Skip to content
The Belle Jar Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Belle Jar Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$1.3M
Granted FY2024still arriving
24
Grants FY2024still arriving
8
States reached
$400k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2024.

Education$2.4MYouth Development$575kCivil Rights$414kHuman Services$305kCommunity Improvement$270kEnvironment$183kInternational$65kScience & Tech$65kOther$0
02FY2024 · 24 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k12 grants · $47k
  • $10k–50k5 grants · $97k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $230k
  • $250k+3 grants · $900k
$10,000
Median grant
8
States reached
$3.6M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NC EAST ALLIANCE$400,000
CATHOLIC CHARITIES SANTA CLARA COUNTY$250,000
LOCAL ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE FUND$250,000
Ron Brown Scholar Fund$75,000
Watervliet City School District$54,837
Ten Strands$50,000
The Education Alliance - Business and Community fo$50,000
COLLEGE TRACK$25,000
Stanford University$25,000
North Carolina State University$21,750
Teach for America Inc$15,000
KRAUSE CENTER FOR INNOVATION$10,000
Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula$5,000
CRISTO REY SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL$5,000
AIM HIGH FOR HIGH SCHOOL$5,000
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 (FY18–24, $297k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 16% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%YOUTH PASSAGEWAYS: $30k → 16%StepUp Durham: $11k → 11%StepUp Durham: $1k → 11%AIM HIGH: $5k → 10%CATHOLIC CHARITIES SANTA CLARA COUNTY: $250k → 8%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

IL
NY
MA
IA
OH
CA
WV
VA
MD
KS
NC
AL
TX
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 6% of The Belle Jar Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

The Belle Jar Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

76%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.0M · 27 repeat orgs$968k to everyone else

27 repeat relationships: 13 still active in FY2024, 14 since wound down; 9 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

27
25

Total granted

$3.0M
$421k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+50%
+126%

Still filing today

63%
64%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 56% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $547k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationHuman ServicesEnvironmentHealthYouth DevelopmentCrime & LegalOther
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

  • BG
    BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PENINSULA
    6× · 2018–2024 · $515k · revenue +180%
  • Teach for America Inc
    7× · 2018–2024 · $155k · revenue +1%
  • TS
    Ten Strands
    3× · 2022–2024 · $150k · revenue +72%

Funded once

  • NC
    NORTH CAROLINA EAST ALLIANCE
    one grant, 2022 · $75k
  • TE
    THE EDUCATION ALLIANCE-BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS INCgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $73k · revenue +156%
  • TE
    The Education Alliance - Business and Community
    one grant, 2018 · $73k
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
Silicon Schools Fund Inc

The mission of the silicon schools fund is to improve education through supporting the launch of excellent new schools, improving academic instruction in existing schools, and by funding some of the boldest innovations in education…

Education
2
Stem Advantage

Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. STEM Advantage mentors, prepares, and inspires first-generation, low-income, and underserved college students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). We level…

Youth Development
3
The Peak School

The peak school seeks to ignite a passion for learning, to develop students of diverse talents and backgrounds who think critically and act with integrity, and to graduate compassionate, confident, capable students who will embrace their…

Education
4
Equal Opportunity Schools

Equal opportunity schools' mission is to strengthen educator and system leader capacity to break down barriers to increase access, belonging, and success in rigorous college and career-prep secondary school courses for students of color…

Education
5
Association of California School Administrators

The association serves its members by creating resources that enable california school administrators to develop and apply creative leadership and management skills and in turn, improve the educational process for all students.

—
6
College Summit Inc

College summit, inc. d/b/a peerforward (peerforward)'s mission is to unleash the power of positive peer influence to transform the lives of youth living in low-income communities by connecting them to college and careers. in low-income…

Education
7
The Common Application Inc

The common application is a not-for-profit membership organization of over 1,100 colleges and universities across the globe committed to access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. every year, over 1.5 million students…

Education
8
Enterprise for Youth

Enterprise for youth empowers under-resourced san francisco youths to reach their potential through transformative paid internship experiences supported by a community of employers, caring adults, and peers.

Youth Development
9
AI4ALL

Ai4all's mission is to ensure that the next generation of ai leaders reflects humanity. ai4all is transforming the pipeline of ai practitioners who will shape ai for the benefit of humanity.

Youth Development
10
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Inc

Founded in 1963, SEO closes educational and career opportunity gaps for 7,000+ ambitious young people annually.

