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Washington, D.C. · Private foundation

The Guide Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$97k
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
66
Grants FY2025
68
Organizations funded FY2024
46%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2025
$1,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$11,000
Organizations funded a year
42 to 68
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
12
Total assets, FY2025
$1.3M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 46% of the organizations The Guide Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 31% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 69% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $30k 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
InternationalEducationFood & NutritionArts & CultureCommunity ImprovementEnvironmentOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving63$95k33%
FY202468$96k46%
FY202350$94k20%
FY202246$61k28%
FY202168$91k37%
FY202045$99k31%
FY201942$66k24%
FY201848$38k31%
96% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Education$202kEnvironment$192kArts & Culture$111kCivil Rights$43kInternational$30kHealth$17kFood & Nutrition$16kPublic Benefit$14kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
VT
NH
MT
MN
MI
NY
MA
OR
NV
IA
PA
CT
RI
CA
UT
NE
MO
WV
VA
MD
AZ
NC
DC
HI
AL
GA
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 100 grantees
All grantees of The Guide Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Waterkeeper Alliance Inc$45,00010%
Virginia Organizing Inc$15,00020%
President and Trustees of Bates College$15,00020%
Natural Resources Defense Council Inc$12,50070%
Island Press$11,55870%
Fund for Global Human Rights Inc$10,94580%
Waterfront Alliance Inc$10,00010%
The Potomac Conservancy Inc$9,78570%
Woodwell Climate Research Center Inc$9,07340%
National Gallery of Art$9,00070%
The Taft School Corporation$8,00090%
Friends of the Paterno Trivium Ltd$7,2508n/a
Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation of the D of C$6,5318n/a
The New Canaan Country School Incorporated$6,50080%
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc$6,05080%
Equal Justice Initiative$6,00050%
Mothers Out Front Inc$6,00070%
Cape Eleuthera Foundation Inc$5,00010%
World Central Kitchen Inc$4,77140%
The One Love Foundation in Honor of Yeardley Love Inc$4,50050%
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc$3,50030%
Clarke County Historical Association$3,19880%
Avalon Theatre Project Inc$3,12050%
DC Greens Inc$3,04520%
Technoserve Inc$3,00020%
Veggies to Table$2,77230%
Taxpayers for Common Sense$2,75040%
The Center for Investigative Reporting Inc$2,70040%
Some Inc$2,35060%
Friendship Place$2,10520%
The Innocence Project Inc$2,08020%
Clarke County Education Foundation Inc$2,03020%
Martha's Table Inc$2,00020%
Grace Reproductive Fund$2,00020%
Breakthrough T1d$2,00040%
University of Hawaii Foundation$2,00020%
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc$1,90050%
Fresh Air Fund$1,87560%
The Urban Alliance Foundation Inc$1,60050%
Georgetown Ministry Center$1,55070%
The Windermere Island Foundation Inc$1,50013%
Environmental Working Group$1,50030%
Stand$1,5001n/a
Capital Area Food Bank Inc$1,50030%
Georgetown University$1,50010%
West Virginia Public Broadcasting Founda$1,32060%
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center$1,27320%
The Phillips Collection$1,25070%
NEO Philanthropy Inc$1,08010%
The Amazon Biodiversity Center$1,03910%
Volunteer Legal Advocates$1,03710%
American Near East Refugee Aid$1,03310%
The Breakthrough Collaborative$1,03010%
The Land Trust of Virginia Inc$1,03010%
Women Food & Agriculture Network$1,00010%
Gulf of Maine Research Institute$1,00010%
The Country School Incorporated$1,00010%
Razom Inc$1,00010%
International Rescue Committee INC$1,00010%
Common Good City Farm$1,00010%
Save The Children Federation Inc$1,00010%
Voteorg$1,00010%
United Palestinian Appeal Inc$1,00010%
The Club Foundation$1,00010%
Pro Publica Inc$1,00010%
International Campaign for Tibet$1,00030%
Earth Conservation Corps$85030%
Virginia Outdoors Foundation$8005n/a
Bread for the City Inc$77320%
Smithsonian Institution$75010%
American Friends of Jamaica Inc$62520%
Serve Your City$60010%
Barns of Rose Hill$51220%
Save the Manatee Club Inc$50010%
Yosemite Foundation$50010%
Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals$5001n/a
Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association Inc$50010%
Belvedere Tiburon Library Foundation$50010%
Good Work Institute Inc$50010%
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts$5001n/a
Orbmedia Inc$50010%
Dolores C Huerta Foundation$50010%
Trinity Jubilee Center Inc$50010%
Marin Symphony Association$40010%
Dempsey Center for Quality Cancer Care$26010%
American Prairie Foundation$26010%
350org$25010%
American University$25010%
Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail Inc$2501n/a
The Pacifica Foundation$25010%
Nationalities Service Center of Philadelphia$20510%
Washington DC Police Foundation$20010%
Habitat for Humanity Inc$2002n/a
The Kelly S Brush Foundation Inc$10310%
Alliance for Justice$10010%
826dc Inc$10010%
Anicira Veterinary Center$10010%
The Sheltering Arms Foundation$10010%
The Arbutus Foundation Inc$5210%
