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Johnny Carson Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Johnny Carson 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.

$13M
Granted FY2025still arriving
259
Grants FY2025still arriving
17
States reached
$4.5M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Education$44MHealth$15MArts & Culture$11MHuman Services$8.5MYouth Development$7.2MFood & Nutrition$5.7MHousing & Shelter$2.1MPhilanthropy$1.5MOther$0
02FY2025 · 259 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k34 grants · $161k
  • $10k–50k180 grants · $3.6M
  • $50k–250k40 grants · $3.7M
  • $250k+5 grants · $5.9M
$20,000
Median grant
17
States reached
$121M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION$4,545,000
FAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION$500,000
LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK$330,000
HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES$290,000
UC REGENTS$250,000
WESTSIDE FOOD BANK$230,000
NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT$200,000
ALLIANCE FOR COLLEGE READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS$190,000
TEACH FOR AMERICA$155,000
UCLA FOUNDATION$155,000
NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH$155,000
PAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION$155,000
PLANNED PARENTHOOD LA$125,000
MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND$125,000
HEART OF LOS ANGELES$115,000
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, $6.3M) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 92% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%STEAMPARK INC: $40k → 6%NORTH FORK AREA TRANSIT: $500k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $175k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $100k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $100k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $75k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $75k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $75k → 13%THE PEOPLE CONCERN: $35k → 14%THE PEOPLE CONCERN: $35k → 14%THE PEOPLE CONCERN: $35k → 14%THE PEOPLE CONCERN: $35k → 14%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $50k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $50k → 13%NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $50k → 13%CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT: $235k → 14%CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT: $235k → 14%CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT: $100k → 14%YMCA OF METROPOLITAN LOS ANGELES: $50k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $153k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $128k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $125k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $123k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $93k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $92k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $88k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $78k → 14%MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND: $77k → 14%CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE INC: $65k → 14%THE CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE: $55k → 14%CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE INC: $55k → 14%THE CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE: $35k → 14%ONE VOICE: $85k → 14%ONE VOICE: $75k → 14%ONE VOICE: $74k → 14%ONE VOICE: $50k → 14%ONE VOICE: $45k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $40k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $40k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $40k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $40k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $35k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $35k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $35k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $35k → 14%ST JOSEPH CENTER: $35k → 14%FULFILLMENT FUND: $35k → 14%FULFILLMENT FUND: $35k → 14%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

WA
MN
IL
NY
MA
OR
NV
IA
OH
NJ
CA
UT
CO
NE
VA
MD
AZ
DC
OK
GA
TX
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 39% of Johnny Carson Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 51% of the giving stays in CA; by stated purpose, 88%.

Johnny Carson Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

98%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$98M · 301 repeat orgs$2.4M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +36% since the first grant, against +27% for those funded once.

301 repeat relationships: 236 still active in FY2025, 65 since wound down; 19 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

301
95

Total granted

$98M
$2.1M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+36%
+27%

Still filing today

75%
53%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $342k 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
EducationHuman ServicesArts & CultureHealthPhilanthropyYouth DevelopmentOther
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 NEBRASKA FOUNDATION
    9× · 2017–2025 · $34M · revenue +70%
  • LA
    LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK
    9× · 2017–2025 · $2.6M · revenue +315%
  • HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES
    9× · 2017–2025 · $2.6M · revenue +175%

Funded once

  • NF
    North Fork Area Transit Inc
    one grant, 2023 · $500k · revenue -53%
  • TA
    The Arc of Norfolk
    one grant, 2017 · $180k · revenue -22%
  • US
    USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS
    one grant, 2018 · $125k
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
Association of California School Administrators

The association serves its members by creating resources that enable california school administrators to develop and apply creative leadership and management skills and in turn, improve the educational process for all students.

—
2
La's Best

La's best provides free supervised before and after-school activities to over 15,000 children at 200 schools in los angeles unified school district (lausd).

Education
3
Communities in Schools of Los Angeles Inc

To surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. we work with public school systems, establishing relationship with superintendents, principals, educators, and community partners to…

Youth Development
4
The California Channel

To distribute public affairs and other educational information in order to create an electronic bridge between californians and their public officials, and, in the process educate a new generation of voting citizens and civic leaders who…

—
5
California Dental Association Foundation

The foundation's mission is to improve the oral health of all californians by supporting the dental profession and its efforts to meet community needs.

Science & Tech
6
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Chamber's mission: design and advance opportunities and solutions for a thriving regional economy that are inclusive and globally competitive. 1) advocacy - be a bold advocate for business as a driver of a strong economy that enables…

—
7
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

The Television Academy is dedicated to celebrating excellence, innovation and the advancement of the telecommunications arts and sciences through recognition, education and leadership, while fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible…

—
8
Los Angeles Conservation Corps

The la conservation corps creates equitable opportunities for young people to build resilience in themselves, their communities and the environment through a program of work, education and support.

