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Paradise Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Paradise 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.

$2k
Granted FY2025still arriving
1
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$2k
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, FY2020 to 2025.

Health$46kEducation$22kReligion$21kArts & Culture$18kScience & Tech$15kHuman Services$13kRecreation & Sports$10kEnvironment$8kOther$0
02FY2025 · 1 grant

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$2,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$556k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE ARC OF MIDLAND$2,000
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 (FY20–24, $21k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%EIGHT CAP: $5k → 12%TRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $3k → 13%EIGHT CAP: $2k → 12%TRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $2k → 13%TRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $1k → 13%TRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $1k → 13%ACT ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $3k → 11%ACT ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $2k → 11%ACT ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $2k → 11%ACT ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $1k → 11%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.

82%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$134k · 13 repeat orgs$30k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +4% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

13 repeat relationships: 1 still active in FY2025, 12 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

13
12

Total granted

$134k
$30k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+4%
0%

Still filing today

77%
58%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesEducationHealthArts & CultureRecreation & SportsPhilanthropyOther
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

  • UH
    UMRC-PORTER HILLS FOUNDATION
    2× · 2023–2024 · $20k · revenue +36%
  • TA
    The Arc of Midland
    4× · 2020–2025 · $18k · revenue +16%
  • VA
    VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE
    5× · 2020–2024 · $15k · revenue +25%

Funded once

  • GR
    GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
    one grant, 2020 · $5k
  • BA
    BAY AREA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
    one grant, 2022 · $5k · revenue -11%
  • TM
    THE MIDDLE WAY SANCTUARY
    one grant, 2024 · $5k · revenue 0%
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 Northern Michigan University Foundation

The nmu foundation will establish and foster relationships to generate resources that benefit the strategic goals of northern michigan university.

Education
2
Michigan Legacy Art Park

Inspire awareness, appreciation and passion for michigan's history and stories, culture and environment through the arts.

Arts & Culture
3
Great Lakes Center for the Arts

The Center's mission is to inspire, entertain, educate, and serve all in Northern Michigan year-round by presenting exceptional experiences across the full spectrum of the performing arts and offering impactful educational opportunities.

Arts & Culture
4
Mid Michigan Community Action Agency Inc

Mid michigan community action guides local residents on the path to self-sufficiency through empowerment, education and community enrichment.

—
5
Museum of Arts and Design

To collect, display and interpret objects in craft art and design.

Arts & Culture
6
Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Our mission is conserving West Michigans ecologically critical land. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments in creating natural areas, and helping private landowners…

Environment
7
Grand View University

Engages, equips and empowers learners to explore their vocations, fulfill their potential and serve the world.

Education
8
Michigan Chamber of Commerce

To promote conditions favorable to job creation and business success in michigan.

—
9
University Corporate Research Park I Inc

To hold title and perform related functions in connection with a research park and innovation center in support of michigan state university research foundation.

—
10
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland

Creating healthy communities - together

Health
11
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy

The mission of gtrlc is to protect significant natural, scenic and farm lands and advance land stewardship now and for future generations.

Environment
12
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership

The mission of great lakes community action partnership is to create partnerships and opportunites to help individuals, families and communities thrive.

Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Eightcap Inc; the most unlike its peers is The Middle Way Sanctuary. 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

18 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. 18 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)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
18/18
Grantees still filing
9/18
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ST MARYS FOUNDATION: $19,700 · OtherST MARYS FOUNDATIONThe Arc of Midland: $18,100 · OtherThe Arc of MidlandEARLY EXPLORERS LEARNING CENTER: $8,500 · OtherEARLY EXPLORERS LEARNING CENTERGRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS: $5,000 · OtherGRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLSRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE: $4,000 · OtherGUIDING LIGHT MISSION INC: $3,000 · OtherTHE MIDDLE WAY SANCTUARY: $5,000 · OtherTHE MIDDLE WAY SANCTUARYKINGDOM LIFE ACADEMY: $4,000 · Other+5 more: $8,600 · Other+5 moreUMRC-PORTER HILLS FOUNDATION: $20,000 · HealthUMRC-PORTER HILLS F…CHILDREN'S HEALING CENTER: $8,100 · HealthCHILDREN'S HEALING …ARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $7,500 · Human ServicesARTISTS CREAT…EIGHTCAP INC: $7,000 · Human ServicesEIGHTCAP INCTRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $6,000 · Human ServicesTRUENORTH COM…VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE: $14,500 · PhilanthropyVAN ANDEL…Midland Center for the Arts Inc: $10,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $260 · Arts & CultureBLANDFORD NATURE CENTER: $8,000 · EducationDAVENPORT UNIVERSITY: $1,200 · EducationAquinas College: $1,000 · EducationBAY AREA SOCCER ASSOCIATION: $5,000 · Recreation & SportsFRIENDS OF GRAND RAPIDS PARKS: $2,500 · Recreation & Sports
Other$75,900Health$28,100Human Services$20,500Philanthropy$14,500Arts & Culture$10,260Education$10,200Recreation & Sports$7,500

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 budgetUMRC-PORTER HILLS FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetThe Arc of Midland: $18,100 over 4y, 2.3% of budgetVAN ANDEL INSTITUTE: $14,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMidland Center for the Arts Inc: $10,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCHILDREN'S HEALING CENTER: $8,100 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBLANDFORD NATURE CENTER: $8,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetARTISTS CREATING TOGETHER: $7,500 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetEIGHTCAP INC: $7,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTRUENORTH COMMUNITY SERVICES: $6,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBAY AREA SOCCER ASSOCIATION: $5,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetTHE MIDDLE WAY SANCTUARY: $5,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetKINGDOM LIFE ACADEMY: $4,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetGUIDING LIGHT MISSION INC: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetWHITECAPS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 4.4% of budgetFRIENDS OF GRAND RAPIDS PARKS: $2,500 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetDAVENPORT UNIVERSITY: $1,200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAquinas College: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM: $260 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.

Grand Rapids Communit…The Meijer FoundationFrey FoundationUfp Industries Founda…Peter C & Emajean Coo…Consumers Energy Foun…Wolverine World Wide …THE PETER and JOAN SE…Steve & Amy Van Andel…The Wege FoundationDTE Energy FoundationGillett Family Founda…
Grand Rapids Community FoundationMI27.7× affinity11 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Grand Rapids Community Foundation · The Meijer Foundation · Frey Foundation · Ufp Industries Foundation · Peter C & Emajean Cook Foundation · Consumers Energy Foundation · Wolverine World Wide Foundation · THE PETER and JOAN SECCHIA FAMILY INC · Steve & Amy Van Andel Foundation · The Wege Foundation · DTE Energy Foundation · Gillett Family 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 Paradise Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Paradise Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%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.

    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 Paradise’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