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City Limits Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

City Limits Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$725k
Granted FY2024still arriving
45
Grants FY2024still arriving
2
States reached
$106k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2022 to 2024.

Education$388kYouth Development$310kHealth$94kHousing & Shelter$77kFood & Nutrition$71kHuman Services$59kRecreation & Sports$56kPublic Safety & Disaster$50kOther$0
02FY2024 · 45 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k19 grants · $51k
  • $10k–50k22 grants · $409k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $266k
$10,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$4.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
EVOLVE YOUTH TRADES ACADEMY INC$106,088
LANCASTER COUNTY FOOD HUB$55,000
CHILDREN DESERVE A CHANCE FOUNDATION DBA ATTOLLO$55,000
PA STEAM ACADEMY$50,000
LANCASTER DOLLARS FOR HIGHER LEARNING$42,200
COMMUNITY FIRST FUND$40,000
BRIGHT SIDE OPPORTUNITIES CENTER$29,500
HORIZONS AT LANCASTER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL$25,000
BENCH MARK PROGRAM$25,000
LA ACADEMIA PARTNERSHIP CHARTER SCHOOL$25,000
TENFOLD$25,000
LANCASTER EARLY EDUCATION CENTER$23,500
GIRLS ON THE RUN LANCASTER$20,000
LANCASTER LEBANON HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INC$20,000
EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH$17,400
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 (FY23–24, $61k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 6%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 6%BRO2GO LLC: $3k → 12%POWER PACKS PROJECT: $5k → 9%POWER PACKS PROJECT: $5k → 9%LANCASTER EARLY EDUCATION CENTER: $25k → 9%LANCASTER EARLY EDUCATION CENTER: $24k → 9%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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 100% of City Limits Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 100% of the giving stays in PA; by stated purpose, 0%.

City Limits Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

64%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$792k · 23 repeat orgs$455k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +25% since the first grant, against -13% for those funded once.

23 repeat relationships: 20 still active in FY2024, 3 since wound down; 25 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

23
6

Total granted

$792k
$63k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+25%
-13%

Still filing today

74%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 46% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $392k went to new ones.

50%100%’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’22’23’24
EducationHousing & ShelterRecreation & SportsReligionArts & CultureHuman 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

  • LD
    LANCASTER DOLLARS FOR HIGHER LEARNING
    3× · 2022–2024 · $127k · revenue +25%
  • LC
    LANCASTER COUNTY FOOD HUB
    3× · 2022–2024 · $61k · revenue +72%
  • PR
    PATIENTS R WAITING INC
    2× · 2022–2023 · $52k · revenue +27%

Funded once

  • MD
    MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE
    one grant, 2022 · $50k
  • TC
    THE CLINIC FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN INC
    one grant, 2023 · $5k · revenue -22%
  • S
    SACA
    one grant, 2023 · $3k
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
Lancaster Community Safety Coalition

Enhance public safety and the quality of life in lancaster by engaging the community and advancing current crime prevention strategies.

Public Safety & Disaster
2
Assets Lancaster

Assets lancaster is a non-profit that works with start-up and existing businesses to form a more equitable and ethical economy. assets lancaster offers in-depth training and financing for entrepreneurs, and works with established…

Community Improvement
3
Lancaster County Council of the Arts

To enrich the quality of life in Lancaster County by building vibrant and inclusive communities connecting arts, culture, education, and economic vitality.

Arts & Culture
4
Lancaster Law Foundation

We promote equal access to justice for all in lancaster county by funding public interest law projects, delivering pro bono service, and educating the public on civic and legal issues.

Crime & Legal
5
Lancaster Medical Society Foundatio
—
6
Literacy Council of Lanc-Leb Lva

Our mission is success through lifelong learning and learning for life. our vision is for adults to have the skills to transform their lives, sustain their families and strengthen their communities.

Education
7
The Arc of Lancaster County

Empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (i/dd) and their families to lead full, satisfying, independent lives of their choice.

Health
8
Lancaster Preschool

Lancaster preschool believes that the preschool is an extension of the home environment where children can learn new skills, interact with teachers and peers, and experience hands-on learning opportunities through developmentally…

Education
9
Lancaster Equity Inc

Lancaster equity coordinates efforts to advance communities where everyone has an opportunity to thrive, whether that be through neighborhood revitalization, living wage work, entrepreneurship, or safe and affordable housing.

Housing & Shelter
10
Leadership Lancaster Inc

Develop outstanding community leadership to support the needs of lancaster county.

Public Benefit
11
Friends of Lancaster University in America Inc

To promote education, particularly higher eduation.

