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The Acorn Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Acorn 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.

$44k
Granted FY2025still arriving
29
Grants FY2025still arriving
11
States reached
$8k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Education$125kScience & Tech$23kArts & Culture$14kEnvironment$11kHuman Services$10kInternational$7kReligion$6kHealth$5kOther$0
02FY2025 · 29 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$1,000
Median grant
11
States reached
$415k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY$8,000
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP$2,500
COLBY COLLEGE$2,500
THE FUND FOR SARAH LAWRENCE - SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE$2,500
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATION$2,500
ORGANICEYE$2,400
CHARITYWATER$2,000
LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO$1,500
THE ACTORS' FUND OF AMERICA$1,200
HILLEL INTERNATIONAL$1,200
ACTION AGAINST HUNGER-USA$1,200
THE JARRETT MEEKER FOUNDATION$1,200
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE$1,000
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION$1,000
Individual grant recipient$1,000
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 (FY20–25, $10k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 60% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%CHARITYWATER: $2k → 4%JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SAN DIEGO: $2k → 11%CHARITYWATER: $2k → 4%JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SAN DIEGO: $1k → 11%JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SAN DIEGO: $1k → 11%JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SAN DIEGO: $1k → 11%CHARITYWATER: $1k → 17%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.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
WA
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
IA
CA
TN
DC
GA
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.

97%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$249k · 33 repeat orgs$9k to everyone else

33 repeat relationships: 26 still active in FY2025, 7 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

33
7

Total granted

$249k
$6k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+2%
+33%

Still filing today

70%
71%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationInternationalHuman ServicesHealthFood & NutritionOther
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

  • CC
    CHICAGO COLLEGIATE INC
    2× · 2020–2021 · $45k · revenue +2%
  • KC
    Kenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
    4× · 2020–2025 · $31k · revenue +28%
  • TL
    THE LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO
    4× · 2020–2025 · $11k · revenue +24%

Funded once

  • HI
    HONESTREPORTINGCOM INC
    one grant, 2024 · $2k · revenue -3%
  • EW
    ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUPgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $1k · revenue +33%
  • EG
    ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue -20%
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
Columbia College Chicago

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

Education
2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The mission of mit is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

Education
3
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
4
President and Fellows of Harvard College

Undergraduate, graduate, and professional education and research across a broad array of academic domains.

Education
5
Boston Architectural College

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

—
6
Lehigh University

The university's goal in the coming decade is to advance learning through the integration of teaching, research and service to others. the core of this goal is to prepare graduates to engage with the world and lead lives of meaning. to do…

Education
7
The Trustees of Princeton University

Research, education and general - princeton university is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025…

Education
8
University of Chicago

The mission of the university of chicago has been to sustain at the highest level of excellence, the communication of knowledge, the creation of knowledge and the fostering of a dynamic community of scholars and students.

Education
9
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Inc

Central indiana corporate partnership (cicp) is an alliance of indiana's business and research university leaders coming together to foster long-term prosperity for the region. cicp's mission is to transform the economy of indiana in order…

Community Improvement
10
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
11
Claremont Graduate University

Claremont Graduate University prepares individuals to be leaders for positive change in the world. Unique in its transdisciplinary approach, the University is dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and application of new knowledge and…

Education
12
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all. the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its science family of journals,…

Science & Tech
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies; the most unlike its peers is Jarrett Meeker 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

