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· Private foundation

Ethel and James Flinn Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$2.9M
Granted FY2024still arriving
83
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$200k
Largest
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Health$6.9MHuman Services$3.0MCrime & Legal$1.2MYouth Development$431kPhilanthropy$361kEducation$333kPublic Safety & Disaster$305kCommunity Improvement$282kOther$0
02FY2024 · 83 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k38 grants · $141k
  • $10k–50k9 grants · $185k
  • $50k–250k36 grants · $2.6M
$15,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$60M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY$200,000
METRO SOLUTIONS$100,000
HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM$100,000
HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM$100,000
HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM$100,000
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY$100,000
SOUTHWEST DETROIT COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTER$100,000
OAKLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK$100,000
ZAMAN INTERNATIONAL$100,000
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN$75,000
HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM$75,000
CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY$75,000
OAKLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK$75,000
SAMARITAS$75,000
DETROIT WAYNE INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK$75,000
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 (FY20–24, $2.7M) land where the poverty rate runs at 19%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 85% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $65k → 16%RECOVERY ACTION NETWORK OF MICHIGAN: $5k → 21%MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $65k → 16%MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $65k → 16%MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $50k → 16%HANDS ACROSS THE WATER INC: $50k → 14%MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $50k → 16%JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE: $25k → 8%OAKLAND FAMILY SERVICES: $55k → 8%OAKLAND FAMILY SERVICES: $55k → 8%ORCHARDS CHILDRENS SERVICES INC: $50k → 8%ORCHARDS CHILDREN'S SERVICES INC: $50k → 8%NAMI METRO: $15k → 8%NAMI METRO: $15k → 8%NAMI METRO: $15k → 8%ZAMAN INTERNATIONAL: $100k → 21%NAMI METRO: $13k → 8%STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $70k → 21%NAMI METRO: $10k → 8%STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $70k → 21%ZAMAN INTERNATIONAL: $63k → 21%ZAMAN INTERNATIONAL: $63k → 21%STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $62k → 21%STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $50k → 21%JUDSON CENTER: $50k → 8%JUDSON CENTER: $50k → 8%SAMARITAS: $75k → 21%SAMARITAS: $75k → 21%SAMARITAS FOUNDATION: $75k → 21%SAMARITAS: $75k → 21%ALL WELL-BEING SERVICES: $50k → 21%SAMARITAS FOUNDATION: $50k → 21%EASTER SEALS-MICHIGAN INC: $50k → 21%COVENANT HOUSE MICHIGAN: $50k → 21%SPECTRUM HUMAN SERVICES INC: $100k → 21%SPECTRUM HUMAN SERVICES INC: $100k → 21%SPECTRUM CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES: $66k → 21%FREEDOM HOUSE DETROIT: $50k → 21%THE FAMILY CENTER OF GROSSE POINTE & HARPER WOODS: $25k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $75k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $75k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $75k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $75k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $70k → 21%HANNAN: $50k → 21%HANNAN CENTER: $50k → 21%CHILDREN'S CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY: $50k → 21%CODY ROUGE COMMUNITY ACTION ALLIANCE INC: $50k → 21%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

IL
MI
NY
OH
CT
MO
MD
DC
GA
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.
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 12% of Ethel and James Flinn Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 98% of the giving stays in MI; by stated purpose, 86%.

Ethel and James Flinn Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 2.1% directed abroad (not shown)
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.

80%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$11M · 92 repeat orgs$2.7M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +29% since the first grant, against +24% for those funded once.

92 repeat relationships: 48 still active in FY2024, 44 since wound down; 19 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

92
62

Total granted

$11M
$1.9M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+29%
+24%

Still filing today

77%
61%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 73% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $770k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
HealthHuman ServicesEducationCommunity ImprovementPhilanthropyAnimalsOther
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

  • HF
    HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM
    5× · 2020–2024 · $850k · revenue +48%
  • TH
    TRINITY HEALTH - MICHIGAN
    3× · 2021–2023 · $375k · revenue +18%
  • SF
    STARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC
    4× · 2020–2024 · $252k · revenue +8%

Funded once

  • TH
    TRINITY HEALTH-MICHIGAN (AKA IHA)
    one grant, 2023 · $150k
  • SF
    SAMARITAS FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $125k · revenue -82%
  • VO
    VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA INC
    one grant, 2020 · $100k
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
Michigan Assoc of Community Mental Health Boards

Assisting the community mental health boards of michigan in developing methods for mental health planning, care and treatment.

