Skip to content
The Carlson-Desautels Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Carlson-Desautels Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$3k
Granted FY2024still arriving
7
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$2k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0193% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Food & Nutrition$7kHuman Services$4kAnimals$3kArts & Culture$2kEducation$2kInternational$2kEnvironment$2kHealth$1kOther$0
02FY2024 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$300
Median grant
3
States reached
$79k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MTGY FOOD FOR KIDS BACKPACK PROGRAM$1,616
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL$410
MSU FOUNDATION INC$300
ALABAMA AUDUBON$300
Individual grant recipient$300
ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION$200
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION$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:

Its human-services grants (FY20–20, $100) land where the poverty rate runs at 18%, against an area that typically sits at 13%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 13%EMBRACE ALABAMA KIDS: $100 → 18%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.

59%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$15k · 12 repeat orgs$11k to everyone else

12 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2024, 8 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

12
14

Total granted

$15k
$9k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+13%
+32%

Still filing today

42%
71%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 33% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $2k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EnvironmentHealthEducationReligionFood & NutritionPublic 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

  • ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC
    4× · 2018–2023 · $800 · revenue +125%
  • VC
    VALIANT CROSS ACADEMY
    2× · 2018–2023 · $750 · revenue +13%
  • AA
    ALABAMA AUDUBON
    3× · 2022–2024 · $650 · revenue +25%

Funded once

  • EC
    ELMORE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY
    one grant, 2022 · $3k
  • AA
    ALABAMA ARISEgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $1k · revenue +167%
  • BB
    BLACK BELT UNINCORPORATED WASTEWATER PROGRAMgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue ×48
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
Alabama Bankers Association Inc

To promote the preservation and continued development of commercial banking in alabama.

—
2
Uab Educational Foundation

To support the university of alabama at birmingham in its scientific and educational mission, including managing and disbursing funds, acquiring real property, and providing operational flexibility.

Education
3
Alabama Alliance Network

The alabama alliance netowrk works to strengthen and enhance alabama's civic society through research, education, and grantmaking

Public Benefit
4
Coastal Alabama Partnership

To facilitate the advancement of education and science as it relates to identified vulnerabilities along coastal alabama associated with the environment, society and the economy and to the end of supporting creation, development and…

Public Safety & Disaster
5
Alabama Broadcasters Association

The alabama broadcasters association (the association) is the official voice of the broadcasting industry in alabama. we are dedicated to protecting and enhancing broadcasting, and promoting the professional status of our members.the aba…

—
6
Alabama Association of Conservation Districts Inc

The alabama association of conservation districts (aacd) is the unified voice of alabama's 67 conservation districts. organized as a 501(c)3, aacd works in cooperation with the alabama soil & water conservation committee, federal, state,…

Environment
7
The University Foundation

The university foundation is organized to assist and aid the board of trustees of the university of alabama in fulfilling its educational, research, and public service programs and activities.

—
8
Opera Birmingham Inc

Opera birmingham is committed to creating the finest professional opera productions, developing talent through competition and exposure to major artists, and promoting the operatic art form through community-wide education and outreach.

Arts & Culture
9
Birmingham Museum of Art Endowment Trust

Purpose is to use income produced by the trust to support the operations of bma at the direction of the directors.

Arts & Culture
10
American Baptist Foundation

To support and strengthen the christian witness fulfilled by the foundation's partners in ministry and mission. these include american baptist home mission societies, american baptist international ministries and a majority of american…

Religion
11
Mobile Baykeeper Inc

Provide citizens a means to protect the beauty, health and heritage of the Mobile Bay Watershed, Alabamas waterways and coastal communities.

Environment
12
Mobile Bar Association

To elevate the legal profession to the highest possible standards, regulate its practice, and provide continuing legal education to its members.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Heart of Alabama Food Bank Inc; the most unlike its peers is Friends of Barnegat Lighthousestate Park a Nj Nonprofit Corporati. 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 29 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
12/16
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MONTGOMERY FOOD FOR KIDS BACKPACK: $3,762 · OtherMONTGOMERY FOOD FOR KIDS BACKPACKSALVATION ARMY: $3,502 · OtherSALVATION ARMYELMORE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $2,500 · OtherELMORE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETYHEIFER INTERNATIONAL: $1,730 · OtherHEIFER INTERNATIONALMTGY FOOD FOR KIDS BACKPACK PROGRAM: $1,616 · OtherMTGY FOOD FOR KIDS BACKPACK PROGRAMNEXT LEVEL ACADEMY: $750 · OtherFRAZER CHURCH: $715 · OtherALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION: $650 · OtherALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION: $650 · Other+12 more: $2,750 · Other+12 moreBLACK BELT UNINCORPORATED WASTEWATER PROGRAM: $1,100 · EnvironmentBLACK BEL…ALABAMA AUDUBON: $650 · EnvironmentALABAMA A…MONTGOMERY BOTANICAL GARDEN AT OAK PARK: $500 · EnvironmentMONTGOMER…HEART OF ALABAMA FOOD BANK INC: $1,500 · Food & NutritionALABAMA ARISE: $1,250 · Public BenefitCLOVERDALE PLAYHOUSE INC: $1,000 · Arts & CultureST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC: $800 · HealthVALIANT CROSS ACADEMY: $750 · Education
Other$18,625Environment$2,250Food & Nutrition$1,500Public Benefit$1,250Arts & Culture$1,000Health$800Education$750

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 budgetHEART OF ALABAMA FOOD BANK INC: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetALABAMA ARISE: $1,250 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBLACK BELT UNINCORPORATED WASTEWATER PROGRAM: $1,100 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetCLOVERDALE PLAYHOUSE INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC: $800 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetVALIANT CROSS ACADEMY: $750 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetALABAMA AUDUBON: $650 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMONTGOMERY BOTANICAL GARDEN AT OAK PARK: $500 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetMONTGOMERY CHORALE: $500 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetALABAMA ARISE ACTION: $350 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetTUKABATCHEE AREA COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA: $325 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $300 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGREATER BATON ROUGE FOOD BANK: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED METHODIST CHILDREN'S HOME: $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.

Kiwanis Club of Montg…John and Joyce Caddel…Gordy-Mead-Britton Fo…Crum Family Charitabl…The J K Lowder Family…Arthur M Britton Foun…The Daniel Foundation…Alabama Power Foundat…Morgan Stanley Global…The Bank of America C…National Philanthropi…Natl Christian Charit…
Kiwanis Club of Montgomery Foundation IncAL15.7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Kiwanis Club of Montgomery Foundation Inc · John and Joyce Caddell Foundation · Gordy-Mead-Britton Foundation · Crum Family Charitable Foundation · The J K Lowder Family Foundation · Arthur M Britton Foundation Inc · The Daniel Foundation of Alabama · Alabama Power Foundation Inc · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc

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 Carlson-Desautels Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Carlson-Desautels Foundation. 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%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get 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.

    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 29 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 Carlson-Desautels’ 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