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Robert Gould Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Robert Gould Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$309k
Granted FY2025still arriving
24
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$55k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0192% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$325kRecreation & Sports$300kEnvironment$253kAnimals$246kEducation$210kHuman Services$210kFood & Nutrition$89kHealth$78kOther$0
02FY2025 · 24 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k11 grants · $49k
  • $10k–50k12 grants · $205k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $55k
$10,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$6.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CET$55,000
ASPEN VALLEY SKI AND SNOWBOARD CLUB$45,000
CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER$30,000
IMANI FAMILY LEARNING CENTER$25,000
ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS$20,000
CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER$15,000
CARDINAL LAND CONSERVANCY$10,000
CINCINNATI ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDEN$10,000
WYO WEST WARRIORS FOUNDATION$10,000
TAFT MUSEUM OF ART$10,000
PROKIDS$10,000
FREESTORE FOODBANK$10,000
CREATURE CONSERVE$10,000
STEPPING STONES CENTER$5,000
IN5$5,000
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 (FY17–25, $20k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 50% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants spread fairly evenly across need levels.

area typical 11%WYO WEST WARRIORS FOUNDATION: $10k → 10%STEPING STONE: $10k → 16%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.

88%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.9M · 32 repeat orgs$274k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +51% since the first grant, against +28% for those funded once.

32 repeat relationships: 20 still active in FY2025, 12 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

32
20

Total granted

$1.9M
$234k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+51%
+28%

Still filing today

66%
35%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 87% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $40k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEnvironmentHealthRecreation & SportsAnimalsEducationOther
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

  • AV
    ASPEN VALLEY SKISNOWBOARD CLUB INC
    7× · 2017–2025 · $275k · revenue +84%
  • CN
    CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER
    8× · 2017–2025 · $203k · revenue +39%
  • FF
    FREESTORE FOODBANK INC
    8× · 2017–2025 · $72k · revenue +61%

Funded once

  • TG
    The Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation
    one grant, 2020 · $45k · revenue +16%
  • F
    FOCUS
    one grant, 2017 · $35k
  • PS
    PROGRESSIVE SENIOR CITZENS CLUB
    one grant, 2024 · $30k
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
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra

Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra (CCO) creates intimate, transformative experiences that connect the musically curious.

Arts & Culture
2
Cincinnati Observatory Center

The mission of the cincinnati observatory is to maintain the integrity and heritage of an historic 19th century observatory and to educate, engage, and inspire our community about astronomy and science.

Arts & Culture
3
Cincinnati Parks Foundation

To build broad based private/public partnerships supporting the conservation and enhancement of our City's parks and greenspaces.

Recreation & Sports
4
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

We are Cincinnati's national theater - committed to bringing diverse, engaging works of great artistry to our community, and to putting Cincinnati's artistic excellence in the national spotlight.

Arts & Culture
5
Columbus Zoological Park Association

Empowering people. saving wildlife.

Animals
6
Cincinnati Zoo Foundation Inc

Perform fundraising functions, provide financial support, carryout the purpose and otherwise operating for the benefit of the zoological society of cincinnati.

Animals
7
Colorado Museum of Natural History

Be a catalyst! Ignite our community's passion for nature and science.

Arts & Culture
8
Cincinnati Preservation Association

To empower and educate people to value, preserve and save greater cincinnati's historic buildings, communities, landscapes and stories.

Arts & Culture
9
The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati

The mission of The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is to educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming. Our vision is to awaken a lifelong love of…

Arts & Culture
10
Indian Hill Historical Museum Associatio

Archive History of Community

Arts & Culture
11
Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati

Ensemble theatre of cincinnati is a professional theatre rooted in historic over-the- rhine, dedicated to engaging, enriching and inspiring audiences through our thought-provoking world and regional premier productions, creating and…

Arts & Culture
12
Cincinnati Usa Regional Chamber

To grow the vibrancy and economic prosperity of the cincinnati region.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Cincinnati Museum Association; the most unlike its peers is Cooper Spur Race Team. 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

31 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 31 of the 56 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)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
31/31
Grantees still filing
22/31
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CET: $320,000 · OtherCETImani Family Learning Center: $155,000 · OtherImani Family Learning CenterCincinnati Zoo Botanical Garden: $125,000 · OtherCincinnati Zoo Botanical GardenSTEPPING STONES CENTER: $47,500 · OtherTHE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL: $52,000 · Other+32 more: $403,675 · Other+32 moreCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $95,000 · Arts & CultureCINCINNATI MUSE…TAFT MUSEUM OF ART: $70,000 · Arts & CultureTAFT MUSEUM OF …The Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation: $45,000 · Arts & CultureThe Greater Cin…Historic Southwest Ohio Inc: $35,000 · Arts & CultureHistoric Southw…Friends of Harriet Beecher Stowe House: $17,000 · Arts & CultureFriends of Harr…CINCINNATI MUSEUM ASSOCIATION: $15,000 · Arts & CultureThe Contemporary Arts Center: $12,500 · Arts & Culture+2 more: $11,000 · Arts & CultureASPEN VALLEY SKISNOWBOARD CLUB INC: $275,000 · Recreation & SportsASPEN VALLEY S…+1 more: $3,200 · Recreation & SportsCINCINNATI NATURE CENTER: $202,500 · EnvironmentCINCINNATI NA…CARDINAL LAND CONSERVANCY: $45,000 · EnvironmentCARDINAL LAND…GORMAN HERITAGE FARM FOUNDATION: $10,000 · Environment+1 more: $5,000 · EnvironmentZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CINCINNATI: $65,000 · AnimalsCREATURE CONSERVE INC: $55,000 · AnimalsFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $71,700 · Food & NutritionProKids: $70,000 · Civil Rights
Other$1,103,175Arts & Culture$300,500Recreation & Sports$278,200Environment$262,500Animals$120,000Food & Nutrition$71,700Civil Rights$70,000

