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Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable 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.

$430k
Granted FY2025still arriving
34
Grants FY2025still arriving
11
States reached
$55k
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, FY2017 to 2024.

Human Services$247kInternational$105kFood & Nutrition$95kReligion$79kArts & Culture$74kEducation$45kAnimals$36kHealth$31kOther$0
02FY2025 · 34 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k12 grants · $61k
  • $10k–50k21 grants · $313k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $55k
$10,000
Median grant
11
States reached
$12M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Compassion International$55,000
Matthew 25 Ministries$35,000
Samaritan's Purse$25,000
Israel Guide Dog Center$20,000
BLOC Ministries$20,000
City Gospel Mission$20,000
Four Paws for Ability$20,000
Art Academy of Cincinnati$20,000
One Bistro$17,500
Isaiah 117 House$15,000
Eve Center$10,681
Cincinnati Type & Print Museum$10,000
The Luke Commission$10,000
Cincinnati Challenge Ranch$10,000
The Fisher-Nightingale Houses$10,000
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 (FY17–25, $71k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 50% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants spread fairly evenly across need levels.

area typical 10%Israel Guide Dog Center: $20k → 6%Purposeful Painting: $9k → 11%Israel Guide Dog Center: $10k → 6%Purposeful Painting: $9k → 11%Purposeful Painting: $5k → 11%Purposeful Painting: $1k → 11%SOS Ministry Mission: $5k → 9%Eve Center: $11k → 16%Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired: $1k → 16%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

IL
OH
PA
CO
KY
TN
NC
GA
FL
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.

76%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$912k · 18 repeat orgs$285k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +16% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

18 repeat relationships: 13 still active in FY2025, 5 since wound down; 21 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
14

Total granted

$912k
$89k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+16%
0%

Still filing today

67%
43%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 54% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $196k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesHealthReligionInternationalArts & CultureHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • TM
    THE MESSIANIC REFUGE
    3× · 2022–2024 · $210k · revenue +20% · 84% of their budget
  • Compassion International Incorporated
    4× · 2022–2025 · $155k · revenue +16%
  • M2
    Matthew 25 Ministries Inc
    9× · 2017–2025 · $115k · revenue +28%

Funded once

  • BA
    BELOVED ASHEVILLE
    one grant, 2024 · $25k · revenue 0%
  • WH
    WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
    one grant, 2024 · $15k · revenue -7%
  • TS
    The Soaring Hawks Foundation
    one grant, 2023 · $10k
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
Rahab House

Rahab House is deeply committed to the rescue, refuge, and restoration of human trafficking survivors. We provide comprehensive support that encompasses immediate safety and connections to long-term restorative care in alignment with the…

Human Services
2
Grace Haven Ministries

Grace haven ministries mission is to rescue, renew, restore and return women to family and community after being set free of addiction through the power of jesus christ.

Crime & Legal
3
Cincinnati Union Bethel

Empowering women to break the cycles of poverty, addiction, and human trafficking.

Human Services
4
Ministry Center

We build bridges between people experiencing the immediate effects of poverty and homelessness to the physical and spiritual resources available to alleviate suffering and facilitate long term transformation.

Human Services
5
Come to Him Ministries

To help those struggling in a personal crisis find relief and disciple them into a christ-centered lifestyle through a ministry of reconciliation, applying the truth of scripture, working with others and sharing in fellowship with those…

Health
6
Cleveland Pregnancy Center

Providing Biblical, life-affirming resources and services to those affected by unplanned pregnancy.

Health
7
Sojourn Landing Dba the Landing

Our mission is to serve survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation with a trauma-informed approach fueled by the love of Christ.

Human Services
8
Christian Recovery Centers Inc

To provide guidance and rehabilitation in a christ centered residential setting for persons with addiction

Health
9
Lexington Rescue Mission

The organization is a Christ-centered ministry that meets the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of hurting people in the greater Lexington area. Its activities are focused on rebuilding lives.

Human Services
10
Chain Breaker Ministries Inc

Chain breaker ministries, inc. operates a faith-based mens residential center in columbus, indiana for addiction recovery programming.

Health
11
Warriors Center for Women Olive Branch

Warriors Center for Women Olive Branch is dedicated in assisting women in overcoming issues related to homelessness and/or substance abuse. We meet needs such as shelter, clothing, rehabilitation, education & job training.

