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The Birmingham Foundation at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Private foundation

The Birmingham Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$1.2M
Granted FY2025still arriving
37
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$125k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0198% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2021 to 2025.

Human Services$1.8MEducation$986kYouth Development$931kRecreation & Sports$682kReligion$392kHealth$364kHousing & Shelter$292kCommunity Improvement$179kOther$0
02FY2025 · 37 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k5 grants · $27k
  • $10k–50k22 grants · $588k
  • $50k–250k10 grants · $595k
$30,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$25M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC$125,000
LIGHTHOUSE MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN CENTER$60,000
VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE$60,000
A SCHOOLS$50,000
HELLO NEIGHBOR$50,000
PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY$50,000
HILLTOP COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTER$50,000
HELLO NEIGHBOR$50,000
HILLTOP COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTER$50,000
LITERACY PITTSBURGH$50,000
READING IS FUNDAMENTAL PITTSBURGH$45,000
MAYA ORGANIZATION$40,000
MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION$40,000
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION$40,000
NURTUREPA$38,000
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 (FY21–25, $1.6M) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 97% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%CASA SAN JOSE: $20k → 11%NURTUREPA: $38k → 12%SAFE FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN: $10k → 14%BEVERLY'S BIRTHDAY: $25k → 10%NURTUREPA INC: $30k → 12%BEVERLY'S BIRTHDAYS: $20k → 10%HELLO NEIGHBOR: $50k → 11%HELLO NEIGHBOR: $50k → 11%HELLO NEIGHBOR: $40k → 11%HELLO NEIGHBOR: $35k → 11%MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION: $30k → 11%THE WATSON INSTITUTE: $35k → 11%STRONG WOMEN STRONG GIRLS: $30k → 11%MAYA ORGANIZATION: $40k → 11%MAYA ORGANIZATION: $20k → 11%MAYA ORGANIZATION: $20k → 11%LATINO COMMUNITY CTR: $15k → 11%BARTKO FOUNDATION: $3k → 11%THE WATSON INSTITUTE: $20k → 11%BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC: $130k → 11%ALLIES FOR CHILDREN: $50k → 11%BEVERLY'S BIRTHDAYS: $40k → 11%BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED: $130k → 11%BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC: $125k → 11%BRASHER ASSOC: $103k → 11%BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION: $100k → 11%HILLTOP COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTER: $50k → 11%MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION: $50k → 11%HILLTOP COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTER: $50k → 11%MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION: $40k → 11%BRASHER ASSOC: $30k → 11%MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION: $30k → 11%BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION: $30k → 11%MOMMY'S IMAGINATION STATION INC: $30k → 11%STRONG WOMEN STRONG GIRLS: $30k → 11%STRONG WOMEN STRONG GIRLS: $20k → 11%JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICE: $20k → 11%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.

81%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$5.1M · 44 repeat orgs$1.2M to everyone else

44 repeat relationships: 24 still active in FY2025, 20 since wound down; 5 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

44
47

Total granted

$5.1M
$988k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+4%
+6%

Still filing today

61%
47%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 86% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $167k went to new ones.

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

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

’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesEducationHealthArts & CultureHousing & ShelterYouth DevelopmentOther
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

  • TB
    THE BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC
    5× · 2021–2025 · $648k · revenue +36%
  • MI
    MOMMYS IMAGINATION STATION INC
    4× · 2022–2025 · $187k · revenue +168% · 48% of their budget
  • HN
    HELLO NEIGHBOR
    3× · 2021–2025 · $175k · revenue ×15

Funded once

  • SS
    SHADOW STUDENT ATHLETIC DEVLOPMENT
    one grant, 2021 · $80k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2022 · $52k
  • MW
    MOUNT WASHINGTON COMMUNITY DEV CORP
    one grant, 2024 · $50k
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
Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation

To create and distribute trusted content, build connections and strengthen our community through public media.

Arts & Culture
2
Jeremiah's Place Pittsburgh Relief Nursery

Jeremiah's place will protect children and strengthen families by providing a safe haven of respite, health, renewal, and support for children and families during times of crisis. we strive to serve as a leading voice for child abuse…

Human Services
3
Sustainable Pittsburgh

Provide information to decision maker in the pittsburgh region to promote economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental quality for sustainable solutions for communities and businesses.

Environment
4
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh

The world affairs council of pittsburgh's mission is to convene and connect people around global issues to build a competitive, thriving, and inclusive pittsburgh.

International
5
Catapult Greater Pittsburgh

Catapult engages in connecting families to emergency resources, peer to peer support, wealth building, trauma informed financial counseling & policy advocacy to ensure that communities can meaningfully achieve economic justice & lead…

Community Improvement
6
Bike Pittsburgh Inc

Bike pittsburgh is transforming our streets to make biking and walking commonplace for all pittsburghers in order to improve our quality of life and reduce the harmful effects of car dependence in our communities.

