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Plinth

· Public charity

Green Mountain Energy Sun Club

To enhance the quality of life through long-term, sustainable solutions that focus on people and the planet.

$2.3M
Granted FY2021
15
Grants FY2021
3
States reached
$464k
Largest
01What you fundRead
02The needRead
03Your fieldRead
04Through PlinthRead
01What you fund
01100% classified

What you funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year — across FY2020–2021.

Human Services$633kFood & Nutrition$602kEducation$413kEnvironment$375kHousing & Shelter$330kCommunity Improvement$296kAnimals$239kInternational$179kOther$0
02FY2021 · 15 grants

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

By grant size · FY2021

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $26k
  • $50k–250k13 grants · $1.8M
  • $250k+1 grant · $464k
$130,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Make-A-Wish North Texas$463,500
Habitat for Humanity$200,476
Westchase District Community Fund$200,000
Houston Independent School District Foundation$179,664
Brother's Brother Foundation$178,547
Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments In$169,000
Wildlife Conservatory Society$144,088
City Park Foundation$130,000
South Dallas Fair Park Innercity Community Develop$129,438
Recipe for Success$128,320
New York Sun Works$115,213
Regional Plan Association$114,686
The Creating Landscapes Learning Center Inc$108,600
Young Audiences Inc of Houston$50,000
Global Links$26,000
02The need
03

Do your dollars go where the need is?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, then read against the area’s typical level.

show:

Your human-services grants (FY20–20, $263k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of your grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%Houston Furniture Bank: $169k → 16%Target Hunter: $94k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount

Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty linein the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP; grantee ZIP can differ from where services are delivered.

US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are actually delivered. Need from public data — U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA — shown as context about the area, never attributed to your giving.

03Your field

The map has a center of gravity: the average direction from the rest of the sector toward the organizations the foundation funds — the shape of its giving. Scoring every nonprofit along that direction surfaces the ones that look most like the portfolio. These are the closest matchesthat aren’t grantees — a resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Urban Harvest Inc

Urban Harvest is transforming food accessibility in Greater Houston through partnerships with local farmers and gardeners, vibrant Farmers Markets and mobile markets, and comprehensive garden education. Our goal is not just to improve, but…

Environment
2
Houston Parks Board

The Houston Parks Board mission is to expand, improve, and protect parks and greenspace in the Houston region.

Philanthropy
3
Brooklyn Heights Community Garden

Brooklyn Heights Community Garden cultivates healthy community through growing food, intergenerational learning and creative play.

Community Improvement
4
The Houston Parks Board Foundation

The Houston Parks Board Foundation provides the Houston Parks Board with financial assistance to support operations and park projects.

Environment
5
Greenspace Dallas

Improving public and park land communities using educational and vocational training for underserved youth.

Environment
6
Trees for Houston

Plant, protect and promote trees all over the greater Houston area.

—
7
Texas Trees Foundation

The mission of texas trees foundation is to improve the health of cities and people through the transformative power of trees.

—
8
Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust

LANLT's mission is to grow healthier, safer, and stronger communities by creating urban parks and community gardens that remedy the critical lack of green and recreational spaces in greater Los Angeles' underserved neighborhoods.

Environment
9
Houston Botanic Garden

To enrich life through discovery, education, and the conservation of plants and the natural environment.

Environment
10
Nashville Food Project Inc

The nashville food project brings people together to grow, cook, and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city.

Food & Nutrition
11
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

We improve quality of life by enhancing and stewarding pittsburgh's parks in partnership with the community.

Recreation & Sports
12
Denver Urban Gardens

Denver urban gardens' (dug) mission is to provide access, skills, and resources for people to grow healthy food in community and regenerate urban green spaces.

Environment

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Make-a-Wish Foundation of North Texas and the most unlike its peers is Wildlife Conservation Society. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.

Your grantees are a median of 30 years old; the field is 12. You back the established end — and your money leans older still.

THE FIELDby orgYOUR GRANTEESby number26%0%<5yr16%0%5–10yr20%33%10–20yr16%24%20–35yr10%24%35–55yr13%19%55yr+
THE FIELDby orgYOUR MONEYby value26%0%<5yr16%0%5–10yr20%30%10–20yr16%18%20–35yr10%36%35–55yr13%16%55yr+

The field is 26% startups (under 5 years old) — 0% of your grantees by number, and just 0% of your money.

Closures · last 5 years

The orgs you fund almost never close — 0.0% lost their exemption, against 15% of the field you don’t fund.

orgs you fund
0.0%0/23
the rest of the field
15%
20,233/136,781

Age = years since IRS exemption (a founding proxy). “Closed” = auto-revocation for 3 years of non-filing — a floor on closure, not proof, and bigger established orgs lapse least. Association, not causation.

