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Futures Unbound at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

Futures Unbound

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$426k
Granted FY2022
32
Grants FY2022
9
States reached
$50k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02Its granteesRead
03Its fieldRead
04Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0192% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Environment$214kHuman Services$120kEducation$85kPhilanthropy$83kInternational$33kScience & Tech$30kCivil Rights$25kYouth Development$16kOther$0
02FY2022 · 32 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 32 grants below total $290,644, the rows itemized in this filing. The $425,747 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $135,103 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 · FY2022

  • Under $10k20 grants · $26k
  • $10k–50k11 grants · $214k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
$3,000
Median grant
9
States reached
$3.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Natural Resources Defense Council$50,000
Social Good Fund$47,000
ALIA$25,000
Foundation for City College - Med School$25,000
J Street Educational Fund$22,400
Climate Action Campaign$20,000
Amalgamated Charity Fdn Champion Ed$15,000
California Institute of Technology$15,000
American Jewish World Service$15,000
Jewish Family Services$10,000
The Climate Museum$10,000
ACLU Foundation SD/Imperial Counties$10,000
Center for Community Energy$6,000
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center$5,000
Institute Energy Econ & Fincl Analysis$4,000
02Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

58%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$312k · 6 repeat orgs$224k to everyone else

6 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2022, 1 since wound down; 25 grantees were first funded in FY2022 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

6
22

Total granted

$312k
$111k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+11%
+16%

Still filing today

83%
36%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2022, 51% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $113k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22
Arts & CultureEnvironmentHuman ServicesPhilanthropyHealthInternationalOther
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

  • A
    ALIA
    3× · 2020–2022 · $95k · revenue +101%
  • CA
    CLIMATE ACTION CAMPAIGN
    2× · 2021–2022 · $50k · revenue +11%
  • CI
    CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    2× · 2021–2022 · $30k · revenue +0%

Funded once

  • JS
    J Street Education
    one grant, 2021 · $20k
  • CU
    Columbia University - Sabin Center
    one grant, 2021 · $15k
  • SL
    SAMUEL LAWRENCE FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $13k · revenue +16%
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.

03Its 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
Climate Catalyst Inc

Climate catalyst sparks collective action to tackle the biggest climate challenges we face today: cutting emissions in heavy industries.

Environment
2
The Union of Concerned Scientists Inc

The union of concerned scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.

International
3
Third Way

To research and develop centrist policy ideas.

Civil Rights
4
The Climate Center

The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California.

Education
5
Project Drawdown

Project drawdown's mission is to drive meaningful climate action by advancing science-based solutions and strategies. project drawdown's work is focused on three pillars: science - advancing science-based climate solutions and strategies;…

Education
6
The Climate Group Inc

Climate group advances climate action by mobilizing business and government leadership to drive systemic decarbonization across energy, transport, and industry, while engaging the public through large-scale convenings and global platforms.…

Environment
7
Climate Central Inc

Climate central, inc. (the organization") is an independent not-for-profit organization of leading scientists, technology experts and communication professionals that are dedicated to researching and reporting on climate change and its…

Science & Tech
8
Climateworks Foundation

Climateworks foundation's mission is to connect philanthropy, grantees, and strategic partners to build and deliver high-impact climate solutions that benefit all people.

Science & Tech
9
Advocates for Climate Innovation
Philanthropy
10
Climate Breakthrough Inc

To launch breakthrough climate mitigation efforts by identifying, supporting, and unleashing innovative leaders with transformative strategies.

Human Services
11
Common Future

Common future is a network of pioneering leaders across the u.s. and canada who work deeply within their communities to create alternative approaches to business, philanthropy, and investing. we envision an economy that has transitioned…

Community Improvement
12
Conservation International Foundation

Ci works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank; the most unlike its peers is Project High Hopes. 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

27 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. 27 of the 56 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)
26/27
Grantees still filing
11/27
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Foundation for City College - Med School: $25,000 · OtherFoundation for City College - Med…J Street Educational Fund: $22,400 · OtherJ Street Educational FundJ Street Education: $20,000 · OtherJ Street EducationAmalgamated Charity Fdn Champion Ed: $15,000 · OtherAmalgamated Charity Fdn Champion …Columbia University - Sabin Center: $15,000 · OtherColumbia University - Sabin Cente…Cleantech Education Fund: $10,000 · OtherACLU Foundation SD/Imperial Counties: $10,000 · OtherJewish Family Services: $10,000 · OtherACLU of San Diego: $10,000 · OtherPROJECT HIGH HOPES: $10,000 · Other+30 more: $40,127 · Other+30 moreNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $125,000 · EnvironmentNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENS…CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENERGY: $11,000 · EnvironmentCENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENE…+1 more: $1,000 · EnvironmentALIA: $95,000 · Human ServicesALIATHE TREEHOUSE FOUNDATION INC: $12,000 · Human ServicesTHE TREEHOUSE FOUND…+1 more: $200 · Human ServicesSOCIAL GOOD FUND INC: $72,000 · EducationSOCIAL GOOD FUND I…CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $30,000 · EducationCALIFORNIA INSTITU…CLIMATE ACTION CAMPAIGN: $50,000 · Public Safety & DisasterAMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $30,000 · International+2 more: $1,080 · InternationalSAMUEL LAWRENCE FOUNDATION: $12,500 · Arts & CultureCLIMATE MUSEUM: $10,000 · Arts & CultureVOICE OF SAN DIEGO: $1,250 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $100 · Arts & Culture
Other$187,527Environment$137,000Human Services$107,200Education$102,000Public Safety & Disaster$50,000International$31,080Arts & Culture$23,850

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $125,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetALIA: $95,000 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetSOCIAL GOOD FUND INC: $72,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCLIMATE ACTION CAMPAIGN: $50,000 over 2y, 2.0% of budgetAMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $30,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $30,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAMUEL LAWRENCE FOUNDATION: $12,500 over 1y, 4.9% of budgetTHE TREEHOUSE FOUNDATION INC: $12,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetCENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENERGY: $11,000 over 3y, 11% of budgetCLIMATE MUSEUM: $10,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetVAYU GLOBAL HEALTH FOUNDATION INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetJACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetVOICE OF SAN DIEGO: $1,250 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHWEST SAN DIEGO COUNTY INC: $1,030 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetRAZOM INC: $1,030 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOASTAL ROOTS FARM: $1,023 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHAMMOND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJ STREET EDUCATION FUND INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMAYA RELIEF FOUNDATION: $200 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCHARITY GLOBAL INC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSTAGE LEFT CHILDREN'S THEATER INC: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $50 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY SUPPORT FUND INC: $50 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.

Jewish Community Foun…The San Diego Foundat…Rancho Santa Fe Found…The Conrad Prebys Fou…Vanguard Charitable E…National Philanthropi…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
Jewish Community Foundation of San DiegoCA19.2× affinity7 shared granteesties to 9 of 9Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego · The San Diego Foundation · Rancho Santa Fe Foundation · The Conrad Prebys Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · National Philanthropic Trust · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · 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.
04Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Futures Unbound?

Find your warmest path to Futures Unbound 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 56 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 2022, released 2022. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record and reports $418k 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 FY2022, the most recent year this funder’s grantee list reached the public record.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Futures Unbound’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