Education
11
San Antonio Education Fund Dba San Antonio Education Partnership

The partnership empowers students with quality educational programs, resources and counseling that will make them confident, knowledgeable and help them finish college and contribute to san antonio's future, making the students san…

Education
12
The College Preparatory School

At college prep we believe in the foundational importance of scholarship, the value of dialogue, and the need for academically curious young people to belong to a kind, creative, diverse and joyful community. we challenge our students to…

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Parent Institute for Quality Education Inc; the most unlike its peers is Aim High. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

45 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. 45 of the 64 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)
12
Early backer (in before they grew)
45/45
Grantees still filing
31/45
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

The Education Alliance - Business and Community fo: $560,655 · OtherThe Education Alliance - Business and Community foWatervliet City School District: $503,622 · OtherWatervliet City School DistrictNC EAST ALLIANCE: $420,000 · OtherNC EAST ALLIANCENorth Carolina State University: $102,500 · OtherNORTH CAROLINA EAST ALLIANCE: $75,000 · OtherThe Education Alliance - Business and Community: $72,775 · Other+29 more: $341,500 · Other+29 moreTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $313,766 · EducationTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF …Teach for America Inc: $154,550 · EducationTeach for America IncRon Brown Scholar Fund: $150,000 · EducationRon Brown Scholar FundTHE EDUCATION ALLIANCE-BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS INC: $72,775 · EducationTHE EDUCATION ALLIANCE-BU…The Education Trust Inc: $46,538 · EducationCALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION: $45,000 · Education+11 more: $182,000 · Education+11 moreBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PENINSULA: $515,000 · Youth DevelopmentBOYS & GIRLS …+1 more: $10,000 · Youth DevelopmentCATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY: $250,000 · Human ServicesRestoring Lifeways: $30,000 · Human ServicesSTEPUP DURHAM: $12,000 · Human Services+1 more: $5,000 · Human ServicesLOCAL ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE FUND: $250,000 · Employment+1 more: $1,000 · EmploymentTen Strands: $150,000 · EnvironmentCalifornia Native Plant Society: $11,000 · Environment+1 more: $2,000 · EnvironmentVolunteers in Asia: $65,000 · International
Other$2,076,052Education$964,629Youth Development$525,000Human Services$297,000Employment$251,000Environment$163,000International$65,000

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 budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PENINSULA: $515,000 over 6y, 0.9% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $313,766 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetCATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY: $250,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetLOCAL ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE FUND: $250,000 over 1y, 4.8% of budgetTeach for America Inc: $154,550 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetTen Strands: $150,000 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetRon Brown Scholar Fund: $150,000 over 2y, 2.2% of budgetTHE EDUCATION ALLIANCE-BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS INC: $72,775 over 1y, 5.2% of budgetVolunteers in Asia: $65,000 over 7y, 1.7% of budgetThe Education Trust Inc: $46,538 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetCALIFORNIA CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION: $45,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetTHE HILL CENTER INC: $30,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetRestoring Lifeways: $30,000 over 1y, 6.7% of budgetBLACK GIRLS CODE INC: $28,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBREAKTHROUGH SILICON VALLEY: $25,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetHIDDEN GENIUS PROJECT: $25,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetCOLLEGE TRACK: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetNORTH CAROLINAS EASTERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: $20,000 over 1y, 7.2% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $17,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetSAFE PASSAGE PROJECT CORPORATION: $15,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetALAMANCE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $14,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetSTEPUP DURHAM: $12,000 over 2y, 2.3% of budgetCalifornia Native Plant Society: $11,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetONEGOAL: $10,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE OAKLAND PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSECOND HARVEST OF SILICON VALLEY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER INC: $9,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKENNEDY'S DISEASE ASSOCIATION INC: $6,500 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetWILDLIFE CENTER OF SILICON VALLEY: $6,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetSILICON VALLEY EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetJAIL TO JOBS: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetAIM HIGH FOR HIGH SCHOOL: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NC EAST INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCRISTO REY SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFUGEES FAMILY INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetUNIVERSITY AT ALBANY FOUNDATION: $3,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetENGAGING SCHOOLS INC: $3,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetGLOBAL INHERITANCE INC: $2,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetSUMMER SEARCH: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSONG FOR CHARLIE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPARENT INSTITUTE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION INC: $1,000 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.

Silicon Valley Commun…Bright Funds Foundati…The Sobrato Family Fo…Gordon E and Betty I …Leo M Shortino Family…Marin Community Found…Morgan Stanley Global…Rockefeller Philanthr…Tides FoundationTriangle Community Fo…The David and Lucile …California Community …
Silicon Valley Community FoundationCA20.9× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Bright Funds Foundation · The Sobrato Family Foundation · Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation · Leo M Shortino Family Foundation · Marin Community Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc · Tides Foundation · Triangle Community Foundation Inc · The David and Lucile Packard Foundation · California Community 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 Belle Jar Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Belle Jar 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%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 100%
  • Local Enterprise Assistance Fund: 100% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
12report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely 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 Belle Jar Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Belle Jar 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 64 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Belle Jar’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