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Buffett Early Childhood Fund at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Private foundation

Buffett Early Childhood Fund

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.

$33M
Granted FY2025still arriving
42
Grants FY2025still arriving
14
States reached
$4.0M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
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 2025.

Education$189MHuman Services$49MPhilanthropy$43MCrime & Legal$5.4MCommunity Improvement$4.8MYouth Development$3.3MPublic Benefit$2.9MHealth$2.6MOther$0
02FY2025 · 42 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k8 grants · $16k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $60k
  • $50k–250k13 grants · $1.9M
  • $250k+18 grants · $31M
$200,000
Median grant
14
States reached
$8.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NEBRASKA CHILDREN & FAMILIES FOUNDATION$3,995,063
NEBRASKA EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE$3,954,169
START EARLY$3,746,504
EDUCARE OF OMAHA INC$3,717,994
EARLY CHILDHOOD IMPACT GROUP$3,608,022
ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS$3,000,000
EDUCARE OF LINCOLN$2,188,943
EARLY FUTURES PARTNERSHIP$1,783,800
PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE$1,000,453
TSNE$860,000
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL$772,679
EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC$711,866
PROJECT HARMONY CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER$498,561
NEXT DOOR FOUNDATION INC$425,000
TEACHERS COLLEGE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY$300,000
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 (FY17–25, $30.9M) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 41% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants spread fairly evenly across need levels.

area typical 10%VALLEY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: $50k → 11%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $3.0M → 5%THE FAMILY CONSERVANCY: $100k → 16%FOUNDATION FOR FARMWORKERS: $600 → 8%KINGSLEY HOUSE: $252k → 23%NATIONAL BLACK CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE INC: $50k → 8%KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $368k → 12%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $3.0M → 5%JUST PARTNERS INC: $35k → 13%KINGSLEY HOUSE: $251k → 23%KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $367k → 12%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $3.0M → 5%CHILDREN'S CAMPUS OF KANSAS CITY: $10k → 16%KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $263k → 12%NATIONAL WORKFORCE REGISTRY ALLIANCE: $25k → 14%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $3.0M → 5%KINGSLEY HOUSE INC: $5k → 23%KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $154k → 12%NATIONAL WORKFORCE REGISTRY ALLIANCE: $20k → 14%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $115k → 5%BAYOU DISTRICT FOUNDATION: $3k → 23%EDUCARE WASHINGTON DC: $1.5M → 14%ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS: $6.0M → 5%EDUCARE WASHINGTON DC: $1.5M → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $1.5M → 14%EDUCARE WASHINGTON DC: $1.3M → 14%EDUCARE WASHINGTON DC: $1.1M → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $712k → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $700k → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $700k → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $696k → 14%EDUCARE OF WASHINGTON DC: $690k → 14%CHILD SAVING INSTITUTE: $280k → 12%LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES: $24k → 12%UNITED PLANNING ORGANIZATION: $10k → 14%UNITED PLANNING ORGANIZATION: $10k → 14%UNITED PLANNING ORGANIZATION: $4k → 14%UNITED PLANNING ORGANIZATION: $3k → 14%DC ACTION: $5k → 14%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

ME
VT
MN
IL
WI
NY
MA
OR
OH
PA
NJ
CT
CA
CO
NE
MO
KY
VA
MD
AZ
KS
TN
NC
SC
DC
OK
LA
MS
GA
TX
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.

96%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$281M · 63 repeat orgs$11M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +35% since the first grant, against +1% for those funded once.

63 repeat relationships: 24 still active in FY2025, 39 since wound down; 15 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

63
46

Total granted

$281M
$4.3M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+35%
+1%

Still filing today

71%
78%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 79% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $6.7M 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
EducationHuman ServicesPublic BenefitArts & CultureSocial SciencePhilanthropyOther
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

  • START EARLY
    9× · 2017–2025 · $38M · revenue +114%
  • NC
    NEBRASKA CHILDREN & FAMILIES FOUNDATION
    9× · 2017–2025 · $33M · revenue +186%
  • EO
    EDUCARE OF OMAHA INC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $32M · revenue +186% · 41% of their budget

Funded once

  • BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER INCgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $1.5M · revenue +67%
  • CS
    CHILD SAVING INSTITUTE INC
    one grant, 2024 · $280k · revenue 0%
  • FB
    FIRST BOOK
    one grant, 2024 · $250k · 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 National Center on Education and the Economy

The Center is dedicated to providing tools the nation needs to lead the world in education & training in a swiftly globalizing world economy.

Public Benefit
2
Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network

Child care aware of minnesota was incorporated in 1992 to provide technical assistance, training and coordination for the child care resource and referral programs throughout minnesota, to collect data regarding the supply of and demand…

Human Services
3
The Campbell Institute

Children's institute's mission is to leverage research, practice, policy, and advocacy to shift systems toward justice for families so that all of oregon's children, prenatal to grade 5, have access to opportunity.

