Skip to content
Small Change Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Small Change Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$26k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
3
States reached
$18k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Education$39kHuman Services$36kYouth Development$36kPhilanthropy$36kArts & Culture$22kCommunity Improvement$20kReligion$7kFood & Nutrition$4kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k9 grants · $8k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $18k
$1,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$95k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
KIDS ON POINT$17,775
GOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY$3,000
PORTER GAUD SCHOOL$1,000
HEATHWOOD HALL EPISCOPAL SCHOOL$1,000
ST LUKES EPISCOPAL CHURCH$1,000
YOUNG LIFE OF NEWBERRY$500
MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY$500
THE WOODLANDS GARDEN$500
CREATE NEWBERRY INC$500
MUGS FOR MOMS$250
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 (FY24–24, $1k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%EPWORTH CHILDRENS HOME: $1k → 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.

71%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$149k · 11 repeat orgs$60k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +44% since the first grant, against +9% for those funded once.

11 repeat relationships: 8 still active in FY2025, 3 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

11
11

Total granted

$149k
$59k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+44%
+9%

Still filing today

55%
82%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $750 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesArts & CultureEducationPhilanthropyRecreation & SportsCommunity ImprovementOther
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

  • GF
    GOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
    6× · 2020–2025 · $36k · revenue +53%
  • KO
    KIDS ON POINT INC
    2× · 2023–2025 · $28k · revenue +6%
  • TF
    THE FORMATION PROJECT
    2× · 2022–2023 · $20k · revenue +25%

Funded once

  • FO
    FRIENDS OF THE LOWLINEgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $10k · revenue ×18
  • EP
    Enough Pie
    one grant, 2021 · $10k · revenue -82%
  • FP
    FAMILY PROMISE GREATER CHARLESTON
    one grant, 2023 · $8k
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
South Carolina Arts Alliance

Advances and promotes the arts for all south carolinians through advocacy, leadership, development and public awareness.

—
2
The Charleston Museum

To educate Charleston area residents and visitors about the natural and cultural history of the South Carolina Lowcountry through collections, exhibitions, preservation, conservation, research and related programming.

Arts & Culture
3
South Carolina Network of Children's Advocacy Centers

Empowering south carolina communities and children's advocacy centers to deliver a best practice response to child abuse

Youth Development
4
South Carolina Children's Theatre

Empowering and inspiring a new generation of changemakers through theatre. at scct, we define a changemaker as: someone who has empathy for others and is driven to make the world a better place. someone who is inquisitive, open minded, and…

Arts & Culture
5
Greenville Theatre Arts Center
—
6
Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

The Museum is a non-profit organization whose mission is to spark imagination, stimulate curiosity and encourage problem solving through the power of play in families from all backgrounds with young children.

Arts & Culture
7
South Carolina Business & Industry Political Education Committee

Promoting and protecting the free private and competitive enterprise system through research and education.

—
8
Engaging Creative Minds

The mission of engaging creative minds is to inspire the creative and innovative potential of all students to achieve academically and become imaginative, adaptable, and productive adults resulting in stronger communities and an…

Education
9
Sc Chamber of Commerce

Enhancing the quality of life for all south carolinians, achieving global competiteveness and ultimately increasing prosperity for sc citizens.

—
10
Carolina Art Association Dba Gibbes Museum of Art

The mission of the gibbes museum of art is to enhance lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and artists of enduring quality; collect and preserve the art that touches charleston; and provide…

Arts & Culture
11
South Carolina Public Interest Foundation
Crime & Legal
12
Charleston Stage Company Inc

Charleston stage's vision is to be a leading professional theater company, engaging the broad community through high quality productions, with leading artists, and excellent production values. the organization provides the community access…

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Kids On Point Inc; the most unlike its peers is Blood Cancer United Inc. 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

