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Friends of Education at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

Friends of Education

The organization's mission is to improve the education of children.

$145k
Granted FY2025still arriving
7
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$60k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
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.

Education$836k
02FY2025 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 7 grants below total $134,871, the rows itemized in this filing. The $144,870 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $9,999 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 · FY2025

  • Under $10k2 grants · $13k
  • $10k–50k4 grants · $62k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $60k
$15,350
Median grant
2
States reached
$5.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
RON CLARK ACADEMY$60,000
EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY$19,175
ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY$16,500
COLOGNE ACADEMY$15,350
NOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY$10,500
SEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY$6,846
ASPEN ACADEMY$6,500
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 71% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%COLOGNE ACADEMY: $15k → 5%ASPEN ACADEMY: $10k → 5%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $30k → 6%DAVINCI ACADEMY: $27k → 7%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $46k → 11%NOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $11k → 14%RON CLARK ACADEMY: $60k → 13%COLOGNE ACADEMY: $15k → 5%ASPEN ACADEMY: $8k → 5%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $20k → 6%DAVINCI ACADEMY: $19k → 7%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $28k → 11%NOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $11k → 14%COLOGNE ACADEMY: $13k → 5%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $17k → 6%DAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE: $10k → 7%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $19k → 11%NOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $9k → 14%COLOGNE ACADEMY: $9k → 5%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $17k → 6%DAVINCI ACADEMY: $9k → 7%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $19k → 11%COLOGNE ACADEMY: $9k → 5%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $12k → 6%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $18k → 11%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $12k → 6%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $17k → 11%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $12k → 6%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $12k → 11%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $12k → 6%EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $8k → 11%ST CROIX PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $10k → 6%HENNEPIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $21k → 11%HENNEPIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $11k → 11%HENNEPIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $9k → 11%HENNEPIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $8k → 11%PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $10k → 11%PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $10k → 11%PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $10k → 11%PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $8k → 11%YINGHUA ACADEMY: $22k → 11%YINGHUA ACADEMY: $11k → 11%YINGHUA ACADEMY: $10k → 11%YINGHUA ACADEMY: $9k → 11%SEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $14k → 11%SEVEN HILLS CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $12k → 11%SEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $11k → 11%SEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $9k → 11%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.

93%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$776k · 10 repeat orgs$60k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +52% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

10 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2025, 4 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

10
1

Total granted

$776k
$60k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+52%
0%

Still filing today

100%
100%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 56% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $60k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time
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

  • ER
    EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY
    8× · 2017–2025 · $168k · revenue +59%
  • SC
    St Croix Preparatory Academy
    9× · 2017–2025 · $140k · revenue +42%
  • DA
    DAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
    6× · 2017–2024 · $78k · revenue +178%

Funded once

  • RC
    RON CLARK ACADEMY INC
    one grant, 2025 · $60k · revenue 0%
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
Math & Science Academy

We provide accelerated curricula in all subjects with an emphasis on math and science.

Education
2
Phoenix Academy

The phoenix academy of art and science school program has been developed on research- backed foundational teaching and learning practices and with the intent of offering a curriculum that is more experiential and personally appealing to…

Education
3
Arcadia Charter School

It is the mission of arcadia charter school to prepare our students to transition intellectually, emotionally, and ethically to higher education, future employment, and engaged citizenship.

Education
4
Rivers Edge Academy

The mission of rivers edge academy is, in partnership with parents and community, to prepare urban high school students for their further education and career with rigorous academics, innovative projects and an interdisciplinary…

—
5
Twin Cities Academy

To ensure that all students graduate with the skills to achieve in college, to contribute positively to society, and to be accepting of all people.

Education
6
New Millennium Academy

The new millennium academy (nma) community prepares learners for life, engages them in high academic achievement, and fosters hmong cultural pride and identity.

Education
7
North Lakes Academy

North lakes academy provides a rigorous, liberal arts curriculum in a small, personalized, developmentally appropriate learning environment and graduate students who are confident, skilled scholars and citizens.

Education
8
Woodbury Leadership Academy

The mission of wla is to utilize leadership based programs and strategies grounded in solid research, combined with the demonstrated success of core knowledge curriculum as the basis of a rigorous overall educational program that builds…

Education
9
Prodeo Academy Charter School #4213

Prodeo academy is a college preparatory school that prepares students to be critical thinkers and intelligent leaders, expanding their opportunities to contribute positively and productively to society.

Education
10
Minnesota Transitions Charter School

We are a student-centered learning community that inspires and supports all learners to achieve excellence through equitable, relevant learning experiences.

Education
11
Austin Trinity School

Trinity episcopal school (trinity) is a not-for-profit independent school whose mission is to provide an enriched academic curriculum in a christian environment. trinity is not affiliated with or sponsored by any parish. we will nurture…

Education
12
Spectrum High School

Spectrum's mission is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to successfully navigate the college and career of their choice and positively impact the world around them.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Aspen Academy; the most unlike its peers is Ron Clark Academy 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

11 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.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
0
Early backer (in before they grew)
11/11
Grantees still filing
10/11
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $168,129 · EducationEAGLE RIDGE ACADEMYSt Croix Preparatory Academy: $140,016 · EducationSt Croix Preparatory AcademyDAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE: $77,750 · EducationDAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCECologne Academy: $72,850 · EducationCologne AcademySEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $70,915 · EducationSEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMYYINGHUA ACADEMY: $66,888 · EducationYINGHUA ACADEMYHENNEPIN SCHOOLS: $62,000 · EducationHENNEPIN SCHOOLSRON CLARK ACADEMY INC: $60,000 · EducationRON CLARK ACADEMY INCPARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $44,200 · EducationNOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $42,790 · EducationASPEN ACADEMY: $30,500 · Education
Education$836,038

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

25%50%75%100%$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetEAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY: $168,129 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetSt Croix Preparatory Academy: $140,016 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetDAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE: $77,750 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetCologne Academy: $72,850 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetSEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY: $70,915 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetYINGHUA ACADEMY: $66,888 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetHENNEPIN SCHOOLS: $62,000 over 6y, 0.3% of budgetRON CLARK ACADEMY INC: $60,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL: $44,200 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetNOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY: $42,790 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetASPEN ACADEMY: $30,500 over 4y, 0.1% 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 EAGLE RIDGE ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds St Croix Preparatory Academy ↗
  • Who funds DAVINCI ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE ↗
  • Who funds Cologne Academy ↗
  • Who funds SEVEN HILLS PREPARATORY ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds YINGHUA ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds HENNEPIN SCHOOLS ↗
  • Who funds RON CLARK ACADEMY INC ↗
  • Who funds PARNASSUS PREPARATORY SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds NOVA CLASSICAL ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds ASPEN ACADEMY ↗

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.

Mightycause Charitabl…American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
Mightycause Charitable FoundationFL13.6× affinity5 shared granteesties to 2 of 2Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Mightycause Charitable Foundation · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Amazonsmile 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 Friends of Education funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Friends of Education. 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%1%3%4%5%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–5%
    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 Friends of Education?

    Find your warmest path to Friends of Education 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 11 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 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 Friends of Education’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
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    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
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    $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