Skip to content
Dr Joe Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Dr Joe 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.

$193k
Granted FY2025still arriving
17
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$30k
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 2025.

Health$381kHuman Services$359kPublic Benefit$243kYouth Development$138kFood & Nutrition$138kEducation$111kAnimals$108kReligion$45kOther$0
02FY2025 · 17 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k4 grants · $14k
  • $10k–50k13 grants · $180k
$10,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$3.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE WALK TALL FOUNDATION FOR KIDS$30,000
CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO$20,000
THE WEXFORD FOUNDATION$17,500
FIRST DAY SHOE FUND$15,000
KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S$15,000
AACORN FARM$12,000
WILDPAKS$10,000
Individual grant recipient$10,000
KALAMAZOO GOSPEL MINISTRIES$10,000
CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER$10,000
HOSPITAL HOSPITATLITY HOUSE$10,000
COMMUNITY HEALING CENTERS$10,000
FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES$10,000
MINSTRY WITH COMMUNITY$5,000
LOWCOUNTRY FOUNDATION FOR WOUNDED MILITARY HEOROES$3,750
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, $312k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 96% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%4 PAWS FOR ABILITY: $12k → 9%KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $15k → 12%KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $10k → 12%KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $10k → 12%KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $5k → 12%THE FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $15k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $10k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $10k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $10k → 12%CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO: $20k → 12%AACORN FARM: $12k → 12%AACORN FARM: $12k → 12%FAMILY AND CHILDREN SERVICES: $2k → 12%AACORN FARM: $12k → 12%AACORN FARM: $10k → 12%THE FIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $2k → 12%CATHOLIC CHARITIES DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO: $10k → 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.
$1.5M · 24 repeat orgs$94k to everyone else

24 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

24
10

Total granted

$1.5M
$91k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+18%
+49%

Still filing today

54%
60%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 98% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $4k 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
Human ServicesHealthArts & CultureFood & NutritionAnimalsHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • FD
    FIRST DAY SHOE FUND
    9× · 2017–2025 · $122k · revenue +553%
  • WF
    WEXFORD FOUNDATION
    8× · 2018–2025 · $110k · revenue +372%
  • MW
    MINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY INC
    7× · 2019–2025 · $90k · revenue +96%

Funded once

  • MC
    MATTAWAN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
    one grant, 2020 · $20k
  • EH
    EMMANUEL HOSPICEgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $15k · revenue +142%
  • 4P
    4 PAWS FOR ABILITY INC
    one grant, 2018 · $12k · 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
Child and Family Services of the Upper Peninsula Inc

To strengthen, nuture and empower children and families for a brighter future by providing programs that preserve the dignity and enhance the well-being of families throughout michigan's upper peninsula, in a caring, compassionate and…

Human Services
2
Catholic Human Services Inc

Catholic human services inc. enhances the lives of those we serve by providing hope-filled social, emotional and spiritual support to all people.

Human Services
3
Kalamazoo County Humane Society

The mission of the kalamazoo humane society is to nuture the wellbeing of animals and people in our communities.

Animals
4
Lutheran Homes of Michigan Foundation

Motivated by christ's love, we engage people as they experience and embrace their god-given potential.

Housing & Shelter
5
Catholic Charities West Michigan

Inspired by the church's social teachings, catholic charities west michigan fosters individuals and families to flourish by providing help and creating hope.

—
6
Lighthouse Christian Home and Services Inc

For god's love to be expressed for and by individuals with developmental disabilities through faith based programs and services.

Human Services
7
Lutheran Adoption Service

Lutheran adoption service (las) partners with the state of michigan to achieve permanency for children in the foster care system by facilitating their adoption into stable, loving families. las accomplishes this goal by providing an array…

—
8
Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing

To provide housing and case management services for the homeless and mentally ill within the community.

Human Services
9
St Francis Home of Saginaw

Skilled nursing care for the elderly.

—
10
Community & Home Supports Inc

Community & home supports, inc. was founded to help people and communities address poverty and homelessness. we strive to fulfill our purpose by developing, leading, and participating in collaborative and innovative efforts that support…

Human Services
11
Association for Children's Mental Health

To ensure all michigan children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges and their families live in a safe, welcoming community with access to needed services and supports.