Employment
9
California Dental Association

The california dental association is committed to the success of our members in service to their patients and the public.

Community Improvement
10
Los Angeles Education Partnership

To advance educational equity. together with families, schools and the community, facilitate access to and opportunities for quality educational and wellness practices so that children thrive from diapers to diplomas.

—
11
Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall

The organization is a non-partisan, membership based speakers' forum that connects business leaders, community members, and engaged individuals with shared interest in local, national, and global affairs. it provides an open and accessible…

International
12
California Forward

Ca fwd drives action to identify solutions that can be taken to scale to meet the challenges the state is facing. the organization is driven by the belief that regional solutions across the state will help ensure economic, environmental,…

Public Benefit
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Children's Institute Inc; the most unlike its peers is National Organization of Minority Architects. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

308 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. 308 of the 422 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.

14
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
67
Early backer (in before they grew)
296/308
Grantees still filing
213/308
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION: $33,573,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION+24 more: $6,371,500 · Education+24 moreLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK: $2,605,000 · OtherLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANKUNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA: $1,641,500 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKAALLIANCE FOR COLLEGE-READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: $1,487,500 · OtherALLIANCE FOR COLLEGE-READY PUBL…Chrysalis Foundation: $1,032,500 · OtherWESTSIDE FOOD BANK: $1,955,000 · OtherWESTSIDE FOOD BANK+88 more: $18,076,515 · Other+88 moreFAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION: $4,800,000 · HealthFAITH REGIONAL…THE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC: $1,562,500 · HealthTHE LOS ANGELE…PLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES: $1,125,000 · HealthPLANNED PARENT…NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH: $865,000 · HealthNATIONAL JEWIS…A THOUSAND JOYS INC: $740,000 · HealthA THOUSAND JOY…PROJECT ANGEL FOOD: $625,000 · HealthMARTIN LUTHER KING JR COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION: $539,000 · Health+12 more: $1,845,000 · Health+12 moreMOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION FUND: $954,000 · Human ServicesNORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $750,000 · Human ServicesChildren of the Night: $570,000 · Human ServicesNorth Fork Area Transit Inc: $500,000 · Human ServicesOne Voice: $437,750 · Human ServicesST JOSEPH CENTER: $335,000 · Human ServicesTHE PEOPLE CONCERN: $295,000 · Human ServicesCHILDREN'S INSTITUTE INC: $275,000 · Human ServicesSTEAMPARK INC: $212,500 · Human ServicesFULFILLMENT FUND: $210,000 · Human Services+13 more: $1,713,500 · Human ServicesHOMEBOY INDUSTRIES: $2,595,000 · Youth DevelopmentHEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC: $675,000 · Youth DevelopmentJEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES: $465,000 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO LOS ANGELES: $175,000 · Youth DevelopmentC5 YOUTH FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC: $165,000 · Youth Development+4 more: $320,000 · Youth DevelopmentSCREEN ACTORS GUILD-AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TELEVISION AND RADIO ARTISTS FOUND: $540,000 · Arts & CultureTHE GHETTO FILM SCHOOL INC: $515,000 · Arts & CultureNATIONAL COMEDY CENTER INC: $500,000 · Arts & CultureNorfolk Arts Center: $325,000 · Arts & CultureCALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION: $305,000 · Arts & CultureFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $270,000 · Arts & CultureSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO: $235,000 · Arts & CultureTHE H E ART PROJECT dba ARTWORXLA: $200,000 · Arts & CultureVENICE ARTS: $190,000 · Arts & CultureCOMEDY GIVES BACK: $175,000 · Arts & CultureMUSIC WILL INC: $151,400 · Arts & Culture+10 more: $871,500 · Arts & CulturePAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION: $952,500 · PhilanthropyNEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT: $700,000 · PhilanthropyNORTHRIDGE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $235,000 · PhilanthropyTHE MAYOR'S FUND FOR LOS ANGELES: $160,000 · PhilanthropyMATTHEW SILVERMAN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION: $140,000 · PhilanthropyPROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION: $120,000 · Philanthropy+4 more: $280,300 · Philanthropy
Education$39,944,500Other$26,798,015Health$12,101,500Human Services$6,252,750Youth Development$4,395,000Arts & Culture$4,277,900Philanthropy$2,587,800

