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Msa Family Fund at a glance

· Private foundation

Msa Family Fund

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$53k
Granted FY2024still arriving
10
Grants FY2024still arriving
5
States reached
$35k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0193% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Environment$390kArts & Culture$39kAnimals$23kPhilanthropy$17kRecreation & Sports$10kEducation$9kHuman Services$5kCommunity Improvement$5kOther$0
02FY2024 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k9 grants · $18k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $35k
$1,000
Median grant
5
States reached
$1.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE CLIFTON INSTITUTE$35,000
PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL$5,500
ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER$5,000
VIRGINIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY$2,000
THE SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST$1,000
ORCAS CENTER$1,000
UCDAVIS$1,000
FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS$1,000
NEW HAMPSHIRE CHILDREN'S TRUST$500
ORION SOCIETY$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 (FY24–24, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER: $5k → 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

NH
WA
WI
NY
MA
OR
IA
CA
VA
MD
NC
DC
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.

86%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$443k · 33 repeat orgs$75k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +67% since the first grant, against +12% for those funded once.

33 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2024, 27 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

33
23

Total granted

$443k
$68k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+67%
+12%

Still filing today

79%
65%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 86% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $8k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EnvironmentAnimalsArts & CulturePhilanthropyCommunity ImprovementPublic Safety & DisasterOther
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 CLIFTON INSTITUTE INC
    7× · 2018–2024 · $230k · revenue +224%
  • MB
    MONTEREY BAY SALMON & TROUT PROJECT
    7× · 2017–2023 · $69k · revenue +484%
  • TP
    THE PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL
    7× · 2017–2024 · $26k · revenue +161%

Funded once

  • TG
    THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA
    one grant, 2019 · $25k · revenue -3%
  • GM
    GREAT MEADOW FOUNDATION INC
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue -61%
  • PA
    PROCTOR ACADEMY
    one grant, 2020 · $5k
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
Rainforest Trust

Rainforest trust saves endangered wildlife and protects our planet by creating rainforest reserves through partnerships, community engagement, and donor support.

International
2
The Forest Park Conservancy

To protect and restore the ecological health of forest park and marquam nature park, maintain and enhance their extensive trails networks, promote equitable access, and inspire diverse community appreciation and stewardship of these iconic…

Environment
3
Wild Virginia Incorporated

Protecting and connecting virginia's wild places.

Environment
4
Atlantic Coast Conservancy Inc

The mission of the atlantic coast conservancy is to provide 21st century solutions and sound scientific applications for conservation of critical natural resources in the face of a changing climate, focusing on the southeasthern united…

Environment
5
Conservation Farms & Ranches

Preserving and enhancing the habitat of wildlife, such as sandhill cranes, waterfowl, raptors, which habitat expenses are supported by agricultural activities.

Housing & Shelter
6
The Wildlife Society

The wildlife society's mission is to inspire, empower, and enable wildlife professionals to sustain wildlife populations and habitats through science-based management and conservation.

Animals
7
Wildcoast

The mission of wildcoast is to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and address climate change through natural solutions. our staff is dedicated to conserving threatened and endangered coastlines and wildlife in california and mexico.…

Environment
8
Pinchot Institute for Conservation

The pinchot institute for conservation is a public benefit non-profit corporation. we are passionate about protecting nature and creating breakthroughs that result in more sustaianable ecosystems and economies. the institute is…

Environment
9
The Amazon Biodiversity Center

To advance the preservation of the amazon rainforest and conservation research and to disseminate knowledge regarding the impact of human development and climate change on the diversity of the ecosystem, wildlife, and plant life of the…

—
10
Fsc I&P

Fsc i&p promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. this mission aligns with the forest stewardship council (fsc), its network of offices, and other organizations.…

Philanthropy
11
Great Peninsula Conservancy

Preserve in perpetuity the natural habitats, rural landscapes, and open spaces of the great peninsula of washington's puget sound.

Environment
12
Virginia Living Museum Inc

The museum connects people to nature by delivering educational classes, programs, exhibits, events and demonstrations. staff and volunteers engage learners of all ages on a 23 acre campus setting. indoor and outdoor learning opportunities…

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Center for Plant Conservation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Citizens for Fauquier County. 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

45 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. 45 of the 61 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)
17
Early backer (in before they grew)
45/45
Grantees still filing
32/45
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE CLIFTON INSTITUTE INC: $230,000 · OtherTHE CLIFTON INSTITUTE INCIndividual grant recipient: $12,000 · Other+29 more: $55,700 · Other+29 moreMONTEREY BAY SALMON & TROUT PROJECT: $69,000 · AnimalsMONTEREY BAY SALMO…Defenders of Wildlife: $6,000 · AnimalsDefenders of Wildl…+6 more: $10,250 · Animals+6 moreTHE PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: $26,000 · EnvironmentTHE PIEDMONT ENVI…THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA: $25,000 · EnvironmentTHE GARDEN CLUB O…GREAT MEADOW FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 · EnvironmentGREAT MEADOW FOUN…SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK TRUST: $5,000 · EnvironmentSHENANDOAH NATION…BULL RUN MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY INC: $3,600 · Environment+11 more: $12,450 · Environment+11 moreSMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION: $25,500 · Arts & CultureINDEPENDENT FEATURE PROJECT INC: $1,000 · Arts & CultureORCAS CENTER: $1,000 · Arts & CultureRACHEL'S NETWORK INC: $14,500 · Public Safety & DisasterPIEDMONT JOURNALISM FOUNDATION: $11,000 · Community ImprovementORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER: $5,000 · Human Services
Other$297,700Animals$85,250Environment$82,050Arts & Culture$27,500Public Safety & Disaster$14,500Community Improvement$11,000Human Services$5,000