Unclassified
4
Children's Council of San Francisco

By advocating for quality early care and education, empowering families with information and financial support, and building the capabilities of educators, Children's Council of San Francisco ensures that every child in San Francisco has…

Human Services
5
North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc

The north carolina partnership for children (ncpc) is the lead organization and backbone of the smart start network, setting statewide vision, policy, and funding priorities. while local partnerships translate the statewide vision into…

Education
6
Chicago Public Education Fund

The chicago public education fund (the fund) is a nonprofit organization that improves public schools in chicago by investing in the talented educators who lead them.

Education
7
Childhood Education International

To promote innovative solutions to education challenges and inspire action that creates positive, sustainable futures for children and youth worldwide

—
8
Education Commission of the States

The mission of education commission of the states is to advocate for attaining educational excellence for all and to help state leaders identify, develop and implement public policy for education that addresses current and future needs of…

Education
9
Partners in Child Development Inc

To provide educational and therapeutic services, at a professional level, for infants, toddlers and preschool children up to 12 years and their families through supporting the family unit and working with each child to develop his or her…

Human Services
10
Foundation for Child Development
Education
11
New Classrooms Innovation Partners Inc

To create and inspire better ways to give every student an educational foundation for lifelong success. we imagine a world where every student attends a school that meets them where they are, adapts to the unique ways they learn, and…

Education
12
The Center for Early Education

The center for early education, a socio-economically and culturally diverse independent school for children, toddlers through grade six, strives to graduate students who are joyful, resilient, lifelong learners. the center embraces a…

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative; the most unlike its peers is University of Miami. 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

100 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 100 of the 128 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.

9
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
14
Early backer (in before they grew)
96/100
Grantees still filing
62/100
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

NEBRASKA EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE: $41,326,908 · OtherNEBRASKA EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVESTART EARLY: $37,654,463 · OtherSTART EARLYEARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES: $8,236,699 · OtherEARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICESOMAHA EARLY LEARNING CENTERS INC: $5,759,626 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHAPEL HILL FPG CHILD DEVELOPMENT INST: $5,629,072 · Other+66 more: $37,167,626 · Other+66 moreEDUCARE OF OMAHA INC: $31,686,409 · EducationEDUCARE OF OMAHA INCEDUCARE OF LINCOLN INC: $22,615,416 · EducationEDUCARE OF LINCOLN INCPresident and Fellows of Harvard College: $12,298,738 · EducationPresident and Fellows of Har…+24 more: $10,979,833 · Education+24 moreNEBRASKA CHILDREN & FAMILIES FOUNDATION: $32,942,093 · PhilanthropyNEBRASKA CHILDR…COMIC RELIEF INC DBA COMIC RELIEF US: $8,003,459 · PhilanthropyCOMIC RELIEF IN…+5 more: $1,908,771 · PhilanthropyALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS FKA BIRTH TO FIVE POLICY ALLIANCE: $24,159,144 · Human ServicesALLIANCE FOR …EDUCARE DC: $10,397,827 · Human ServicesEDUCARE DC+14 more: $2,289,088 · Human Services+14 moreTHIRD SECTOR NEW ENGLAND INC: $5,058,557 · Community Improvement+1 more: $75,000 · Community ImprovementNEXT DOOR FOUNDATION INC: $4,372,770 · Recreation & Sports+1 more: $5,000 · Recreation & SportsPROJECT HARMONY: $3,164,053 · Crime & Legal+2 more: $5,300 · Crime & Legal
Other$135,774,394Education$77,580,396Philanthropy$42,854,323Human Services$36,846,059Community Improvement$5,133,557Recreation & Sports$4,377,770Crime & Legal$3,169,353

