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Jw & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Jw & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc

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.

$1.8M
Granted FY2025still arriving
53
Grants FY2025still arriving
10
States reached
$300k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
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 2025.

Education$3.7MArts & Culture$3.6MHealth$2.3MYouth Development$1.9MPhilanthropy$1.5MHuman Services$1.1MHousing & Shelter$860kEnvironment$536kOther$0
02FY2025 · 53 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k29 grants · $145k
  • $10k–50k14 grants · $184k
  • $50k–250k9 grants · $1.2M
  • $250k+1 grant · $300k
$6,000
Median grant
10
States reached
$10M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNITED WAY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC$300,000
AUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION$245,000
BROOKSTONE SCHOOL INC$216,000
MIDTOWN INC$200,000
COLUMBUS TECHNICAL COLLEGE$125,000
COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION$111,000
SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE$80,000
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY FDN$70,000
Individual grant recipient$65,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHATT VALLEY$50,000
GIRLS INC OF COLUMBUS$30,000
HISTORIC COLUMBUS FDN INC$26,000
TWIN CEDARS YOUTH SERVICES INC$15,000
WEST POINT ASSOC OF GRADUATES$12,000
FIGHTING ABUSE IN THE HOME$11,000
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, $208k) land where the poverty rate runs at 17%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 93% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%HIGHLAND SCHOOL: $2k → 6%AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM INC: $2k → 17%HIGHLAND SCHOOL: $2k → 6%AN ACHIEVABLE DREAM INC: $2k → 17%PIEDMONT CHILD CARE CENTER: $3k → 4%PIEDMONT CHILD CARE CENTER: $3k → 4%PIEDMONT CHILD CARE CENTER: $3k → 4%CAMP SOUTHERN GROUND: $5k → 13%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $60k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $40k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $40k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $10k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $10k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $10k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $5k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $5k → 18%OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE: $5k → 18%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

NY
MA
OH
CA
CO
VA
AZ
NM
TN
NC
AL
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.

92%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$14M · 77 repeat orgs$1.3M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +39% since the first grant, against +4% for those funded once.

77 repeat relationships: 47 still active in FY2025, 30 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

77
30

Total granted

$14M
$1.2M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+39%
+4%

Still filing today

69%
60%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $142k 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
EducationArts & CultureHuman ServicesHealthPhilanthropyYouth 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

  • TC
    THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM INC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $1.1M · revenue +88%
  • SO
    SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE ARTS ASSOCIATIONINC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $1.0M · revenue +132%
  • CS
    Columbus State University Foundation Inc
    9× · 2017–2025 · $1.0M · revenue +69%

Funded once

  • CF
    COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATAHOOCHEE VALLEY
    one grant, 2022 · $493k
  • BG
    BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC
    one grant, 2021 · $200k · revenue +4%
  • DUKE UNIVERSITYgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $99k · revenue +51%
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
The Columbus Academy

The columbus academy aspires to be an inclusive community where all differences consistent with the mission of the school are valued, respected, and integrated into the education process.

Education
2
Columbia College

Columbia college provides educational opportunities that develop students' capacity for critical thought and expression, life-long learning, acceptance of personal responsibilty, and commitment to service and social justice.

Education
3
Atlantic University Inc

Provide post-secondary education of excellence.

Education
4
Columbia College

Columbia college improves lives by providing quality education to both traditional and nontraditional students, helping them achieve their true potential.

Education
5
Dallas International University

As a christian university, we provide education and research opportunities preparing global leaders to partner with local communities.

Education
6
The Common Application Inc

The common application is a not-for-profit membership organization of over 1,100 colleges and universities across the globe committed to access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. every year, over 1.5 million students…

Education
7
Columbus Zoological Park Association

Empowering people. saving wildlife.

Animals
8
Thomas University

Thomas university is an independent, not for profit, institution of higher education with undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students for successful careers and responsible citizenship in a rapidly changing and complex world.

Education
9
University of Virginia Foundation

To provide administrative services to university of virginia (university) entities, university associated organizations, or other entities involved in activities which support the university. to engage in matters pertaining to real…

Education
10
Augustana College

Rooted in the liberal arts & sciences & lutheran expression of the christian faith, & is committed to offering a challenging education that develops qualities of mind, spirit, & body necessary for a rewarding life of leadership & service…

Education
11
Goldey-Beacom College

Empowering learners to achieve excellence by linking knowledge to practice.

