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Positive Step Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Positive Step Foundation Inc

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.

$131k
Granted FY2024still arriving
46
Grants FY2024still arriving
4
States reached
$18k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Animals$128kYouth Development$60kHuman Services$26kEnvironment$21kHealth$14kEmployment$7kHousing & Shelter$6kFood & Nutrition$5kOther$0
02FY2024 · 46 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k43 grants · $85k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $46k
$1,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$374k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
LACASA CENTER$17,772
BARK NATION$14,642
HOWELL NATURE CENTER$13,090
NO SWINE LEFT BEHIND$8,817
GRAND RAPIDS PITBULL ALLIANCE$6,955
THE ARC OF LIVINGSTON$6,200
DISTRICT 5 ANIMAL ALLIANCE$5,609
TAIL WAGGERS 1990$5,000
COMMUNITY CATALYSTS$5,000
CAPITAL AREA HUMANE SOCIETY$5,000
DOG AIDE$3,933
Individual grant recipient$3,737
LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY HUMANE SOCIETY$3,626
ODD MAN INN ANIMAL REFUGE$3,500
TORCH 180$3,500
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 (FY22–24, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 80% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%CALVIN JOHNSON JR FOUNDATION INC: $1k → 6%NATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM: $3k → 15%THE FOUNDATION FOR THE HORSE: $1k → 15%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

MI
OH
CA
KY
MD
TN
SC
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.

68%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$186k · 14 repeat orgs$87k to everyone else

14 repeat relationships: 13 still active in FY2024, 1 since wound down; 33 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

14
29

Total granted

$186k
$34k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

0%
+14%

Still filing today

64%
79%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 59% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $53k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
AnimalsYouth DevelopmentHuman ServicesEnvironmentEducationFood & NutritionOther
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

  • DETROIT HORSE POWER
    3× · 2020–2023 · $55k · revenue +327%
  • TA
    THE ARC LIVINGSTON
    4× · 2021–2024 · $14k · revenue +23%
  • DA
    DOG AIDE
    2× · 2023–2024 · $8k · revenue +11%

Funded once

  • MA
    Make A Difference Rescue Incgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $3k · revenue +45%
  • AM
    ACTION MATTERS (GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA)
    one grant, 2022 · $3k
  • KA
    K9 ANIMAL RESCUE EMERGENCY NETWORKgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $3k · revenue +154%
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
Freedom Tails Ohio

Animal Rescue

Animals
2
Paws and Claws Animal Shelter
Animals
3
Countryside Animal Rescue Inc

Rescuing rehabilitating and housing of abandoned and homeless dogs cats and small animals with the mission of finding them new forever homes

Animals
4
Jl Animal Rescue Inc
Animals
5
Animal Rescue and Adoption Agency Inc

An animal rescue/adoption Agency. Rescued animals are from kill shelters or owner surrenders facing hardship then rehabbed/medical completed while in foster care then adopted into loving homes.

Animals
6
Animal House of South East Michigan

We have been created to provide a number of humane companion animal related services to the community such as: 1) operate an animal rescue providing a haven for homeless animals 2) work to place those animals into homes 3) attempt to keep…

Animals
7
Donna's Love Pet Rescue
Animals
8
Fur Animal Rescue

Animal rescue organization dedicated to finding homes for animals at the animal shelter. we also provde vet care foster homes, and assistance with homing for special needs animals.

Animals
9
Raskels Rescue
Animals
10
Happy Tails Animal Rescue of Washin County Virginia
Animals
11
Their Lives Matter

Dog rescue and care nurturing finding a home

Animals
12
Barking Mad Animal Rescue

Rescue abused & abandoned dogs, urgent at risk of euthanasia dogs, medical needs & hospice dogs to provide veterinary care, rehabilitation, and find homes for dogs that become adoptable. Sanctuary til end of life is provided for those not…

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Michigan Humane Society; the most unlike its peers is Coalition to Protect Michigan Resources. 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

53 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. 53 of the 76 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)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
49/53
Grantees still filing
21/53
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