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

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 NEBRASKA FOUNDATION: $33,573,000 over 9y, 1.6% of budgetFAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION: $4,800,000 over 8y, 36% of budgetLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK: $2,605,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetHOMEBOY INDUSTRIES: $2,595,000 over 9y, 1.6% of budgetWESTSIDE FOOD BANK: $1,955,000 over 9y, 5.7% of budgetTHE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC: $1,562,500 over 9y, 0.9% of budgetALLIANCE FOR COLLEGE-READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: $1,487,500 over 8y, 1.3% of budgetTeach for America Inc: $1,190,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES: $1,125,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetUCLA FOUNDATION: $1,091,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetLOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $1,030,000 over 9y, 65% of budgetMOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION FUND: $954,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetPAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION: $952,500 over 7y, 3.4% of budgetNATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH: $865,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetNORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER: $750,000 over 9y, 30% of budgetA THOUSAND JOYS INC: $740,000 over 9y, 58% of budgetNEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT: $700,000 over 5y, 4.4% of budgetHEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC: $675,000 over 9y, 1.7% of budgetPROJECT ANGEL FOOD: $625,000 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetChildren of the Night: $570,000 over 3y, 14% of budgetSCREEN ACTORS GUILD-AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TELEVISION AND RADIO ARTISTS FOUND: $540,000 over 9y, 1.2% of budgetMARTIN LUTHER KING JR COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION: $539,000 over 7y, 1.8% of budgetORANGEWOOD FOUNDATION: $520,000 over 9y, 1.1% of budgetTHE GHETTO FILM SCHOOL INC: $515,000 over 9y, 1.9% of budgetNorth Fork Area Transit Inc: $500,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetNATIONAL COMEDY CENTER INC: $500,000 over 2y, 9.4% of budgetCOLLEGE TRACK: $480,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetJEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES: $465,000 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetOne Voice: $437,750 over 9y, 4.4% of budgetLOS ANGELES MISSION INC: $380,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetGREATER LOS ANGELES ZOOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION: $380,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetHEAL THE BAY: $360,000 over 9y, 1.3% of budgetAQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC CORPORATION: $340,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetNEW DIRECTIONS INC: $335,000 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetST JOSEPH CENTER: $335,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetLA FAMILY HOUSING CORPORATION: $325,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetNorfolk Arts Center: $325,000 over 7y, 17% of budgetCALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION: $305,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetDIRECT RELIEF: $295,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetTHE PEOPLE CONCERN: $295,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetInclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration: $290,000 over 9y, 4.1% of budgetAIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES: $280,000 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetVISION TO LEARN: $276,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetCHILDREN'S INSTITUTE INC: $275,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetKEEP YOUTH DOING SOMETHING INC: $270,000 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $270,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetHarmony Project: $270,000 over 9y, 0.9% of budgetLUNDQUIST INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION AT HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: $259,000 over 5y, 0.1% 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.

  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds FAITH REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES ↗
  • Who funds WESTSIDE FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds THE LOS ANGELES FREE CLINIC ↗
  • Who funds ALLIANCE FOR COLLEGE-READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ↗
  • Who funds Teach for America Inc ↗
  • Who funds PLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES ↗
  • Who funds UCLA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Chrysalis Foundation ↗
  • Who funds LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION FUND ↗
  • Who funds PAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH ↗
  • Who funds NORFOLK SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER ↗
  • Who funds A THOUSAND JOYS INC ↗
  • Who funds NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT ↗
  • Who funds HEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC ↗
  • Who funds PROJECT ANGEL FOOD ↗
  • Who funds Children of the Night ↗
  • Who funds SCREEN ACTORS GUILD-AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TELEVISION AND RADIO ARTISTS FOUND ↗
  • Who funds MARTIN LUTHER KING JR COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds ORANGEWOOD FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE GHETTO FILM SCHOOL INC ↗
  • Who funds North Fork Area Transit Inc ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL COMEDY CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds COLLEGE TRACK ↗
  • Who funds JEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES ↗
  • Who funds One Voice ↗
  • Who funds LOS ANGELES MISSION INC ↗
  • Who funds GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION ↗

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.

The Ralph M Parsons F…The Rose Hills Founda…Weingart FoundationThe Annenberg Foundat…California Community …The Ahmanson Foundati…Joseph Drown Foundati…Elbridge Stuart Found…The Green FoundationS Mark Taper Foundati…Jewish Community Foun…Great Public Schools …
The Ralph M Parsons FoundationCA116.2× affinity69 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Ralph M Parsons Foundation · The Rose Hills Foundation · Weingart Foundation · The Annenberg Foundation · California Community Foundation · The Ahmanson Foundation · Joseph Drown Foundation · Elbridge Stuart Foundation Dba Stuart Foundation · The Green Foundation · S Mark Taper Foundation · Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles · Great Public Schools Now

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 9%
  • Steampark Inc: 24% of income from government
  • City Year Inc: 11% of income from government
  • Reach Out and Read Inc: 9% of income from government
  • Year Up Inc: 0% of income from government
  • The Aleph Institute Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
66report 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 Johnny Carson Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Johnny Carson 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 422 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 Johnny Carson’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