04the grantee network

23 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each one resolved to its own IRS returns and tracked year by year — your grant beside their revenue from every source. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

Counted here: distinct organizations you funded across 2017–2025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
23/23
Grantees still filing
18/23
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF NORTH TEXAS — $463,500 · OtherMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF NORTH TEXASHouston Independent School District Foundation — $179,664 · OtherHouston Independent School District FoundationBROTHER'S BROTHER FOUNDATION — $178,547 · OtherBROTHER'S BROTHER FOUNDATIONWESTCHASE DISTRICT COMMUNITY FUND — $200,000 · OtherWESTCHASE DISTRICT COMMUNITY FUNDVolunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments Inc — $169,000 · OtherVolunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments IncTHE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND — $148,989 · OtherTHE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDCITY PARKS FOUNDATION INC — $130,000 · OtherCITY PARKS FOUNDATION INCNEW YORK SUN WORKS INC — $115,213 · OtherNEW YORK SUN WORKS INC+1 more — $26,000 · OtherGROW PITTSBURGH — $211,000 · Food & NutritionGROW PITTSB…Recipe for Success Foundation — $128,320 · Food & NutritionRecipe for …HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF COLLIN COUNTY — $200,476 · Housing & ShelterHABITAT FOR…SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK INNERCITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION — $129,438 · Housing & ShelterSOUTH DALLA…ASSETS LANCASTER — $131,700 · Community ImprovementASSETS LAN…REGIONAL PLAN ASSOCIATION INC — $114,686 · Community ImprovementREGIONAL P…HOUSTON COMMUNITY TOOLBANK INC — $49,600 · Community ImprovementHOUSTON CO…THE FURNITURE BANK — $169,000 · Human ServicesTarget Hunger Inc — $93,800 · Human ServicesWildlife Conservation Society — $144,088 · AnimalsPETS LOW COST SPAY & NEUTER — $94,600 · AnimalsTHE CREATING LANDSCAPES LEARNING CENTER INC — $108,600 · EducationBROOKLYN URBAN GARDEN CHARTER SCHOOL — $74,445 · EducationYOUNG AUDIENCES INC OF HOUSTON — $50,000 · Education
Other$1,610,913Food & Nutrition$339,320Housing & Shelter$329,914Community Improvement$295,986Human Services$262,800Animals$238,688Education$233,045

Each org by its size and your share of it — top-left is where you’re load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF NORTH TEXAS — $463,500 over 1y, 5.3% of budgetGROW PITTSBURGH — $211,000 over 1y, 8.3% of budgetHABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF COLLIN COUNTY — $200,476 over 1y, 4.5% of budgetWESTCHASE DISTRICT COMMUNITY FUND — $200,000 over 1y, 10% of budgetHouston Independent School District Foundation — $179,664 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetBROTHER'S BROTHER FOUNDATION — $178,547 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FURNITURE BANK — $169,000 over 1y, 3.1% of budgetVolunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments Inc — $169,000 over 1y, 29% of budgetTHE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND — $148,989 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWildlife Conservation Society — $144,088 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCITY PARKS FOUNDATION INC — $130,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetSOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK INNERCITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION — $129,438 over 1y, 23% of budgetRecipe for Success Foundation — $128,320 over 1y, 12% of budgetREGIONAL PLAN ASSOCIATION INC — $114,686 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetTHE CREATING LANDSCAPES LEARNING CENTER INC — $108,600 over 1y, 65% of budgetPETS LOW COST SPAY & NEUTER — $94,600 over 1y, 3.3% of budgetTarget Hunger Inc — $93,800 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetBROOKLYN URBAN GARDEN CHARTER SCHOOL — $74,445 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetYOUNG AUDIENCES INC OF HOUSTON — $50,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetHOUSTON COMMUNITY TOOLBANK INC — $49,600 over 1y, 7.2% of budgetGLOBAL LINKS — $26,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budget
Go grantee by grantee — a decade per org, and how each moved after you funded them

A decade per grantee — revenue shaded, your grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

The grantmakers whose grantees overlap with yours far more than size alone predicts. Each orbits closer the stronger the alignment; the arcs between them show where they also fund each other. Here it reads as a tightly interlocked camp — most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Albert & Ethel Herzst…Greater Houston Commu…Centerpoint Energy Fo…Union Pacific Foundat…Mechia FoundationJpmorgan Chase Founda…Shell USA Company Fou…Charities Aid Foundat…The Blackbaud Giving …The Bank of America C…American Online Givin…National Philanthropi…
Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable FoundationTX15.5× affinity5 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation · Greater Houston Community Foundation · Centerpoint Energy Foundation Inc · Union Pacific Foundation · Mechia Foundation · Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · Shell USA Company Foundation · Charities Aid Foundation America · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · National Philanthropic Trust

Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. A research starting point: overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Government reliance of your grantees

Every dot is one organization Green Mountain Energy Sun Club funds. Left–right is the share of its income from government; up–down is the share from you. Bigger dots raise more. Filter to federal or a single department — and drag the year to watch it move.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%5%19%42%75%your share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%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
    typical government reliance, FY20–25

    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 your grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first — a floor, not 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 12–24 months.

    04Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Green Mountain Energy Sun Club?

    Find your warmest path to Green Mountain Energy Sun Club 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 directly from IRS e-file XML — your own 990/990-PF and the multi-year returns of the 23 grantees we resolved across every year we hold, several hundred filings in all (a different count from the grant rows on the cover, which are one fiscal year)— each linked to its source. Grantee achievements and outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III); we read these as association with sustained funding — the foundation is one of several forces — suppress low-confidence name matches rather than guess, and say so where a figure rests on a single grant or filing. Not everything on this page is a filed figure, and the difference matters. Filed is what you reported on your 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. How we build these →

    Generated from your IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2021, released 2021. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    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