16 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. 16 of the 24 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)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
16/16
Grantees still filing
11/16
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Enough Pie: $10,000 · OtherEnough PieFAMILY PROMISE GREATER CHARLESTON: $7,500 · OtherFAMILY PROMISE GREATER CHARL…ST LUKES EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $7,000 · OtherST LUKES EPISCOPAL CHURCHIndividual grant recipient: $6,800 · OtherIndividual grant recipientSULLIVAN'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $4,500 · OtherSULLIVAN'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY…THE WOODLANDS GARDEN: $3,500 · OtherTHE WOODLANDS GARDENPORTER-GAUD SCHOOL: $3,000 · OtherPORTER-GAUD SCHOOLYOUNG LIFE OF NEWBERRY: $3,000 · OtherYOUNG LIFE OF NEWBERRYDEE NORTON LOWCOUNTRY CHILDREN'S CENTER: $2,000 · OtherBE A MENTOR INC: $5,000 · OtherBE A MENTOR INC+2 more: $750 · OtherGOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY: $35,500 · PhilanthropyGOOD FRIENDS OF THE…MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY: $19,500 · EducationMARY BALDWIN UNIV…Heathwood Hall Episcopal School: $11,000 · EducationHeathwood Hall Ep…+1 more: $1,000 · EducationTHE FORMATION PROJECT: $20,000 · Human ServicesTHE FORMATION P…YWCA OF GREATER CHARLESTON: $7,500 · Human ServicesYWCA OF GREATER…EPWORTH CHILDREN'S HOME: $1,000 · Human ServicesKIDS ON POINT INC: $27,775 · Recreation & SportsKIDS ON POINT I…NEWBERRY OPERA HOUSE FOUNDATION INC: $14,000 · Arts & CultureNEWBERRY OP…Art Pot: $7,500 · Arts & CultureArt Pot+1 more: $500 · Arts & CultureFRIENDS OF THE LOWLINE: $10,000 · Community Improvement
Other$53,050Philanthropy$35,500Education$31,500Human Services$28,500Recreation & Sports$27,775Arts & Culture$22,000Community Improvement$10,000

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 budgetGOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY: $35,500 over 6y, 11% of budgetKIDS ON POINT INC: $27,775 over 2y, 1.2% of budgetTHE FORMATION PROJECT: $20,000 over 2y, 1.2% of budgetMARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY: $19,500 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetNEWBERRY OPERA HOUSE FOUNDATION INC: $14,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetHeathwood Hall Episcopal School: $11,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE LOWLINE: $10,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetEnough Pie: $10,000 over 1y, 9.0% of budgetArt Pot: $7,500 over 1y, 6.9% of budgetYWCA OF GREATER CHARLESTON: $7,500 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetBE A MENTOR INC: $5,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetDEE NORTON LOWCOUNTRY CHILDREN'S CENTER: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of South Carolina Educational Foundation: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEPWORTH CHILDREN'S HOME: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCREATE Newberry Inc: $500 over 1y, 0.3% 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 GOOD FRIENDS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY ↗
  • Who funds KIDS ON POINT INC ↗
  • Who funds THE FORMATION PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds NEWBERRY OPERA HOUSE FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Heathwood Hall Episcopal School ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF THE LOWLINE ↗
  • Who funds Enough Pie ↗
  • Who funds Art Pot ↗
  • Who funds YWCA OF GREATER CHARLESTON ↗
  • Who funds BE A MENTOR INC ↗
  • Who funds DEE NORTON LOWCOUNTRY CHILDREN'S CENTER ↗
  • Who funds University of South Carolina Educational Foundation ↗
  • Who funds EPWORTH CHILDREN'S HOME ↗
  • Who funds BLOOD CANCER UNITED INC ↗
  • Who funds CREATE Newberry 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.

Elhapa Foundation IncCoastal Community Fou…Central Carolina Comm…Henry & Sylvia Yaschi…The Joanna FoundationDominion Energy Chari…Patrick Family Founda…The Harvey-McNairy Fo…Post and Courier Foun…Trident United WayFoundation for the Ca…Duke Energy Foundation
Elhapa Foundation IncKY17.8× affinity6 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Elhapa Foundation Inc · Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina Inc · Central Carolina Community Foundation · Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation Inc · The Joanna Foundation · Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation · Patrick Family Foundation · The Harvey-McNairy Foundation Inc · Post and Courier Foundation · Trident United Way · Foundation for the Carolinas · Duke Energy 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 Small Change Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Small Change Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%4%8%15%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
    7report 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.

    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 24 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 Small Change’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