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Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$293k
Granted FY2025still arriving
23
Grants FY2025still arriving
6
States reached
$43k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0198% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2025.

Education$528kHealth$67kFood & Nutrition$40kArts & Culture$29kCrime & Legal$25kEnvironment$16kRecreation & Sports$15kCivil Rights$2kOther$0
02FY2025 · 23 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k13 grants · $30k
  • $10k–50k10 grants · $263k
$5,500
Median grant
6
States reached
$16M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls$43,000
Duke University$42,500
University of Michigan$40,000
Hawaii Symphony Orchestra$25,000
University of Hawaii Foundation$25,000
University of Hawaii School of Law$25,000
Hanahaui'oli School$19,822
Hawaii Culinary Education Foundatio$19,000
Emory University$13,000
University of Navada Las Vegas$10,835
Ke'elikolani Middle School$7,000
Punahou School$5,500
University of Hawaii Foundation$5,000
University of Nevada - Reno$2,750
Hawaii Public Radio$2,500
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 (FY18–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%GLAUCOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $1k → 10%UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $15k → 11%PBS Hawaii: $1k → 9%University of Michigan: $40k → 14%Duke University: $43k → 11%Lewy Body Dementia Association Inc: $250 → 9%Emory University: $13k → 14%UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $50k → 18%University of Nevada - Reno: $3k → 10%NAACP Foundation: $2k → 19%UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $15k → 11%University of Hawaii School of Law: $25k → 9%EMORY UNIVERSITY: $6k → 14%UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $20k → 18%UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $3k → 11%University of Hawaii Foundation: $25k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $15k → 18%SAN DIEGO OUTRIGGER CANOE FOUNDATION: $4k → 11%Hanahaui'oli School: $20k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWII FOUNDATION CANCER CENTER: $15k → 9%HAWAII NATUTE CENTER: $15k → 9%HANAHAU'OLI SCHOOL: $10k → 9%Punahou School: $6k → 9%University of Hawaii Foundation: $5k → 9%The Outdoor Circle: $1k → 9%LES AMIS D'ESCOFFIER FOUNDATION: $600 → 9%Honolulu Museum of Art: $365 → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $80k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $50k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $31k → 9%Hawaii Symphony Orchestra: $25k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $25k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $25k → 9%HAWAII FOOD & WINE FOUNDATION: $15k → 9%UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $10k → 9%Hawaii Public Radio: $3k → 9%HAWAII FOOD & WINE FOUNDATION: $2k → 9%Civil Beat: $1k → 9%La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls: $43k → 9%LA PIETRA - HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: $5k → 9%LA PIETRA - HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: $4k → 9%QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER: $10k → 9%Ke'elikolani Middle School: $7k → 9%Boys Girls Club of Hawaii: $1k → 9%Straub Foundation: $250 → 9%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

MI
NV
CA
MD
NC
HI
MS
GA
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.

70%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$509k · 8 repeat orgs$214k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +35% since the first grant, against +19% for those funded once.

8 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2025, 3 since wound down; 17 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

8
6

Total granted

$509k
$46k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+35%
+19%

Still filing today

75%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 43% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $168k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
EducationHealthArts & CultureEnvironmentCivil RightsOther
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

  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION
    7× · 2018–2025 · $251k · revenue +165%
  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION
    3× · 2018–2024 · $85k · revenue +59%
  • TH
    THE HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
    3× · 2018–2025 · $52k · revenue +18%

Funded once

  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF HAWII FOUNDATION CANCER CENTER
    one grant, 2020 · $15k
  • HN
    HAWAII NATURE CENTER INC
    one grant, 2023 · $15k · revenue -20%
  • TQ
    THE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER
    one grant, 2022 · $10k · revenue +19%
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
Kapi'olani Medical Specialists

Kapi'olani medical specialists (dba hawai'i pacific health medical group) is a multispecialty provider group dedicated to providing world-class care for adults and children across hawai'i and the pacific region working in partnership with…

Health
2
Hawaii Pacific University

Hawaii pacific university is an international learning community set in the rich cultural context of hawaii. students from around the world join us for an american education built on a liberal arts foundation. our innovative undergraduate…

Education
3
Mohala Pua School Dba Honolulu Waldorf School

See schedule o.at honolulu waldorf school, we educate each child to find meaning, passion, and purpose in life and to contribute to the creation of a better world for all. through a curriculum based on the developmental stages of the human…

Education
4
Kaua'i Medical Clinic

Kaua'i medical clinic, an affliate of hawai'i pacific health, is a multi-specialty clinic dedicated to providing world-class care for adults and children across hawai'i and the pacific region in partnership with kapi'olani medical center…

Health
5
Hawaii State Teachers Association

Served hsta members as their exclusive collective bargaining agent,administered members' contract negotiations with the state of hawaiiconcerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, fringe benefits, hoursand other employment conditions.

