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Paulus Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Paulus 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.

$1.3M
Granted FY2024still arriving
14
Grants FY2024still arriving
5
States reached
$250k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
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$3.0MEnvironment$2.5MEducation$2.0MPhilanthropy$1.6MHuman Services$1.4MAnimals$807kInternational$755kEmployment$225kOther$0
02FY2024 · 14 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $10k–50k2 grants · $45k
  • $50k–250k11 grants · $1.1M
  • $250k+1 grant · $250k
$100,000
Median grant
5
States reached
$7.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE SKAGIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION$250,000
SAN DIEGO CANYONLANDS INC$150,000
UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION$125,000
TROUT UNLIMITED INC$100,000
WILD SALMON RIVER EXPEDITIONS (THE CONSERVATION ANGLER)$100,000
THE STRONGHOLD FUND$100,000
WILD SALMON CENTER$100,000
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SAN DIEGO$100,000
ANGEL FLIGHT WEST$100,000
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SKAGIT COUNTY$75,000
HELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER$50,000
THRIVE ANIMAL RESCUE INC$50,000
KIDS CHANCE OF OREGON INC$25,000
THE AOPA FOUNDATION INC$20,000
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 (FY17–18, $20k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, 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%SILVER AGE YOGA COMMUNITY OUTREACH INC: $10k → 11%SILVER AGE YOGA COMMUNITY OUTREACH INC: $10k → 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.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
MN
MA
OR
CA
VA
MD
AZ
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 15% of Paulus Family Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

Paulus Family Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 5.5% directed abroad (not shown)
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

70%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$7.7M · 20 repeat orgs$3.3M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +49% since the first grant, against +26% for those funded once.

20 repeat relationships: 12 still active in FY2024, 8 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

20
7

Total granted

$7.7M
$3.2M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+49%
+26%

Still filing today

85%
43%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 91% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $100k 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
AnimalsEnvironmentPhilanthropyHealthEducationHuman 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

  • US
    UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION
    8× · 2017–2024 · $2.0M · revenue +78%
  • SD
    SAN DIEGO CANYONLANDS INC
    8× · 2017–2024 · $1.1M · revenue +238%
  • SH
    Sharp Healthcare Foundation
    6× · 2018–2023 · $600k · revenue +13%

Funded once

  • MF
    MAYO FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2017 · $2.0M
  • TS
    THE SALVATION ARMY
    one grant, 2017 · $1.0M
  • ME
    MERCY ENTERPRISE CORPORATION
    one grant, 2017 · $50k
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
California Trout Inc

Caltrout's mission is ensuring healthy water and resilient wild fish for a better california. we share a common vision of a california where healthy waters flow from headwaters to sea. where the diversity and resilience of our waters and…

Animals
2
Santa Catalina Island Conservancy

The catalina island conservancy protects and stewards 88% of catalina island. more than 42,000 acres of wildlands, coves and coastal habitats. founded to preserve the island's natural resources, the conservancy advances a mission rooted in…

—
3
Sustainable Conservation

Sustainable Conservation advances the collaborative stewardship of Californias land, air, and water for the benefit of nature and people. For over three decades, Sustainable Conservation has built coalitions of people with different…

Environment
4
The Humane Society for Seattleking County

Seattle humane promotes the human-animal bond by saving and serving pets in need, regardless of age, ability, circumstance or geography.

Animals
5
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach.

Environment
6
Western Rivers Conservancy

Western rivers conservancy's mission is to protect outstanding river ecosystems in the western united states. continued on schedule o.we acquire land to conserve critical habitat, provide public access for compatible use and enjoyment, and…

Environment
7
The Sierra Fund

The Sierra Fund (TSF) is a non-profit organization with a mission to restore ecosystem and community resiliency in the Sierra Nevada.

Environment
8
Klamath River Renewal Corporation

Krrc's mission is to implement the klamath hydroelectric settlement agreement by removing four hydroelectric dams on the klamath river, restoring surrounding lands, and implementing required mitigation measures. (continued on schedule o)as…

Environment
9
Washington Coast Sustainable Salmon Foundation

The foundation board is comprised of members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who devote their shared commitment and passion to collectively support protection and restoration of the washington coast region salmon by providing…

Animals
10
Zoological Society of San Diego

San diego zoo wildlife alliance is committed to saving species worldwide by uniting our expertise in wildlife care and conservation science with our dedication to inspiring passion for nature.

Animals
11
San Diego Habitat Conservancy

Acquire, manage and protect land in perpetuity that supports sensitive habitats and species, and to educate and inspire people and communities as stewards and advocates of their natural environment.

Arts & Culture
12
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
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Wild Salmon Center; the most unlike its peers is Red Bucket Equine Rescue. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

22 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. 22 of the 29 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.