Public Benefit
7
The Regional Opportunity Center D/B/a Vibrant Pittsburgh

Vibrant pittsburgh's mission is to accelerate the business community toward equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplaces, creating a future-forward region.

Arts & Culture
8
Pittsburgh Council On Higher Education

To provide a means for sharing resources and information among members, engage in joint projects, and offer a common voice on educational matters.

Education
9
Community Action Commission

Commmunity action commission's mission is to build on the strengths and resources available, provide solutions, for complex issues, and empower individuals, families, and communities to move out of poverty.

Human Services
10
Pittsburgh United

Pittsburgh United, Inc. strives to advance social & economic justice in the

Community Improvement
11
Kennett Square Preschool Cooperative

Preschool education for 3, 4 and 5 year old children in the kennett square, pennsylvania area

Education
12
Pittsburgh Business Group On Health

An employer-led coalition that champions outcomes-based, cost-effective healthcare through education, market expertise, group purchasing, comparative data and decision support.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Neighborhood Allies Inc; the most unlike its peers is Beltzhoover Consensus Group. 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

53 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. 53 of the 97 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.

4
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
53/53
Grantees still filing
29/53
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE: $490,000 · OtherVOICES AGAINST VIOLENCELIGHTHOUSE MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN CENTER: $386,500 · OtherLIGHTHOUSE MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN CENTERTRYING TOGETHER: $191,500 · OtherTRYING TOGETHERIndividual grant recipient: $150,000 · OtherBEARS YOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: $149,000 · OtherBELTZHOOVER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: $117,000 · OtherSHADOW STUDENT ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INC: $115,000 · OtherPITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY: $125,000 · Other+49 more: $1,506,351 · Other+49 moreTHE BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC: $647,937 · Human ServicesTHE BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INCMOMMYS IMAGINATION STATION INC: $187,417 · Human ServicesMOMMYS IMAGINATION STATION I…HELLO NEIGHBOR: $175,000 · Human ServicesHELLO NEIGHBORHilltop Community Childrens Center: $100,000 · Human ServicesHilltop Community Childrens …BEVERLY'S PGH: $85,000 · Human ServicesGIRLS INC OF GREATER PITTSBURGH: $80,000 · Human ServicesMAYA ORGANIZATION: $80,000 · Human ServicesNurturePA Inc: $68,000 · Human ServicesTHE WATSON INSTITUTE: $55,000 · Human Services+6 more: $118,000 · Human Services+6 moreLITERACY PITTSBURGH: $151,000 · EducationLITERACY P…THE EARLY EXCELLENCE PROJECT: $150,000 · EducationTHE EARLY …A SCHOOLS PITTSBURGH'S COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION: $100,000 · EducationA SCHOOLS …READING IS FUNDAMENTAL PITTSBURGH: $70,000 · EducationREADING IS…PITTSBURGH SCHOLAR HOUSE INC: $25,000 · EducationDEPAUL SCHOOL FOR HEARING AND SPEECH: $25,000 · EducationSTOREHOUSE FOR TEACHERS D/B/A THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP: $20,000 · EducationCARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH: $20,000 · EducationALLIANCE FOR REFUGEE YOUTH SUPPORT AND EDUCATION: $20,000 · EducationA GIVING HEART: $111,535 · Housing & ShelterSISTERS PLACE INC: $90,000 · Housing & ShelterLEVEL-EQUITY BUILDING INC: $40,000 · Housing & ShelterCHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION: $117,000 · HealthABIDING MISSIONS: $40,000 · HealthSTO-ROX NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH COUNCIL INC: $30,000 · HealthCANCER BRIDGES: $15,000 · HealthApraxia Kids: $10,000 · Health+2 more: $10,000 · HealthTHE PITTSBURGH PROMISE FOUNDATION: $120,000 · PhilanthropyGRANTMAKERS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: $50,000 · PhilanthropyTHE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: $40,000 · PhilanthropySHADOW STUDENT ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INC: $138,000 · Youth DevelopmentReading Ready Pittsburgh: $30,000 · Youth Development+1 more: $5,000 · Youth Development
Other$3,230,351Human Services$1,596,354Education$581,000Housing & Shelter$241,535Health$222,000Philanthropy$210,000Youth Development$173,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC: $647,937 over 5y, 14% of budgetTRYING TOGETHER: $191,500 over 2y, 1.7% of budgetMOMMYS IMAGINATION STATION INC: $187,417 over 4y, 48% of budgetHELLO NEIGHBOR: $175,000 over 3y, 8.2% of budgetLITERACY PITTSBURGH: $151,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetTHE EARLY EXCELLENCE PROJECT: $150,000 over 2y, 12% of budgetSHADOW STUDENT ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INC: $138,000 over 2y, 21% of budgetPITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY: $125,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetTHE PITTSBURGH PROMISE FOUNDATION: $120,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetCHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION: $117,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetA GIVING HEART: $111,535 over 4y, 35% of budgetHilltop Community Childrens