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· Public charity

Firespring Foundation

Improve the world by empowering non profits to leverage their mission to do more good by promoting and supporting Giving Day events across North America using Givesource donation platform and to promote local non profits through local public awareness events

$3.7M
Granted FY2021
35
Grants FY2021
1
States reached
$121k
Largest
01What it funds
0181% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Human Services$309kEducation$224kHousing & Shelter$169kPhilanthropy$164kHealth$153kAnimals$132kFood & Nutrition$121kCrime & Legal$50kOther$0
02FY2021 · 35 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 35 grants below total $1,497,560, the rows itemized in this filing. The $3,726,372 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $2,228,812 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2021

  • $10k–50k25 grants · $770k
  • $50k–250k10 grants · $728k
$33,468
Median grant
1
States reached
$57k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Food Bank of Lincoln$120,727
Phelps County Community Foundation$89,535
Peoples City Mission$80,397
Matt Talbot Kitchen and Outreach$76,432
Plus X Foundation$74,617
Friendship Home$65,750
Lincoln Christian School$63,648
Catholic Social Services - Lincoln$54,098
Clinic with a Heart$52,318
Center for People in Need$50,264
CEDARS$49,815
Community Action Partnership of Lancaster$42,581
Lincoln Children's Zoo$41,570
Lincoln Literacy$40,527
Youth for Christ Campus Life$40,421
02Its 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
Lincoln Animal Ambassadors

To address the root causes of animal homelessness in lincoln, nebraska and surrounding communites.

Animals
2
Lincoln County Community Development Corporation

To promote, facilitate and develop or co-develop affordable housing in lincoln county, nebraska.

Philanthropy
3
Lincoln University Aka Lincoln College

Lincoln college uniquely empowers students to realize their full potential

Education
4
Lincoln County Humane Societyinc

The lincoln county humane society is dedicated to the prevention of cruelty and abuse to animals, birds and wildlife. we strive to maintain a no-kill facility and a place of safety.

Animals
5
Lutheran Family Services of Ne Inc

Lutheran family services of nebraska, inc.'s (lfs) mission is to express god's love for all people by providing quality human care services that build and strengthen individual, family and community life. our vision is saftey, hope and…

Human Services
6
Lincoln Central Neighborhood Family Center

To provide programs for the residents in the lincoln/central school area.

Community Improvement
7
Educare of Lincoln Inc

To help young children thrive socially, emotionally and academically through high-quality early childhood education, and in partnership with their families and the community.

Education
8
Lincoln Christian School Foundation Short Tax Year Ended 5/31/2025

To provide supplementary support of lincoln christian school's programs and facilites.

Education
9
Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service Inc

Providing advanced life service level support for nine local communities in lincoln county including damariscotta, newcastle, bremen, bristol, south bristol, nobleboro, jefferson and edgecomb

Health
10
Lincoln County Casa

The organization advocates, promotes, and supports court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children, striving to secure a permanent and safe home for each child.

Crime & Legal
11
The Christ Lutheran Foundation

Organized for charitable, religious, and educational purposes; the foundation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for the benefit of christ lincoln church in lincoln, nebraska (a nebraska non-profit religious corporation).

—
12
Food Bank of Lincoln Foundation

The foundation is dedicated to the development and implementation of the food bank, an organization exempt under code section 501(c)(3).

Food & Nutrition
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Friendship Home of Lincoln Inc; the most unlike its peers is Nebraska Wrestling Training Center. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
03the grantee network