Housing & Shelter
12
Crossroads Crisis Center Inc

The mission of Crossroads Crisis Center is to enhance safety for survivors of domestic violence and their children by educating, advocating, and empowering individuals. Through our leadership and expertise we strive to engage our…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is City Gospel Mission and Affiliates; the most unlike its peers is Agape Women's Services. 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

33 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. 33 of the 53 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.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/33
Grantees still filing
15/33
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CITY GOSPEL MISSION AND AFFILIATES: $40,000 · OtherCITY GOSPEL MISSION AND AFFILIATESXCS INC: $40,000 · OtherXCS INCFour Paws for Ability: $35,000 · OtherFour Paws for AbilityKINGDOM WARRIORS INC: $33,741 · OtherKINGDOM WARRIORS INCCINCINNATI CHALLENGE RANCH: $30,000 · OtherCINCINNATI CHALLENGE RANCHMOST: $20,000 · OtherWOMEN HELPING WOMEN: $15,000 · OtherART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI: $20,000 · Other+24 more: $149,000 · Other+24 moreCompassion International Incorporated: $154,995 · InternationalCompassion International I…Matthew 25 Ministries Inc: $115,000 · InternationalMatthew 25 Ministries IncThe Luke Commission: $10,000 · InternationalTHE MESSIANIC REFUGE: $210,000 · ReligionTHE MESSIANIC REFUGEBLOC MINISTRIES INC: $30,000 · ReligionBLOC MINISTRIES INCSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $25,000 · ReligionSAMARITAN'S PURSEISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND: $30,000 · Human ServicesPURPOSEFUL PAINTING INC: $23,624 · Human ServicesISAIAH 117 HOUSE: $15,000 · Human ServicesEve Center Inc: $10,681 · Human ServicesSOS MINISTRY MISSION FIELD - STREETS OF AMERICA: $5,000 · Human Services+1 more: $1,378 · Human ServicesCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $70,000 · Arts & CultureCINCINNATI TYPE & PRINT MUSEUM: $10,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $1,000 · Arts & CultureONE BISTRO INC: $32,500 · HealthMAY WE HELP INC: $20,000 · HealthAGAPE WOMEN'S SERVICES: $10,000 · HealthLILY'S PLACE INC: $5,000 · HealthBELOVED ASHEVILLE: $25,000 · Housing & ShelterFisherNightingale Houses Inc: $10,000 · Housing & Shelter
Other$382,741International$279,995Religion$265,000Human Services$85,683Arts & Culture$81,000Health$67,500Housing & Shelter$35,000

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 budgetTHE MESSIANIC REFUGE: $210,000 over 3y, 84% of budgetMatthew 25 Ministries Inc: $115,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $70,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetCITY GOSPEL MISSION AND AFFILIATES: $40,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetXCS INC: $40,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetONE BISTRO INC: $32,500 over 2y, 5.7% of budgetISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND: $30,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetBLOC MINISTRIES INC: $30,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetCINCINNATI CHALLENGE RANCH: $30,000 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBELOVED ASHEVILLE: $25,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPURPOSEFUL PAINTING INC: $23,624 over 4y, 49% of budgetMAY WE HELP INC: $20,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI: $20,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetISAIAH 117 HOUSE: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWOMEN HELPING WOMEN: $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetEve Center Inc: $10,681 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetMILFORD MIAMI MINISTRY: $10,000 over 2y, 1.9% of budgetAGAPE WOMEN'S SERVICES: $10,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetCINCINNATI TYPE & PRINT MUSEUM: $10,000 over 1y, 9.2% of budgetARC OF APPALACHIA: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSOS MINISTRY MISSION FIELD - STREETS OF AMERICA: $5,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetLILY'S PLACE INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: $1,378 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Children's Theatre of Cincinnati: $1,000 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.

John a Schroth Family…The Greater Cincinnat…Spaulding FoundationL & L Nippert Charita…Johnson Charitable Gi…Duke Energy FoundationThe Wohlgemuth Hersch…Josephine S Russell C…Millstone FundCharles H Dater Found…United Way of Greater…The Scripps Howard Fo…
John a Schroth Family Char TrPA17.8× affinity6 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: John a Schroth Family Char Tr · The Greater Cincinnati Foundation · Spaulding Foundation · L & L Nippert Charitable Foundation Inc Attn Carter F Randolph Phd · Johnson Charitable Gift Fund · Duke Energy Foundation · The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation Co Fifth Third Bank Na Agent · Josephine S Russell Charitable · Millstone Fund · Charles H Dater Foundation Inc · United Way of Greater Cincinnati · The Scripps Howard 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 Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%8%15%22%30%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get 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
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–30%
    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 Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable 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 53 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 Harry Maescher Ferguson’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