Education
12
Golden Gate University

Golden gate university prepares individuals to lead and serve by providing high quality, practice-based educational programs in law, taxation, business and related professions - as a nonprofit institution - in an innovative and challenging…

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Athens Area Community Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Spanish Mustang Foundation. 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

77 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. 77 of the 113 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)
17
Early backer (in before they grew)
75/77
Grantees still filing
57/77
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

PIEDMONT COLUMBUS REGIONAL HOSPITAL: $1,674,656 · OtherPIEDMONT COLUMBUS REGIONAL HOSPITALBOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHATT VALLEY: $1,021,329 · OtherBOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CHATT VALLEYIndividual grant recipient: $651,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientTHE SALVATION ARMY: $525,179 · OtherTHE SALVATION ARMYCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATAHOOCHEE VALLEY: $492,734 · OtherCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATAHOOCHEE VALLEYHISTORIC COLUMBUS FOUNDATION INC: $405,516 · OtherTHE STEWART COMMUNITY HOME INC: $382,116 · OtherCOLUMBUS HOSPICE INC: $330,016 · Other+65 more: $2,488,750 · Other+65 moreColumbus State University Foundation Inc: $1,025,493 · EducationColumbus State Univers…AUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $622,000 · EducationAUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUN…THE CORPORATION OF MERCER UNIVERSITY: $500,138 · EducationTHE CORPORATION OF MER…BROOKSTONE SCHOOL INC: $298,000 · EducationBROOKSTONE SCHOOL INCGeorgia State University Foundation Inc: $170,000 · EducationGeorgia State Universi…THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOUNDATION: $140,000 · Education+14 more: $372,750 · Education+14 moreTHE COLUMBUS MUSEUM INC: $1,090,282 · Arts & CultureTHE COLUMBUS MUS…SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE ARTS ASSOCIATIONINC: $1,030,164 · Arts & CultureSPRINGER OPERA H…+7 more: $224,000 · Arts & Culture+7 moreUNITED WAY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $535,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $419,776 · PhilanthropySHEPHERD CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $43,500 · Philanthropy+3 more: $29,000 · PhilanthropyGirls Incorporated of Columbus and Phenix-Russell: $340,000 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $200,025 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA: $45,000 · Youth DevelopmentTHE COLUMBUS BOTANICAL GARDENS INC: $507,024 · EnvironmentVALLEY RESCUE MISSION: $443,419 · Housing & Shelter
Other$7,971,296Education$3,128,381Arts & Culture$2,344,446Philanthropy$1,027,276Youth Development$585,025Environment$507,024Housing & Shelter$443,419

