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Michael J Zamkow and Sue E Berman Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Michael J Zamkow and Sue E Berman 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.

$86k
Granted FY2025still arriving
7
Grants FY2025still arriving
3
States reached
$33k
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.

Arts & Culture$676kEducation$420kReligion$93kHealth$65kAnimals$38kFood & Nutrition$35kCivil Rights$32kInternational$28kOther$0
02FY2025 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k3 grants · $15k
  • $10k–50k4 grants · $71k
$10,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$427k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN$33,000
SHALOM AUSTIN$18,000
Individual grant recipient$10,000
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE$10,000
HOSPICE AUSTIN$8,500
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY$5,000
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART$1,185
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, $12k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 26% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%HOME OF GUIDING HANDS CORPORATION: $1k → 11%HOME OF GUIDING HANDS: $1k → 11%NALINIKIDS: $1k → 17%HOSPICE AUSTIN: $9k → 10%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

MN
NY
MA
CA
CO
VA
MD
DC
AL
GA
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.

87%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.2M · 12 repeat orgs$190k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +34% since the first grant, against +17% for those funded once.

12 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

12
38

Total granted

$1.2M
$143k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+34%
+17%

Still filing today

75%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 46% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $47k 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
HealthArts & CultureAnimalsHuman ServicesCivil RightsFood & 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

  • FH
    FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC
    6× · 2017–2024 · $664k · revenue +18%
  • NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
    2× · 2018–2019 · $375k · revenue +87%
  • SA
    SHALOM AUSTIN
    5× · 2021–2025 · $86k · revenue +94%

Funded once

  • TK
    THE KNIGHTS FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2018 · $22k
  • BD
    BATTERSEA DOGS & CATS HOME
    one grant, 2018 · $19k
  • GS
    GREENHOUSE SPORTS
    one grant, 2018 · $19k
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
Target Als Foundation Inc

Our mission is to break down barriers to als research to find effective treatments. by uniting academia, the pharma and biotech industry, government, venture capital, related nonprofits, and the als community, we aim to overcome the…

Education
2
Food Allergy Science Initiative Inc

To accelerate the development of breakthrough discoveries that will transform the lives of people living with food allergies.

—
3
Access to Advanced Health Institute

Aahi is a nonprofit biotech research institute, bringing together the best experts, technologies, and platforms to create accessible, high-quality products and solutions for harnessing the immune system to alleviate disease.

Health
4
New York Genome Center Inc

Operate a state-of-the-art, world-class genomic research center that creates and uses advanced genomics to understand the genetic basis of disease. for more information, see schedule o.

Health
5
New York University

Nyu is a private university with approximately 60,000 matriculating students in 20 schools and institutes. nyu's primary missions are education, research and scholarship, and patient care.

Education
6
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all. the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its science family of journals,…

Science & Tech
7
Conservation International Foundation

Ci works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.

Environment
8
World Wildlife Fund Inc

Wwf's mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on earth. (continued on schedule o)

Environment
9
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Leadership in the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer through excellence, vision and cost effectiveness in patient care, outreach programs, research, and education.

Health
10
Project Drawdown

Project drawdown's mission is to drive meaningful climate action by advancing science-based solutions and strategies. project drawdown's work is focused on three pillars: science - advancing science-based climate solutions and strategies;…

Education
11
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Fred hutch cancer center ("fred hutch") unites innovative research and compassionate care to prevent and eliminate cancer and infectious disease. continued on schedule o

Health
12
Blood Cancer United Inc

Our mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Global Fund for Children; the most unlike its peers is Fight for Sight 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 56 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)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
33/33
Grantees still filing
22/33
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $664,110 · Arts & CultureFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC+3 more: $12,000 · Arts & CultureNORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY: $375,000 · EducationNORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY+1 more: $10,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN: $33,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF TE…THE KNIGHTS FOUNDATION: $22,034 · OtherTHE KNIGHTS FOUN…Individual grant recipient: $20,000 · OtherIndividual grant…BATTERSEA DOGS & CATS HOME: $19,461 · OtherBATTERSEA DOGS &…GREENHOUSE SPORTS: $19,189 · OtherGREENHOUSE SPORT…BROADWAY CARESEQUITY FIGHTS AIDS INC: $9,000 · OtherJEWISH NATIONAL FUND (KEREN KAYEMETH LEISRAEL) INC: $17,000 · OtherJEWISH NATIONAL …HOSPICE AUSTIN: $8,500 · Other+32 more: $66,869 · Other+32 moreSHALOM AUSTIN: $85,800 · PhilanthropyANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: $31,000 · Civil RightsEQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $10,000 · Civil Rights+1 more: $1,000 · Civil RightsCentral Texas Food Bank Inc: $21,000 · Food & NutritionCITY HARVEST INC: $10,000 · Food & NutritionAUSTIN PETS ALIVE INC: $15,000 · AnimalsHouston Zoo Inc: $2,000 · AnimalsRUFF HOUSE RESCUE INC: $1,000 · AnimalsTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $1,000 · Animals
Arts & Culture$676,110Education$385,000Other$215,053Philanthropy$85,800Civil Rights$42,000Food & Nutrition$31,000Animals$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$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $664,110 over 6y, 1.2% of budgetNORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY: $375,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSHALOM AUSTIN: $85,800 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: $31,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetCentral Texas Food Bank Inc: $21,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetJEWISH NATIONAL FUND (KEREN KAYEMETH LEISRAEL) INC: $17,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAUSTIN PETS ALIVE INC: $15,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetEQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCITY HARVEST INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBROADWAY CARESEQUITY FIGHTS AIDS INC: $9,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetHOSPICE AUSTIN: $8,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetVAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJACOB'S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGLOBAL FUND FOR CHILDREN: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS ASSN: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBroadway Inspirational Voices Inc: $2,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetHouston Zoo Inc: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHOME OF GUIDING HANDS CORPORATION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFight for Sight Inc: $1,375 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetNALINIKIDS INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetInternational Rescue Committee INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSONOMA VALLEY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNEW YORK CENTER FOR LAW & JUSTICE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetBRIDGING VOICE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRUFF HOUSE RESCUE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSTEADMAN PHILIPPON RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF THE HUDSON VALLEY: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFOUNDATION COMMUNITIES INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE ACCESS FUND: $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.

Jewish Communal FundMorgan Stanley Global…American Endowment Fo…Vanguard Charitable E…National Philanthropi…The Bank of America C…Donor Advised Charita…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Jewish Communal FundNY14.8× affinity6 shared granteesties to 9 of 9Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Jewish Communal Fund · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · American Endowment Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · National Philanthropic Trust · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile 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 J Zamkow and Sue E Berman Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Michael J Zamkow and Sue E Berman Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →median 7%
  • Northeastern University: 7% of income from government
  • Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Inc: 1% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
9report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–40%
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 56 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 J Zamkow and Sue E Berman’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