Skip to content
Columbian Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Columbian Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$85k
Granted FY2025still arriving
23
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$8k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0192% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$92kEducation$59kFood & Nutrition$36kHealth$30kHuman Services$30kPhilanthropy$25kEnvironment$19kRecreation & Sports$17kOther$0
02FY2025 · 23 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$4,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$1.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Individual grant recipient$8,200
Individual grant recipient$5,000
CAYUGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION$5,000
AMERICAN RED CROSS$5,000
SCHWEINFURTH MUSEUM ART CENTER$5,000
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM$5,000
UNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC$5,000
UNITY HOUSE$5,000
THE SKANEATELES FESTIVAL$5,000
SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM$5,000
CAYUGA MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART$5,000
KING FERRY FOOD PANTRY$4,000
PERFORM 4 PURPOSE$3,000
AUBURN PUBLIC THEATER$3,000
AUBURN LACROSSE BOOSTERS INC$2,500
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 (FY20–22, $12k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%LAKER TRANSPORTATION PROJECT: $1k → 14%LAKER TRANSPORTATION PROJECT: $1k → 14%RESCUE MISSION: $6k → 13%LAKER TRANSPORTATION PROJECT: $500 → 14%RESCUE MISSION: $2k → 13%RESCUE MISSION: $2k → 13%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.

86%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$405k · 33 repeat orgs$67k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +37% since the first grant, against +7% for those funded once.

33 repeat relationships: 17 still active in FY2025, 16 since wound down; 6 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

33
15

Total granted

$405k
$43k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+37%
+7%

Still filing today

67%
53%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 72% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $24k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationFood & NutritionHealthRecreation & SportsHuman 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

  • TC
    THE CAYUGA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $35k · revenue +78%
  • AP
    AUBURN PUBLIC THEATER INC
    5× · 2020–2025 · $31k · revenue +116%
  • UW
    UNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $30k · revenue +18%

Funded once

  • TR
    THE REV THEATER
    one grant, 2021 · $5k
  • MW
    MASTER WORKS CHORALE
    one grant, 2022 · $5k
  • UH
    UNITY HOUSE OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC
    one grant, 2022 · $5k · revenue +8%
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
Northern York County Historical & Preservation Society
—
2
Schuyler County Community Foundation
Philanthropy
3
Skaneateles Area Arts Council Inc

To promote appreciation and awareness of the arts in the skaneateles area.

Arts & Culture
4
Appleby Foundation Inc

Create, develop, and present works and ideas that connect artists and audiences, children and adults, and to strengthen and enliven communities through diverse exposure, access to, and participation in the arts. in all our creative…

Arts & Culture
5
The Audubon Society of New York State Inc

The audubon society of new york state, inc. conducts environmental education and technical assistance programs, conducts research to protect and preserve wildlife habitat and water resources, and promotes sustainable resource management…

Environment
6
Aurora Historical Society Inc

The mission of the Organization is to collect, preserve and interpret the rich heritage of the Town of Aurora, New York.

—
7
Ukrainian Cultural Center of Syracuse Inc

N/a

Arts & Culture
8
Newcomb Historical Museum

The organization was formed to safeguard and share existing and future collections related to the social, cultural, and economic history of the high peaks adirondack region in and around the township of newcomb in essex county, new york.

Arts & Culture
9
Center for the Arts of Homer Inc

Providing cultural and educational programs to the homer, new york community. to enhance the quality of life for the people of the central new york community that preserves and enriches local culture and provides stewardship for a…

Arts & Culture
10
Autauga County Education Foundation
Philanthropy
11
Auburn Downtown Partnership Inc

To help support the economic vitality of downtown auburn, new york by means of research, advocacy, marketing, promotion, event planning and collaborative efforts.

Community Improvement
12
Seymour Public Library District

Connect. engage. inspire. seymour library inspires a love of reading, learning, and discovery through individual growth and community connections in an engaging and welcoming environment.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Auburn Community Hospital; the most unlike its peers is Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. 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