—
6
Hawaii Medical Association

Hawaii medical association is dedicated to serving physicians, their patients and community through representation, advocacy, and public service. core activities: advocacy, education

—
7
The University of Hawaii Alumni Association

To advance the interests of the university of hawaii, alumni, and friends through mutually beneficial and lifelong relationships, to generate support for the university, and to participate in events that showcase the university's…

—
8
Kapi'olani Health Foundation

The mission of kapi'olani health foundation is to create a healthier hawai'i.

Health
9
Uhiwai O Haleakala

The mission of the corporation shall be to work with partners to protect and restore native ecosystems and watersheds, to improve the quality and quantity of freshwater resources to perpetuate hawaiian cultural resources and practices, to…

Environment
10
Kuakini Foundation

The mission of kuakini foundation is to improve the health status of the community by: providing comprehensive health care services and programs at reasonable cost; continuously improving the quality of health care services and programs;…

—
11
University Clinical Education & Research Associates (Ucera)

Ucera is a non-profit organization established to further the missionsand visions of the john a. burns school of medicine (jabsom) and other health sciences schools of the university of hawaii (uh). it contributes to their goal of…

Health
12
Ho'ola Lahui Hawaii

To improve the health and well-being of our community.

Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Hanahauoli School; the most unlike its peers is University of Michigan. 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

20 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. 20 of the 31 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)
1
Early backer (in before they grew)
20/20
Grantees still filing
8/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $251,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATIONUNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $85,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATIONDUKE UNIVERSITY: $42,500 · EducationDUKE UNIVERSITYUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $33,323 · EducationUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATIONHAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATIO: $22,487 · Education+1 more: $5,500 · EducationTHE HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: $52,000 · OtherTHE HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLSUniversity of Michigan: $40,000 · OtherUniversity of MichiganHANAHAUOLI SCHOOL: $29,822 · OtherHANAHAUOLI SCHOOLUniversity of Hawaii School of Law: $25,000 · OtherUniversity of Hawaii School of LawEMORY UNIVERSITY: $19,000 · OtherEMORY UNIVERSITYHAWAII FOOD & WINE FOUNDATION: $16,500 · OtherHAWAII FOOD & WINE FOUNDATIONUNIVERSITY OF HAWII FOUNDATION CANCER CENTER: $15,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF HAWII FOUNDATION CANC…University of Navada Las Vegas: $10,835 · Other+7 more: $18,850 · Other+7 moreHAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $25,000 · Arts & CultureHAWAII PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION DBA PBS HAWAII: $1,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $365 · Arts & CultureHAWAII NATURE CENTER INC: $15,000 · EnvironmentTHE OUTDOOR CIRCLE: $1,000 · EnvironmentTHE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER: $10,000 · HealthGLAUCOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $1,000 · Health+2 more: $500 · HealthNAACP FOUNDATION: $2,074 · Civil Rights
Education$439,810Other$227,007Arts & Culture$26,365Environment$16,000Health$11,500Civil Rights$2,074

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 budgetUNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOUNDATION: $251,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $85,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetTHE HAWAII SCHOOL FOR GIRLS: $52,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetDUKE UNIVERSITY: $42,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of Michigan: $40,000 over 1y, 6.3% of budgetUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $33,323 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHANAHAUOLI SCHOOL: $29,822 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetHAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetHAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATIO: $22,487 over 2y, 4.3% of budgetHAWAII NATURE CENTER INC: $15,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetTHE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPUNAHOU SCHOOL: $5,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHAWAII PUBLIC RADIO: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGLAUCOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHAWAII PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION DBA PBS HAWAII: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE OUTDOOR CIRCLE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetHONOLULU MUSEUM OF ART: $365 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLewy Body Dementia Association Inc: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetStraub Foundation: $250 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.

J Watumull FundMildred Tyson Foundat…Castiglione A Casauri…Cooke Foundation Limi…James and Sally Zuker…Maurice and Joanna Su…Chung Kun Ai Foundati…The Cades FoundationThe Clarence Tc Ching…First Hawaiian Bank F…First Insurance Compa…Tradewind Group Found…
J Watumull FundHI19.9× affinity7 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: J Watumull Fund · Mildred Tyson Foundation · Castiglione A Casauria Foundation · Cooke Foundation Limited · James and Sally Zukerkorn Foundation · Maurice and Joanna Sullivan Family Foundation · Chung Kun Ai Foundation · The Cades Foundation · The Clarence Tc Ching Foundation · First Hawaiian Bank Foundation · First Insurance Company of Hawaii Charitable Foundation · Tradewind Group 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 Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    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 Germaine Hope Brennan Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Germaine Hope Brennan 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 31 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Germaine Hope Brennan’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