Skip to content
The Mortar Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

The Mortar Foundation Inc

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.

$230k
Granted FY2025still arriving
18
Grants FY2025still arriving
8
States reached
$100k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Health$701kPhilanthropy$271kHousing & Shelter$121kArts & Culture$54kYouth Development$43kReligion$36kHuman Services$21kEnvironment$16kOther$0
02FY2025 · 18 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k10 grants · $8k
  • $10k–50k7 grants · $122k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $100k
$1,437
Median grant
8
States reached
$3.1M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
She Recovers Foundation$100,000
Hispanics in Philanthropy-HipGive$25,000
Everyorg$25,000
Social Environmental Entrepreneurs$20,000
Mindshift Recovery Inc$20,000
Access Institute for Psychological$12,191
About-Face Media Literacy$10,000
Doc's Recovery House$10,000
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank$1,437
Huckleberry Youth Programs Inc$1,347
Dry Dock Corporation$1,076
African Peoples Education Defense F$1,059
Sandy Hook Promise Foundation$622
Individual grant recipient$540
Nature Conservancy$480
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 (FY17–25, $134k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 93% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%Florence Crittenton Services: $10k → 8%Huckleberry Youth Programs Inc: $1k → 10%Youth Art Exchange: $10k → 10%Youth Art Exchange: $10k → 10%At The Crossroads: $35k → 10%About-Face: $20k → 10%About-Face Media Literacy: $10k → 10%The Dry Dock: $5k → 10%Dry Dock Corporation: $1k → 10%Dry Dock: $1k → 10%The Dry Dock: $1k → 10%At The Crossroads: $30k → 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

NY
MA
NV
CT
RI
CA
VA
MD
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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 11% of The Mortar Foundation Inc’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 90% of the giving stays in CA; by stated purpose, 85%.

The Mortar Foundation Inclessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

71%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.1M · 22 repeat orgs$447k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +21% since the first grant, against +1% for those funded once.

22 repeat relationships: 9 still active in FY2025, 13 since wound down; 8 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

22
41

Total granted

$1.1M
$269k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+21%
+1%

Still filing today

55%
44%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 23% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $178k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
HealthHuman ServicesArts & CulturePhilanthropyYouth DevelopmentCrime & LegalOther
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

  • AI
    Access Institute for Psychological Services
    5× · 2017–2025 · $120k · revenue +85%
  • HISPANICS IN PHILANTHROPY
    3× · 2017–2019 · $107k · revenue +21%
  • MR
    MOBILIZE RECOVERY
    2× · 2022–2023 · $75k · revenue +21%

Funded once

  • SA
    Salvation Army
    one grant, 2024 · $25k
  • CH
    CHILDREN'S HEALTH COUNCIL INCgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $25k · revenue +75%
  • AI
    Acess Institute for Psychological S
    one grant, 2020 · $25k
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
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
2
Forward Together

Forward Together is a national reproductive justice organization that centers people, families, and communities who experience reproductive oppression. They prioritize queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and other peoples of color and utilize…

Health
3
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
4
International Center for Research On Women

The international center for research for women (icrw) is a global research institute, with a mission to advance rights and opportunities for women, girls, and structurally excluded populations with actionable evidence and solutions.

International
5
Alternatives Inc

Alternatives, inc.'s mission is to facilitate personal development,strengthen family relationships and enhance the community's well being. serving over 3,000 youth and families annually, the organization offers a range of counseling and…

Health
6
The Workers Lab

The Workers Labs purpose is to give new ideas about increasing worker power a genuine changce to succeed and flourish. We envison a society where workers are powerful drivers of economic, social, and political transformation. To bring…

Community Improvement
7
Out & Equal

To provide leadership and professional development, education and research to create workplaces free from discrimination.

Social Science
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
Women Deliver Inc

Women deliver is a global feminist advocacy organization with a clear mission: to ensure that every self-identifying girl and woman has control over her body and life. see organization's full mission statement in schedule o.

Education
10
How to Build Up Inc

How to build up's (build up) global core team builds peace around the world by bringing together diverse skills: mediation, negotiation, facilitation, marketing, media, filmmaking, design, coding, data analysis, social media, and graphic…

Community Improvement
11
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
12
Institute for Public Strategies

Institute of Public Strategies (IPS) is a nonprofit corporation that receives its funding from local and federal governmental agencies and private foundations, through long-term grants or contracts to provide community-level services…

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is She Recovers Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Mindshift Recovery Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

39 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. 39 of the 74 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)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
38/39
Grantees still filing
24/39
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