—
2
Detroit Central City Cmh Inc

Detroit central city community mental health's mission is to achieve wellness in the community by providing an integrated array of mental health, housing and substance abuse services with diginity and respect.

Health
3
Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County

Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County D/B/A Catholic Charities Washtenaw County provides diverse, holistic social services including adoption and pregnancy counseling, food and basic needs assistance, domestic and child abuse…

—
4
Detroit Historical Society

The Detroit Historical Society tells Detroit's stories and why they matter through its exhibits, programs, outreach, and the preservation and dissemination of its artifacts and collections.

Arts & Culture
5
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
6
Mymichigan Medical Group

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
7
Center for Family Health

The mission of the Center for Family Health is opening the door to health care for all.

Health
8
Michigan Center for Clinical Systems Improvement

The organization's mission is to support community-based, stakeholder driven training for care teams including physicians, care managers, care coordinators, medical assistants and behavioral health specialists; facilitate training and…

Health
9
Mymichigan Health Foundation

The corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes by conducting or supporting activites exclusively for the benefit of, to perform the functions of, or to carry out the…

Health
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
Mid Michigan Community Action Agency Inc

Mid michigan community action guides local residents on the path to self-sufficiency through empowerment, education and community enrichment.

—
12
Michigan Enviromental Council

Informing and educating the public and decision makers about environmental issues.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. 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

124 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. 124 of the 175 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.

3
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
19
Early backer (in before they grew)
123/124
Grantees still filing
90/124
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS (AKA WSU): $1,010,250 · OtherTHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS (AKA WSU)DETROIT WAYNE INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORK: $475,000 · OtherDETROIT WAYNE INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORKREGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: $420,800 · OtherREGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANTHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY: $350,000 · OtherTHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITYVISTA MARIA: $225,000 · OtherOAKLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK: $225,000 · OtherNAMI MICHIGAN: $220,000 · OtherCOMMUNITY FDN FOR SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $200,450 · Other+88 more: $2,304,053 · Other+88 moreHENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM: $850,000 · HealthHENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEMTRINITY HEALTH - MICHIGAN: $375,000 · HealthTRINITY HEALTH - MICHIGANPackard Health Inc: $220,000 · HealthPackard Health IncMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN MICHIGAN: $217,750 · HealthMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN MICH…MICHIGAN HEALTH ENDOWMENT FUND: $200,000 · HealthTHE GUIDANCE CENTER: $200,000 · HealthCOMMON GROUND: $200,000 · HealthUMRC-PORTER HILLS FOUNDATION: $200,000 · HealthBEAUMONT HEALTH FOUNDATION: $175,000 · HealthDETROIT INSTITUTE FOR CHILDREN: $151,100 · HealthAVALON HEALING CENTER: $150,000 · HealthROSE HILL CENTER INC: $150,000 · HealthMARINERS INN: $135,000 · Health+17 more: $764,890 · Health+17 moreCHILDRENS CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY INC: $420,000 · Human ServicesCHILDRENS CENTER OF WA…MICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $297,500 · Human ServicesMICHIGAN'S CHILDRENSTARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $252,000 · Human ServicesSTARFISH FAMILY SERVIC…ZAMAN INTERNATIONAL: $228,000 · Human ServicesZAMAN INTERNATIONALSAMARITAS: $225,000 · Human ServicesSAMARITASSPECTRUM HUMAN SERVICES INC: $200,000 · Human ServicesSPECTRUM HUMAN SERVICE…SAMARITAS FOUNDATION: $125,000 · Human ServicesOAKLAND FAMILY SERVICES: $110,000 · Human ServicesJUDSON CENTER INC: $100,000 · Human ServicesORCHARDS CHILDREN'S SERVICES INC: $100,000 · Human ServicesHANNAN CENTER: $100,000 · Human Services+17 more: $533,050 · Human Services+17 moreSOUTHWEST DETROIT COMMUNITY JUSTICE: $400,000 · Crime & LegalCAREHOUSE OF OAKLAND COUNTY INC: $150,000 · Crime & LegalDetroit Justice Center: $50,000 · Crime & LegalHAVEN INC: $25,000 · Crime & LegalDETROIT PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION: $200,000 · EducationEASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $150,000 · Education+8 more: $16,000 · EducationCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN: $150,000 · PhilanthropyLIFELABKIDS FOUNDATION: $100,000 · PhilanthropyCOUNCIL OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATIONS: $46,500 · PhilanthropyGRANTMAKERS IN HEALTH: $35,200 · Philanthropy+2 more: $702 · PhilanthropyBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $150,000 · Youth Development
Other$5,430,553Health$3,988,740Human Services$2,690,550Crime & Legal$625,000Education$366,000Philanthropy$332,402Youth Development$150,000