33 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. 33 of the 55 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)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/33
Grantees still filing
25/33
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE CAYUGA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC: $35,000 · OtherTHE CAYUGA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INCIndividual grant recipient: $26,300 · OtherIndividual grant recipientCOMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM: $21,000 · OtherCOMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMSKANEATELES EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER INC: $19,500 · OtherSKANEATELES EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER INCIndividual grant recipient: $17,200 · OtherIndividual grant recipientAMERICAN RED CROSS: $15,500 · OtherAMERICAN RED CROSSSCHWEINFURTH MEMORIAL ART CENTER: $15,000 · OtherSCHWEINFURTH MEMORIAL ART CENTERSPAFFORD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $13,000 · OtherCALVARY FOOD PANTRY: $12,500 · Other+26 more: $105,086 · Other+26 moreAUBURN PUBLIC THEATER INC: $30,700 · Arts & CultureAUBURN PUBLIC THE…PERFORM 4 PURPOSE INC: $14,000 · Arts & CulturePERFORM 4 PURPOSE…CAYUGA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & ART INC: $12,000 · Arts & CultureCAYUGA MUSEUM OF …SKANEATELES FESTIVAL INC: $9,000 · Arts & CultureSKANEATELES FESTI…Seward House Museum: $5,000 · Arts & CultureSeward House Muse…SKANEATELES HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $3,750 · Arts & CultureUNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC: $30,000 · PhilanthropyMATTHEW HOUSE INC: $14,500 · HealthAUBURN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL: $10,000 · HealthUNITY HOUSE OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC: $5,000 · HealthKing Ferry Food Pantry Inc: $17,500 · Food & NutritionMORAVIA HOPE PANTRY INC: $4,000 · Food & NutritionSKANEATELES ECUMENICAL FOOD PANTRY: $2,500 · Food & NutritionLITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF CAYUGA CO INC: $15,000 · EducationPEACHTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $3,500 · EducationAUBURN SPORTS BOOSTERS INC: $3,000 · EducationAUBURN EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 · EducationAUBURN LACROSSE BOOSTERS INC: $7,360 · Recreation & SportsAUBURN HOCKEY CLUB INC: $6,350 · Recreation & SportsUNION SPRINGS SOCCER CLUB INC: $5,000 · Recreation & Sports
Other$280,086Arts & Culture$74,450Philanthropy$30,000Health$29,500Food & Nutrition$24,000Education$23,500Recreation & Sports$18,710

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE CAYUGA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC: $35,000 over 6y, 0.7% of budgetAUBURN PUBLIC THEATER INC: $30,700 over 5y, 2.1% of budgetUNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC: $30,000 over 6y, 7.8% of budgetSKANEATELES EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER INC: $19,500 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetKing Ferry Food Pantry Inc: $17,500 over 6y, 1.5% of budgetLITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF CAYUGA CO INC: $15,000 over 4y, 5.5% of budgetSCHWEINFURTH MEMORIAL ART CENTER: $15,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetMATTHEW HOUSE INC: $14,500 over 5y, 1.6% of budgetPERFORM 4 PURPOSE INC: $14,000 over 5y, 3.8% of budgetCAYUGA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & ART INC: $12,000 over 3y, 1.3% of budgetAUBURN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL: $10,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE RESCUE MISSION ALLIANCE OF SYRACUSE: $9,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSKANEATELES FESTIVAL INC: $9,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetFORT HILL CEMETERY ASSOCIATION INC: $8,740 over 3y, 1.8% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $8,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAUBURN LACROSSE BOOSTERS INC: $7,360 over 2y, 8.2% of budgetSKANEATELES LAKE ASSOCIATION INC: $7,046 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetAUBURN HOCKEY CLUB INC: $6,350 over 3y, 4.1% of budgetUNION SPRINGS SOCCER CLUB INC: $5,000 over 2y, 5.4% of budgetUNITY HOUSE OF CAYUGA COUNTY INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMORAVIA HOPE PANTRY INC: $4,000 over 2y, 2.5% of budgetSKANEATELES HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $3,750 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetBALTIMORE WOODS NATURE CENTER INC: $3,500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPEACHTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $3,500 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetAUBURN SPORTS BOOSTERS INC: $3,000 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetHARRIET TUBMAN LIBERATION FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 13% of budgetAUBURN EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetNATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED CEREBRAL PALSY ASSOC CAYUGA CO: $1,000 over 1y, 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.

The Stanley W Metcalf…Fred L Emerson Founda…Central New York Comm…De French Foundation …Allyn Family Foundati…Collier Community Fou…JM McDonald Foundatio…Dwight W Winkelman Fo…The Schwartz Family F…The John Ben Snow Fou…The Dr Joseph F Karpi…United Way of Cayuga …
The Stanley W Metcalf Foundation IncNY47.5× affinity20 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Stanley W Metcalf Foundation Inc · Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc · Central New York Community Foundation Inc · De French Foundation Inc · Allyn Family Foundation Inc · Collier Community Foundation Inc · JM McDonald Foundation Inc · Dwight W Winkelman Foundation Inc · The Schwartz Family Foundation Inc · The John Ben Snow Foundation Inc · The Dr Joseph F Karpinski Sr Foundation · United Way of Cayuga County Inc

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 Columbian Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Columbian Foundation Inc. 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%8%15%22%30%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
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–30%
    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 Columbian Foundation Inc?

    Find your warmest path to Columbian Foundation Inc 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 55 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 Columbian’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