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Snow Charitable Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

Snow Charitable Trust

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$123k
Granted FY2023
5
Grants FY2023
2
States reached
$75k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2023.

Arts & Culture$484kPublic Benefit$125kReligion$85kEducation$36kEmployment$35kFood & Nutrition$23kYouth Development$21kPhilanthropy$19kOther$0
02FY2023 · 5 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2023

  • Under $10k2 grants · $3k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $45k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $75k
$20,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$288k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE$75,000
CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE$25,000
AURORA THEATRE$20,000
TEMPLE SINAI$3,000
NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY$200
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–23) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 99% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%MARIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION: $5k → 8%FRIENDS OF OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY: $5k → 10%JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES: $10k → 10%HILLEL-GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $30k → 14%SWIM ACROSS AMERICA: $5k → 10%FRIENDS OF OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY: $3k → 10%JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICE: $10k → 10%GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $6k → 14%SWIM ACROSS AMERICA: $5k → 10%OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CA: $3k → 10%JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES: $10k → 10%GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $5k → 14%FRIENDS OF OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY: $3k → 10%JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES: $5k → 10%SWIM ACROSS AMERICA: $5k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE: $75k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE: $75k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE: $75k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE: $75k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING: $50k → 10%BERKELEY REP THEATRE: $8k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING: $50k → 10%BERKELEY REP THEATRE: $3k → 10%SEASON OF SHARING: $50k → 10%GIRLS INC: $11k → 10%GIRLS INC: $5k → 10%GIRL INC OF ALAMEDA CO: $5k → 10%CITYSIDE: $32k → 10%NATURE BRIDGE: $13k → 10%CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE: $25k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $20k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $20k → 10%HEBREW FREE LOAN: $50k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $20k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $16k → 10%HEBREW FREE LOAN: $50k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $10k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $10k → 10%HEBREW FREE LOAN: $25k → 10%AURORA THEATRE: $7k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $20k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $10k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $8k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $4k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $4k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $3k → 10%TEMPLE SINAI: $3k → 10%ALAMEDA COUNTY FOOD BANK: $15k → 10%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.
$938k · 25 repeat orgs$67k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +35% since the first grant, against +26% for those funded once.

25 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2023, 20 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

25
28

Total granted

$938k
$67k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+35%
+26%

Still filing today

60%
32%

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
Arts & CultureEnvironmentPhilanthropyReligionCrime & LegalPublic BenefitOther
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

  • CJ
    CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE
    2× · 2021–2023 · $57k · revenue +44%
  • ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
    2× · 2019–2020 · $18k · revenue +112%
  • SA
    Swim Across America Inc
    4× · 2018–2022 · $16k · revenue +35%

Funded once

  • HW
    HILLEL-GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
    one grant, 2019 · $30k
  • JV
    JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICE
    one grant, 2020 · $10k
  • MC
    MARIN COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
    one grant, 2022 · $5k
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
The Trust for Public Land

The trust for public land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. in the past year, we helped communities to plan for parks and conservation, fund parks and conservation,…

Environment
2
California Dental Association

The california dental association is committed to the success of our members in service to their patients and the public.

Community Improvement
3
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach.

Environment
4
California Forward

Ca fwd drives action to identify solutions that can be taken to scale to meet the challenges the state is facing. the organization is driven by the belief that regional solutions across the state will help ensure economic, environmental,…

Public Benefit
5
CalMatters

Our team of experienced journalists, with the time and resources to dig deep, is committed to meaningfully informing Californians about the players, politics, and interests that shape the issues that affect their lives.

Civil Rights
6
California Dental Association Foundation

The foundation's mission is to improve the oral health of all californians by supporting the dental profession and its efforts to meet community needs.

Science & Tech
7
The Union of Concerned Scientists Inc

The union of concerned scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.

International
8
Aquarium of the Pacific Corporation

The aquarium of the pacific's mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the pacific ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems.

Animals
9
The California Channel

To distribute public affairs and other educational information in order to create an electronic bridge between californians and their public officials, and, in the process educate a new generation of voting citizens and civic leaders who…

—
10
The San Diego Foundation

The san diego foundation inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region.