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 budgetNEBRASKA EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE: $41,326,908 over 7y, 59% of budgetSTART EARLY: $37,654,463 over 9y, 8.9% of budgetNEBRASKA CHILDREN & FAMILIES FOUNDATION: $32,942,093 over 9y, 13% of budgetEDUCARE OF OMAHA INC: $31,686,409 over 9y, 41% of budgetALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS FKA BIRTH TO FIVE POLICY ALLIANCE: $24,159,144 over 8y, 57% of budgetEDUCARE OF LINCOLN INC: $22,615,416 over 9y, 86% of budgetPresident and Fellows of Harvard College: $12,298,738 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetEDUCARE DC: $10,397,827 over 9y, 28% of budgetEARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES: $8,236,699 over 2y, 47% of budgetCOMIC RELIEF INC DBA COMIC RELIEF US: $8,003,459 over 9y, 3.5% of budgetOMAHA EARLY LEARNING CENTERS INC: $5,759,626 over 3y, 38% of budgetTHIRD SECTOR NEW ENGLAND INC: $5,058,557 over 9y, 2.9% of budgetNEXT DOOR FOUNDATION INC: $4,372,770 over 9y, 2.4% of budgetOMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION: $3,706,201 over 3y, 7.3% of budgetSOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED: $3,288,947 over 6y, 1.5% of budgetPROJECT HARMONY: $3,164,053 over 7y, 4.5% of budgetSPRINGFIELD OPERATIONS ECS INC: $1,981,732 over 2y, 14% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION: $1,624,189 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetBIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER INC: $1,528,111 over 1y, 6.8% of budgetTeachers College Columbia University: $1,495,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetUniversity of Miami: $1,347,898 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBRAZELTON TOUCHPOINTS PROJECT INC: $1,254,367 over 6y, 43% of budgetErikson Institute: $1,238,917 over 7y, 1.6% of budgetKENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $1,152,221 over 4y, 1.3% of budgetLincoln Community Foundation Inc: $1,116,271 over 8y, 0.9% of budgetUniversity of Chicago: $908,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetCouncil for a Strong America: $725,000 over 5y, 3.8% of budgetTIDES FOUNDATION: $700,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetFOUNDATIONS INC: $700,000 over 4y, 3.2% of budgetPartnership 4 Kids Inc: $676,392 over 9y, 5.6% of budgetNCSL FOUNDATION FOR STATE LEGISLATURES: $650,000 over 5y, 3.1% of budgetTHE ASPEN INSTITUTE INC: $630,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetALL OUR KIN INC: $588,582 over 3y, 2.9% of budgetCLOVER NOLA INC: $508,093 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetCOLLEGE OF SAINT MARY: $472,000 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetSave The Children Federation Inc: $387,567 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHEALTH FEDERATION OF PHILADELPHIA INC: $300,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetCHILD SAVING INSTITUTE INC: $280,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetFIRST BOOK: $250,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetNEBRASKA ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN INC: $243,466 over 1y, 23% of budgetSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO: $200,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetREACH OUT AND READ INC: $200,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN: $200,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetPIE FOR PROVIDERS LTD: $150,000 over 2y, 65% of budgetICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI: $150,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMALONE COMMUNITY CENTER: $150,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetNORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $150,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetPUBLIC PRIVATE STRATEGIES INSTITUTE: $125,000 over 1y, 1.7% 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 NEBRASKA EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE ↗
  • Who funds START EARLY ↗
  • Who funds NEBRASKA CHILDREN & FAMILIES FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds EDUCARE OF OMAHA INC ↗
  • Who funds ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS FKA BIRTH TO FIVE POLICY ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds EDUCARE OF LINCOLN INC ↗
  • Who funds President and Fellows of Harvard College ↗
  • Who funds EDUCARE DC ↗
  • Who funds EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES ↗
  • Who funds COMIC RELIEF INC DBA COMIC RELIEF US ↗
  • Who funds OMAHA EARLY LEARNING CENTERS INC ↗
  • Who funds THIRD SECTOR NEW ENGLAND INC ↗
  • Who funds NEXT DOOR FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SOUTHWEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds PROJECT HARMONY ↗
  • Who funds SPRINGFIELD OPERATIONS ECS INC ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds Teachers College Columbia University ↗
  • Who funds University of Miami ↗
  • Who funds BRAZELTON TOUCHPOINTS PROJECT INC ↗
  • Who funds Erikson Institute ↗
  • Who funds KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM ↗
  • Who funds Lincoln Community Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds University of Chicago ↗
  • Who funds Council for a Strong America ↗
  • Who funds TIDES FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds FOUNDATIONS 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.

The Sherwood Foundati…WK Kellogg FoundationThe Lozier FoundationPritzker Family Found…Annie E Casey Foundat…The Heising-Simons Fo…Alliance for Early Su…Weitz Family Foundati…Start EarlyThe Holland FoundationNebraska Community Fo…Nebraska Children & F…
The Sherwood FoundationNE40.9× affinity19 shared granteesties to 10 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Sherwood Foundation · WK Kellogg Foundation · The Lozier Foundation · Pritzker Family Foundation · Annie E Casey Foundation Inc · The Heising-Simons Foundation · Alliance for Early Success Fka Birth to Five Policy Alliance · Weitz Family Foundation · Start Early · The Holland Foundation · Nebraska Community Foundation · Nebraska Children & Families 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 Buffett Early Childhood Fund funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Buffett Early Childhood Fund. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 50%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 7%
  • Save the Children Federation Inc: 30% of income from government
  • Reach Out and Read Inc: 9% of income from government
  • President and Fellows of Harvard College: 7% of income from government
  • University of Miami: 5% of income from government
  • Third Sector New England Inc: 3% of income from government
  • All Our Kin Inc: 1% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
5get no government money at all
19report 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.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Buffett Early Childhood Fund?

Find your warmest path to Buffett Early Childhood Fund through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

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 128 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 Buffett Early Childhood’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