Skip to content
The Gale Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Gale 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.

$9.1M
Granted FY2025still arriving
9
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$2.6M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0196% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Philanthropy$9.1MReligion$1.9MEducation$480kEnvironment$371kAnimals$283kPublic Safety & Disaster$200kArts & Culture$188kHousing & Shelter$164kOther$0
02FY2025 · 9 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k3 grants · $4k
  • $250k+6 grants · $9.1M
$488,743
Median grant
1
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MB Gale Foundation$2,550,235
Freer Foundation$2,550,235
OurBlueSeas Foundation$2,550,235
Freer Foundation$488,743
MB Gale Foundation$488,743
OurBlueSeas Foundation$488,742
OurBlueSeas Foundation$1,223
MBGale Foundation$1,222
Freer Foundation$1,222
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 (FY21–21, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%WORKING WHEELS: $5k → 12%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
MI
NY
IA
OH
PA
CO
VA
MD
NC
SC
DC
MS
GA
FL
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.

16%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.9M · 26 repeat orgs$9.9M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +66% since the first grant, against +21% for those funded once.

26 repeat relationships: 0 still active in FY2025, 26 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

26
39

Total granted

$1.9M
$826k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+66%
+21%

Still filing today

58%
56%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 0% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $9.1M went to new ones.

50%100%’17’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’20’21’22’23’24’25
EducationAnimalsPhilanthropyEnvironmentHuman ServicesYouth 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

  • CO
    COMMUNITY OF HOPE
    4× · 2021–2024 · $150k · revenue +159%
  • LW
    LIVING WELL MINISTRIES INC
    5× · 2020–2024 · $145k · revenue +27%
  • BW
    Brother Wolf Animal Rescue Inc
    3× · 2022–2024 · $130k · revenue +389%

Funded once

  • UW
    UNITED WAY OF COLLIER AND KEYS INC
    one grant, 2022 · $100k
  • AN
    American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches
    one grant, 2022 · $100k · revenue +23%
  • SL
    ST LAWRENCE BASILICA PRESERVATION FUND
    one grant, 2022 · $60k
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
The Coral Reef and Marine Science Foundation Inc C/O James Bildner
—
2
Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper Inc

In 2024, biscayne bay waterkeeper (d/b/a miami waterkeeper) built on our reputation by navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and continuing our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our precious waterways and finding local…

Environment
3
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Inc

We harness the power of plants for humankind and share the joy and beauty of tropical gardening with everyone. fairchild tropical botanic garden is a museum of tropical plants within a world famous, 83-acre designed landscape. it was…

Environment
4
Marine Biological Laboratory

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is a world-renowned center for biological discovery and training that is notably affiliated with more than 60 Nobel Prize winners. Research is conducted by full-time faculty as well as hundreds of the…

Science & Tech
5
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences Bios Inc

Bios's mission is to seek and share fundamental knowledge of the oceans through state-of-the-art scientific research, world-class field expeditions, and comprehensive educational experiences.

Science & Tech
6
For the Fishes

To address, educate, coordinate, and enhance enforcement capacity to end teh trade in coral reef wildlife for household and other small display aquariums. our supply and demand side strategies are directed locally and globally to…

Animals
7
Clean Reefs
Environment
8
Blue World Foundation Inc

To stabilize the population of marine species in danger, especially sharks and rays in the caribbean of guatemala; through science and community strengthening which will provide the creation of alternative livelihoods, which eventually…

Environment
9
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
—
10
The Everglades Foundation Inc

The mission of the foundation is to restore and protect america's everglades through its three programmatic pillars: science, advocacy and education. (continued on schedule o)

Environment
11
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida

We are a grassroots organization focused on the critical environmental issues of sw florida. we accomplish this through a myriad of efforts by the teams in our programmatic departments: science, policy, education and wildlife…

—
12
Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (the Institute) was organized pursuant to the General Nonprofit Corporation Law of the State of California. The primary purpose for which the Institute was formed is to conduct biological, environmental,…

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Inc; the most unlike its peers is OurBlueSeas. 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

39 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 39 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.

