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May and Bill Allison Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

May and Bill Allison 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.

$220k
Granted FY2025still arriving
11
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$41k
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, FY2017 to 2025.

Animals$1.7MPublic Safety & Disaster$205kEnvironment$20k
02FY2025 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k1 grant · $8k
  • $10k–50k10 grants · $212k
$20,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$7.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Spark Rescue Santa Barbara$41,000
Doberman Pincher Rescue$30,000
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation$23,000
RESQCATS$20,000
Santa Barbara Audubon Society$20,000
Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network$20,000
CARE 4 Paws$15,000
Individual grant recipient$15,000
Santa Barbara Humane Society$15,000
ASAP$13,000
The Horse Project$8,000
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 57% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%Kims Nurturing Nest: $18k → 9%National Disaster Search Dog Founda: $27k → 10%Heaven on Earth Society for Animals: $11k → 14%Kims Nurturing Nest: $15k → 9%National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: $25k → 10%Kims Nurturing Nest: $15k → 9%National Disaster Search Dog Founda: $25k → 10%Kims Nurturing Nest: $15k → 9%National Disaster Search Dog Founda: $25k → 10%Humane Society: $15k → 14%National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: $25k → 10%DAWG: $15k → 14%National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: $23k → 10%Humane Society: $15k → 14%National Disaster Search Dog Founda: $20k → 10%Humane Society: $15k → 14%National Disaster Search Dog Foundation: $20k → 10%Santa Barbara Humane Society: $15k → 14%National Disaster Search Dog Founda: $15k → 10%Santa Barbara Humane Society: $15k → 14%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $33k → 10%ASAP: $15k → 14%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $30k → 10%ASAP: $15k → 14%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $30k → 10%ASAP: $13k → 14%Doberman Pincher Rescue: $30k → 10%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $26k → 10%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $25k → 10%Doberman Pincher Rescue: $25k → 10%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $20k → 10%Doberman Pinscher Rescue: $20k → 10%Catalyst for Cats: $12k → 14%Catalyst for Cats: $12k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $50k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $50k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $40k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $40k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $37k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $34k → 14%Spark Rescue Santa Barbara: $33k → 14%CARE for Paws: $20k → 14%CARE for Paws: $20k → 14%CARE for Paws: $17k → 14%CARE for Paws: $15k → 14%CARE for Paws: $15k → 14%CARE for Paws: $15k → 14%CARE for Paws: $15k → 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.
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.

99%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.9M · 18 repeat orgs$25k to everyone else

18 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2025, 7 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
3

Total granted

$1.9M
$25k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+50%
+275%

Still filing today

67%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 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
AnimalsEnvironmentHealthOther
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

  • SR
    SPARK RESCUE SANTA BARBARA
    9× · 2017–2025 · $364k · revenue +27% · 33% of their budget
  • SB
    SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK
    9× · 2017–2025 · $267k · revenue +351%
  • DP
    DOBERMAN PINSCHER RESCUE
    9× · 2017–2025 · $239k · revenue +50%

Funded once

  • SB
    Santa Barbara County Animal Care Fo
    one grant, 2018 · $10k
  • DA
    DOG ADOPTION AND WELFARE GROUP
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue -93%
  • SY
    SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETYgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $5k · revenue +275%
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
Animal Shelter Assistance Program

The mission of the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) is to save the lives of cats in Santa Barbara County by providing shelter, veterinary care, behavioral support, adoption and foster services, education and community outreach.

Animals
2
California Animal Rescue and Education Sanctuary Inc

C.A.R.E.S.MISSION STATEMENT*Rescue, foster and find good homes for abandoned and homeless domestic and farm animals.*Spay/neuter abandoned and homeless cats and dogs, as well as help low income families with same.*Conduct TNR+ programs to…

—
3
Santa Cruz Humane Society Inc

To provide a no kill shelter for homeless pets and promote adoption to good homes.

Animals
4
North Bay Animal Services
Animals
5
Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation Inc

To provide better care for animals in santa barbara county shelters.

Animals
6
Spca San Pat County

The goal of the SPCA San Pat County is to maintain an animal shelter that serves the needs of the county. It serves the county and communities within that county by providing a shelter where people can adopt a homeless pet and as long as…

Animals
7
The Spay and Neuter Intercommunity Project Team Inc

To decrease the euthanasia rates in Central California by providing spay & neuter resources

Animals
8
Safe Haven Inc
Animals
9
Southern California Siamese Rescue

Southern California Siamese Rescue's mission is to rescue Siamese cats both purebreds and mixes from shelters, streets and owner abandonment. We insure they are spayed/neutered, vaccinated and vetted before finding them permenant placement…

Animals
10
Humane Society of the North Bay

Our mission is to provide shelter and compassionate care to our community's animals in need, offer programs that improve thier lives and strengthen the lifelong committment between animals and people.