Health
12
Life Choices of Central Michigan

Protecting life. sharing the truth. empowering people to make healthy life choices

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Community Healing Centers; the most unlike its peers is Faith & Gratitude 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 35 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)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
20/20
Grantees still filing
13/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

WALK TALL FOUNDATION FOR KIDS INC: $242,500 · OtherWALK TALL FOUNDATION FOR KIDS INCCOMMUNITY HEALING CENTERS: $136,500 · OtherCOMMUNITY HEALING CENTERSHOSPITAL HOSPITATLITY HOUSE: $103,500 · OtherHOSPITAL HOSPITATLITY HOUSECHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER: $75,000 · OtherCHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTERIndividual grant recipient: $70,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientWILDPAKS: $55,000 · OtherWILDPAKSBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS: $52,000 · OtherCHUBBY GOAT ACRES: $48,500 · OtherKALAMAZOO GOSPEL MISSION: $44,500 · OtherMATTAWAN PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $35,000 · Other+12 more: $143,550 · Other+12 moreFIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $122,000 · Human ServicesFIRST DAY SHOE FUNDWEXFORD FOUNDATION: $110,000 · Human ServicesWEXFORD FOUNDATIONFAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES INC: $62,000 · Human ServicesFAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES IN…AACORN FARM INC: $46,000 · Human ServicesAACORN FARM INCKALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $40,250 · Human ServicesKALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4SCATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES: $30,000 · Human ServicesCATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES+1 more: $12,000 · Human ServicesMINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY INC: $90,000 · Food & NutritionSOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OF SW MICHIGAN: $47,500 · AnimalsEMMANUEL HOSPICE: $15,000 · HealthFaith & Gratitude Inc: $5,000 · HealthSPARROW & NEST DESIGNS: $11,300 · Housing & ShelterLUC'S LIGHT YOUTH MUSIC & ARTS: $10,000 · Youth Development
Other$1,006,050Human Services$422,250Food & Nutrition$90,000Animals$47,500Health$20,000Housing & Shelter$11,300Youth Development$10,000

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 budgetCOMMUNITY HEALING CENTERS: $136,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetFIRST DAY SHOE FUND: $122,000 over 9y, 9.4% of budgetWEXFORD FOUNDATION: $110,000 over 8y, 5.6% of budgetMINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY INC: $90,000 over 7y, 1.0% of budgetCHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER: $75,000 over 7y, 1.9% of budgetFAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES INC: $62,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetSOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OF SW MICHIGAN: $47,500 over 5y, 1.1% of budgetAACORN FARM INC: $46,000 over 4y, 2.5% of budgetKALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S: $40,250 over 4y, 1.1% of budgetMATTAWAN PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $35,000 over 5y, 5.1% of budgetCATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES: $30,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetEMMANUEL HOSPICE: $15,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budget4 PAWS FOR ABILITY INC: $12,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetLUC'S LIGHT YOUTH MUSIC & ARTS: $10,000 over 1y, 5.8% of budgetPOCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE: $7,500 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY INC: $6,250 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetFaith & Gratitude Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 8.0% of budgetLOWCOUNTRY FOUNDATION FOR WOUNDED MILITARY HEROS: $3,750 over 1y, 0.8% 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 COMMUNITY HEALING CENTERS ↗
  • Who funds FIRST DAY SHOE FUND ↗
  • Who funds WEXFORD FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MINISTRY WITH COMMUNITY INC ↗
  • Who funds CHEFF THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER ↗
  • Who funds FAMILY & CHILDREN SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OF SW MICHIGAN ↗
  • Who funds AACORN FARM INC ↗
  • Who funds KALAMAZOO COUNTY READY 4S ↗
  • Who funds MATTAWAN PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds CATHOLIC FAMILY SERVICES ↗
  • Who funds EMMANUEL HOSPICE ↗
  • Who funds 4 PAWS FOR ABILITY INC ↗
  • Who funds SPARROW & NEST DESIGNS ↗
  • Who funds LUC'S LIGHT YOUTH MUSIC & ARTS ↗
  • Who funds POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE ↗
  • Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY INC ↗
  • Who funds HELEN L FOX GOSPEL MUSIC CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Faith & Gratitude Inc ↗
  • Who funds LOWCOUNTRY FOUNDATION FOR WOUNDED MILITARY HEROS ↗

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.

United Way of South C…Kalamazoo Community F…Marvin and Rosalie Ok…Dorothy U Dalton Foun…Harold and Grace Upjo…Irving S Gilmore Foun…WK Kellogg FoundationBurton & Elizabeth Up…Mike and Sharon Seely…Preston S and Barbara…Tyler-Little Family F…John E Fetzer Institu…
United Way of South Central MichiganMI26× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: United Way of South Central Michigan · Kalamazoo Community Foundation · Marvin and Rosalie Okun Foundation · Dorothy U Dalton Foundation Inc · Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation · Irving S Gilmore Foundation · WK Kellogg Foundation · Burton & Elizabeth Upjohn Charitable Trust · Mike and Sharon Seelye Family Foundation · Preston S and Barbara J Parish Foundation · Tyler-Little Family Foundation · John E Fetzer Institute 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 Dr Joe Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Dr Joe Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    5report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
    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 35 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 Dr Joe’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