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Ray Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Ray Foundation

Its FY2023 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$442k
Granted FY2023
14
Grants FY2023
1
States reached
$60k
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, FY2017 to 2023.

Education$3.5MAnimals$971kYouth Development$669kCrime & Legal$343kFood & Nutrition$314kHuman Services$232kHousing & Shelter$167kEnvironment$83kOther$0
02FY2023 · 14 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2023

  • $10k–50k13 grants · $382k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $60k
$33,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
LARIMER COUNTY PARTNERS INC$60,000
THE GREELEY DREAM TEAM$45,000
SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATE CENTER$40,000
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF WELD COUNTY$40,000
ANIMAL FRIENDS ALLIANCE$35,357
PROJECT SELF-SUFFICIENCY$33,000
WELD FOOD BANK$33,000
FOOD BANK FOR LARIMER COUNTY$33,000
HOMEWARD ALLIANCE INC$33,000
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE INC$22,500
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF LARIMER COUNTY$21,480
COLORADO YOUTH OUTDOORS$20,700
FINALLY HOME$15,000
CHILDSAFE COLORADO INC$10,320
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 (FY17–23, $121k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%LIVE THE VICTORY INC: $53k → 11%HOMEWARD ALLIANCE INC: $33k → 11%LIVE THE VICTORY INC: $25k → 11%HOMELESS GEAR 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.
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 55% of Ray Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 100% of the giving stays in CO; by stated purpose, 49%.

Ray Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
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.

100%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$6.3M · 16 repeat orgs$30k to everyone else

16 repeat relationships: 14 still active in FY2023, 2 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

16
2

Total granted

$6.3M
$30k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+66%
+124%

Still filing today

100%
100%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
EducationFood & NutritionYouth DevelopmentHuman ServicesAnimalsReligionOther
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

  • AF
    ANIMAL FRIENDS ALLIANCE
    5× · 2019–2023 · $951k · revenue +109%
  • LC
    LARIMER COUNTY PARTNERS DBA PARTNERS MENTORING YOUTH
    7× · 2017–2023 · $345k · revenue +78%
  • TG
    THE GREELEY DREAM TEAM INC
    5× · 2019–2023 · $180k · revenue +81%

Funded once

  • TW
    THE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARYgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $20k · revenue +124%
  • Care and Share Incgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue +45%
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
Safehouse Denver Inc

Safehouse denver assists adult, children, and youth in reclaiming their right to a life free from domestic violence. the agency provides a broad spectrum of culturally competent, trauma-informed services, including but not limited to,…

Human Services
2
Children's Bureau Inc

Empowering individuals to build stronger families and communities.

Human Services
3
Colorado Center On Law and Policy

Colorado center on law and policy is an antipoverty organization advancing the rights of every coloradan.

Crime & Legal
4
Lutheran Social Services of Colorado

Rooted in the values of kindness, dignity and social justice, lfsrm strenghtens communities by providing support, guidance, and resource coordination to individuals and families throughout the rocky mountain region.

—
5
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence Inc

To provide safe shelter, support and advocacy for adults and their children, and to provide an end to violence against adults, youth and children through support, advocacy and community organizing.

Human Services
6
Family Housing Network of Fort Collins Inc

Faith Family Hospitality's mission is to support families experiencing homelessness to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency in a timely and dignified manner. This interfaith volunteer effort coordinates the work of 30 diverse Fort Collins…

Human Services
7
The Conflict Center

The conflict center equips people with practical skills to navigate, transform and embrace everyday conflict.

Crime & Legal
8
A Shared Vision Partners in Pediatric Blindness and Visual Imp

A Shared Vision educates, inspires, and empowers families to nurture the development of their young children who are blind or visually impaired. We provide early intervention vision services in families' homes and community settings…

Health
9
Colorado Ag Water Alliance

Works with farmers and ranchers to address water issues around the state impacting agriculture.

Environment
10
La Plata Youth Services

La Plata Youth Services, Inc. supports and advocates for youth facing challenges in school, home and court.

