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Simmons Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Simmons 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.

$50k
Granted FY2025still arriving
20
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$10k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0194% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$75kReligion$60kEducation$33kHealth$20kHuman Services$14kAnimals$13kPublic Safety & Disaster$7kHousing & Shelter$6kOther$0
02FY2025 · 20 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k19 grants · $40k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $10k
$2,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$1.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Individual grant recipient$10,000
EAST COWETA BAND BOOSTERS$7,500
SPIRITUS SANCTUS ACADEMY$4,000
MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC$3,900
BETHEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST$3,500
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY$2,500
HEROES PTO INC$2,500
JAMESTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL$2,500
YOUTH ARTS ALLIANCE$2,000
DETROIT CATHOLIC PASTORAL ALLIANCE$2,000
HERE TO HELP FOUNDATION$2,000
WASHTENAW ONE HUNDRED$1,500
HUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY$1,500
ARBOR HOSPICE$1,200
ANN ARBOR ART CENTER$900
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 (FY20–25, $17k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 43% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants spread fairly evenly across need levels.

area typical 11%MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC: $4k → 8%MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC: $2k → 8%MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC: $2k → 8%MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC: $2k → 8%MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER INC: $1k → 8%ARBOR HOSPICE: $2k → 14%ARBOR HOSPICE: $2k → 14%ARBOR HOSPICE: $1k → 14%ARBOR HOSPICE: $1k → 14%ARBOR HOSPICE: $1k → 14%ARBOR HOSPICE: $1k → 14%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.

93%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$280k · 24 repeat orgs$21k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +59% since the first grant, against +2% for those funded once.

24 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

24
12

Total granted

$280k
$15k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+59%
+2%

Still filing today

50%
67%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 88% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $6k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureYouth DevelopmentHuman ServicesPhilanthropyEducationAnimalsOther
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

  • EC
    EAST COWETA BAND BOOSTERS INC
    5× · 2020–2025 · $53k · revenue +63%
  • YA
    YOUTH ARTS ALLIANCE
    6× · 2020–2025 · $16k · revenue +132%
  • HS
    HUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY
    6× · 2020–2025 · $10k · revenue +6%

Funded once

  • FL
    Funding Love Corpgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $3k · revenue +224%
  • DR
    DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTERS OF MICHIGAN INCgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $2k · revenue +57%
  • M2
    Matthew 25 Ministries Inc
    one grant, 2020 · $2k · revenue -9%
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
Home Builders Association of Michigan

A voice of the building industry in Michigan. The primary purpose is to positively influence the legislative, regulatory and legal issues that affect the industry.

—
2
Habitat for Humanity of Michigan Inc

Our mission is to assist our affiliates to increase capacity to build simple decent homes in partnership with people in need in the State of Michigan.

Housing & Shelter
3
Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County Inc

Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

—
4
Homeless Action Network of Detroit

Our mission is to increase awareness of the problems of people who are homeless and the development and carrying out of strategies to create permanent solutions to homelessness in our community.

Human Services
5
Hospice of Michigan Inc

Hospice of Michigan, Inc. meets our patients and families where they are with urgency, purpose and compassionate accountability surrounding them with decades of dedicated hospice expertise.

Human Services
6
The Michigan Glass Project
Public Benefit
7
Detroit Historical Society

The Detroit Historical Society tells Detroit's stories and why they matter through its exhibits, programs, outreach, and the preservation and dissemination of its artifacts and collections.

Arts & Culture
8
Washtenaw Housing Alliance

The mission of the washtenaw housing alliance is to end homelessness in our community.

Housing & Shelter
9
Detroit Donates Inc
Housing & Shelter
10
Historical Society of Michigan

The Historical Society of Michigan will foster in citizens a deeper understanding of and appreciation for all Michigan history through programs and publications; preserve and promote Michigan history through conferences, publications,…

Arts & Culture
11
Food Bank of Eastern Michigan

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan's mission is to be the Food Source for people in need. Partnering with organizations to feed the hungry, we advocate and build a community solution to a community problem. By leveraging an abundance of…

Food & Nutrition
12
Habitat for Humanity - Grand Traverse Region

Habitat for humanity - grand traverse region is an ecumenical christian housing ministry. the organization works in partnership with people to improve the conditions in which they live by providing affordable housing. habitat challenges…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Evangelical Homes of Michigan Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Here to Help Foundation. 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

