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Lucy's Children's Fund at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

Lucy's Children's Fund

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.

$9k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
8
States reached
$3k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Human Services$12kHealth$10kInternational$8kArts & Culture$4kEducation$4kYouth Development$3kFood & Nutrition$2kCrime & Legal$2kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$500
Median grant
8
States reached
$99k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Snow City Arts$2,500
UNICEF$1,500
Special Kids Special Families$1,000
Erie Neighborhood House$1,000
OUT Memphis$500
SAFE Haven$500
Westside Baby$500
TechLitAfrica$500
EcoRise$500
KIND-Kids in Need of Defense$500
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 (FY20–25, $15k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 76% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%CASA of the 16th Judicial Dist: $500 → 13%OUT Memphis: $500 → 17%Blessings in a Backpack: $1k → 15%Safe Haven of Racine: $1k → 10%Early Connections Learning Center: $500 → 9%Westside Baby: $500 → 9%Blessings in a Backpack: $500 → 15%Westside Baby: $500 → 9%Blessings in a Backpack: $500 → 15%Kids Crossing: $500 → 9%Westside Baby: $500 → 9%Erie Neighborhood House: $1k → 14%The Night Ministry: $500 → 14%The Night Ministry: $500 → 14%Erie Neighborhood House: $500 → 14%Share Our Spare: $6k → 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
IL
WI
NY
CA
UT
CO
KY
AR
TN
DC
LA
TX
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.

33%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$15k · 7 repeat orgs$31k to everyone else

7 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2025, 3 since wound down; 6 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

7
27

Total granted

$15k
$26k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+21%
+23%

Still filing today

86%
70%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 39% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $6k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesHealthArts & CultureInternationalEducationEnvironmentOther
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

  • UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF
    5× · 2021–2025 · $7k · revenue +64%
  • WESTSIDE BABY
    3× · 2021–2025 · $2k · revenue +21%
  • EN
    ERIE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE
    2× · 2021–2025 · $2k · revenue +16%

Funded once

  • SO
    Share our Spare
    one grant, 2024 · $6k · revenue -22%
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2020 · $4k
  • C
    CHILDHAVENgraduated
    one grant, 2024 · $2k · revenue +31%
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
Children's Advocates for Change

Children's advocates for change was organized to improve the lives of children in illinois by bringing about significant changes public policies and programs for children through research, policy analysis and advocacy, public education and…

Human Services
2
United Children's Services of Bennington County Inc

Children's services

Human Services
3
Childrens House International

Children's house international provides ethical adoption services, child focused recruitment, and family support. we support disadvantaged children with humanitarian aid in countries worldwide.

—
4
Children At Risk

Children At Risk (C@R) is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy analysis, education, collaboration, and…

Crime & Legal
5
Chicago Children's Advocacy Center

The chicago children's advocacy center unites public, private, and community partners to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of abused children.

Crime & Legal
6
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cook County

CASA of Cook County's vision is to protect abused and neglected children by providing them in court, a safe and permanent home, and an opportunity to grow, learn and thrive.

Crime & Legal
7
Childrens Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois

To assist children who have been victims of abuse

Crime & Legal
8
Chicago Youth Centers

To provide high-quality early learning and out-of-school time enrichment in under-resourced neighborhoods to holistically support children of all ages, their families, and their communities.

Youth Development
9
Kids Above All Illinois

Helping chicagoland's at-risk children and their families build, achieve and sustain better lives.

—
10
Children and Youth Justice Center

The center for children & youth justice was founded in 2006 with one mission: reform the child welfare and juvenile justice systems to improve the lives of generations of children and youth in washington state. our focus is large-scale,…

Crime & Legal
11
Children's Home Society of North Carolina Inc

The Children's Home Society of North Carolina's mission is to promote the right of every child to a permanent, safe, and loving family.

Human Services
12
Choices Coordinated Care Solutions Inc

To strengthen youth and families while enhancing systems and communities.

Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Make-a-Wish Foundation of Alaska & Washington; the most unlike its peers is Domestic Abuse Support Center of Shawano County 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

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 41 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/33
Grantees still filing
19/33
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Share our Spare: $5,500 · Human ServicesShare our SpareBLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK INC: $2,000 · Human ServicesBLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK INCWESTSIDE BABY: $1,500 · Human ServicesWESTSIDE BABYERIE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE: $1,500 · Human ServicesERIE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSESAFE HAVEN OF RACINE INC: $1,000 · Human ServicesSAFE HAVEN OF RACINE INCTHE NIGHT MINISTRY: $1,000 · Human ServicesTHE NIGHT MINISTRYOUTMEMPHIS: $500 · Human ServicesKIDS CROSSING: $500 · Human ServicesCOLORADO SPRINGS CHILD NURSERY CENTERS INC: $500 · Human ServicesCASA of the 16th Judicial District Inc: $500 · Human ServicesIndividual grant recipient: $4,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientCHILDHAVEN: $1,500 · OtherCHILDHAVENLurie Children's Hospital: $1,500 · OtherLurie Children's HospitalTechLitAfrica: $1,500 · OtherTechLitAfricaYOUTH & OPPORTUNITY UNITED INC: $500 · OtherUNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE: $500 · OtherYou Media Chicago Public Library: $500 · OtherYMCA of the Pikes Peak Region: $500 · OtherFairmont Falcon ClubFairmont Park Elementary School: $500 · OtherYouth Care: $500 · OtherCASA - NEW ORLEANS: $500 · OtherSOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES-USA INC: $500 · OtherKIND INC: $500 · OtherCASA of the Pikes Peak Region: $500 · OtherBACK 2 SCHOOL AMERICA: $500 · OtherCOLORADO GIVES FOUNDATION: $500 · OtherDOMESTIC ABUSE SUPPORT CENTER OF SHAWANO COUNTY INC: $500 · OtherUNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $6,500 · InternationalUNITED STATES FUN…ACTION AGAINST HUNGER - USA: $500 · InternationalACTION AGAINST HU…SNOW CITY ARTS FOUNDATION: $2,500 · Arts & CultureSNOW CITY…Marwen Foundation Inc: $1,000 · Arts & CultureMarwen Fo…MERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $500 · Arts & CultureMERIT SCH…MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ALASKA & WASHINGTON: $1,000 · HealthMAKE-A-WI…HEARTGIFT FOUNDATION: $1,000 · HealthHEARTGIFT…Special Kids-Special Families Inc: $1,000 · HealthSpecial K…SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: $500 · HealthSEATTLE C…CHILD MIND INSTITUTE INC: $500 · HealthCHILD MIN…Healthy Schools Campaign: $500 · EnvironmentEcoRise Youth Innovations: $500 · EnvironmentPOSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE: $500 · EducationSAN MIGUEL FEBRES CORDERO SCHOOL INC: $500 · Education
Human Services$14,500Other$15,000International$7,000Arts & Culture$4,000Health$4,000Environment$1,000Education$1,000

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 budgetUNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $6,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetShare our Spare: $5,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSNOW CITY ARTS FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK INC: $2,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetWESTSIDE BABY: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetERIE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE: $1,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMarwen Foundation Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSAFE HAVEN OF RACINE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE NIGHT MINISTRY: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF ALASKA & WASHINGTON: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetHEARTGIFT FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSpecial Kids-Special Families Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetYOUTH & OPPORTUNITY UNITED INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCASA of the Pikes Peak Region: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHealthy Schools Campaign: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMERIT SCHOOL OF MUSIC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPOSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBACK 2 SCHOOL AMERICA: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOLORADO GIVES FOUNDATION: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKIDS CROSSING: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOLORADO SPRINGS CHILD NURSERY CENTERS INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCHILD MIND INSTITUTE INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetACTION AGAINST HUNGER - USA: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES-USA INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCASA of the 16th Judicial District Inc: $500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetEcoRise Youth Innovations: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSAN MIGUEL FEBRES CORDERO SCHOOL INC: $500 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.

The Chicago Community…John D and Catherine …Jpmorgan Chase Founda…Dr Scholl FoundationPolk Bros Foundation …Circle of Service Fou…El Pomar FoundationEnterprise Holdings F…The Blackbaud Giving …Charities Aid Foundat…Arthur J Gallagher Fo…The Bank of America C…
The Chicago Community TrustIL16.9× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Chicago Community Trust · John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · Dr Scholl Foundation · Polk Bros Foundation Inc · Circle of Service Foundation · El Pomar Foundation · Enterprise Holdings Foundation · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · Charities Aid Foundation America · Arthur J Gallagher Foundation · The Bank of America Charitable 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 Lucy's Children's Fund funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Lucy's Children's Fund. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's 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
    12report 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 Lucy's Children's Fund?

    Find your warmest path to Lucy's Children's Fund 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 41 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 Lucy's Children'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