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Inc$5010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 90 recipients with no EIN on record ($366k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget The Guide Foundation supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetWaterkeeper Alliance Inc: $45,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetVirginia Organizing Inc: $15,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetPresident and Trustees of Bates College: $15,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNatural Resources Defense Council Inc: $12,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetIsland Press: $11,558 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetFund for Global Human Rights Inc: $10,945 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetWaterfront Alliance Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetThe Potomac Conservancy Inc: $9,785 over 7y, 0.3% of budgetWoodwell Climate Research Center Inc: $9,073 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetNational Gallery of Art: $9,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetThe Taft School Corporation: $8,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetThe New Canaan Country School Incorporated: $6,500 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetSouthern Poverty Law Center Inc: $6,050 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetEqual Justice Initiative: $6,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMothers Out Front Inc: $6,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetCape Eleuthera Foundation Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWorld Central Kitchen Inc: $4,771 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetThe One Love Foundation in Honor of Yeardley Love Inc: $4,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetMedecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc: $3,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetClarke County Historical Association: $3,198 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetAvalon Theatre Project Inc: $3,120 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetDC Greens Inc: $3,045 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTechnoserve Inc: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetVeggies to Table: $2,772 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetTaxpayers for Common Sense: $2,750 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetThe Center for Investigative Reporting Inc: $2,700 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSome Inc: $2,350 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetFriendship Place: $2,105 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetThe Innocence Project Inc: $2,080 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetClarke County Education Foundation Inc: $2,030 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMartha's Table Inc: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetGrace Reproductive Fund: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBreakthrough T1d: $2,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetUniversity of Hawaii Foundation: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetPlanned Parenthood Federation of America Inc: $1,900 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetFresh Air Fund: $1,875 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetThe Urban Alliance Foundation Inc: $1,600 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetGeorgetown Ministry Center: $1,550 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetThe Windermere Island Foundation Inc: $1,500 over 1y, 3.0% of budgetEnvironmental Working Group: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCapital Area Food Bank Inc: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetGeorgetown University: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWest Virginia Public Broadcasting Founda: $1,320 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetBlue Ridge Wildlife Center: $1,273 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe Phillips Collection: $1,250 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetNEO Philanthropy Inc: $1,080 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Amazon Biodiversity Center: $1,039 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetVolunteer Legal Advocates: $1,037 over 1y, 0.0% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 92.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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.

Greater Washington Community FoundationDC24.6× affinity12 shared granteesties to 10 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Greater Washington Community Foundation · The San Francisco Foundation · Clark-Winchcole Foundation · The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation · John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation · Impactassetsinc · The Schmidt Family Foundation · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Nora Roberts Foundation · The Rockefeller Foundation · The David and Lucile Packard Foundation · Tj Guarriello Jr Family 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.

Compare The Guide Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Guide Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Guide 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.

About The Guide Foundation

How much does The Guide Foundation give?
The Guide Foundation reported 66 grants totaling $96,641 in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 42 and 68 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does The Guide Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Education (29%), Environment (28%), Arts & Culture (16%).
Who are The Guide Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Waterkeeper Alliance Inc ($45k), Virginia Organizing Inc ($15k), President and Trustees of Bates College ($15k).
Does The Guide Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 46% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does The Guide Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Guide Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Greater Washington Community Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, Clark-Winchcole Foundation.
Where is The Guide Foundation based?
The Guide Foundation is based in DC.

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 197 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

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