2023 · 5 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 5 grants below total $52,000, the rows itemized in this filing. The $211,566 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $159,566 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2023

  • Under $10k1 grant · $9k
  • $10k–50k4 grants · $44k
$10,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$6.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
FREE REIN THERAPEUTIC RIDING$13,500
MELODIC CARING PROJECT$10,000
FOSTER HEARTS$10,000
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER$10,000
EMBRACE WASHINGTON$8,500
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 (FY19–23, $214k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%FOSTER HEARTS: $10k → 12%FAMILY AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER: $10k → 12%FREE REIN THERAPEUTIC RIDING: $14k → 12%EMBRACE WASHINGTON: $45k → 12%EMBRACE WASHINGTON: $30k → 12%EMBRACE WASHINGTON: $28k → 12%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $25k → 12%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $14k → 12%EMBRACE WASHINGTON: $9k → 12%TRANSITIONS: $11k → 12%TRANSITIONS: $10k → 12%TRANSITIONS: $9k → 12%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.

94%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$4.7M · 10 repeat orgs$309k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +15% since the first grant, against +11% for those funded once.

10 repeat relationships: 2 still active in FY2023, 8 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2023 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

10
19

Total granted

$4.7M
$276k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+15%
+11%

Still filing today

100%
84%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 36% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $34k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Youth DevelopmentHuman ServicesEducationHealthArts & CultureEnvironmentOther
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

  • EW
    EMBRACE WASHINGTON
    4× · 2019–2023 · $111k · revenue +95%
  • MC
    Melodic Caring Project
    2× · 2022–2023 · $40k · revenue +54%
  • YW
    YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
    2× · 2020–2021 · $39k · revenue +65%

Funded once

  • TJ
    THE JONAH PROJECT
    one grant, 2022 · $64k
  • SA
    SPOKANE ANGEL ALLIANCE
    one grant, 2022 · $21k · revenue -12%
  • S
    Slingshotgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $18k · revenue +110%
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
Innovation Spokane Schools

To prepare a diverse range of students for a life of learning in post-secondary education, citizenship, and leadership.

Education
2
Spruce Street School

Spruce Street School is a nurturing educational community that instills in a broad range of children the social, emotional, and intellectual skills for lifelong participation in a diverse society. We offer kindergarten through fifth grade…

Education
3
Spokane Parks Foundation

The Spokane Parks Foundation cultivates the health, growth, and continued enjoyment of our communities by inspiring giving and passion for our parks.

—
4
Cascades Academy of Central Oregon

Cascades academy is an engaged, vibrant community that weaves challenging academics with experiential learning to inspire socially responsible individuals ready for a diverse and changing world.

Education
5
Southwest Youth and Family Services

SWYFS partners with youth and families to transform their futures.

Human Services
6
Spark Northwest

Founded in 2001, Spark Northwest accelerates the just transition to clean energy in the Pacific Northwest. Spark Northwest uses two primary strategies: (1) on-the-ground project consulting, focusing on communities with limited financial…

Environment
7
Skagit Preschool and Resource Center

Programs for children with special needs from birth to six. sparc offers opportunities for family education, participation and support so that familiies may become more knowledgeable about their childs needs and goals are are better able…

Education
8
Spokane Guilds' School & Neuromuscular Center

Joya is dedicated to igniting hope, empowering children and families, and establishing lifelong skills. We provide exceptional pediatric therapy and support services, engage families, and remove financial barriers. Our community is built…

—
9
Seattle School for Boys

Seattle School for Boys encourages and inspires boys to become collaborative learners, creative thinkers, and compassionate leaders who genuinely care about our diverse global community.

—
10
Spokane Youth Sports Association

Promote & facilitate supervised sporting activities to youth through various programs organized by the organization.

Recreation & Sports
11
Skookum Kids

Skookum Kids exists to mobilize communities in support of kids and families impacted by foster care.

Human Services
12
Bike Works Seattle

Bike Works promotes the bicycle as a vehicle for change to empower youth and build resilient communities.