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

25%50%75%100%$10k$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetHENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM: $850,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetCHILDRENS CENTER OF WAYNE COUNTY INC: $420,000 over 4y, 1.0% of budgetSOUTHWEST DETROIT COMMUNITY JUSTICE: $400,000 over 4y, 63% of budgetTRINITY HEALTH - MICHIGAN: $375,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMICHIGAN'S CHILDREN: $297,500 over 5y, 21% of budgetSTARFISH FAMILY SERVICES INC: $252,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetZAMAN INTERNATIONAL: $228,000 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetVISTA MARIA: $225,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetSAMARITAS: $225,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetNAMI MICHIGAN: $220,000 over 5y, 13% of budgetPackard Health Inc: $220,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN MICHIGAN: $217,750 over 5y, 34% of budgetMICHIGAN HEALTH ENDOWMENT FUND: $200,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSPECTRUM HUMAN SERVICES INC: $200,000 over 2y, 2.7% of budgetTHE GUIDANCE CENTER: $200,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMON GROUND: $200,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetUMRC-PORTER HILLS FOUNDATION: $200,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetDETROIT PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION: $200,000 over 2y, 3.6% of budgetBEAUMONT HEALTH FOUNDATION: $175,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetDETROIT INSTITUTE FOR CHILDREN: $151,100 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetAVALON HEALING CENTER: $150,000 over 2y, 2.4% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $150,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetCAREHOUSE OF OAKLAND COUNTY INC: $150,000 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetEASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $150,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetROSE HILL CENTER INC: $150,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN: $150,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMARINERS INN: $135,000 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetSAMARITAS FOUNDATION: $125,000 over 1y, 3.6% of budgetOAKLAND FAMILY SERVICES: $110,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetSOUTHWEST SOLUTIONS INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetLIFELABKIDS FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetJUDSON CENTER INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetCATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN: $100,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetORCHARDS CHILDREN'S SERVICES INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetDOWNTOWN DETROIT PARTNERSHIP INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetLincoln Behavioral Services: $100,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMETRO SOLUTIONS INC: $100,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetCASS COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetHANNAN CENTER: $100,000 over 2y, 4.2% of budgetKEVINS SONG A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON DEPRESSION & SUICIDE: $95,000 over 4y, 25% of budgetAUTISM ALLIANCE OF MICHIGAN: $75,200 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetTHE YUNION: $75,000 over 2y, 2.3% of budgetCENTERS FOR FAMILY DEVELOPMENT INC: $75,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetASSOCIATION FOR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH: $70,000 over 5y, 2.5% of budgetIHA HEALTH SERVICES CORPORATION: $70,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNAMI METRO: $67,500 over 5y, 11% of budgetSPECTRUM CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES: $66,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetDetroit Rescue Mission Ministries: $53,000 over 1y, 0.2% 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.

Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganMI99.3× affinity61 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · United Way for Southeastern Michigan · Michigan Health Endowment Fund · DTE Energy Foundation · Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation · The Skillman Foundation · The Carls Foundation · The Kresge Foundation · The Jewish Fund · Ford Philanthropy · The Ralph C Wilson Jr Foundation · McGregor Fund

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 Ethel and James Flinn Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ethel and James Flinn Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 20%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    2get no government money at all
    30report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    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 Ethel and James Flinn Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Ethel and James Flinn Foundation 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 175 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 Ethel and James Flinn’s filings →

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