Education
12
The Lancaster County Partners for Youth
Philanthropy
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Lancaster Country Day School; the most unlike its peers is Now I Can Foundation Northeast. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

34 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. 34 of the 54 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
33/34
Grantees still filing
18/34
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

EVOLVE YOUTH TRADES ACADEMY INC: $200,155 · OtherEVOLVE YOUTH TRADES ACADEMY INCLANCASTER DOLLARS FOR HIGHER LEARNING: $127,200 · OtherLANCASTER DOLLARS FOR HIGHER LEARNINGCHILDREN DESERVE A CHANCE FOUNDATION DBA ATTOLLO: $55,000 · OtherCHILDREN DESERVE A CHANCE FOUNDATION DBA ATTOLLOMENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE: $50,000 · OtherMENNONITE DISASTER SERVICEPA STEAM ACADEMY: $50,000 · OtherPA STEAM ACADEMYTENFOLD: $40,000 · OtherTENFOLDBENCH MARK PROGRAM: $25,000 · Other+27 more: $197,300 · Other+27 morePLANT THE SEED OF LEARNING INC: $90,000 · Recreation & SportsPLANT THE SE…BRIGHT SIDE OPPORTUNITIES CORPORATI: $29,500 · Recreation & SportsBRIGHT SIDE …THE COMMON WHEEL: $15,000 · Recreation & SportsTHE COMMON W…LANCASTER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL: $50,000 · EducationLANCASTER …LA ACADEMIATHE PARTNERSHIP CHARTER SCHOOL: $25,000 · EducationLA ACADEMI…LANCASTER PUBLIC LIBRARY: $20,000 · EducationLANCASTER …THE JANUS SCHOOL: $10,000 · EducationTHE JANUS …LANCASTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $6,000 · EducationLANCASTER …PATIENTS R WAITING INC: $52,000 · HealthJEFF MUSSER FOUNDATION: $20,000 · HealthLANCASTER COUNTY FOOD HUB: $61,000 · ReligionPOWERED TO MOVE: $4,000 · ReligionBIBLE2SCHOOL: $2,300 · ReligionLANCASTER DAY CARE CENTER: $48,500 · Human ServicesPOWER PACKS PROJECT: $10,000 · Human ServicesBRO2GO LLC: $2,500 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITY FIRST FUND: $40,000 · Housing & ShelterCHESTNUT HOUSING CORPORATION: $10,000 · Housing & ShelterHAND UP PARTNERS: $5,000 · Housing & ShelterSOUTH ANN CONCERNED NEIGHBORS INC: $2,000 · Housing & Shelter
Other$744,655Recreation & Sports$134,500Education$111,000Health$72,000Religion$67,300Human Services$61,000Housing & Shelter$57,000

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 budgetLANCASTER DOLLARS FOR HIGHER LEARNING: $127,200 over 3y, 13% of budgetLANCASTER COUNTY FOOD HUB: $61,000 over 3y, 1.6% of budgetPATIENTS R WAITING INC: $52,000 over 2y, 6.9% of budgetLANCASTER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL: $50,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetLANCASTER DAY CARE CENTER: $48,500 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetTENFOLD: $40,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetCOMMUNITY FIRST FUND: $40,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBRIGHT SIDE OPPORTUNITIES CORPORATI: $29,500 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetBENCH MARK PROGRAM: $25,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetLA ACADEMIATHE PARTNERSHIP CHARTER SCHOOL: $25,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetJEFF MUSSER FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 2y, 5.7% of budgetLANCASTER PUBLIC LIBRARY: $20,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetLANCASTER AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetGIRLS ON THE RUN OF LANCASTER: $20,000 over 1y, 2.7% of budgetTHE COMMON WHEEL: $15,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetTOUCHSTONE FOUNDATION: $11,000 over 2y, 2.5% of budgetPOWER PACKS PROJECT: $10,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetCHESTNUT HOUSING CORPORATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetNOW I CAN FOUNDATION NORTHEAST: $10,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetTHE JANUS SCHOOL: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetNATIONAL AMBUCS INC ALTOONA CHAPTER: $6,000 over 2y, 4.7% of budgetLANCASTER EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $6,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetHAND UP PARTNERS: $5,000 over 1y, 9.1% of budgetLANCASTER SCIENCE CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetTHE CLINIC FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPOWERED TO MOVE: $4,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetJUSTICE & MERCY INC: $2,800 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetBRO2GO LLC: $2,500 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetBIBLE2SCHOOL: $2,300 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetLONG'S PARK AMPHITHEATER FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetSOUTH ANN CONCERNED NEIGHBORS INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetLANCASTER COUNTY CONSERVANCY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFULTON THEATRE COMPANY: $850 over 2y, 0.0% 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.

Lancaster County Comm…The Steinman Foundati…Clark Associates Char…High FoundationUnited Way of Lancast…Fulton Family Foundat…Willis and Elsie Shen…Ferree FoundationHigh FoundationThomas a and Georgina…Pryor E & Arlene R Ne…Northwest Charitable …
Lancaster County Community FoundationPA63.4× affinity29 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Lancaster County Community Foundation · The Steinman Foundation · Clark Associates Charitable Foundation · High Foundation · United Way of Lancaster County · Fulton Family Foundation · Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation · Ferree Foundation · High Foundation · Thomas a and Georgina T Russo Foundation · Pryor E & Arlene R Neuber Charitable Trust · Northwest Charitable 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 City Limits Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from City Limits Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%4%8%15%funder's 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
    12report 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.

    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 54 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on City Limits’ 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