Crime & Legal
11
Christian Family Care Agency Inc

The mission of christian family care is to strengthen families and serve at-risk children in the name of jesus christ. the outcome of our work results in building flourishing families and communities focusing on three pillars: preserve,…

Human Services
12
Colorado Dream Foundation

We partner with youth and their families as they successfully navigate school, college, and career by providing a holistic academic, social, and emotional program from elementary school through college, along with post-secondary…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Community Foundation of Northern Colorado; the most unlike its peers is Finally Home Foundation. 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

19 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.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
8
Early backer (in before they grew)
19/19
Grantees still filing
16/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $3,334,079 · EducationCOLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONSEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATE CENTER: $160,000 · Education+1 more: $60,000 · EducationANIMAL FRIENDS ALLIANCE: $950,857 · AnimalsANIMAL FRIENDS AL…+1 more: $20,000 · AnimalsLARIMER COUNTY PARTNERS DBA PARTNERS MENTORING YOUTH: $345,000 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LARIMER COUNTY: $85,920 · Youth DevelopmentTHE GREELEY DREAM TEAM INC: $180,000 · OtherTHE GREELEY…THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF WELD COUNTY INC: $160,000 · OtherTHE BOYS AN…COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE INC: $90,000 · OtherCOURT APPOI…CHILDSAFE COLORADO INC: $92,880 · OtherCHILDSAFE C…COLORADO YOUTH OUTDOORS CHARITABLE TRUST: $82,800 · OtherCOLORADO YO…+1 more: $20,000 · OtherThe Food Bank for Larimer County: $157,000 · Food & NutritionWELD FOOD BANK: $147,000 · Food & Nutrition+1 more: $10,000 · Food & NutritionHOMEWARD ALLIANCE INC: $167,000 · Human ServicesTHE MATTHEWS HOUSE: $77,832 · Human ServicesPROJECT SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF NORTHERN COLORADO: $172,000 · Religion
Education$3,554,079Animals$970,857Youth Development$430,920Other$625,680Food & Nutrition$314,000Human Services$244,832Religion$172,000

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 budgetCOLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $3,334,079 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetANIMAL FRIENDS ALLIANCE: $950,857 over 5y, 17% of budgetLARIMER COUNTY PARTNERS DBA PARTNERS MENTORING YOUTH: $345,000 over 7y, 7.0% of budgetTHE GREELEY DREAM TEAM INC: $180,000 over 5y, 7.3% of budgetPROJECT SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF NORTHERN COLORADO: $172,000 over 7y, 2.1% of budgetHOMEWARD ALLIANCE INC: $167,000 over 7y, 1.4% of budgetTHE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF WELD COUNTY INC: $160,000 over 5y, 1.9% of budgetSEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATE CENTER: $160,000 over 5y, 3.3% of budgetThe Food Bank for Larimer County: $157,000 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetWELD FOOD BANK: $147,000 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetCHILDSAFE COLORADO INC: $92,880 over 6y, 6.0% of budgetCOURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE INC: $90,000 over 5y, 2.5% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LARIMER COUNTY: $85,920 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetCOLORADO YOUTH OUTDOORS CHARITABLE TRUST: $82,800 over 5y, 2.1% of budgetTHE MATTHEWS HOUSE: $77,832 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetFinally Home Foundation: $60,000 over 5y, 4.8% of budgetTHE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN COLORADO: $20,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCare and Share Inc: $10,000 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.

Otter Cares Foundatio…Colorado Gives Founda…Community Foundation …El Pomar FoundationNorthern Colorado Uni…Realities for Childre…Don & May Wilkins Cha…United Way of Larimer…Anschutz Family Found…Weld Community Founda…Woodward Governor Cha…Nebraska Community Fo…
Otter Cares Foundation AKA OTTERCARES FOUNDATIONCO32.2× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Otter Cares Foundation AKA OTTERCARES FOUNDATION · Colorado Gives Foundation · Community Foundation of Northern Colorado · El Pomar Foundation · Northern Colorado United for Youth · Realities for Children Charities · Don & May Wilkins Charitable Trust · United Way of Larimer County · Anschutz Family Foundation · Weld Community Foundation · Woodward Governor Charitable Trust · Nebraska Community 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 Ray Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ray Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    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 19 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 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Ray’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