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 budgetASPEN VALLEY SKISNOWBOARD CLUB INC: $275,000 over 7y, 0.6% of budgetCINCINNATI NATURE CENTER: $202,500 over 8y, 0.9% of budgetCINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER: $95,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $71,700 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetTAFT MUSEUM OF ART: $70,000 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetProKids: $70,000 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CINCINNATI: $65,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCREATURE CONSERVE INC: $55,000 over 6y, 18% of budgetTHE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL: $52,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetCARDINAL LAND CONSERVANCY: $45,000 over 7y, 1.6% of budgetThe Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation: $45,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetHistoric Southwest Ohio Inc: $35,000 over 5y, 2.6% of budgetPeaslee Neighborhood Center Inc: $27,500 over 4y, 2.4% of budgetMAY WE HELP INC: $25,000 over 4y, 1.7% of budgetASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS: $20,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetBIG HORN EQUESTRIAN CENTER INC: $17,275 over 4y, 6.5% of budgetFriends of Harriet Beecher Stowe House: $17,000 over 4y, 2.8% of budgetBEECHWOOD HOME: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCINCINNATI MUSEUM ASSOCIATION: $15,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetThe Contemporary Arts Center: $12,500 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetSTEPPING STONES INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetOVER-THE-RHINE MUSEUM: $10,000 over 2y, 4.5% of budgetRosemary's Babies Co: $10,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetGORMAN HERITAGE FARM FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetCOVINGTON LADIES HOME INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetROOTED IN WYOMING: $7,000 over 2y, 2.0% of budgetNew York Center for Living Inc: $5,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCOOPER SPUR RACE TEAM: $3,200 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetCincinnati Public Radio Inc: $1,000 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.

  • Who funds ASPEN VALLEY SKISNOWBOARD CLUB INC ↗
  • Who funds CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER ↗
  • Who funds CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER ↗
  • Who funds FREESTORE FOODBANK INC ↗
  • Who funds TAFT MUSEUM OF ART ↗
  • Who funds ProKids ↗
  • Who funds ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CINCINNATI ↗
  • Who funds CREATURE CONSERVE INC ↗
  • Who funds THE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds CARDINAL LAND CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds The Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation ↗
  • Who funds Historic Southwest Ohio Inc ↗
  • Who funds Peaslee Neighborhood Center Inc ↗
  • Who funds MAY WE HELP INC ↗
  • Who funds ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS ↗
  • Who funds BIG HORN EQUESTRIAN CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds Friends of Harriet Beecher Stowe House ↗
  • Who funds BEECHWOOD HOME ↗
  • Who funds CINCINNATI MUSEUM ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds The Contemporary Arts Center ↗
  • Who funds WYO WEST WARRIOR FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds STEPPING STONES INC ↗
  • Who funds OVER-THE-RHINE MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds Rosemary's Babies Co ↗
  • Who funds GORMAN HERITAGE FARM FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds COVINGTON LADIES HOME INC ↗

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 Greater Cincinnat…Robert a & Marian K K…Louise Taft Semple Fo…Charles Scott Riley I…Elsa M Heisel Sule Ch…Ge Aerospace Foundati…The Thomas J Emery Me…Charles H Dater Found…John a Schroth Family…Carol Ann and Ralph V…Andrew Jergens Founda…John Hauck Foundation…
The Greater Cincinnati FoundationOH29.2× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Greater Cincinnati Foundation · Robert a & Marian K Kennedy Charitable Trust · Louise Taft Semple Foundation · Charles Scott Riley III Foundation · Elsa M Heisel Sule Charitable Trust 2005 · Ge Aerospace Foundation · The Thomas J Emery Memorial · Charles H Dater Foundation Inc · John a Schroth Family Char Tr · Carol Ann and Ralph V Haile Jr Foundation · Andrew Jergens Foundation · John Hauck Foundation Fifth Third Bank Na

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 Robert Gould Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Robert Gould Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%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
    1get no government money at all
    11report 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.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Robert Gould Foundation Inc?

    Find your warmest path to Robert Gould 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 56 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 Robert Gould’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