Skip to content
The Michels Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Michels Family Foundation

Its FY2018 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$6k
Granted FY2017
27
Grants FY2017
9
States reached
$500
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its fieldRead

Read this first · the figures below need context

100% of The Michels Family Foundation’s FY2018 grant dollars went to Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, not to grantees.

Its money now reaches organizations through that sponsor, which does not report who recommended each grant. FY2018 names 1 organization directly, so a portfolio cannot be read from it. Everything below is therefore FY2017, the last year The Michels Family Foundation named its own grantees at scale: 16 organizations, $6k. It is dated, not current.

Organizations named directly on the return

16
’17
1
’18

Amber years are those where most dollars went to a sponsor.

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 2018.

Philanthropy$104kFood & Nutrition$1kReligion$880Education$835Environment$650International$420Housing & Shelter$350Science & Tech$300Other$0
02FY2017 · 27 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$200
Median grant
9
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
HOUSTON FOOD BANK$500
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK$500
HILL HAVURAH$480
Individual grant recipient$475
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS$300
EUGENE WALDORF SCHOOL$300
EUGENE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION$300
NATURE CONSERVANCY$250
HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER$250
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS$220
MEALS ON WHEELS$200
350ORG$200
AMIGOS DE LA AMERICAS$200
NATURAL RECOURCES DEFINSE COUNCIL$200
GARRISON FOREST SCHOOL$150
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 (FY17–17, $50) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, 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%CAPITOL HILL VILLAGE: $50 → 14%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

NY
MA
OR
CA
CO
VA
MD
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 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
Friends of the Earth

Friends of the earth strives for a more healthy and just world by defendng the environment and human health while advancing social and economic justice by conducting research and education, transforming the economy so it protects the…

Environment
2
Third Way

To research and develop centrist policy ideas.

Civil Rights
3
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership Inc

Central indiana corporate partnership (cicp) is an alliance of indiana's business and research university leaders coming together to foster long-term prosperity for the region. cicp's mission is to transform the economy of indiana in order…

Community Improvement
4
Augustana College

Rooted in the liberal arts & sciences & lutheran expression of the christian faith, & is committed to offering a challenging education that develops qualities of mind, spirit, & body necessary for a rewarding life of leadership & service…

Education
5
Climate Catalyst Inc

Climate catalyst sparks collective action to tackle the biggest climate challenges we face today: cutting emissions in heavy industries.

Environment
6
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
7
American Gas Association

American gas association's (the association) mission is to develop and advocate for informed, innovative, and durable policy that fulfills our nation's energy needs, environmental aspirations and economic potential. we are committed to…

—
8
Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States Inc

The fsmb serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best…

Health
9
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

To effectively and efficiently mitigate risks to the reliability and security of the western interconnection's bulk power system.

Public Benefit
10
Environmental Investigation Agency

To establish and promote programs to protect the global climate, forests, wildlife and the natural environment, through research, advocacy, and investigation.

International
11
The Water Research Foundation

The purpose of the water research foundation (wrf) is a definitive research organization to advance the science of all things water to better meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. to engage exclusively in…

Environment
12
Texas Trees Foundation

The mission of texas trees foundation is to improve the health of cities and people through the transformative power of trees.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Community Foundation Santa Cruz County; the most unlike its peers is Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. 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

17 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. 17 of the 28 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
17/17
Grantees still filing
15/17
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: $103,580 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTYHILL HAVURAH: $880 · OtherThe Houston Food Bank: $500 · OtherSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK: $500 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $475 · OtherEUGENE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION: $300 · OtherHOUSING MATTERS: $250 · OtherTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $250 · OtherAMIGOS DE LA AMERICAS: $200 · OtherMEALS ON WHEELS INC: $200 · Other+8 more: $675 · OtherWALDORF EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $300 · EducationGARRISON FOREST SCHOOL INC: $150 · EducationAMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $100 · EducationTHE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC: $300 · InternationalMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $220 · InternationalNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $200 · Environment350ORG: $200 · EnvironmentROCKY MOUNTAIN PLANNED PARENTHOOD INC: $100 · HealthPUBLIC BROADCASTING OF COLORADO INC: $75 · Arts & CultureCAPITOL HILL VILLAGE: $50 · Human Services
Philanthropy$103,580Other$4,230Education$550International$520Environment$400Health$100Arts & Culture$75Human Services$50

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 budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: $103,580 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetThe Houston Food Bank: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC: $300 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWALDORF EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $300 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHOUSING MATTERS: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $220 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMEALS ON WHEELS INC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budget350ORG: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGARRISON FOREST SCHOOL INC: $150 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetROCKY MOUNTAIN PLANNED PARENTHOOD INC: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOPERATION UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: $90 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE FIELD SCHOOL INC: $85 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPUBLIC BROADCASTING OF COLORADO INC: $75 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCAPITOL HILL VILLAGE: $50 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.

Morgan Stanley Global…Vanguard Charitable E…National Philanthropi…Donor Advised Charita…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust IncIN9.2× affinity4 shared granteesties to 6 of 6Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · National Philanthropic Trust · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile 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 Michels Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Michels Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 20%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    2get no government money at all
    4report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
    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 28 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 2017, released 2017. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Michels Family’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