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Graesser Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Graesser Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$34k
Granted FY2024still arriving
6
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$14k
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 2024.

Education$106kHuman Services$53kArts & Culture$33kFood & Nutrition$30kCommunity Improvement$23kHousing & Shelter$20kYouth Development$16kEnvironment$5kOther$0
02FY2024 · 6 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k5 grants · $20k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $14k
$5,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$813k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TUCSON$14,000
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION$5,000
NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE$5,000
SAVMA$5,000
CIVIC ORCHESTRA OF TUCSON$4,000
NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK$1,000
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 (FY17–24, $49k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK: $1k → 12%NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK: $10k → 12%ST LUKE'S IN THE DESERT: $2k → 15%YMCA OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA: $17k → 15%YMCA OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA: $10k → 15%YOUTH ON THEIR OWN: $9k → 15%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.

50%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$145k · 5 repeat orgs$146k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +109% since the first grant, against +63% for those funded once.

5 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2024, 2 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

5
18

Total granted

$145k
$132k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+109%
+63%

Still filing today

100%
78%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 59% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $14k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Human ServicesEducationArts & CultureReligionFood & NutritionPhilanthropyOther
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

  • University of Arizona Foundation
    5× · 2017–2024 · $75k · revenue +109%
  • TC
    TUCSON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INC DBA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TUCSON
    2× · 2020–2024 · $24k · revenue +113%
  • ND
    NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK INC
    2× · 2017–2024 · $11k · revenue +139%

Funded once

  • CG
    COMMUNITY GARDENS OF TUCSON INCgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $30k · revenue +78%
  • OP
    Old Pueblo Community Servicesgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $15k · revenue +27%
  • EE
    EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $10k · revenue +38%
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
Arizona Latin-American Medical Association
Unclassified
2
Arizona Wins

Az wins is a coalition of organizations dedicated to achieving public policies that benefit working arizona families and advancing an inclusive, engaged, just and equitable state for all arizonans. in 2024 az wins substantially reduced its…

Civil Rights
3
Arizona Youth Partnership

Arizona youth partnership, (azyp), empowers youth to harness their strengths to live healthy and purposeful lives.

Health
4
Startup Tucson

Working to transform the region's economy through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Community Improvement
5
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Inc

Our vision is a community where every child receives a high-quality education from birth to career, every adult has the opportunity to thrive financailly and in the workplace, and every older person can retire and age with dignity and…

Philanthropy
6
Arizona Community Foundation

To lead, serve and collaborate to mobilize enduring philanthropy for a better arizona.

Philanthropy
7
Education Forward Arizona

To advocate for and act on education improvements that advance the quality of life for all arizonans.

—
8
Jobs for Arizona's Graduates

To help young people stay in school and to acquire the academic, personal, leadership, and vocational skills they will need to be successful upon graduation.

Education
9
Center for the Future of Arizona

Bringing arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state.

Community Improvement
10
One Arizona

One arizonas mission is to increase civic participation among arizonans

Civil Rights
11
Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

The Tucson Metro Chamber is a membership-based business advocacy and community development organization that represents 1,500 businesses employing more than 160,000 employees in Tucson and Pima County. The Tucson Metro Chamber is committed…

—
12
University of Arizona Alumni Association

Cultivate lifelong connections, strengthen commitment to the university and inspire advocacy, engagement and giving.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is University of Arizona Foundation; the most unlike its peers is I Am You 360. 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 26 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)
11
Early backer (in before they grew)
20/20
Grantees still filing
17/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

University of Arizona Foundation: $75,000 · EducationUniversity of Arizona FoundationEDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOUNDATION: $10,000 · EducationEDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOUNDATIONARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $5,000 · EducationSCHOLARSHIPSA Z: $5,000 · EducationYMCA OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA: $27,000 · Human ServicesYMCA OF SOUTHERN AR…NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK INC: $11,000 · Human ServicesNATIONAL DIAPER BAN…YOUTH ON THEIR OWN: $9,000 · Human ServicesYOUTH ON THEIR OWNSt Lukes in the Desert Inc: $2,000 · Human Services+1 more: $1,200 · Human ServicesBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS: $10,000 · OtherBIG BROTHERS BIG SISTER…Greater Tucson Leadership Inc: $7,850 · OtherGreater Tucson Leadersh…PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC: $6,000 · OtherPIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE …SAVMA: $5,000 · OtherSAVMASTEP: $5,000 · OtherSTEPNONPROFIT LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE: $5,000 · OtherNONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AL…SOUTHERN ARIZONA RESEARCH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOUNDATION: $5,000 · OtherSOUTHERN ARIZONA RESEAR…CIVIC ORCHESTRA OF TUCSON: $4,000 · OtherCIVIC ORCHESTRA OF TUCS…NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCA: $5,000 · OtherNORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIAT…WOODY WILLIAMS FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 · OtherWOODY WILLIAMS FOUNDATI…Arizona Diaper Bank: $2,500 · Other+1 more: $1,000 · OtherCOMMUNITY GARDENS OF TUCSON INC: $30,000 · Food & NutritionCOMMUNITY G…TUCSON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INC DBA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TUCSON: $24,000 · Arts & CultureTUCSON CHIL…GROUNDWORKS TUCSON: $5,000 · Arts & CultureGROUNDWORKS…Old Pueblo Community Services: $15,000 · PhilanthropyGROWTH PARTNERS ARIZONA: $10,000 · Community Improvement
Education$95,000Human Services$50,200Other$61,350Food & Nutrition$30,000Arts & Culture$29,000Philanthropy$15,000Community Improvement$10,000

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetUniversity of Arizona Foundation: $75,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetCOMMUNITY GARDENS OF TUCSON INC: $30,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetYMCA OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA: $27,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTUCSON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INC DBA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TUCSON: $24,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetOld Pueblo Community Services: $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetNATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK INC: $11,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetEDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetGROWTH PARTNERS ARIZONA: $10,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetYOUTH ON THEIR OWN: $9,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetGreater Tucson Leadership Inc: $7,850 over 2y, 3.1% of budgetPIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC: $6,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSCHOLARSHIPSA Z: $5,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetNONPROFIT LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetNORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCA: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWOODY WILLIAMS FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetArizona Diaper Bank: $2,500 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetSt Lukes in the Desert Inc: $2,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetI Am You 360: $1,200 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 …Connie Hillman Family…Absolon FoundationThe Hs Lopez Family F…Martin & Hildegard Gl…Arizona Community Fou…United Way of Tucson …Vance FoundationJewish Community Foun…Martha R Neff Foundat…Mulcahy FoundationDiamond Foundation
Community Foundation for Southern ArizonaAZ32× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Southern Arizona · Connie Hillman Family Foundation · Absolon Foundation · The Hs Lopez Family Foundation · Martin & Hildegard Gluck Foundation · Arizona Community Foundation · United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona Inc · Vance Foundation · Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona · Martha R Neff Foundation · Mulcahy Foundation · Diamond 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 Graesser Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Graesser Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%5%11%20%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
    8report 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 Graesser Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Graesser 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 26 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 Graesser’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