Center: $100,000 over 1y, 9.3% of budgetA SCHOOLS PITTSBURGH'S COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION: $100,000 over 2y, 5.4% of budgetHilltop Alliance: $90,000 over 4y, 1.8% of budgetSISTERS PLACE INC: $90,000 over 2y, 3.5% of budgetBEVERLY'S PGH: $85,000 over 3y, 1.3% of budgetGIRLS INC OF GREATER PITTSBURGH: $80,000 over 3y, 2.6% of budgetMAYA ORGANIZATION: $80,000 over 3y, 4.8% of budgetVENTURE OUTDOORS INC: $75,417 over 4y, 1.8% of budgetREADING IS FUNDAMENTAL PITTSBURGH: $70,000 over 2y, 2.5% of budgetNurturePA Inc: $68,000 over 2y, 17% of budgetTHE WATSON INSTITUTE: $55,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetGRANTMAKERS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: $50,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetALLIES FOR CHILDREN: $50,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetLEVEL-EQUITY BUILDING INC: $40,000 over 1y, 36% of budgetABIDING MISSIONS: $40,000 over 2y, 8.0% of budgetTHE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: $40,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetWQED MULTIMEDIA: $40,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCASA of Allegheny County: $40,000 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetBeltzhoover Consensus Group: $40,000 over 1y, 68% of budgetNEIGHBORHOOD ALLIES INC: $35,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetESTEEM GROUP INC: $33,000 over 2y, 14% of budgetReading Ready Pittsburgh: $30,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetSTO-ROX NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH COUNCIL INC: $30,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetPITTSBURGH SCHOLAR HOUSE INC: $25,000 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetDEPAUL SCHOOL FOR HEARING AND SPEECH: $25,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetJEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICE OF PITTSBURGH: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGROW PITTSBURGH: $20,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetSTOREHOUSE FOR TEACHERS D/B/A THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP: $20,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCASA SAN JOSE: $20,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetCARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetALLIANCE FOR REFUGEE YOUTH SUPPORT AND EDUCATION: $20,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budget25 CARRICK AVE PROJECT: $20,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetCOMMON THREADS: $16,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTHE LATINO COMMUNITY CENTER INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetBHUTANESE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH: $15,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetCANCER BRIDGES: $15,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetSAFE FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN ALLIANCE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% 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 THE BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC ↗
  • Who funds TRYING TOGETHER ↗
  • Who funds MOMMYS IMAGINATION STATION INC ↗
  • Who funds HELLO NEIGHBOR ↗
  • Who funds LITERACY PITTSBURGH ↗
  • Who funds THE EARLY EXCELLENCE PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds SHADOW STUDENT ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds THE PITTSBURGH PROMISE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds A GIVING HEART ↗
  • Who funds Hilltop Community Childrens Center ↗
  • Who funds A SCHOOLS PITTSBURGH'S COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ↗
  • Who funds Hilltop Alliance ↗
  • Who funds SISTERS PLACE INC ↗
  • Who funds BEVERLY'S PGH ↗
  • Who funds GIRLS INC OF GREATER PITTSBURGH ↗
  • Who funds MAYA ORGANIZATION ↗
  • Who funds VENTURE OUTDOORS INC ↗
  • Who funds READING IS FUNDAMENTAL PITTSBURGH ↗
  • Who funds NurturePA Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE WATSON INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds GRANTMAKERS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ↗
  • Who funds ALLIES FOR CHILDREN ↗

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.

Hillman Family Founda…The Pittsburgh Founda…The Grable FoundationThe Heinz EndowmentsThe United Way of Sou…Staunton Farm Foundat…Richard King Mellon F…Jefferson Regional Fo…Poise FoundationMcElhattan FoundationMcAuley MinistriesFisa Foundation
Hillman Family FoundationsPA72× affinity35 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Hillman Family Foundations · The Pittsburgh Foundation · The Grable Foundation · The Heinz Endowments · The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania · Staunton Farm Foundation 540-054 Dba Staunton Farm Foundation · Richard King Mellon Foundation · Jefferson Regional Foundation · Poise Foundation · McElhattan Foundation · McAuley Ministries · Fisa 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 Birmingham Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Birmingham Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%5%19%42%75%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
    26report 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 Birmingham Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Birmingham 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 97 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 Birmingham’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