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Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation

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.

$455k
Granted FY2024still arriving
21
Grants FY2024still arriving
10
States reached
$173k
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 2024.

International$1.6MPhilanthropy$241kPublic Benefit$60kScience & Tech$34kArts & Culture$25kEducation$20kHealth$18kReligion$18kOther$0
02FY2024 · 21 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k8 grants · $37k
  • $10k–50k10 grants · $141k
  • $50k–250k3 grants · $278k
$10,000
Median grant
10
States reached
$6.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY$172,500
FRIENDS OF ELNET$55,000
AMERICAN ISRAELI EDUCATION FOUNDATION$50,000
STANDWITHUS$21,600
PEF ISRAELS ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC$20,000
CENTRAL FUND FOR ISRAEL$15,000
CHICAGO COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS$14,130
CHEF ANN FOUNDATION$14,000
BRAVER ANGELS$14,000
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION - ILLINOIS$12,480
TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION$10,000
FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES$10,000
HETERODOX ACADEMY$10,000
CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL JEWISH PHILANTHROPY$7,500
COMMITTEE FOR ACCURACY IN MIDDLE EAST REPORTING AND ANALYSIS$5,000
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 (FY18–24, $23k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 61% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%ISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER: $4k → 6%ASPIRITECH: $5k → 8%BRAVER ANGELS: $14k → 17%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

IL
NY
MA
PA
CA
CO
VA
DE
DC
GA
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.

91%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.8M · 12 repeat orgs$168k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +36% since the first grant, against +20% for those funded once.

12 repeat relationships: 8 still active in FY2024, 4 since wound down; 12 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

12
10

Total granted

$1.8M
$69k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+36%
+20%

Still filing today

83%
60%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 77% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $99k 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
InternationalPhilanthropyHuman ServicesEducationHealthHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • WI
    WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY
    7× · 2017–2024 · $813k · revenue +51%
  • FO
    FRIENDS OF ELNET
    4× · 2017–2024 · $200k · revenue +97%
  • JU
    JEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
    2× · 2017–2023 · $145k · revenue +13%

Funded once

  • CC
    CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE
    one grant, 2017 · $15k
  • US
    UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
    one grant, 2017 · $10k
  • PK
    Project Kesher
    one grant, 2022 · $10k · revenue +24%
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
The Jewish Agency for Israel

The jewish agency binds jews across ideologies and civilizations together in a worldwide jewish family with israel at its center. it provides the global framework for aliyah, ensures global jewish safety, strengthens jewish identity and…

—
2
The Israel Innovation Fund Inc

Our vision is to reignite the zionist spirit and meet the needs of jewish civilization in the twenty-first century by connecting people around the world through the vibrancy and creativity of contemporary israeli culture.

Arts & Culture
3
Jewish Electorate Institute

The jewish electorate institute (jei) is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that surveys, interprets, reports, and educates the public about the perspectives, voting behaviors, and motivations of the american jewish…

Civil Rights
4
Weizmann Institute of Science

The weizmann institute of science, located in rehovot, israel, is one of the worlds top-ranking, multidisciplinary research institutions. at any one time, several thousand scientists, staff and students are involved in hundreds of research…

Science & Tech
5
Israel Venture Network

The Organization is at the forefront of the social business arena for fourth sector in Israel, nurturing and growing this emerging sector and generating sustainable social impact by providing Israel's social businesses with knowledge,…

Education
6
The Israel Institute Inc

The israel institute, inc. (the institute) enhances knowledge about modern israel by ensuring that more students have access to courses about israel during their time on campus.

International
7
Israel 21c

Through its news service and public programs, Israel 21c educates individuals and groups about comtemporary life in Israel providing news and information on the people of Israel, its culture and business and scientific achievements.

Education
8
American Israel Public Affairs Committee

To strengthen and expand the u.s.-israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the united states and israel.

International
9
New Jewish Narrative Inc

To support a strong and secure israel and to carry out public information activities on the middle east peace issues in the united states.

