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Sage Charitable Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Sage Charitable 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.

$3.1M
Granted FY2025still arriving
18
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$2.0M
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, FY2019 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$468kEducation$351kEnvironment$317kHealth$212kPhilanthropy$135kReligion$51kCrime & Legal$47kInternational$25kOther$0
02FY2025 · 18 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k3 grants · $5k
  • $10k–50k9 grants · $205k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $367k
  • $250k+2 grants · $2.5M
$25,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$967k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS$2,010,000
FOREST PARK FOREVER$501,000
STARKLOFF DISABILITY INSTITUTE$100,000
GATEWAY ARCH PARK FOUNDATION$100,000
CENTRAL REFORM CONGREGATION$100,000
GRAND CENTER INC$67,485
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN$35,000
JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL$25,000
JAZZ ST LOUIS$25,000
RIVER CITY JOURNALISM FUND$25,000
THE FOUNDATION FOR BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL$25,000
JEWISH FEDERATION OF ST LOUIS$25,000
NINE PBS$25,000
ST LOUIS ART MUSUEM FOUNDATION$10,000
OPERA THEATRE OF ST LOUIS$10,000
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 (FY21–25, $35k) land where the poverty rate runs at 21%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 90% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC: $25k → 23%FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $2k → 21%FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $1k → 21%FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $1k → 21%FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $1k → 21%FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $1k → 21%COVENANT PLACE FOUNDATION: $2k → 11%COVENANT PLACE FOUNDATION: $1k → 11%COVENANT PLACE FOUNDATION: $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.

86%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.9M · 26 repeat orgs$635k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +47% since the first grant, against -4% for those funded once.

26 repeat relationships: 15 still active in FY2025, 11 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

26
23

Total granted

$3.9M
$131k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+47%
-4%

Still filing today

88%
70%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 84% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $504k went to new ones.

50%100%’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationEnvironmentHealthHuman ServicesRecreation & SportsOther
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

  • WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
    5× · 2019–2025 · $2.2M · revenue +44%
  • MB
    MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    5× · 2019–2025 · $340k · revenue +11%
  • TF
    THE FOUNDATION FOR BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL
    6× · 2020–2025 · $175k · revenue +69%

Funded once

  • MF
    MEDS & FOOD FOR KIDS
    one grant, 2021 · $25k · revenue -4%
  • EM
    ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC INC
    one grant, 2024 · $25k · revenue 0%
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2024 · $11k
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
Museum of Arts and Design

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

Arts & Culture
2
Thomas Jefferson School

Thomas jefferson school engages its students in the education necessary to live as responsible citizens of the world. through the strongest possible college-prepatory program and within a nurturing community, students develop a…

—
3
St Louis Science Center Foundation

Support the st. louis science center and its comprehensive array of educational outreach programs to the community in order to increase interest, understanding and enthusiasm for stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Science & Tech
4
Municipal Theatre Association of St Louis

The muny is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre accessible to all, continuing its remarkable tradition in forest park.

Arts & Culture
5
Columbia College Chicago

The organization's mission is to educate students for creative occupations in diverse fields of arts and media.

Education
6
Music Institute of Chicago

The music institute of chicago ("music institute") leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music, by providing widely accessible resources for high quality music teaching, performing, and service activities.

Arts & Culture
7
The Saint Louis Zoo Association

The saint louis zoo association was established to support and enhance the saint louis zoo by providing facilities, funds, and advice. the association provides direct financial support to the zoo for renovations, new facilities, programs,…

Animals
8
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
9
Greater St Louis Inc

Greater st. louis, inc. brings together business and civic leaders to create jobs, drive inclusive economic growth, and increase the st. louis metro area's global competitiveness. we speak with a unified voice, lead with a bold agenda, and…

Community Improvement
10
New York School of Interior Design

New york school of interior design provides the most innovative, immersive, and transformative interior design education in the world, demonstrating the impact of professionally designed interiors on the health, happiness, and well-being…

Education
11
Columbia College

Columbia college improves lives by providing quality education to both traditional and nontraditional students, helping them achieve their true potential.

Education
12
St Louis Community Foundation

To promote the possibilities of charitable giving, helping charitable citizens understand how they can effectively provide for the community they love and the causes they care deeply about.

