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Blue Guitar Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Blue Guitar 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.

$503k
Granted FY2025still arriving
4
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$250k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0179% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Religion$8.0MEducation$3.4MArts & Culture$2.5MHealth$1.4MHuman Services$1.1MPhilanthropy$590kCivil Rights$375kRecreation & Sports$262kOther$0
02FY2025 · 4 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $14k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $239k
  • $250k+1 grant · $250k
$125,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$15M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ADVANCING JEWISH ATHLETICS INC$250,000
MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION$125,000
Individual grant recipient$114,300
THE JAM KANCER IN THE KAN FOUNDATION$13,500
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 93% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OFR NANTUCKET: $250k → 6%COMBAT ANTISEMITISIM FOUNDATION: $100k → 7%NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST: $300k → 7%YESHIVA OF SOUTH SHORE: $100k → 6%KEREN OR INC: $1.0M → 17%FEDERALIST SOCIETY: $125k → 14%CHABAD PALM BEACH: $100k → 10%PALM BEACH JEWISH CENTER: $5.0M → 11%FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $1.4M → 15%CHABAD AT YALE: $1.0M → 12%WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION: $150k → 15%CHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE: $235k → 7%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%ADVANCING JEWISH ATHLETICS INC: $250k → 7%YESHIVA OF SOUTH SHORE: $100k → 6%FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $1.0M → 15%CHABAD AT YALE: $500k → 12%CHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE: $80k → 7%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%GSD ADVISERS INC: $200k → 6%HELPING ISRAEL FUND INC: $40k → 11%CHABAD AT YALE: $500k → 12%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $625k → 17%CHABAD AT YALE: $500k → 12%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $343k → 17%CHABAD AT YALE: $200k → 12%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $125k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $300k → 17%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $100k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $114k → 17%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $100k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $60k → 17%MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $100k → 11%CHABAD WEST VILLAGE: $50k → 17%CHABAD LOFT: $30k → 17%NYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUND: $1.0M → 17%NYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUND: $1.0M → 17%NYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUND: $1.0M → 17%JDC: $1.5M → 17%JDC: $1.5M → 17%JDC: $1.5M → 17%JDC: $1.0M → 17%JDC: $500k → 17%JDC: $500k → 17%MANHATTAN INSTITUTE: $100k → 17%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

NY
MA
WY
PA
NJ
CT
RI
VA
AZ
NC
DC
GA
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.

92%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$23M · 18 repeat orgs$2.1M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +95% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

18 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2025, 15 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
19

Total granted

$23M
$1.9M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+95%
0%

Still filing today

22%
68%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 50% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $250k 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
EducationHealthEnvironmentPublic BenefitReligionHuman ServicesOther
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

  • J
    JDC
    6× · 2017–2022 · $6.5M
  • PB
    PALM BEACH JEWISH CENTER INC
    2× · 2023–2024 · $5.0M
  • NS
    NYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUND
    3× · 2018–2020 · $3.0M

Funded once

  • KO
    KEREN OR INC
    one grant, 2024 · $1.0M · revenue 0%
  • SA
    STUDENTS AGAINST ANTISEMITISM INC
    one grant, 2024 · $150k
  • WF
    WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION INC
    one grant, 2023 · $150k · revenue 0%
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
The International Institute for Strategic Studies - Us

To provide accurate, objective information and analysis on international strategic issues for legislators, diplomats, foreign affairs analysts, international business leaders, economists, the military, defense commentators, journalists,…

International
2
The Israel Innovation Fund Inc

Our vision is to reignite the zionist spirit and meet the needs of jewish civilization in the twenty-first century by connecting people around the world through the vibrancy and creativity of contemporary israeli culture.

Arts & Culture
3
Israel Team Advocates International Inc

Promote understanding and support for the people of israel

International
4
Israel Cancer Research Fund Inc

To support cancer research in israel, for the benefit of israel and all mankind.

—
5
J Street

To organize pro-israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy americans to promote us policies that embody our deeply held jewish and democratic values and that help secure the state of israel as a democratic homeland for the jewish people.

International
6
Institute of International Bankers

The iib represents the interests of the international banking community before u.s. legislative/regulatory bodies liaises with international regulatory bodies serves as a source of information to the media and other interested parties…

—
7
Weizmann Institute of Science

The weizmann institute of science, located in rehovot, israel, is one of the worlds top-ranking, multidisciplinary research institutions. at any one time, several thousand scientists, staff and students are involved in hundreds of research…

Science & Tech
8
American Israel Public Affairs Committee

To strengthen and expand the u.s.-israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the united states and israel.