International
10
Us Middle East Project Inc

The organization's mission is to engage in non partisan analysis of u.s. foreign policy in the middle east, with special emphasis on the middle east peace process, and to present policymakers in the united states, in the region and in the…

International
11
Impact Forum Foundation

The Impact Forum is an exclusive network of philanthropists. We are connecting philanthropists that support each others initiatives and collaborate to empower and meet with exceptional non-profit organizations to fight antisemitism,…

Philanthropy
12
The Shalom Hartman Institute of North America

The shalom hartman institute (shi) is a leading research and educational center serving israel and world jewry. we work to enrich the moral and spiritual life of israel and the jewish people, deepen the commitment to pluralism and israel's…

International
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Jewish Funders Network; the most unlike its peers is Joy As Resistance. 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

30 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. 30 of the 36 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)
29/30
Grantees still filing
20/30
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: $813,000 · InternationalWASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICYFRIENDS OF ELNET: $200,000 · InternationalFRIENDS OF ELNETCentral Fund of Israel: $125,000 · InternationalCentral Fund of IsraelISRAEL EMERGENCY ALLIANCE: $118,000 · InternationalISRAEL EMERGENCY ALLIANCEAMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 · InternationalAMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC+4 more: $59,000 · InternationalJEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO: $145,000 · PhilanthropyJEWISH UNITED FUND …PEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC: $115,000 · PhilanthropyPEF ISRAEL ENDOWMEN…Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy Inc: $90,000 · PhilanthropyCenter for Entrepre…+2 more: $5,872 · PhilanthropyTHE ISRAEL PROJECT: $70,000 · OtherTHE ISRAEL …Jumpstart Labs Inc DBA Jewish JUMPSTART JSLABS: $60,000 · OtherJumpstart L…CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE: $15,000 · OtherCREATIVE CO…ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION - ILLINOIS: $12,480 · OtherARTHRITIS F…COMMITTEE FOR ACCURACY IN MIDDLE EAST REPORTING AND ANALYSIS: $10,000 · OtherUNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM: $10,000 · OtherProject Kesher: $10,000 · OtherILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM: $10,000 · Other+4 more: $15,500 · Other+4 moreCHEF ANN FOUNDATION: $14,000 · EducationSTEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION: $10,000 · EducationHETERODOX ACADEMY: $10,000 · EducationBraver AngelsInc: $14,000 · Human ServicesASPIRITECH NFP: $5,000 · Human ServicesISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND: $4,000 · Human ServicesCHICAGO COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS: $14,130 · Housing & ShelterJOY AS RESISTANCE: $4,000 · HealthINSTITUTE FOR THERAPY THROUGH THE ARTS: $4,000 · HealthNATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY: $1,863 · Health
International$1,415,000Philanthropy$355,872Other$212,980Education$34,000Human Services$23,000Housing & Shelter$14,130Health$9,863

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 budgetWASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: $813,000 over 7y, 1.1% of budgetFRIENDS OF ELNET: $200,000 over 4y, 0.8% of budgetJEWISH UNITED FUND OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO: $145,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCentral Fund of Israel: $125,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetISRAEL EMERGENCY ALLIANCE: $118,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetPEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC: $115,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCenter for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy Inc: $90,000 over 5y, 3.4% of budgetTHE ISRAEL PROJECT: $70,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetJumpstart Labs Inc DBA Jewish JUMPSTART JSLABS: $60,000 over 3y, 2.8% of budgetAMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE INC: $30,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFoundation for the Defense of Democracies Inc: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCHICAGO COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS: $14,130 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetBraver AngelsInc: $14,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCHEF ANN FOUNDATION: $14,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSTEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHETERODOX ACADEMY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetProject Kesher: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE EMBER FOUNDATION: $7,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetJEWISH FUNDERS NETWORK: $5,073 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetINVESTIGATIVE PROJECT ON TERRORISM FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetASPIRITECH NFP: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetJOY AS RESISTANCE: $4,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR THERAPY THROUGH THE ARTS: $4,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND: $4,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION: $4,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $4,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAI FOR GOOD FOUNDATION: $4,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetNATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY: $1,863 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE JEWISH FEDERATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA INC: $799 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 Federation of …FjcJewish Community Foun…Jewish Communal FundThe Chicago Community…Gs Donor Advised Phil…National Philanthropi…American Endowment Fo…The Bank of America C…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …American Online Givin…
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan ChicagoIL17.4× affinity6 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago · Fjc · Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles · Jewish Communal Fund · The Chicago Community Trust · Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · American Endowment Foundation · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · American Online Giving 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 Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation. 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
    5report 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 Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Nathan and Esther K Wagner Family 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 36 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 Nathan and Esther K Wagner 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