32 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. 32 of the 44 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)
2
Early backer (in before they grew)
32/32
Grantees still filing
16/32
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATION: $14,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOUNDATIONTHE FUND FOR SARAH LAWRENCE - SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE: $12,000 · OtherTHE FUND FOR SARAH LAWRENCE - SARAH LAWRENC…THE CATHERINE COOK SCHOOL: $9,000 · OtherTHE CATHERINE COOK SCHOOLDEPAUL COLLEGE PREP: $8,000 · OtherDEPAUL COLLEGE PREPFRIENDS OF PAYTON SCHOOL: $7,500 · OtherFRIENDS OF PAYTON SCHOOLJarrett Meeker Foundation: $6,800 · OtherJarrett Meeker FoundationSCHOOL YEAR ABROAD - OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT: $5,500 · OtherSCHOOL YEAR ABROAD - OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENTHONEYBEE RESEARCH FACITLITY-WSU FOUNDATION: $5,200 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $5,000 · OtherANSHE EMET SYNAGOGUE: $5,000 · OtherHABITAT FOR HUMANITY: $4,000 · OtherRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE: $4,000 · OtherTHE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE INC: $3,600 · OtherHILLEL THE FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMPUS LIFE: $3,600 · Other+5 more: $7,900 · Other+5 moreCHICAGO COLLEGIATE INC: $45,000 · EducationCHICAGO COLLEGIATE INCTHE LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO: $11,000 · EducationTHE LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGOThe President and Trustees of Colby College: $10,000 · EducationThe President and Trustees of Colby…FRIENDS OF LINCOLN PARK HIGH SCHOOL: $4,000 · EducationUniversity of Illinois Foundation: $4,000 · EducationTrustees of Tufts College: $4,000 · EducationTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $3,000 · Education+2 more: $2,300 · EducationKenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: $31,000 · Arts & CultureKenneth C Griffin Mu…Chicago Symphony Orchestra: $4,500 · Arts & CultureChicago Symphony Orc…FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: $4,000 · Arts & CultureFIELD MUSEUM OF NATU…INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS: $2,500 · Arts & CultureTHE ADLER PLANETARIUM: $2,000 · Arts & CultureSTEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY: $2,000 · Arts & Culture+2 more: $2,000 · Arts & CultureCHARITY GLOBAL INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesJEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF SAN DIEGO: $5,000 · Human ServicesACTION AGAINST HUNGER - USA: $5,800 · InternationalHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC: $2,000 · InternationalBIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION: $1,000 · InternationalTHE ACTORS' FUND OF AMERICA: $6,000 · Membership BenefitPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $5,000 · HealthELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION: $1,000 · Health
Other$101,100Education$83,300Arts & Culture$48,000Human Services$10,000International$8,800Membership Benefit$6,000Health$6,000

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 budgetCHICAGO COLLEGIATE INC: $45,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetKenneth C Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: $31,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE LATIN SCHOOL OF CHICAGO: $11,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetThe President and Trustees of Colby College: $10,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CATHERINE COOK SCHOOL: $9,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetJarrett Meeker Foundation: $6,800 over 4y, 22% of budgetTHE ACTORS' FUND OF AMERICA: $6,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetACTION AGAINST HUNGER - USA: $5,800 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetCHARITY GLOBAL INC: $5,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetJEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF SAN DIEGO: $5,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $5,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetChicago Symphony Orchestra: $4,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF LINCOLN PARK HIGH SCHOOL: $4,000 over 2y, 2.3% of budgetFIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: $4,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of Illinois Foundation: $4,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTrustees of Tufts College: $4,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetHILLEL THE FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMPUS LIFE: $3,600 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE INC: $3,600 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetTHE FEDERALIST SOCIETY FOR LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES: $3,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetINTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS: $2,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CAMPANILE FOUNDATION: $2,200 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE ADLER PLANETARIUM: $2,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC: $2,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSTEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY: $2,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHONESTREPORTINGCOM INC: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCHICAGO YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CRAIG SCHOOL: $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.

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 Chicago Community…National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…American Online Givin…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
The Chicago Community TrustIL12× affinity4 shared granteesties to 6 of 6Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Chicago Community Trust · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · 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 The Acorn Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Acorn Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%2%6%14%25%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 13%
  • Trustees of Tufts College: 13% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
6report 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.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Acorn Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Acorn Foundation 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 44 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 Acorn’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