Philanthropy
11
California Life Sciences Association

Clsa advances californias world-leading life sciences innovation ecosystem by advocating for effective national, state and local public policies and supporting entrepreneurs and life sciences businesses.

Community Improvement
12
Npr Foundation

The npr foundation ("foundation") is organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of its sole supported organization, national public radio, inc. ("npr inc."). the foundation supports npr inc. through various activities such as…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Tawonga Jewish Community Corporation; the most unlike its peers is The Contemporary Jewish Museum. 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

24 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. 24 of the 53 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)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
24/24
Grantees still filing
18/24
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLE: $300,000 · OtherSEASON OF SHARING SF CHRONICLEIndividual grant recipient: $150,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientAURORA THEATRE: $103,300 · OtherAURORA THEATRETEMPLE SINAI: $51,790 · OtherTEMPLE SINAIHILLEL-GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: $30,000 · Other+36 more: $127,100 · Other+36 moreHEBREW FREE LOAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO: $125,000 · Public BenefitHEBREW FREE LO…CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE: $56,500 · Arts & CultureOAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA: $3,000 · Arts & CultureTHE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM: $3,000 · Arts & CultureLINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM: $3,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $2,100 · Arts & CultureSwim Across America Inc: $16,000 · PhilanthropyBerkeley Public Library Foundation: $5,750 · PhilanthropyNATUREBRIDGE: $14,100 · Environment+1 more: $100 · EnvironmentThe George Washington University: $12,000 · EducationProject Open Hand: $3,000 · Food & Nutrition
Other$762,190Public Benefit$125,000Arts & Culture$67,600Philanthropy$21,750Environment$14,200Education$12,000Food & Nutrition$3,000

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 budgetHEBREW FREE LOAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO: $125,000 over 3y, 2.5% of budgetCITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE: $56,500 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK: $17,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSwim Across America Inc: $16,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetNATUREBRIDGE: $14,100 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTHE FRIENDS OF THE OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY: $12,250 over 4y, 2.8% of budgetThe George Washington University: $12,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBerkeley Public Library Foundation: $5,750 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetOAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetProject Open Hand: $3,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM: $3,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetKQED INC: $2,100 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetWOMENS DAYTIME DROP-IN CENTER: $1,200 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY INC: $600 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWILDCARE: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDYF: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSMILE TRAIN INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTAWONGA JEWISH COMMUNITY CORPORATION: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSIXTH & I SYNAGOGUE INC: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTRUCKEE DONNER LAND TRUST: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetROOT & REBOUND: $100 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 HEBREW FREE LOAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO ↗
  • Who funds CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INITIATIVE ↗
  • Who funds ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds Swim Across America Inc ↗
  • Who funds NATUREBRIDGE ↗
  • Who funds THE FRIENDS OF THE OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY ↗
  • Who funds The George Washington University ↗
  • Who funds Berkeley Public Library Foundation ↗
  • Who funds OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ↗
  • Who funds Project Open Hand ↗
  • Who funds THE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds KQED INC ↗
  • Who funds WOMENS DAYTIME DROP-IN CENTER ↗
  • Who funds MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds WILDCARE ↗
  • Who funds DYF ↗
  • Who funds SMILE TRAIN 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 San Francisco Fou…Jewish Community Fede…East Bay Community Fo…Marin Community Found…Silicon Valley Commun…Esb Charitable Founda…The California Wellne…American Endowment Fo…Ibm International Fou…Vanguard Charitable E…Gs Donor Advised Phil…The Blackbaud Giving …
The San Francisco FoundationCA24.2× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The San Francisco Foundation · Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma · East Bay Community Foundation · Marin Community Foundation · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Esb Charitable Foundation · The California Wellness Foundation · American Endowment Foundation · Ibm International Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc · The Blackbaud Giving Fund

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 Snow Charitable Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Snow Charitable Trust. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%3%5%8%10%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–10%
    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 53 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.

    Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record but names no grant recipient in the published copy, so the figures above are from FY2023, the most recent year this funder’s grantee list reached the public record.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Snow’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