23 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. 23 of the 40 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)
9
Early backer (in before they grew)
21/23
Grantees still filing
14/23
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $50,500 · OtherIndividual grant recipientSPIRITUS SANCTUS ACADEMY: $27,500 · OtherSPIRITUS SANCTUS ACADEMYBETHEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: $23,300 · OtherBETHEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: $15,500 · OtherMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYREGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: $9,500 · OtherWILLIAMSTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS: $9,000 · OtherWASHTENAW ONE HUNDRED INC: $6,200 · Other+23 more: $43,850 · Other+23 moreEAST COWETA BAND BOOSTERS INC: $53,000 · Arts & CultureEAST COWETA BAND BOOST…Ann Arbor Art Association: $5,500 · Arts & CultureAnn Arbor Art Associat…YOUTH ARTS ALLIANCE: $15,750 · Youth DevelopmentAmerican Heritage Girls Inc: $2,000 · Youth DevelopmentMICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER: $9,700 · Human ServicesArbor Hospice Inc: $7,200 · Human ServicesHUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY: $10,000 · AnimalsHERE TO HELP FOUNDATION: $6,000 · PhilanthropyFunding Love Corp: $2,500 · PhilanthropyTHE DETROIT CATHOLIC PASTORAL ALLIANCE: $4,000 · Religion
Other$185,350Arts & Culture$58,500Youth Development$17,750Human Services$16,900Animals$10,000Philanthropy$8,500Religion$4,000

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 budgetEAST COWETA BAND BOOSTERS INC: $53,000 over 5y, 5.2% of budgetYOUTH ARTS ALLIANCE: $15,750 over 6y, 2.0% of budgetHUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY: $10,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetMICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER: $9,700 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetArbor Hospice Inc: $7,200 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetWASHTENAW ONE HUNDRED INC: $6,200 over 5y, 1.0% of budgetHERE TO HELP FOUNDATION: $6,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetAnn Arbor Art Association: $5,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetTHE DETROIT CATHOLIC PASTORAL ALLIANCE: $4,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetEVANGELICAL HOMES OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATION: $4,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetFunding Love Corp: $2,500 over 1y, 6.0% of budgetHeroes PTO Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 4.5% of budgetHABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF HURON VALLEY: $2,400 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Heritage Girls Inc: $2,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetDISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTERS OF MICHIGAN INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetMatthew 25 Ministries Inc: $1,625 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFORGOTTEN HARVEST INC: $1,625 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetINTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR PEACE & JUSTICE: $1,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetASHEVILLE SCHOOL INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFOOD GATHERERS: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetADVENT HOUSE MINISTRIES INC: $250 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 EAST COWETA BAND BOOSTERS INC ↗
  • Who funds YOUTH ARTS ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds HUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY ↗
  • Who funds MICHIGAN ARMED FORCES HOSPITALITY CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Arbor Hospice Inc ↗
  • Who funds WASHTENAW ONE HUNDRED INC ↗
  • Who funds HERE TO HELP FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Ann Arbor Art Association ↗
  • Who funds THE DETROIT CATHOLIC PASTORAL ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds EVANGELICAL HOMES OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds JOEYS TOY BOX INC ↗
  • Who funds Funding Love Corp ↗
  • Who funds Heroes PTO Inc ↗
  • Who funds HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF HURON VALLEY ↗
  • Who funds American Heritage Girls Inc ↗
  • Who funds DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTERS OF MICHIGAN INC ↗
  • Who funds Matthew 25 Ministries Inc ↗
  • Who funds FORGOTTEN HARVEST INC ↗
  • Who funds INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR PEACE & JUSTICE ↗
  • Who funds ASHEVILLE SCHOOL INC ↗
  • Who funds WILLIAMSTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ↗
  • Who funds FOOD GATHERERS ↗
  • Who funds ADVENT HOUSE MINISTRIES 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.

Community Foundation …Ann Arbor Area Commun…United Way of Washten…WK Kellogg FoundationThe Pfizer Foundation…Raymond James Charita…American Endowment Fo…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …American Online Givin…Amazonsmile Foundation
Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganMI22.4× affinity9 shared granteesties to 10 of 10Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation · United Way of Washtenaw County · WK Kellogg Foundation · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · American Endowment Foundation · 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 Simmons Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Simmons Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    9report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
    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 40 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 Simmons’ 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