Animals
11
Cats of San Bernardino

The organization is a cat rescue. The organization provides the San Bernardino community stray cats with care such as vetrinarian intervention and adoption.

Animals
12
Baja Animal Sanctuary

Provide a safe haven for needy animals, reduce population, and adopt homeless animals

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Santa Barbara Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; the most unlike its peers is Catalyst for Cats 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

14 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. 14 of the 21 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)
13/14
Grantees still filing
10/14
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SPARK RESCUE SANTA BARBARA: $364,212 · AnimalsSPARK RESCUE SANTA BARBARASANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK: $266,880 · AnimalsSANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORKDOBERMAN PINSCHER RESCUE: $238,759 · AnimalsDOBERMAN PINSCHER RESCUERESQCATS INC: $90,000 · AnimalsRESQCATS INCCatalyst for Cats Inc: $49,000 · Animals+5 more: $117,500 · Animals+5 moreCARE FOR PAWS INC: $117,000 · OtherCARE FOR PAWS INCHumane Society: $75,000 · OtherHumane SocietyIndividual grant recipient: $62,567 · OtherIndividual grant recip…ASAP: $50,500 · OtherASAPThe Horse Project: $38,000 · OtherThe Horse ProjectDAWG: $20,000 · Other+2 more: $20,000 · OtherNATIONAL DISASTER SEARCH DOG FOUNDATION: $205,000 · HealthNATIONAL DIS…SANTA BARBARA AUDUBON SOCIETY: $159,000 · EnvironmentSANTA BARB…SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN: $20,000 · EnvironmentSANTA BARB…
Animals$1,126,351Other$383,067Health$205,000Environment$179,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSPARK RESCUE SANTA BARBARA: $364,212 over 9y, 33% of budgetSANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK: $266,880 over 9y, 5.2% of budgetDOBERMAN PINSCHER RESCUE: $238,759 over 9y, 7.3% of budgetNATIONAL DISASTER SEARCH DOG FOUNDATION: $205,000 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetSANTA BARBARA AUDUBON SOCIETY: $159,000 over 9y, 9.2% of budgetRESQCATS INC: $90,000 over 5y, 7.2% of budgetCatalyst for Cats Inc: $49,000 over 5y, 26% of budgetCARE4Paws Inc: $35,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetSANTA BARBARA HUMANE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $30,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetHeaven on Earth Society for Animals Inc: $25,500 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetSAFFYRE SANCTUARY INC: $22,000 over 2y, 7.9% of budgetSANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN: $20,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetDOG ADOPTION AND WELFARE GROUP: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetSANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.9% 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 SPARK RESCUE SANTA BARBARA ↗
  • Who funds SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK ↗
  • Who funds DOBERMAN PINSCHER RESCUE ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL DISASTER SEARCH DOG FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SANTA BARBARA AUDUBON SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds RESQCATS INC ↗
  • Who funds Catalyst for Cats Inc ↗
  • Who funds CARE4Paws Inc ↗
  • Who funds SANTA BARBARA HUMANE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS ↗
  • Who funds Heaven on Earth Society for Animals Inc ↗
  • Who funds SAFFYRE SANCTUARY INC ↗
  • Who funds SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN ↗
  • Who funds DOG ADOPTION AND WELFARE GROUP ↗
  • Who funds SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY ↗

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.

Santa Barbara Foundat…Animal Charitable Fou…Walter J & Holly O Th…Hutton Foundation Dba…Bragg Health Foundati…Patricia Bragg Founda…Mary Jo and Hank Gree…The Wood-Claeyssens F…Bull Henry W Foundati…Thornton S Jr and Kat…Network for GoodPaypal Charitable Giv…
Santa Barbara FoundationCA19.5× affinity7 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Santa Barbara Foundation · Animal Charitable Foundation Santa Barbara County Inc · Walter J & Holly O Thomson Charitable · Hutton Foundation Dba Hutton Parker Foundation · Bragg Health Foundation · Patricia Bragg Foundation · Mary Jo and Hank Greenberg Animal Welfare Foundation · The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation · Bull Henry W Foundation · Thornton S Jr and Katrina D Glide Foundation · Network for Good · Paypal Charitable Giving 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 May and Bill Allison Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from May and Bill Allison Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%2%8%17%30%funder's share of their income ↑0%4%8%11%15%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    1report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–15%
    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 May and Bill Allison Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to May and Bill Allison 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 21 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 May and Bill Allison’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