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Nichols Family Foundation Inc at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Private foundation

Nichols Family Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$500
Granted FY2025still arriving
1
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$500
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Health$46kEducation$37kEnvironment$14kReligion$14kAnimals$8kRecreation & Sports$3kHuman Services$2kArts & Culture$2kOther$0
02FY2025 · 1 grant

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$500
Median grant
1
States reached
$267k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
RACKLIFFE HOUSE TRUST$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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 60% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE: $100 → 16%DUCKS UNLIMITED: $8k → 17%MEMORIAL EDUCATION FUND FOR KELSIE & CLAIRE WADDINGTON CO TD BANK: $1k → 12%CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION: $100 → 6%CHESAPEAKE WILDLIFE HERITAGE: $1k → 7%THE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF HARFORD COUNTY: $3k → 7%ST PAULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $13k → 8%MARYLAND PUBLIC TELIVISION: $100 → 11%PENINSULA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION: $10k → 13%JOHNS HOPKINS CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER: $200 → 19%LUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER: $10k → 6%THE LOWER SHORE LAND TRUST: $10k → 8%THE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $2k → 11%WOR-WIC FOUNDATION: $500 → 13%ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION: $10k → 6%ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $3k → 8%WOR-WIC FOUNDATION: $250 → 13%ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION: $5k → 6%WORCESTER PREP SCHOOL: $3k → 8%WOR-WIC FOUNDATION: $250 → 13%INDIAN CREEK SCHOOL FUND: $5k → 6%ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $3k → 8%WOR-WIC FOUNDATION: $100 → 13%INDIAN CREEK SCHOOL FUND: $500 → 6%ST PAULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $500 → 8%SEVERN SCHOOL: $3k → 6%RACKLIFFE HOUSE TRUST: $500 → 8%RACKLIFFE HOUSE TRUST: $500 → 8%ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL: $500 → 8%THE OC MUSEUM SOCIETY: $1k → 8%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.

37%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$47k · 7 repeat orgs$78k to everyone else

7 repeat relationships: 1 still active in FY2025, 6 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

7
19

Total granted

$47k
$78k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+28%
+73%

Still filing today

57%
63%

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
HealthEnvironmentEducationArts & CultureRecreation & SportsHuman ServicesOther
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

  • LH
    LUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION INC
    2× · 2019–2021 · $15k · revenue +23%
  • AG
    ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL
    3× · 2019–2023 · $6k · revenue +40%
  • CH
    COASTAL HOSPICE
    2× · 2017–2019 · $5k · revenue +28%

Funded once

  • SU
    SALISBURY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INCgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $25k · revenue +89%
  • LH
    LUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER INC
    one grant, 2023 · $10k · revenue +16%
  • LS
    LOWER SHORE LAND TRUST INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue +515%
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
CalvertHealth Medical Center Inc

Calverthealth medical center provides quality inpatient and ambulatory health care to the people of southern maryland that is accessible, cost-effective and compassionate. chmc works in partnership with the community to improve the health…

Health
2
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Inc

University of maryland shore regional health, inc. (umsrh), a member of the umms system, offers state-of-the art health care to the residents of kent and queen anne's counties and portions of caroline and cecil counties.

Community Improvement
3
Tidalhealth Physician Network Inc

Tidalhealth physician network's mission is to provide quality medical care.effective 9/1/20, tidalhealth physician network, inc. is a subsidiary of tidalhealth medical partners, inc. (thmp). thmp's revenue and expenses are reported on its…

Health
4
Franklin Square Hospital Center Inc

See schedule o medstar franklin square medical center, a member of medstar health, provides the highest quality healthcare and education to our communities.

Health
5
Chester River Hospital Center Inc

Chester river hospital center (crhc) is an acute care hospital that serves the residents of kent and queen anne's counties and portions of caroline and cecil counties

Health
6
The Johns Hopkins Hospital

For more than 125 years, the mission of the johns hopkins hospital has been to lead the world in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and to train tomorrow's great physicians, nurses and scientists. above all, we aim to provide the…

Health
7
University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health System Inc

To assist in the management of and to provide services to related healthcare affiliates.

Health
8
Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation

Johns hopkins health system corporation provides centralized management of a multi-hospital healthcare system. it is a key component of johns hopkins medicine, a collaboration with the johns hopkins university school of medicine.

