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The Cleaves and Mae Rhea Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Cleaves and Mae Rhea Foundation

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.

$65k
Granted FY2024still arriving
23
Grants FY2024still arriving
9
States reached
$10k
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, FY2017 to 2024.

Education$133kFood & Nutrition$112kHealth$112kHuman Services$63kReligion$58kEnvironment$32kAnimals$30kArts & Culture$24kOther$0
02FY2024 · 23 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k21 grants · $45k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $20k
$2,000
Median grant
9
States reached
$1.7M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
City Academy$10,000
Woodland Park Zoo$10,000
Alameda County Community Food Bank$6,000
MALT$5,000
Berkeley Food Network$5,000
Berkeley Public Library$3,000
St Louis Children's Hospital Foundation$2,500
Mary's Place$2,000
Food Lifeline$2,000
Doctors without borders$2,000
Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation$2,000
Home Works$2,000
Ballard Food Bank$2,000
The Nature Conservancy$2,000
Springboard Foundation$1,500
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 (FY17–21, $25k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 66% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%California Youth Services: $3k → 10%SF New Deal: $5k → 10%Support for Families: $1k → 10%Guide Dogs for the Blind: $4k → 8%Guide Dogs for the Blind: $2k → 8%Childrens Book Project: $1k → 10%Guide Dogs for the Blind: $2k → 8%Matrix Parent Network & Resource Center: $1k → 8%Lena Pope Home: $5k → 11%Loved Twice: $1k → 10%Loved Twice: $500 → 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.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
IL
NY
OR
CA
UT
CO
MO
KS
SC
DC
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.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

84%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$539k · 38 repeat orgs$102k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +33% since the first grant, against +21% for those funded once.

38 repeat relationships: 20 still active in FY2024, 18 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

38
26

Total granted

$539k
$99k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+33%
+21%

Still filing today

71%
62%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 94% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $4k 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
Human ServicesEducationHealthFood & NutritionArts & CultureEnvironmentOther
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

  • CA
    CITY ACADEMY INC
    8× · 2017–2024 · $78k · revenue +97%
  • ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
    5× · 2020–2024 · $46k · revenue +39%
  • WP
    WOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
    4× · 2021–2024 · $26k · revenue +30%

Funded once

  • MA
    MARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUSTgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $12k · revenue +33%
  • GC
    GILL CHILDREN'S SERVICES INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $9k · revenue +103%
  • FW
    FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY
    one grant, 2017 · $7k · revenue +1%
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
Children's Council of San Francisco

By advocating for quality early care and education, empowering families with information and financial support, and building the capabilities of educators, Children's Council of San Francisco ensures that every child in San Francisco has…

Human Services
2
Food Forward Inc

Food forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same.

Food & Nutrition
3
Jobs with Justice San Francisco

A long-term, strategic alliance of labor, community, faith-based, and student organizations working together to build greater economic power for workers and community members through employee rights at work and access to good jobs,…

Employment
4
Foodwise Community

Foodwise grows thriving communities through the power and joy of local food. We envision a world that nourishes all people, local economies, and the living earth.

—
5
The Climate Center

The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California.

Education
6
San Francisco Public Press

The mission of the San Francisco Public Press is to enrich civic life by publishing investigative and solutions journalism that engages diverse audiences and promotes public accountability. The San Francisco Public Press…

Education
7
Ucsf Foundation Investment Company

The organization provides professional investment management services for endowed gifts and financial assets entrusted to the ucsf foundation.

Education
8
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
9
Central California Food Bank

Ccfb is dedicated to ending hunger, working with over 200 partner agencies to provide food to those experiencing hunger. our mission: transforming lives together, in the passionate pursuit to end hunger in central ca - one meal, one…

Food & Nutrition
10
Marin Humane Society

Marin humane transforms lives through exceptional animal care, humane education, and advocacy. every day, marin humane inspires compassion and positive relationships between people and animals.

Animals
11
Extrafood

Food Rescue - The Organization rescues excess fresh food from Bay Area businesses, schools and non-profits and immediately delivers the food to safety net partners - such as senior housing centers, after-school programs, and homeless…

Food & Nutrition
12
San Francisco Film Society

SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM connects and inspires audiences, students and teachers, and filmmakers through our film…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is California Community Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Family Resource Navigators. 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