Philanthropy
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is St Louis Art Museum Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Project Lab St Louis. 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

42 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. 42 of the 52 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
8
Early backer (in before they grew)
41/42
Grantees still filing
25/42
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $2,210,000 · EducationWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY+6 more: $144,000 · Education+6 moreForest Park Forever Inc: $501,000 · EnvironmentForest Park Forever …MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES: $340,000 · EnvironmentMISSOURI BOTANICAL G…+2 more: $11,000 · EnvironmentRIVER CITY JOURNALISM FUND INC: $95,000 · Arts & CultureRIVER CITY…ST LOUIS REGIONAL PUBLIC MEDIA INC: $75,000 · Arts & CultureST LOUIS R…GRAND CENTER INC: $71,985 · Arts & CultureGRAND CENT…JAZZ ST LOUIS: $47,000 · Arts & CultureJAZZ ST LO…FILM INDEPENDENT: $40,000 · Arts & CultureFILM INDEP…Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: $40,000 · Arts & CultureOpera Thea…ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM FOUNDATION: $27,000 · Arts & CultureST LOUIS A…+7 more: $24,500 · Arts & Culture+7 moreST LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO: $153,000 · OtherST LOUIS PUB…CENTRAL REFORM CONGREGATION: $151,000 · OtherCENTRAL REFO…MARY INSTITUTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL: $30,000 · OtherMARY INSTITU…ARCHCITY DEFENDERS: $47,000 · OtherARCHCITY DEF…ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC INC: $25,000 · OtherMEDS & FOOD FOR KIDS: $25,000 · Other+15 more: $74,900 · Other+15 moreTHE FOUNDATION FOR BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL: $175,000 · HealthSTARKLOFF DISABILITY INSTITUTE: $149,000 · Health+1 more: $2,000 · HealthJewish Federation of St Louis: $160,000 · PhilanthropyGATEWAY ARCH PARK FOUNDATION: $112,000 · Recreation & Sports+1 more: $2,500 · Recreation & Sports
Education$2,354,000Environment$852,000Arts & Culture$420,485Other$505,900Health$326,000Philanthropy$160,000Recreation & Sports$114,500

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 budgetWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $2,210,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES: $340,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FOUNDATION FOR BARNES-JEWISH HOSPITAL: $175,000 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetJewish Federation of St Louis: $160,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetSTARKLOFF DISABILITY INSTITUTE: $149,000 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetGATEWAY ARCH PARK FOUNDATION: $112,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetRIVER CITY JOURNALISM FUND INC: $95,000 over 4y, 41% of budgetST LOUIS REGIONAL PUBLIC MEDIA INC: $75,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetGRAND CENTER INC: $71,985 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetCITY ACADEMY INC: $57,000 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetJOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL: $50,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetJAZZ ST LOUIS: $47,000 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetARCHCITY DEFENDERS: $47,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetFILM INDEPENDENT: $40,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetOpera Theatre of Saint Louis: $40,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetST LOUIS ART MUSEUM FOUNDATION: $27,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMEDS & FOOD FOR KIDS: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetMary Institute and St Louis Country Day School: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetURBAN ARTS MUSIC: $10,000 over 1y, 11% of budgetMISSOURI CURES EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetDONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER: $6,700 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetFLANCE MANAGEMENT INC D/B/A FLANCE EARLY LEARNING CENTER: $6,200 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetFRIENDS OF BOGARDUS PLAZA INC: $6,000 over 2y, 9.6% of budgetST LOUIS UNIVERSITY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetST LOUIS DANCE THEATRE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetJournalism Funding Partners: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE GARDEN CONSERVANCY INC: $5,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCOVENANT PLACE FOUNDATION: $3,500 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetMENT LTD: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM ST LOUIS: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLIFT FOR LIFE ACADEMY INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Symphony Orchestra: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetProvident Inc: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCENTER OF CREATIVE ARTS: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJUILLIARD SCHOOL: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBALLET HISPANICO OF NEW YORK INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUNIVERSITY CITY CHILDREN'S CENTER: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF JAZZ ST LOUIS: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBE LOUD SOPHIE FOUNDATION: $500 over 1y, 0.1% 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.

St Louis Community Fo…St Louis Community Fo…The Kranzberg Family …Centene FoundationWorld Wide Technology…The John and Alison F…Trio Foundation of St…United Way of Greater…Employees Community F…Jordan Mary R & Ettie…Pershing Charitable T…Sam and Marilyn Fox F…
St Louis Community Foundation IncMO34× affinity15 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: St Louis Community Foundation Inc · St Louis Community Foundation · The Kranzberg Family Charitable Foundation · Centene Foundation · World Wide Technology Foundation · The John and Alison Ferring Family Foundation · Trio Foundation of St Louis · United Way of Greater St Louis Inc · Employees Community Fund of the Boeing Company · Jordan Mary R & Ettie a Charitable · Pershing Charitable Trust · Sam and Marilyn Fox 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 Sage Charitable Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Sage Charitable Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%3%10%23%40%funder's share of their income ↑0%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get 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 · 0–40%
    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 52 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 Sage’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