3
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
11
Early backer (in before they grew)
39/39
Grantees still filing
28/39
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Freer Foundation: $3,040,200 · PhilanthropyFreer FoundationM B Gale Foundation: $3,040,200 · PhilanthropyM B Gale FoundationOurBlueSeas: $3,040,200 · PhilanthropyOurBlueSeasNEW LIFE MISSIONS INC: $185,000 · OtherNEW LIFE MISS…First United Methodist Church Melbourne: $158,000 · OtherFirst United …LIVING WELL MINISTRIES INC: $145,000 · OtherLIVING WELL M…UNITED WAY OF COLLIER AND KEYS INC: $100,000 · OtherUNITED WAY OF…ST LAWRENCE BASILICA PRESERVATION FUND: $60,000 · OtherFauquier Habit for Humanity: $60,000 · OtherPreservation Society of Buncombe Asheville: $59,000 · OtherEAST COAST CHRISTIAN CENTER INC: $55,000 · OtherWalking With Him 6 Inc: $51,000 · Other+35 more: $569,736 · Other+35 moreUniversity of Miami: $130,000 · EducationNova Southeastern University Inc: $95,000 · EducationUniversity of South Florida Foundation Inc: $50,000 · EducationBARD COLLEGE: $42,500 · EducationFLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 · EducationNORTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION: $39,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $20,000 · Education+2 more: $22,000 · EducationMAINE WILDERNESS WATERSHED TRUST INC DBA PIERCE POND WATERSHED TRUST: $300,000 · Environment+2 more: $20,000 · EnvironmentBrother Wolf Animal Rescue Inc: $130,000 · AnimalsBONOBO CONSERVATION INITIATIVE: $35,000 · AnimalsHidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project Inc: $28,000 · AnimalsMIDDLEBURG HUMANE FOUNDATION: $20,000 · AnimalsPENNSYLVANIA BAT RESCUE INC: $20,000 · AnimalsCOMMUNITY OF HOPE: $150,000 · Housing & ShelterAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $100,000 · Human ServicesHELPMATE INC: $20,000 · Human ServicesW4H ASHEVILLE: $5,000 · Human Services
Philanthropy$9,120,600Other$1,442,736Education$438,500Environment$320,000Animals$233,000Housing & Shelter$150,000Human Services$125,000

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 budgetFreer Foundation: $3,040,200 over 1y, 84% of budgetM B Gale Foundation: $3,040,200 over 1y, 84% of budgetMAINE WILDERNESS WATERSHED TRUST INC DBA PIERCE POND WATERSHED TRUST: $300,000 over 2y, 51% of budgetCOMMUNITY OF HOPE: $150,000 over 4y, 5.4% of budgetLIVING WELL MINISTRIES INC: $145,000 over 5y, 23% of budgetBrother Wolf Animal Rescue Inc: $130,000 over 3y, 1.3% of budgetUniversity of Miami: $130,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $100,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNova Southeastern University Inc: $95,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetWalking With Him 6 Inc: $51,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetUniversity of South Florida Foundation Inc: $50,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMANNA FOOD BANK INC: $43,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBARD COLLEGE: $42,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $40,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNORTH SIDE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION: $39,000 over 3y, 9.9% of budgetBONOBO CONSERVATION INITIATIVE: $35,000 over 1y, 8.4% of budgetHidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project Inc: $28,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL: $25,000 over 1y, 3.6% of budgetFRESTA VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL LTD: $21,100 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetWHITE HORSE STEPSTONE: $20,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION INC: $20,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetMIDDLEBURG HUMANE FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPENNSYLVANIA BAT RESCUE INC: $20,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetHELPMATE INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetDAILY BREAD INC: $14,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetFAUQUIER COMMUNITY FOOD BANK & THRIFT STORE: $12,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetBookGive Inc: $12,000 over 1y, 7.5% of budgetFLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetREEF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetLOWCOUNTRY PREGNANCY CENTER: $10,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetTHE CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetICARE CORPORATION: $10,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetMOTE MARINE LABORATORY INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN ANGLICAN COUNCIL: $10,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOR KIDS: $7,500 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetW4H ASHEVILLE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICA'S VETDOGS THE VETERANS K-9 CORPS INC: $5,000 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.

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 Community Foundat…M B Gale FoundationDogwood Health TrustMightycause Charitabl…T Rowe Price Program …Shell USA Company Fou…The Bank of America C…Vanguard Charitable E…Raymond James Charita…Natl Christian Charit…The Pfizer Foundation…Morgan Stanley Global…
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina IncNC14.7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 10 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Inc · M B Gale Foundation · Dogwood Health Trust · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving Inc · Shell USA Company Foundation · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust 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 Gale Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Gale Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 40%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 4%
  • The Coral Restoration Foundation Inc: 16% of income from government
  • University of Miami: 5% of income from government
  • Mote Marine Laboratory Inc: 4% of income from government
  • Nova Southeastern University Inc: 2% of income from government
  • Community of Hope: 1% of income from government
  • Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
4get 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 Gale Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Gale 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Gale’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