49 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. 49 of the 68 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)
47/49
Grantees still filing
34/49
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ST LOUIS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL: $77,000 · OtherST LOUIS CHILDRENS HOSPITALMALT: $57,500 · OtherMALTALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK: $46,000 · OtherALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANKST LOUIS AREA FOOD BANK INC: $20,000 · OtherHome Works: $13,500 · Other+36 more: $175,500 · Other+36 moreCITY ACADEMY INC: $77,500 · EducationCITY ACADEMY INCHOME WORKS - THVP: $16,500 · EducationHOME WORKS - THVPGILL CHILDREN'S SERVICES INC: $9,000 · EducationGILL CHILDREN'S SE…ASPIRE EDUCATION PROJECT: $5,000 · Education+1 more: $1,000 · EducationBerkeley Food Network: $14,500 · Food & NutritionMARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST: $11,500 · Food & NutritionFOOD LIFELINE: $6,000 · Food & NutritionProject Open Hand: $4,000 · Food & NutritionWOMENS DAYTIME DROP-IN CENTER: $10,000 · Human ServicesGUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC: $7,500 · Human ServicesSF New Deal: $5,000 · Human ServicesLENA POPE HOME INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesCalifornia Youth Services: $3,000 · Human ServicesLoved Twice: $1,500 · Human Services+3 more: $3,000 · Human ServicesChildren's Hospital Colorado Foundation: $10,500 · HealthHomeless Prenatal Program Inc: $10,000 · HealthFamily Resource Navigators: $5,000 · HealthST LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $2,500 · HealthAUTISTRY STUDIOS INCORPORATED: $1,000 · HealthWOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY: $26,000 · AnimalsTHE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR SEATTLEKING COUNTY: $2,000 · AnimalsNorth Coast Land Conservancy Inc: $14,000 · EnvironmentVIDA VERDE NATURE EDUCATION: $11,500 · Environment
Other$389,500Education$109,000Food & Nutrition$36,000Human Services$35,000Health$29,000Animals$28,000Environment$25,500

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 budgetCITY ACADEMY INC: $77,500 over 8y, 0.2% of budgetALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK: $46,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetWOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY: $26,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetST LOUIS AREA FOOD BANK INC: $20,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHOME WORKS - THVP: $16,500 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetBerkeley Food Network: $14,500 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetNorth Coast Land Conservancy Inc: $14,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetVIDA VERDE NATURE EDUCATION: $11,500 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetMARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST: $11,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetChildren's Hospital Colorado Foundation: $10,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetHomeless Prenatal Program Inc: $10,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetWOMENS DAYTIME DROP-IN CENTER: $10,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetSPRINGBOARD TO LEARNING INC: $10,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetCATHOLIC URBAN PROGRAMS NFP: $10,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetThe Springboard Foundation: $9,500 over 5y, 0.8% of budgetGILL CHILDREN'S SERVICES INC: $9,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetGUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSHERWOOD FOREST CAMP INC: $7,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetFORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY: $7,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFOOD LIFELINE: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMaris Place: $6,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBALLARD FOOD BANK: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFamily Resource Navigators: $5,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetLAKE COUNTY CRISIS CENTER: $5,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSF New Deal: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSEATTLE ART MUSEUM: $5,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetASPIRE EDUCATION PROJECT: $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetCALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLENA POPE HOME INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER FOUNDATION: $4,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetProject Open Hand: $4,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBerkeley Public Library Foundation: $4,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetFOOD RUNNERS: $4,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetGritty City Repertory Youth Theatre: $3,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $3,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetST LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE HUMANE SOCIETY FOR SEATTLEKING COUNTY: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSEATTLE PARKS FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetORANGUTAN FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLoved Twice: $1,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budget826 Valencia: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMatrix A Parent Network and Resource Center: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAUTISTRY STUDIOS INCORPORATED: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSupport for Families of Children with Disabilities: $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.

Bernard E & Alba Witk…The San Francisco Fou…Mary a Crocker TrustMarin Community Found…East Bay Community Fo…Bothin FoundationUnited Way of Greater…McNabb FoundationThe James Irvine Foun…St Louis Community Fo…Jewish Community Fede…Bnsf Railway Foundati…
Bernard E & Alba Witkin Charitable FoundationCA17.7× affinity6 shared granteesties to 8 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Bernard E & Alba Witkin Charitable Foundation · The San Francisco Foundation · Mary a Crocker Trust · Marin Community Foundation · East Bay Community Foundation · Bothin Foundation · United Way of Greater St Louis Inc · McNabb Foundation · The James Irvine Foundation · St Louis Community Foundation Inc · Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma · Bnsf Railway 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 Cleaves and Mae Rhea Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Cleaves and Mae Rhea Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →median 6%
  • North Coast Land Conservancy Inc: 6% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
20report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
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 Cleaves and Mae Rhea Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Cleaves and Mae Rhea 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 68 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 Cleaves and Mae Rhea’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