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Encouragement Foundation Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

Encouragement Foundation Trust

Its FY2019 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$256k
Granted FY2019
19
Grants FY2019
7
States reached
$140k
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 2019.

Community Improvement$266kEducation$217kArts & Culture$117kPhilanthropy$40kReligion$35kFood & Nutrition$19kInternational$16kHealth$11kOther$0
02FY2019 · 19 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2019

  • Under $10k16 grants · $44k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $13k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $200k
$3,000
Median grant
7
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
METANOIA$140,000
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS$60,000
COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND$12,500
EAST COOPER MEALS ON WHEELS$5,000
CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA$5,000
LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK$4,000
BRIDGE TO RWANDA$4,000
CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY$3,464
SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM$3,000
MIDDLETON PLACE FOUNDATION$3,000
EAST COOPER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY$3,000
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON$3,000
MAYO FOUNDATION$2,000
THE CARTER CENTER$2,000
B A RUDOLPH FOUNDATION$2,000
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–19) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 99% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%MAYO FOUNDATION: $2k → 9%CLINTON FOUNDATION: $1k → 17%SUSAN G KOMEN: $1k → 14%CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY: $3k → 12%BRIDGE TO RWANDA: $4k → 17%B A RUDOLPH FOUNDATION: $2k → 14%THE CARTER CENTER: $3k → 14%WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $2k → 20%MAYO FOUNDATION: $2k → 9%CLINTON FOUNDATION: $1k → 17%SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM: $3k → 12%BRIDGE TO RWANDA: $2k → 17%B A RUDOLPH FOUNDATION: $2k → 14%THE CARTER CENTER: $3k → 14%MAYO FOUNDATION: $2k → 9%CLINTON FOUNDATION: $1k → 17%RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON: $3k → 12%BRIDGE 2 RWANDA: $2k → 17%B A RUDOLPH FOUNDATION: $2k → 14%THE CARTER CENTER: $2k → 14%RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON: $3k → 12%RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON: $3k → 12%SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM: $1k → 12%SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM: $1k → 12%METANOIA: $140k → 12%METANOIA: $115k → 12%METANOIA: $10k → 12%LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK: $4k → 12%LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK: $3k → 12%LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK: $2k → 12%AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS: $85k → 12%AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS: $70k → 12%AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS: $60k → 12%COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND: $13k → 12%COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND: $8k → 12%COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND: $5k → 12%LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST: $1k → 12%LOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST: $1k → 12%MIDDLETON PLACE FOUNDATION: $3k → 12%MIDDLETON PLACE FOUNDATION: $2k → 12%MIDDLETON PLACE FOUNDATION: $1k → 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.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
MN
NY
AR
SC
DC
LA
GA
TX
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.

85%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$610k · 17 repeat orgs$108k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +65% since the first grant, against +42% for those funded once.

17 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2019, 1 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2019 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

17
4

Total granted

$610k
$104k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+65%
+42%

Still filing today

76%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2019, 98% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $4k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19
HealthArts & CultureEducationInternationalCommunity ImprovementFood & NutritionOther
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

  • M
    METANOIA
    3× · 2017–2019 · $265k · revenue +73%
  • AC
    AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS
    3× · 2017–2019 · $215k · revenue +133%
  • EC
    EAST COOPER MEALS ON WHEELS INC
    3× · 2017–2019 · $10k · revenue +42%

Funded once

  • IA
    INTERNATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM
    one grant, 2018 · $100k · revenue -25%
  • WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $2k · revenue +42%
  • SB
    SHREVEPORT BOSSIER COMMUNITY RENEWAL
    one grant, 2018 · $1k
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 South Carolina Historical Society

The schs mission is to expand, preserve, and make accessible our invaluable collection, and to encourage interest and pride in the rich history of our state.

Arts & Culture
2
The Charleston Museum

To educate Charleston area residents and visitors about the natural and cultural history of the South Carolina Lowcountry through collections, exhibitions, preservation, conservation, research and related programming.

Arts & Culture
3
College of Charleston Foundation

The Mission of the College of Charleston Foundation is to promote programs of education, research, student development, and faculty development for the exclusive benefit of the College of Charleston.