She Recovers Foundation: $227,534 · OtherShe Recovers FoundationHispanics in Philanthropy-HipGive: $186,690 · OtherHispanics in Philanthropy-HipGiveHISPANICS IN PHILANTHROPY: $106,500 · OtherHISPANICS IN PHILANTHROPYIndividual grant recipient: $100,250 · OtherIndividual grant recipientCenter for Open Recovery DBA Open Recovery: $100,000 · OtherCenter for Open Recovery DBA Open Recovery+44 more: $232,891 · Other+44 moreAccess Institute for Psychological Services: $120,191 · HealthAccess Institute for Psyc…SHE RECOVERS FOUNDATION: $100,000 · HealthSHE RECOVERS FOUNDATIONMOBILIZE RECOVERY: $75,000 · HealthMOBILIZE RECOVERYCHILDREN'S HEALTH COUNCIL INC: $25,000 · HealthCHILDREN'S HEALTH COUNCIL…Mindshift Recovery Inc: $20,000 · HealthMindshift Recovery Inc+2 more: $15,000 · HealthAT THE CROSSROADS: $65,000 · Human ServicesAT THE CROS…ABOUT-FACE MEDIA LITERACY INC: $55,000 · Human ServicesABOUT-FACE …TIDES CENTER: $20,000 · Human ServicesTIDES CENTE…Florence Crittenton Services of Greater Washington: $10,000 · Human ServicesFlorence Cr…DRY DOCK CORPORATION: $8,076 · Human Services+1 more: $1,347 · Human ServicesPerforming Arts Workshop Inc: $20,000 · Arts & CultureTHE EXPLORATORIUM: $10,000 · Arts & CultureFoglifter Press: $5,000 · Arts & Culture+2 more: $1,535 · Arts & CultureEVERY ORG: $25,000 · PhilanthropyAMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE PARENTS CIRCLE - FAMILIES FORUM: $1,030 · Philanthropy+1 more: $206 · PhilanthropyHomeless Youth Alliance: $15,000 · Youth DevelopmentAlliance for Girls: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentGIRLS FOR GENDER EQUITY INC: $10,000 · Crime & LegalSANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION: $5,230 · Crime & Legal
Other$953,865Health$355,191Human Services$159,423Arts & Culture$36,535Philanthropy$26,236Youth Development$20,000Crime & Legal$15,230

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 budgetAccess Institute for Psychological Services: $120,191 over 5y, 10% of budgetHISPANICS IN PHILANTHROPY: $106,500 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetCenter for Open Recovery DBA Open Recovery: $100,000 over 2y, 10.0% of budgetMOBILIZE RECOVERY: $75,000 over 2y, 3.2% of budgetAT THE CROSSROADS: $65,000 over 2y, 2.5% of budgetABOUT-FACE MEDIA LITERACY INC: $55,000 over 3y, 24% of budgetCHILDREN'S HEALTH COUNCIL INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTIDES CENTER: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAN FRANCISCO FOOD BANK: $11,437 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE EXPLORATORIUM: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFlorence Crittenton Services of Greater Washington: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetDRY DOCK CORPORATION: $8,076 over 4y, 2.3% of budgetSOCIAL GOOD FUND INC: $5,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION: $5,230 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetFoglifter Press: $5,000 over 1y, 4.3% of budgetHomeless Prenatal Program Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $2,400 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetHUCKLEBERRY YOUTH PROGRAMS INC: $1,347 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNeighborhood Funders Group: $1,030 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE PARENTS CIRCLE - FAMILIES FORUM: $1,030 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLIVE OAK A LEARNING CENTER FOR CHILDREN: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLet It Ripple Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPLAN INTERNATIONAL USA INC: $975 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetKCRW FOUNDATION INC: $928 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION: $574 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA FILM INSTITUTE: $535 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $520 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetLa Casa de las Madres: $364 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOMMUNITY INITIATIVES: $206 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDONORSCHOOSEORG: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSAN FRANCISCO PARKS ALLIANCE: $157 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.

The San Francisco Fou…Horizons FoundationViragh Family Foundat…Jewish Community Fede…Tides FoundationGs Donor Advised Phil…Silicon Valley Commun…Cerity Partners Found…McNabb FoundationThe Ayco Charitable F…Marin Community Found…American Endowment Fo…
The San Francisco FoundationCA21.5× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The San Francisco Foundation · Horizons Foundation · Viragh Family Foundation · Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma · Tides Foundation · Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · Cerity Partners Foundation · McNabb Foundation · The Ayco Charitable Foundation · Marin Community Foundation · American Endowment 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 Mortar Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Mortar Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Sandy Hook Promise Foundation: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
13report 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 Mortar Foundation Inc?

Find your warmest path to The Mortar Foundation Inc 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 74 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 Mortar’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