International
9
The Israel Institute Inc

The israel institute, inc. (the institute) enhances knowledge about modern israel by ensuring that more students have access to courses about israel during their time on campus.

International
10
International Peace Institute Inc

The international peace institute (ipi) bridges policy and real-world diplomacy, advising global leaders and shaping innovative policy solutions across the multilateral system, governments, and beyond through independent research and…

International
11
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.

—
12
Friends of Israeli Flying Aid Inc

Friends of israeli flying aid, inc. raises funds to provide funding to a charitable organization in israel, israeli flying aid, for its charitable mission of supplying humanitarian aid and medical assistance in war torn areas of the world.

Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies; the most unlike its peers is Worldwide Friends Foundation Inc. 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

20 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. 20 of the 41 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)
20/20
Grantees still filing
7/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

JDC: $6,500,000 · OtherJDCPALM BEACH JEWISH CENTER INC: $5,010,000 · OtherPALM BEACH JEWISH CENTER INCNYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUND: $3,000,000 · OtherNYU SCHOOL OF LAWS FUTURE NEEDS FUNDCHABAD AT YALE: $2,736,000 · OtherCHABAD AT YALEFROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $2,445,000 · OtherFROST SCHOOL OF MUSICIndividual grant recipient: $1,492,300 · OtherIndividual grant recipientMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION: $1,050,000 · Other+20 more: $1,333,500 · Other+20 moreKEREN OR INC: $1,000,000 · EducationGSD Advisers Inc: $220,000 · EducationWORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION INC: $150,000 · Education+1 more: $10,000 · EducationNATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST: $300,000 · Philanthropy+2 more: $20,000 · PhilanthropyCHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE: $315,000 · EnvironmentSTUDENTS AGAINST ANTISEMITISM INC: $150,000 · Human ServicesMANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC: $100,000 · Public BenefitBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $20,000 · HealthHELP A DIABETIC CHILD INC: $11,000 · HealthPROJECT LYME: $10,000 · HealthFRIENDS OF KAREN INC: $10,000 · Health
Other$23,566,800Education$1,380,000Philanthropy$320,000Environment$315,000Human Services$150,000Public Benefit$100,000Health$51,000

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 budgetKEREN OR INC: $1,000,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetCHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE: $315,000 over 2y, 1.5% of budgetNATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST: $300,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGSD Advisers Inc: $220,000 over 2y, 14% of budgetSTUDENTS AGAINST ANTISEMITISM INC: $150,000 over 1y, 17% of budgetTHE FEDERALIST SOCIETY FOR LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES: $125,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetMANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC: $100,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetHelping Israel Fund: $40,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetCOALITION FOR THE HOMELESS INC: $40,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNANTUCKET COMMUNITY SAILING INC: $12,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetHELP A DIABETIC CHILD INC: $11,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR BLACK SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL: $10,000 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetBROWN UNIVERSITY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCommunity Foundation for Nantucket Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPROJECT LYME: $10,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetFRIENDS OF KAREN INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetSISTER SEEKERS INC: $10,000 over 1y, 8.3% 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 KEREN OR INC ↗
  • Who funds CHILDREN'S HEALTH DEFENSE ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST ↗
  • Who funds GSD Advisers Inc ↗
  • Who funds STUDENTS AGAINST ANTISEMITISM INC ↗
  • Who funds WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds THE FEDERALIST SOCIETY FOR LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES ↗
  • Who funds MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH INC ↗
  • Who funds Helping Israel Fund ↗
  • Who funds COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS INC ↗
  • Who funds BLOOD CANCER UNITED INC ↗
  • Who funds NANTUCKET COMMUNITY SAILING INC ↗
  • Who funds HELP A DIABETIC CHILD INC ↗
  • Who funds INSTITUTE FOR BLACK SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL ↗
  • Who funds BROWN UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE ↗
  • Who funds Community Foundation for Nantucket Inc ↗
  • Who funds PROJECT LYME ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF KAREN INC ↗
  • Who funds SISTER SEEKERS INC ↗

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.

National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…American Endowment Fo…Morgan Stanley Global…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
National Philanthropic TrustPA9.5× affinity6 shared granteesties to 6 of 6Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Endowment Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · 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 Blue Guitar Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Blue Guitar Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 30%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%5%10%15%20%share of the org’s income from government →median 10%
  • Community Foundation for Nantucket Inc: 10% of income from government
  • Help a Diabetic Child Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
3get no government money at all
3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–20%
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 41 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 Blue Guitar’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