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It Kicks Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

It Kicks Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$547k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$331k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0190% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2023 to 2024.

Education$718kHealth$100kHousing & Shelter$61kHuman Services$40kArts & Culture$38kYouth Development$25kRecreation & Sports$15kPhilanthropy$10kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k8 grants · $166k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
  • $250k+1 grant · $331k
$25,800
Median grant
1
States reached
$1.4M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ESPERANZA ACADEMY$331,250
Individual grant recipient$50,000
LAWRENCE COMMUNITY WORKS INC$40,000
YDO$35,000
LAZARUS HOUSE$25,800
AARON'S PRESENTS$20,000
LOVELANE SPEC NEEDS HORSE$15,000
LUCY'S LOVE BUS$10,000
MERRIMACK VALLEY YMCA (ANDELADE)$10,000
ECCF$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 (FY23–23, $41k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%HORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN: $15k → 16%CATIE'S CLOSET: $25k → 8%HARVEY GIRLS INC: $1k → 10%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.

85%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.4M · 7 repeat orgs$238k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +24% since the first grant, against +14% for those funded once.

7 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2025, 1 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

7
11

Total granted

$1.4M
$153k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+24%
+14%

Still filing today

71%
55%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 84% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $85k went to new ones.

50%100%’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’23’24’25
Human ServicesEducationArts & CultureHousing & ShelterHealthOther
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

  • ESPERANZA ACADEMY INC
    3× · 2023–2025 · $1.0M · revenue +219%
  • NORTHEAST ARC INC
    2× · 2023–2024 · $100k · revenue +24%
  • LAZARUS HOUSE INC
    2× · 2024–2025 · $52k · revenue +13%

Funded once

  • MF
    MASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES & PUBLIC POLICY INC
    one grant, 2023 · $38k · revenue -39%
  • Catie's Closet Inc
    one grant, 2023 · $25k · revenue +13%
  • ELEVATED THOUGHT INC
    one grant, 2024 · $20k · revenue 0%
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
Leander House Inc

Assist people with disabilities

Health
2
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless Inc

Education on homelessness and support to the homeless and work with other organizations united in the same mission.

Human Services
3
Act Lawrence Inc

Our mission is to work to achieve social and economic justice by empowering low to moderate income populations in lawrence, ma through shared values of inclusiveness and collaboration to reclaim a voice for lawrence and advocate…

Community Improvement
4
Massachusetts Advocates for Children Inc

Massachusetts advocates for children, inc. ("mac") is a non-profit organization dedicated to removing barriers to educational and life opportunities for children and youth. we do so by advocating for and partnering with students and…

Civil Rights
5
Women's Foundation of Massachusetts Inc

The women's foundation of massachusetts, inc. economically empowers women and girls in greater boston and across the commonwealth through creating and funding high impact leadership and economic programs in partnership with women's and…

Philanthropy
6
Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals Inc

Support the advocacy of community hospitals.

Health
7
Crossroads for Kids Inc

Crossroads serves over 1,000 youth (gr. 2-12) from low-income communities in greater boston and brockton. year-round programming provides opportunities for outdoor experiential learning, social-emotional skill development, college and…

Recreation & Sports
8
Massachusetts Education & Career Opportunities Inc

Massachusetts education and career opportunities, inc. (massedco, inc.) is a statewide network of service sites that provides education and career advising to over 12,000 low-income, first generation individuals each year. massedco…

Education
9
Children Law Center of Massachusetts Inc

To provide specialized advocacy and representation for children on issues affecting their health, education and welfare including providing resources and training

—
10
Lutheran Housing Corporation - Brockton

We are called to strengthen communities by empowering people to respond to life's challenges.

Health
11
Children's League of Massachusetts Inc

Clm undertakes public education and advocacy activities that promote the well being of children and families through improving and ensuring the availability of quality child welfare services.

—
12
Tenants Development Corporation

The promotion, maintenance and management of housing in the south end of boston, massachusetts, to low and moderate-income families of every race, religion, and nationality.

Housing & Shelter
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Cradles to Crayons Inc; the most unlike its peers is Harvey Girls Inc. 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

13 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 13 of the 23 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)
13/13
Grantees still filing
10/13
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ESPERANZA ACADEMY INC: $1,008,750 · EducationESPERANZA ACADEMY INC+1 more: $20,000 · EducationNORTHEAST ARC INC: $100,000 · OtherNORTHEAST ARC INCYDO: $95,000 · OtherYDOLAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS INC: $60,000 · OtherLAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS INCIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientAARONS PRESENTS INC: $45,000 · OtherAARONS PRESENTS INCMERRIMACK VALLEY YMCA (ANDELADE): $20,000 · OtherST MARYS CHURCH: $15,000 · OtherLOVELANE: $15,000 · OtherLOVELANE SPEC NEEDS HORSE: $15,000 · OtherLOVELANE SPEC NEEDS HORSEBACK RIDING: $15,000 · Other+3 more: $17,500 · OtherLAZARUS HOUSE INC: $51,600 · Housing & ShelterCatie's Closet Inc: $25,000 · Human ServicesHORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN: $15,000 · Human ServicesCRADLES TO CRAYONS INC: $1,500 · Human Services+1 more: $1,000 · Human ServicesMASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES & PUBLIC POLICY INC: $37,500 · Arts & CultureESSEX COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 · PhilanthropyLUCY'S LOVE BUS CHARITABLE TRUST INC: $10,000 · Health
Education$1,028,750Other$447,500Housing & Shelter$51,600Human Services$42,500Arts & Culture$37,500Philanthropy$10,000Health$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 budgetESPERANZA ACADEMY INC: $1,008,750 over 3y, 7.1% of budgetNORTHEAST ARC INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetLAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS INC: $60,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetLAZARUS HOUSE INC: $51,600 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetAARONS PRESENTS INC: $45,000 over 2y, 5.5% of budgetMASSACHUSETTS FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES & PUBLIC POLICY INC: $37,500 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetCatie's Closet Inc: $25,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetELEVATED THOUGHT INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetHORIZONS FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetESSEX COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCRADLES TO CRAYONS INC: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHARVEY GIRLS INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.7% 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.

Essex County Communit…Eastern Bank Foundati…Boston Foundation IncRogers Family Foundat…Yawkey Foundation IICummings Foundation G…United Way Of Massach…Vanguard Charitable E…Network for GoodThe Bank of America C…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …
Essex County Community Foundation IncMA17.7× affinity6 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Essex County Community Foundation Inc · Eastern Bank Foundation · Boston Foundation Inc · Rogers Family Foundation · Yawkey Foundation II · Cummings Foundation Grants Inc (Fka Oneworld Boston Inc) · United Way Of Massachusetts Bay Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Network for Good · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

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 It Kicks Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from It Kicks Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 30%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 9%
  • Northeast Arc Inc: 73% of income from government
  • Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities & Public Policy Inc: 45% of income from government
  • Horizons for Homeless Children: 21% of income from government
  • Harvey Girls Inc: 13% of income from government
  • Lawrence Communityworks Inc: 9% of income from government
  • Catie's Closet Inc: 4% of income from government
  • Cradles to Crayons Inc: 2% of income from government
  • Essex County Community Foundation Inc: 2% of income from government
  • Lazarus House Inc: 1% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
3get no government money at all
1rely 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 It Kicks Foundation Inc?

Find your warmest path to It Kicks Foundation Inc 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 23 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 It Kicks’ 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