Recreation & Sports
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Communities in Schools of Spokane County; the most unlike its peers is Slingshot. 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

29 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. 29 of the 32 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)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
29/29
Grantees still filing
20/29
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Morning Star Boys Ranch: $4,323,608 · Youth DevelopmentMorning Star Boys Ranch+5 more: $79,053 · Youth DevelopmentEMBRACE WASHINGTON: $111,000 · Human ServicesYOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $39,000 · Human ServicesTransitions: $30,430 · Human ServicesFree Rein Therapeutic Riding: $13,500 · Human ServicesFAMILY AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER: $10,000 · Human ServicesFoster Hearts: $10,000 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF SPOKANE COUNTY: $47,000 · EducationCollege Success Foundation: $34,000 · EducationLumen Public School: $10,000 · EducationCOMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF BENTON-FRANKLI: $10,000 · EducationTHE JONAH PROJECT: $64,253 · OtherSPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT #81: $10,000 · OtherSPOKANE YOUTH SYMPHONY INC: $10,000 · OtherCAMP FIRE INLAND NORTHWEST: $8,000 · OtherSPOKANE ANGEL ALLIANCE: $21,000 · OtherFamily Promise of Spokane: $18,000 · OtherSPOKANE HOOPFEST ASSOCIATION: $10,000 · OtherTHE BRIDGE MUSIC PROJECT: $8,000 · OtherFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASA PROGRAM INC: $10,000 · OtherJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WASHINGTON: $10,000 · OtherVANESSA BEHAN: $10,000 · Other+1 more: $5,700 · OtherMelodic Caring Project: $40,000 · HealthThe ISAAC Foundation: $12,500 · HealthDISHMAN HILLS CONSERVANCY: $32,000 · EnvironmentODYSSEY YOUTH CENTER: $25,500 · Recreation & Sports
Youth Development$4,402,661Human Services$213,930Education$101,000Other$184,953Health$52,500Environment$32,000Recreation & Sports$25,500

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetMorning Star Boys Ranch: $4,323,608 over 5y, 41% of budgetEMBRACE WASHINGTON: $111,000 over 4y, 12% of budgetCOMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF SPOKANE COUNTY: $47,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetMelodic Caring Project: $40,000 over 2y, 11% of budgetYOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $39,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetCollege Success Foundation: $34,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetDISHMAN HILLS CONSERVANCY: $32,000 over 3y, 3.1% of budgetTransitions: $30,430 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetODYSSEY YOUTH CENTER: $25,500 over 2y, 5.3% of budgetSPOKANE ANGEL ALLIANCE: $21,000 over 1y, 21% of budgetPLAYWORKS EDUCATION ENERGIZED: $21,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSlingshot: $18,000 over 1y, 13% of budgetFamily Promise of Spokane: $18,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBoys & Girls Club of Spokane County: $15,053 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetRAINIER ATHLETES: $15,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetFree Rein Therapeutic Riding: $13,500 over 1y, 3.9% of budgetThe ISAAC Foundation: $12,500 over 1y, 4.4% of budgetFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASA PROGRAM INC: $10,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetLumen Public School: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetBOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WASHINGTON: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetSPOKANE HOOPFEST ASSOCIATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetVANESSA BEHAN: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetSPOKANE YOUTH SYMPHONY INC: $10,000 over 1y, 5.4% of budgetFAMILY AND COMMUNITY TOGETHER: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetFoster Hearts: $10,000 over 1y, 4.0% of budgetCOMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF BENTON-FRANKLI: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCAMP FIRE INLAND NORTHWEST: $8,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetTHE BRIDGE MUSIC PROJECT: $8,000 over 1y, 5.0% 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.

The Avista FoundationInnovia FoundationUnited Way of Spokane…School's Out Washingt…Women Helping Women F…Numerica Credit UnionFirst Interstate Banc…Umpqua Bank Charitabl…Multicare Health Syst…Providence Health & S…Bnsf Railway Foundati…Johnston-Fix Foundati…
The Avista FoundationWA41.8× affinity18 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Avista Foundation · Innovia Foundation · United Way of Spokane County · School's Out Washington · Women Helping Women Fund · Numerica Credit Union · First Interstate BancSystem Foundation Inc · Umpqua Bank Charitable Foundation · Multicare Health System · Providence Health & Services - Washington · Bnsf Railway Foundation · Johnston-Fix 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 Believe in Me funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Believe in Me. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%3%13%28%50%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 70%
  • Family and Community Together: 70% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
12report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely 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 32 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 e-file return for fiscal year 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record and reports $102k of grant expense, but none of it to a named recipient. On a Form 990 that can mean grants abroad, filed by region only (Schedule F), grants under $5,000, which are not itemized, or a schedule referenced as an attachment the e-file does not carry. The figures above are therefore from FY2023, the most recent year this funder named its grantees.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Believe in Me’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