Health
9
Lucy Webb Hayes National Training School for Deaconesses & Missionaries

Sibley memorial hospital in washington, d.c., a member of johns hopkins medicine, has a distinguished history of serving the community since its founding in 1890. as a not-for-profit, full-service community hospital, sibley offers…

Health
10
Chester River Health Foundation Inc

Chester river health foundation's (crhf) mission is to raise funds that steward and enhance healthcare excellence for the people who live in or visit the communities served by chester river hospital center, inc. (dba um shore medical…

—
11
University of Maryland Otorhino-Laryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Pa

Under the medical service plan of the university of maryland school of medicine, medical services are rendered by the members of the faculty on behalf of the school of medicine in connection with their duties to provide clinical…

Health
12
Harford Memorial Hospital Inc

Dedication to maintaining and improving the health of the people in its communities through an integrated health delivery system that provides high quality care to all.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Tidalhealth Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 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

16 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. 16 of the 26 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
16/16
Grantees still filing
13/16
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

LUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 · HealthLUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL …LUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER INC: $10,000 · HealthLUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL …TIDALHEALTH FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 · HealthTIDALHEALTH FOUNDATION INCATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL: $5,500 · HealthATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL+1 more: $100 · HealthST PAULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $13,500 · OtherST PAULS EPISCOPAL CHURCHDUCKS UNLIMITED: $7,500 · OtherDUCKS UNLIMITEDINDIAN CREEK SCHOOL FUND: $5,500 · OtherINDIAN CREEK SCHOOL FUNDWORCESTER PREP SCHOOL: $2,500 · OtherWORCESTER PREP SCHOOLWOR-WIC FOUNDATION: $1,100 · Other+5 more: $2,400 · Other+5 moreSALISBURY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 · EducationSALISBURY UNIVERSITY FOUND…SEVERN SCHOOL INC: $2,500 · EducationSEVERN SCHOOL INCTHE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $1,750 · EducationTHE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR TH…LOWER SHORE LAND TRUST INC: $10,000 · EnvironmentLOWER SHORE …OCEAN CITY REEF FOUNDATION INC: $2,500 · EnvironmentOCEAN CITY R…CHESAPEAKE WILDLIFE HERITAGE INC: $1,000 · EnvironmentCHESAPEAKE W…+1 more: $100 · EnvironmentCOASTAL HOSPICE: $5,100 · Human ServicesTHE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF HARFORD COUNTYINC: $2,500 · Recreation & SportsRACKLIFFE HOUSE TRUST INC: $1,000 · Arts & CultureOCEAN CITY MUSEUM SOCIETY INC: $500 · Arts & Culture
Health$40,600Other$32,500Education$29,250Environment$13,600Human Services$5,100Recreation & Sports$2,500Arts & Culture$1,500

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 budgetSALISBURY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetLUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetLUMINIS HEALTH ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLOWER SHORE LAND TRUST INC: $10,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetTIDALHEALTH FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL: $5,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCOASTAL HOSPICE: $5,100 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSEVERN SCHOOL INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOCEAN CITY REEF FOUNDATION INC: $2,500 over 1y, 2.2% of budgetTHE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $1,750 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCHESAPEAKE WILDLIFE HERITAGE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetRACKLIFFE HOUSE TRUST INC: $1,000 over 2y, 1.2% of budgetOCEAN CITY MUSEUM SOCIETY INC: $500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION INC: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc: $100 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.

Community Foundation …The Keith Campbell Fo…Joan W Jenkins Founda…T Rowe Price Program …Franklin P and Arthur…Wilde Charitable Foun…Humphreys Foundation …The United Way of Cen…The Northrop Grumman …The Bank of America C…Charities Aid Foundat…Morgan Stanley Global…
Community Foundation of the Eastern ShorMD24× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor · The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment Inc · Joan W Jenkins Foundation Inc · T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving Inc · Franklin P and Arthur W Perdue Foundation Inc · Wilde Charitable Foundation · Humphreys Foundation Inc · The United Way of Central Maryland Inc · The Northrop Grumman Foundation · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Charities Aid Foundation America · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust 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 Nichols Family Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Nichols Family Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 90%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 2%
  • The Maryland School for the Blind: 47% of income from government
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc: 7% of income from government
  • Chesapeake Bay Foundation Inc: 2% of income from government
  • Salisbury University Foundation Inc: 0% of income from government
  • Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
9get no government money at all
2report 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 Nichols Family Foundation Inc?

Find your warmest path to Nichols Family Foundation Inc 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 26 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 Nichols 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