25 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. 25 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
25/25
Grantees still filing
18/25
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Plus X Foundation: $74,617 · OtherPlus X FoundationLINCOLN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: $63,648 · OtherLINCOLN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONCatholic Social Services - Lincoln: $54,098 · OtherCatholic Social Services - LincolnCEDARS: $49,815 · OtherCEDARSCommunity Action Partnership of Lancaster: $42,581 · OtherCommunity Action Partnership of LancasterYouth for Christ Campus Life: $40,421 · OtherPlanned Parenthood: $38,816 · OtherLUTHERAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $33,468 · OtherVOICES OF HOPE OF LINCOLN INC: $26,702 · OtherPEOPLE'S CITY MISSION: $80,397 · OtherPEOPLE'S CITY MISSIONCENTER FOR PEOPLE IN NEED: $50,264 · OtherCENTER FOR PEOPLE IN NEEDTHE FOUNDATION FOR LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: $29,522 · Other+8 more: $184,247 · Other+8 moreMATT TALBOT KITCHEN & OUTREACH: $76,432 · Human ServicesMATT TALBOT KI…FRIENDSHIP HOME OF LINCOLN INC: $65,750 · Human ServicesFRIENDSHIP HOM…FOSTER CARE CLOSET: $29,567 · Human ServicesFOSTER CARE CL…CHRISTIAN HERITAGE CHILDREN'S HOME: $26,267 · Human ServicesCHRISTIAN HERI…LINCOLN CHILDREN'S ZOO: $41,570 · AnimalsLINCOLN C…THE CAT HOUSE: $32,725 · AnimalsTHE CAT H…CAPITAL HUMANE SOCIETY: $30,084 · AnimalsCAPITAL H…HEARTS UNITED FOR ANIMALS: $27,435 · AnimalsHEARTS UN…FOOD BANK OF LINCOLN INC: $120,727 · Food & NutritionFOOD BANK…LINCOLN LITERACY COUNCIL: $40,527 · EducationUNION COLLEGE: $29,321 · EducationParkview Christian School: $27,580 · EducationCLINIC WITH A HEART INC: $52,318 · HealthPREGNANCY CENTER INC: $39,126 · HealthPHELPS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $89,535 · Philanthropy
Other$768,596Human Services$198,016Animals$131,814Food & Nutrition$120,727Education$97,428Health$91,444Philanthropy$89,535

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetFOOD BANK OF LINCOLN INC: $120,727 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPHELPS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $89,535 over 1y, 3.3% of budgetPEOPLE'S CITY MISSION: $80,397 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetMATT TALBOT KITCHEN & OUTREACH: $76,432 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetFRIENDSHIP HOME OF LINCOLN INC: $65,750 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetLINCOLN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION: $63,648 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetCLINIC WITH A HEART INC: $52,318 over 1y, 8.0% of budgetCENTER FOR PEOPLE IN NEED: $50,264 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetLINCOLN CHILDREN'S ZOO: $41,570 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetLINCOLN LITERACY COUNCIL: $40,527 over 1y, 5.3% of budgetPREGNANCY CENTER INC: $39,126 over 1y, 4.9% of budgetLUTHERAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $33,468 over 1y, 2.7% of budgetTHE CAT HOUSE: $32,725 over 1y, 10% of budgetCAPITAL HUMANE SOCIETY: $30,084 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetFOSTER CARE CLOSET: $29,567 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetTHE FOUNDATION FOR LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: $29,522 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetUNION COLLEGE: $29,321 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetParkview Christian School: $27,580 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetHEARTS UNITED FOR ANIMALS: $27,435 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetVOICES OF HOPE OF LINCOLN INC: $26,702 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetCHRISTIAN HERITAGE CHILDREN'S HOME: $26,267 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetNebraska Wrestling Training Center: $24,522 over 1y, 8.0% of budgetLINCOLNLANCASTER COUNTY CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER: $23,746 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetTabitha Inc: $22,572 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetABENDMUSIK AT FIRST-PLYMOUTH INC: $22,437 over 1y, 13% 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.

Lincoln Community Foundation IncNE46× affinity20 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Lincoln Community Foundation Inc · Assurity Life Foundation · Bettenhausen Family Foundation · Jc & Jessie Seacrest Family Fndtn First Nebraska Trust Co Trustee · Abel Foundation · Rogers Foundation · United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County · Cooper Foundation · Spreetail Foundation · The Hampton Family Foundation · Kinder Porter Scott Family Foundation · D F Dillon 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.
03Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Firespring Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Firespring 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 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 2021, released 2021. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2025) is on record and reports $3.3M of grant expense with no grantee named in the published copy. A private foundation itemizes every grant it makes, so a return carrying none has filed its list as an attachment that the public copy does not include. The figures above are therefore from FY2021, the most recent year this funder’s grantee list reached the public record.

Source object · view filing

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