Education
4
Carolina Art Association Dba Gibbes Museum of Art

The mission of the gibbes museum of art is to enhance lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and artists of enduring quality; collect and preserve the art that touches charleston; and provide…

Arts & Culture
5
The Columbia Foundation
Philanthropy
6
North Carolina Biotechnology Center

The north carolina biotechnology center aids the biotechnology-related efforts of researchers, businesses, state and federal governments, and other agencies primarily through awards of grants and loans related to specific programs and…

Science & Tech
7
Barton College

Founded in 1902, barton college is a four-year, private, liberal arts college located in wilson, n.c. the barton experience focuses on academic excellence within a wide range of professional and liberal arts programs leading to…

Education
8
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
9
The Carolina Trust
Philanthropy
10
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Inc

We harness the power of plants for humankind and share the joy and beauty of tropical gardening with everyone. fairchild tropical botanic garden is a museum of tropical plants within a world famous, 83-acre designed landscape. it was…

Environment
11
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry

The Community Foundation's mission is strengthening community by connecting people, resources, and needs.

Philanthropy
12
South Carolina Public Interest Foundation
Crime & Legal
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Lowcountry Land Trust Inc; the most unlike its peers is The Ba Rudolph Foundation. 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

19 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. 19 of the 24 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)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
18/19
Grantees still filing
15/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

METANOIA: $265,000 · Community ImprovementMETANOIAAMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS: $215,000 · EducationAMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING …+1 more: $2,000 · EducationINTERNATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM: $100,000 · Arts & CultureINTERNATIONAL AFR…CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $8,000 · Arts & CultureCHARLESTON SYMPHO…Middleton Place Foundation: $6,000 · Arts & CultureWYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS INC: $35,000 · OtherWYCLIFFE BIBLE…LOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK INC: $9,000 · OtherLOWCOUNTRY FOO…East Cooper Habitat for Humanity Inc: $8,000 · OtherEast Cooper Ha…COASTAL CONSERVATION LEAGUE: $6,500 · OtherCOASTAL CONSER…MAYO FOUNDATION: $6,000 · OtherMAYO FOUNDATIO…The BA Rudolph Foundation: $6,000 · OtherThe BA Rudolph…Charleston Library Society: $3,464 · OtherEAST COOPER MEALS ON WHEELS INC: $10,000 · OtherEAST COOPER ME…South Carolina Aquarium: $5,000 · OtherSouth Carolina…+3 more: $4,000 · OtherCOASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA INC: $25,000 · PhilanthropyTHE CARTER CENTER INC: $8,000 · InternationalBRIDGE2RWANDA INC: $8,000 · InternationalRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA INC: $9,000 · HealthBILL HILLARY & CHELSEA CLINTON FOUNDATION: $3,000 · HealthThe Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Inc: $1,000 · Health
Community Improvement$265,000Education$217,000Arts & Culture$114,000Other$92,964Philanthropy$25,000International$16,000Health$13,000

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 budgetMETANOIA: $265,000 over 3y, 4.2% of budgetAMERICAN COLLEGE OF THE BUILDING ARTS: $215,000 over 3y, 3.4% of budgetINTERNATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM: $100,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetCOASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA INC: $25,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetEAST COOPER MEALS ON WHEELS INC: $10,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA INC: $9,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetLOWCOUNTRY FOOD BANK INC: $9,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CARTER CENTER INC: $8,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetEast Cooper Habitat for Humanity Inc: $8,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetCHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $8,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBRIDGE2RWANDA INC: $8,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetMiddleton Place Foundation: $6,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetThe BA Rudolph Foundation: $6,000 over 3y, 2.8% of budgetSouth Carolina Aquarium: $5,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCharleston Library Society: $3,464 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBILL HILLARY & CHELSEA CLINTON FOUNDATION: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetLOWCOUNTRY LAND TRUST INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Inc: $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.

Coastal Community Fou…The Joanna FoundationGuffey Family Foundat…Dominion Energy Chari…Henry & Sylvia Yaschi…Trident United WayTd Charitable Foundat…John M Rivers Jr Foun…Patrick Family Founda…Vitreus FoundationMagnolia Plantation F…David Wallace Smith a…
Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina IncSC23.8× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina Inc · The Joanna Foundation · Guffey Family Foundation · Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation · Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation Inc · Trident United Way · Td Charitable Foundation · John M Rivers Jr Foundation · Patrick Family Foundation · Vitreus Foundation · Magnolia Plantation Foundation · David Wallace Smith and Joan Stowell Smith 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 Encouragement Foundation Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Encouragement Foundation Trust. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%5%10%15%20%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    7report 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 24 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 2019, released 2019. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Encouragement’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