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Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Michael Ibold Wilger 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.

$98k
Granted FY2025still arriving
2
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$87k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0177% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Arts & Culture$177kHousing & Shelter$79kEducation$64kHuman Services$46kFood & Nutrition$38kHealth$19kInternational$15kPhilanthropy$10kOther$0
02FY2025 · 2 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $11k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $87k
$86,500
Median grant
1
States reached
$1.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Individual grant recipient$86,500
BETHANY HOUSE SERVICES$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 (FY17–24, $26k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%TALBERT HOUSE: $10k → 16%CINCINNATI WORKS: $10k → 16%FIRST STEP HOME: $6k → 16%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.

80%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$692k · 10 repeat orgs$175k to everyone else

10 repeat relationships: 2 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

10
15

Total granted

$692k
$175k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

-1%
+39%

Still filing today

60%
47%

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
Arts & CultureHuman ServicesHealthHousing & ShelterEducationFood & NutritionOther
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

  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    7× · 2019–2025 · $364k
  • CM
    CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER
    4× · 2017–2022 · $77k · revenue -43%
  • CL
    CLARK LAKE SPIRIT FOUNDATION INC
    2× · 2022–2024 · $60k · revenue -1% · 25% of their budget

Funded once

  • ES
    EMERGENCY SHELTER OF N KENTUCKY
    one grant, 2021 · $35k
  • CP
    CINCINNATI PRESERVATION SOCIETY
    one grant, 2023 · $30k
  • TC
    THE CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE
    2× · 2017–2018 · $15k
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
Strategies to End Homelessness Inc

Strategies to End Homelessness leads a coordinated community effort to end homelessness in Greater Cincinnati.

Human Services
2
Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati

To resolve serious legal problems of low income people, to promote economic and family stability, and reduce poverty through effective legal assistance.

—
3
Cincinnati Union Bethel

Empowering women to break the cycles of poverty, addiction, and human trafficking.

Human Services
4
Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio Delaware Housing Inc

See schedule oto create a better world by serving people in need by operating food pantries, homeless shelters, a domestic violence shelter, affordable housing communities, senior living, assisted living and skilled care facilities, a home…

—
5
Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services

To ensure people with mental illness, addiction, and related challenges lead healthy and productive lives.

Health
6
The Christ Hospital

Improve the health of our community and create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes and the finest experiences, all in an affordable way.

Health
7
Cleveland Christian Home Inc

The Cleveland Christian Home, Inc. exists to be a haven of hope for children, youth, and families struggling with mental illness, abuse, and neglect in Northeast Ohio.

Religion
8
Ohio United Way

To strengthen the capacity of United Ways across Ohio and to advance the common good for Ohioans.

Philanthropy
9
Tender Mercies Inc

Tender mercies transforms the lives of homeless adults with mental illness by providing security, dignity, and community in a place they call home.

—
10
Catholic Charities Corporation

Respond to those in need through an integrated system of quality services designed to respect the dignity of every person and build a just and compassionate society.

Human Services
11
Gateways Recovery Inc

Gateways is designed to help adolescents and adults whose alcohol or drug use is interfering with their personal achievement and safety and/or healthy family communication. this program allows men, women and children to address their…

Health
12
The Christ Hospital Foundation

The mission of the christ hospital foundation ('tch fdn') is to support the mission of the christ hospital ('tch'). tch's mission is to improve the health of our community and create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes and the…

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The First Step Home Inc; the most unlike its peers is Clark Lake Spirit Foundation 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

15 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. 15 of the 25 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
15/15
Grantees still filing
7/15
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $364,482 · OtherIndividual grant recipientEMERGENCY SHELTER OF N KENTUCKY: $35,000 · OtherEMERGENCY SHELTER OF N KENTUCKYCINCINNATI PRESERVATION SOCIETY: $30,000 · OtherCINCINNATI PRESERVATION SOCIETYRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE: $25,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $20,000 · Other+9 more: $79,200 · Other+9 moreCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $76,900 · Arts & CultureCINCINNATI MUSEUM C…CLARK LAKE SPIRIT FOUNDATION INC: $60,000 · Arts & CultureCLARK LAKE SPIRIT F…OVER-THE-RHINE MUSEUM: $10,000 · Arts & CultureOVER-THE-RHINE MUSE…Bethany House Services Inc: $44,225 · Housing & ShelterTHE CHATFIELD EDGE: $39,500 · EducationFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $38,000 · Food & NutritionCINCINNATI WORKS: $10,000 · Human ServicesTALBERT HOUSE: $10,000 · Human ServicesTHE FIRST STEP HOME INC: $6,000 · Human ServicesUC HEALTH FOUNDATION: $10,000 · HealthLITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR SACRED HEART HOME: $9,000 · Health
Other$553,682Arts & Culture$146,900Housing & Shelter$44,225Education$39,500Food & Nutrition$38,000Human Services$26,000Health$19,000

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 budgetCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $76,900 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetCLARK LAKE SPIRIT FOUNDATION INC: $60,000 over 2y, 25% of budgetBethany House Services Inc: $44,225 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetTHE CHATFIELD EDGE: $39,500 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $38,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetUnited Way of Greater Cincinnati: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOVER-THE-RHINE MUSEUM: $10,000 over 1y, 8.1% of budgetUC HEALTH FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCINCINNATI WORKS: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTALBERT HOUSE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR SACRED HEART HOME: $9,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FIRST STEP HOME INC: $6,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetProKids: $5,000 over 2y, 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 CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER ↗
  • Who funds CLARK LAKE SPIRIT FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Bethany House Services Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE CHATFIELD EDGE ↗
  • Who funds FREESTORE FOODBANK INC ↗
  • Who funds United Way of Greater Cincinnati ↗
  • Who funds OVER-THE-RHINE MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds UC HEALTH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds CINCINNATI WORKS ↗
  • Who funds TALBERT HOUSE ↗
  • Who funds LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR SACRED HEART HOME ↗
  • Who funds THE FIRST STEP HOME INC ↗
  • Who funds ProKids ↗

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.

Ruth J & Robert a Con…Ed & Joann Hubert Fam…The Greater Cincinnat…Robert a & Marian K K…United Way of Greater…Johnson Charitable Gi…Williams FoundationEdelweiss FoundationThe Wyler Family Foun…Tr Uw Jacob Schmidlap…Sutphin Family Founda…Marge & Charles J Sch…
Ruth J & Robert a Conway Foundation IncOH20× affinity7 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Ruth J & Robert a Conway Foundation Inc · Ed & Joann Hubert Family Foundation Inc · The Greater Cincinnati Foundation · Robert a & Marian K Kennedy Charitable Trust · United Way of Greater Cincinnati · Johnson Charitable Gift Fund · Williams Foundation · Edelweiss Foundation · The Wyler Family Foundation · Tr Uw Jacob Schmidlapp #1 · Sutphin Family Foundation Ica · Marge & Charles J Schott Foundation

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 Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Michael Ibold Wilger 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%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    7report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    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 Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Michael Ibold Wilger 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 25 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 Michael Ibold Wilger’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