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 budgetTHE CLIFTON INSTITUTE INC: $230,000 over 7y, 13% of budgetMONTEREY BAY SALMON & TROUT PROJECT: $69,000 over 7y, 4.5% of budgetTHE PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: $26,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetSMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION: $25,500 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTHE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA: $25,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetRACHEL'S NETWORK INC: $14,500 over 4y, 0.9% of budgetPIEDMONT JOURNALISM FOUNDATION: $11,000 over 3y, 3.4% of budgetGREAT MEADOW FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetDefenders of Wildlife: $6,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetSHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK TRUST: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBULL RUN MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY INC: $3,600 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetVIRGINIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY INC: $3,100 over 4y, 0.8% of budgetPROCTOR ACADEMY: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFAUQUIER SPCA INC: $2,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetXERCES SOCIETY INC: $2,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCENTER FOR PLANT CONSERVATION INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetLoudoun Wildlife Conservancy: $2,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetAmerican Bird Conservancy: $1,750 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCITIZENS FOR FAUQUIER COUNTY: $1,750 over 3y, 1.4% of budgetNature Forward: $1,600 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetVERDUN ADVENTURE BOUND INC: $1,500 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetCOMMUNITY CONSERVATION INC: $1,250 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetTHE CARL SAFINA CENTER INC THE SAFINA CENTER: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSHADOWS FUND INCORPORATED: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetSOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetORCAS CENTER: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetHOSPICE OF THE PIEDMONT INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE ORION SOCIETY INC: $1,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBLUE RIDGE WILDLIFE CENTER: $750 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetVIRGINIA WILDERNESS COMMITTEE: $750 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetWINDY HILL FOUNDATION INC: $750 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNatureServe: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNEW HAMPSHIRE CHILDREN'S TRUST INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFOUNDATION OF THE STATE ARBORETUM OF VIRGINIA: $500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATURE AND CULTURE INTERNATIONAL: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE GARDEN CLUB OF VIRGINIA INC: $350 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetPIEDMONT REGIONAL ORCHESTRA DBA PIEDMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $250 over 1y, 0.2% 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 CLIFTON INSTITUTE INC ↗
  • Who funds MONTEREY BAY SALMON & TROUT PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds THE PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL ↗
  • Who funds SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION ↗
  • Who funds THE GARDEN CLUB OF AMERICA ↗
  • Who funds RACHEL'S NETWORK INC ↗
  • Who funds PIEDMONT JOURNALISM FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds GREAT MEADOW FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Defenders of Wildlife ↗
  • Who funds ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ↗
  • Who funds SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK TRUST ↗
  • Who funds THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds BULL RUN MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY INC ↗
  • Who funds VIRGINIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds PROCTOR ACADEMY ↗
  • Who funds FAUQUIER SPCA INC ↗
  • Who funds XERCES SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds THE SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST ↗
  • Who funds CENTER FOR PLANT CONSERVATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS ↗
  • Who funds American Bird Conservancy ↗
  • Who funds CITIZENS FOR FAUQUIER COUNTY ↗
  • Who funds Nature Forward ↗
  • Who funds VERDUN ADVENTURE BOUND INC ↗
  • Who funds COMMUNITY CONSERVATION INC ↗
  • Who funds THE CARL SAFINA CENTER INC THE SAFINA CENTER ↗

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.

Northern Piedmont Com…Fauquier Health Found…The Luminescence Foun…Dun FoundationWilliam M Backer Foun…The Seilheimer Founda…Wise FoundationSkyemar FoundationAwa Family FoundationMightycause Charitabl…Fhi ServicesThe Jesse and Rose Lo…
Northern Piedmont Community FoundationVA26× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Northern Piedmont Community Foundation · Fauquier Health Foundation Dba the Path Foundation · The Luminescence Foundation Inc · Dun Foundation · William M Backer Foundation Inc · The Seilheimer Foundation · Wise Foundation · Skyemar Foundation · Awa Family Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · Fhi Services · The Jesse and Rose Loeb 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 Msa Family Fund funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Msa Family Fund. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%4%8%15%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 22%
  • Nature Forward: 32% of income from government
  • Xerces Society Inc: 22% of income from government
  • The Orion Society Inc: 2% of 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.

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 61 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Msa Family’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