3
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
21/22
Grantees still filing
17/22
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MAYO FOUNDATION: $2,000,000 · OtherMAYO FOUNDATIONTHE SALVATION ARMY: $1,000,000 · OtherTHE SALVATION ARMYWILD SALMON CENTER - THE STRONGHOLD FUND: $450,000 · OtherWILD SALMON CENTER - THE STRONGHOLD F…RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SAN DIEGO INC: $310,000 · OtherRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SA…+10 more: $390,103 · Other+10 moreTHE SKAGIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $1,600,000 · PhilanthropyTHE SKAGIT COMMUNITY F…Burundi Friends International: $695,000 · PhilanthropyBurundi Friends Intern…Kids Chance of Oregon: $175,000 · PhilanthropyKids Chance of OregonUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $1,975,000 · EducationUC SAN DIEGO FOUN…HELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER: $447,000 · AnimalsHELEN WOODWAR…THRIVE ANIMAL RESCUE INC: $350,000 · AnimalsTHRIVE ANIMAL…THE STRONGHOLD FUND: $300,000 · AnimalsTHE STRONGHOL…TROUT UNLIMITED INC: $200,000 · AnimalsTROUT UNLIMIT…WILD SALMON CENTER: $150,000 · AnimalsWILD SALMON C…+1 more: $10,000 · AnimalsSAN DIEGO CANYONLANDS INC: $1,100,395 · EnvironmentSAN DIEGO C…WILD SALMON RIVERS: $200,000 · EnvironmentWILD SALMON…Sharp Healthcare Foundation: $600,000 · HealthSharp Hea…ANGEL FLIGHT WEST INC: $400,000 · HealthANGEL FLI…BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SKAGIT COUNTY: $200,000 · Youth Development
Other$4,150,103Philanthropy$2,470,000Education$1,975,000Animals$1,457,000Environment$1,300,395Health$1,000,000Youth Development$200,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $1,975,000 over 8y, 0.7% of budgetTHE SKAGIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $1,600,000 over 7y, 37% of budgetSAN DIEGO CANYONLANDS INC: $1,100,395 over 8y, 22% of budgetBurundi Friends International: $695,000 over 6y, 56% of budgetSharp Healthcare Foundation: $600,000 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetHELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER: $447,000 over 6y, 1.5% of budgetANGEL FLIGHT WEST INC: $400,000 over 4y, 1.1% of budgetTHRIVE ANIMAL RESCUE INC: $350,000 over 7y, 19% of budgetRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SAN DIEGO INC: $310,000 over 4y, 0.9% of budgetTHE STRONGHOLD FUND: $300,000 over 2y, 16% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SKAGIT COUNTY: $200,000 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetWILD SALMON RIVERS: $200,000 over 2y, 23% of budgetTROUT UNLIMITED INC: $200,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetKids Chance of Oregon: $175,000 over 6y, 80% of budgetWILD SALMON CENTER: $150,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetMercy Corps: $60,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMERCY ENTERPRISE CORPORATION: $50,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EQUESTRIAN SPORTS: $50,000 over 1y, 3.2% of budgetTHE AOPA FOUNDATION INC: $30,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetLAS PATRONAS: $25,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetSILVER AGE YOGA COMMUNITY OUTREACH INC: $20,000 over 2y, 12% of budgetRED BUCKET EQUINE RESCUE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.8% 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 UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE SKAGIT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO CANYONLANDS INC ↗
  • Who funds Burundi Friends International ↗
  • Who funds Sharp Healthcare Foundation ↗
  • Who funds HELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER ↗
  • Who funds ANGEL FLIGHT WEST INC ↗
  • Who funds THRIVE ANIMAL RESCUE INC ↗
  • Who funds RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF SAN DIEGO INC ↗
  • Who funds THE STRONGHOLD FUND ↗
  • Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SKAGIT COUNTY ↗
  • Who funds WILD SALMON RIVERS ↗
  • Who funds TROUT UNLIMITED INC ↗
  • Who funds Kids Chance of Oregon ↗
  • Who funds WILD SALMON CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Mercy Corps ↗
  • Who funds MERCY ENTERPRISE CORPORATION ↗
  • Who funds SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EQUESTRIAN SPORTS ↗
  • Who funds THE AOPA FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds LAS PATRONAS ↗
  • Who funds SILVER AGE YOGA COMMUNITY OUTREACH INC ↗
  • Who funds RED BUCKET EQUINE RESCUE ↗

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.

The Bank of America C…Network for GoodNational Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation IncNC7.9× affinity6 shared granteesties to 7 of 7Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Network for Good · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · 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 Paulus Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Paulus Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 40%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 49%
  • Wild Salmon Center: 49% of income from government
  • Mercy Corps: 47% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
4get no government money at all
4report 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 29 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

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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