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 COLUMBUS MUSEUM INC: $1,090,282 over 9y, 4.1% of budgetSPRINGER OPERA HOUSE ARTS ASSOCIATIONINC: $1,030,164 over 9y, 6.0% of budgetColumbus State University Foundation Inc: $1,025,493 over 9y, 4.2% of budgetAUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $622,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetUNITED WAY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $535,000 over 9y, 2.7% of budgetTHE COLUMBUS BOTANICAL GARDENS INC: $507,024 over 3y, 12% of budgetTHE CORPORATION OF MERCER UNIVERSITY: $500,138 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetVALLEY RESCUE MISSION: $443,419 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $419,776 over 2y, 1.0% of budgetHISTORIC COLUMBUS FOUNDATION INC: $405,516 over 9y, 11% of budgetTHE STEWART COMMUNITY HOME INC: $382,116 over 9y, 11% of budgetGirls Incorporated of Columbus and Phenix-Russell: $340,000 over 9y, 5.5% of budgetCOLUMBUS HOSPICE INC: $330,016 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetBROOKSTONE SCHOOL INC: $298,000 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetMIDTOWN INC: $205,000 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC: $200,025 over 1y, 4.6% of budgetTWIN CEDARS YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES INC: $195,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetOPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE INC: $185,000 over 9y, 2.5% of budgetGeorgia State University Foundation Inc: $170,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTHE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOUNDATION: $140,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetColumbus Alliance for Battered Women Inc dba Hope Harbour: $120,000 over 9y, 1.6% of budgetDUKE UNIVERSITY: $99,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetASSOCIATION OF THE GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY: $91,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUPTOWN COLUMBUS INC: $90,000 over 9y, 3.0% of budgetNATIONAL INFANTRY MUSEUM FOUNDATIONINC: $67,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetPASTORAL INSTITUTE INC: $65,000 over 9y, 0.5% of budgetHISTORIC WESTVILLE: $60,000 over 6y, 2.5% of budgetCHASTAIN HORSE PARK LTD: $56,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetCOLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN SCHOOL INC: $54,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetGIFFT HILL SCHOOL INC: $47,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetWALDORF SCHOOL ASSOCIATION OF BOULDER INC: $45,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA: $45,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetPAWS Humane Inc: $45,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetRIVERSIDE MILITARY ACADEMY INC: $45,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetTARA INSTITUTE OF THE PERFORMING ARTS: $45,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetSHEPHERD CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $43,500 over 9y, 31% of budgetTHE LOVETT SCHOOL INC: $36,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetMERCYMED OF COLUMBUS INC ATTN TONY NGUYEN: $35,500 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetTHE UNISON PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC: $31,500 over 6y, 29% of budgetSPANISH MUSTANG FOUNDATION: $22,500 over 3y, 18% of budgetAgape Community Center: $19,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetNEIGHBORS IN NEED INC: $18,000 over 3y, 5.3% of budgetThe River Ellis Foundation: $16,500 over 6y, 2.1% of budgetLOVE LIKE LEXI PROJECT INC: $15,000 over 1y, 8.4% of budgetCALIFORNIA CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY: $13,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of Arizona Foundation: $13,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetGLORY RIDGE INC: $13,500 over 3y, 3.3% of budgetUniversity of Miami: $13,500 over 5y, 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.

  • Who funds THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM INC ↗
  • Who funds SPRINGER OPERA HOUSE ARTS ASSOCIATIONINC ↗
  • Who funds Columbus State University Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds AUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds UNITED WAY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC ↗
  • Who funds THE COLUMBUS BOTANICAL GARDENS INC ↗
  • Who funds THE CORPORATION OF MERCER UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds VALLEY RESCUE MISSION ↗
  • Who funds COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC ↗
  • Who funds HISTORIC COLUMBUS FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds THE STEWART COMMUNITY HOME INC ↗
  • Who funds Girls Incorporated of Columbus and Phenix-Russell ↗
  • Who funds COLUMBUS HOSPICE INC ↗
  • Who funds BROOKSTONE SCHOOL INC ↗
  • Who funds MIDTOWN INC ↗
  • Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY INC ↗
  • Who funds TWIN CEDARS YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HOUSE INC ↗
  • Who funds Georgia State University Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Columbus Alliance for Battered Women Inc dba Hope Harbour ↗
  • Who funds DUKE UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds ASSOCIATION OF THE GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds UPTOWN COLUMBUS INC ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL INFANTRY MUSEUM FOUNDATIONINC ↗
  • Who funds PASTORAL INSTITUTE INC ↗
  • Who funds HISTORIC WESTVILLE ↗
  • Who funds CHASTAIN HORSE PARK LTD ↗

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 …Lockwood Partners Fou…Mildred Miller Fort F…The Jordan Foundation…Georgia Power Foundat…Bradley-Turner Founda…Jackson-Burgin Founda…John P and Dorothy S …The Daniel P Amos Fam…Beloco Foundation IncMcClure Family Founda…Thornton Jordan Famil…
Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley IncGA62.8× affinity29 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc · Lockwood Partners Foundation Inc · Mildred Miller Fort Foundation Inc · The Jordan Foundation Inc · Georgia Power Foundation Inc · Bradley-Turner Foundation Inc · Jackson-Burgin Foundation Inc · John P and Dorothy S Illges Foundation Inc · The Daniel P Amos Family Foundation · Beloco Foundation Inc · McClure Family Foundation Inc Co Truist Foundations & Endowments Spec · Thornton Jordan Family Foundation Inc

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 Jw & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Jw & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 5%
  • University of Miami: 5% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
17report 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.

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 113 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 Jw & Ethel I Woodruff’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