LACASA: $25,516 · OtherLACASAHOWELL NATURE CENTER: $19,940 · OtherHOWELL NATURE CENTERTHE ARC LIVINGSTON: $14,400 · OtherTHE ARC LIVINGSTONNO SWINE LEFT BEHIND: $10,759 · OtherNO SWINE LEFT BEHINDGRAND RAPIDS PITBULL ALLIANCE INC: $8,239 · OtherGRAND RAPIDS PITBULL ALLIANCE INCDISTRICT5ANIMALALLIANCEDETROIT: $5,609 · OtherSECOND CHANCES ANIMAL RESOURCES INC: $4,000 · Other+27 more: $25,488 · Other+27 moreBARK NATION: $30,599 · AnimalsBARK NATIONDOG AIDE: $7,690 · AnimalsDOG AIDETail Waggers 1990: $5,000 · AnimalsTail Waggers 1990INGHAM COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $5,000 · AnimalsINGHAM COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETYLITTLE TRAVERSE BAY HUMANE SOCIETY: $3,626 · AnimalsODD MAN INN ANIMAL REFUGE: $3,500 · AnimalsMake A Difference Rescue Inc: $3,430 · AnimalsK9 ANIMAL RESCUE EMERGENCY NETWORK: $3,239 · AnimalsMICHIGAN PIT BULL EDUCATION PROJECT: $3,117 · AnimalsANIMAL RESOURCE FUNDING FOUNDATION: $3,000 · Animals+22 more: $18,279 · Animals+22 moreDETROIT HORSE POWER: $54,500 · Youth DevelopmentDETROIT HORSE POWER+2 more: $1,500 · Youth DevelopmentCOMMUNITY CATALYSTS: $5,000 · Housing & ShelterNATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM INC: $3,000 · Human ServicesCalvin Johnson Jr Foundation Inc: $1,000 · Human ServicesTHE FOUNDATION FOR THE HORSE FKA THE AAEP FOUNDATION INC: $1,000 · Human ServicesTORCH 180: $4,500 · EmploymentCLEARY UNIVERSITY: $2,500 · EducationLIVINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL INC: $500 · Education
Other$113,951Animals$86,480Youth Development$56,000Housing & Shelter$5,000Human Services$5,000Employment$4,500Education$3,000

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 budgetDETROIT HORSE POWER: $54,500 over 3y, 1.4% of budgetBARK NATION: $30,599 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetLACASA: $25,516 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetHOWELL NATURE CENTER: $19,940 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetTHE ARC LIVINGSTON: $14,400 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetDOG AIDE: $7,690 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetCOMMUNITY CATALYSTS: $5,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetTail Waggers 1990: $5,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetINGHAM COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTORCH 180: $4,500 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetLITTLE TRAVERSE BAY HUMANE SOCIETY: $3,626 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetODD MAN INN ANIMAL REFUGE: $3,500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetMake A Difference Rescue Inc: $3,430 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetK9 ANIMAL RESCUE EMERGENCY NETWORK: $3,239 over 1y, 3.2% of budgetMICHIGAN PIT BULL EDUCATION PROJECT: $3,117 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetNATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCATE PROGRAM INC: $3,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCLEARY UNIVERSITY: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDANNY & RONS RESCUE: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetALL SPECIES KINSHIP: $2,325 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetMICHIGAN HUMANE SOCIETY: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOld Friends Inc: $1,983 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMITTEN MISFITS FARM SANCTUARY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetLUCKY DAY ANIMAL RESCUE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetCalvin Johnson Jr Foundation Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetWILLIAMSTON THEATRE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMISFIT ANGELS RESCUE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetNORTH STAR REACH: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FOUNDATION FOR THE HORSE FKA THE AAEP FOUNDATION INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEVA BURRELL ANIMAL SHELTER: $750 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPAWS AWES & CLAWS: $750 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetRebel Dogs Detroit Inc: $526 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: $504 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLIVINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL INC: $500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetAMBER REINECK HOUSE: $500 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetCLARKSTON FAMILY DISCOVERY FARM: $500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetOGEMAW COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPOET ANIMAL RESCUE: $500 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetRECYCLE LIVINGSTON INC: $500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetCOALITION TO PROTECT MICHIGAN RESOURCES: $500 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetLivingston Land Conservancy Inc: $500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetBOUNTIFUL HARVEST INC: $444 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetBIRD CENTER OF MICHIGAN INC: $376 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetHAPPY FEET PET RESCUE: $350 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetLOVE FROM LOUIE INC: $264 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetANIMAL PLACEMENT BUREAU: $250 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetGREAT LAKES HUMANE SOCIETY: $250 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetGREAT LAKES DOG RESCUE INC: $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.

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.

Ted and Jane Von Voig…Community Foundation …BISSELL Pet FoundationEdward and June Kello…Paypal Charitable Giv…DTE Energy FoundationAnn Arbor SparkCharles Stewart Mott …Robert W & Maxine C P…Livingston County Uni…Von Voigtlander Famil…Harry a and Margaret …
Ted and Jane Von Voigtlander FoundationMI22× affinity8 shared granteesties to 10 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Ted and Jane Von Voigtlander Foundation · Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · BISSELL Pet Foundation · Edward and June Kellogg Foundation Dba Kellogg Family Foundation · Paypal Charitable Giving Fund · DTE Energy Foundation · Ann Arbor Spark · Charles Stewart Mott Foundation · Robert W & Maxine C Parker Foundation Inc · Livingston County United Way · Von Voigtlander Family Foundation · Harry a and Margaret D Towsley 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 Positive Step Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Positive Step Foundation Inc. 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
    8report 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 Positive Step Foundation Inc?

    Find your warmest path to Positive Step 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 76 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 Positive Step’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