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Virginia · Private foundation

The Palmer 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.

$800k
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
28
Grants FY2024
33
Organizations funded FY2023
42%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$26,000
Largest grant, FY2024
$92,000
Organizations funded a year
24 to 33
FY2017 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
12
Total assets, FY2024
$18M
Applications
Preselected organizations only
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 42% of the organizations The Palmer Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 48% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 52% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $403k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23
EducationInternationalArts & CultureHuman ServicesEnvironmentAnimalsOther
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
FY2024still arriving28$800k32%
FY202333$837k42%
FY202227$829k30%
FY202130$906k37%
FY202028$787k50%
FY201929$675k76%
FY201832$743k72%
FY201724$621kn/a
99% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Environment$1.1MHuman Services$1.0MEducation$954kInternational$704kArts & Culture$703kHealth$358kHousing & Shelter$226kAnimals$206kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
CT
CA
CO
MO
VA
MD
NC
DC
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 100 grantees
All grantees of The Palmer Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Peninsula School of Art Inc$312,500714%
The Miracle Foundation Inc$231,80072%
Southern Environmental Law Center$200,00040%
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Inc$185,00040%
Forestplanet Inc$169,500457%
Habitat for Humanity International Inc$162,00050%
Partner for Surgery Inc$160,500514%
Alliance for the Great Lakes$150,00022%
Doorways for Women and Families Inc$146,50041%
Hoffman Institute Foundation$137,00041%
Neo Fund$136,000434%
National Wildlife Federation$135,00020%
Carthage College$126,00040%
Kemper Center Inc$103,000710%
Fabretto Children's Foundation Inc$98,00022%
Association to Preserve Cape Cod Inc$82,00022%
Sandhills Community College Foundation Inc$77,00040%
Boys & Girls Club of Pbc$75,00020%
Town of Gibraltar$75,0001n/a
Fotokids Inc$69,600213%
Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller$68,0002n/a
Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Inc$61,00021%
Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills Inc$60,00023%
Habitat for Humanity of the Nc Sandhills Inc$55,00011%
University of Wisconsin Foundation$55,00020%
Latino Community Fund of Washington State$55,00011%
Wingate University$53,00020%
Hope for Haiti Inc$50,00010%
The Manufacturing Institute$50,00011%
Artistyear$50,00013%
Medstar Health Research Institute Inc$50,00010%
Midwest Environmental Advocates Inc$50,00017%
A Leg to Stand on Inc$50,00023%
Massachusetts Audubon Society Inc$50,00010%
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation$50,00011%
Georgetown University$47,50020%
Icare Inc$46,80011%
Self Help Africa Inc$40,00015%
Highwater Farm$40,00018%
Focus Points Family Resource Center$40,00011%
Groundswell International Inc$35,00012%
Salisbury Zoo Commission Inc$35,00026%
Friends of Weymouth Inc$35,00015%
Hopecam Inc$34,00022%
Northern Door Childrens Center Inc$32,00012%
African Library Project$32,00026%
Coalition for Career Development Center$30,00017%
Urban Ecology Center Inc$30,00020%
Sunshine House Inc$30,00011%
The Urban Food Initiative Inc$26,25030%
Kenosha Young Men's Christian Association Inc$26,00011%
Ragdale Foundation$25,00013%
Paws4people Inc$25,00011%
Village Heritage Foundation$25,000136%
Cardinal Stritch University Inc$25,00010%
Year Up Inc$25,00010%
Moore County Economic Development Partnership$25,0001n/a
University of Virginia Darden School Foundation$25,00050%
Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care Inc$25,00010%
Creative Waves Foundation$25,000226%
The Philanthropy Roundtable$25,00010%
Lake Forest Symphony Association$25,00014%
Alverno College$23,85010%
Seeds of Peace Inc$23,20010%
Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic Inc$22,50010%
Gateway Technical College Foundation Inc$20,70010%
South Central College Foundation$20,00012%
Kellogg Community College Foundation$20,00011%
Greater Boston Legal Services Inc$18,00010%
National Women's Health Network$15,00021%
Life Waters$15,000114%
Altrusa International Foundation of Door County Wi Inc$15,00086%
Players Against Hate$14,7502n/a
The Family Support Center of South Sound$13,00010%
Duke University$12,00020%
Center for Disaster Philanthropy Inc$12,00010%
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc$10,00010%
Violet Sees$8,500110%
Hacienda Community Development Corporation$8,50010%
Door Community Auditorium Corp$8,00020%
Francis Hardy Center for the Arts$8,00015%
Birch Creek Music Performance Center Inc$8,00020%
Bruce Museum Inc$7,00010%
Wicomico Friends of Recreation and Parks Inc$6,5001n/a
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Education Foundation Inc$5,00010%
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Inc$5,00010%
High Plains Library District Friends & Foundation$5,00012%
The Chanda Plan Foundation$5,00010%
Team Rubicon Inc$5,00010%
Caritas Inc$5,00011%
Santa Cops of Weld County$4,500172%
Write on Door County Inc$3,50021%
Salisbury Arts Alliance Inc$3,00013%
Animal Rescue League of Boston$3,00010%
Mile High Canine Rescue Inc$3,00011%
Bounce Animal Rescue$2,50011%
Odyssey of the Mind Association of North Carolina$2,00012%
Somerset County Hitorical Trust Incorporated$2,00012%
Sowers of Seeds$1,50029%
Blood Cancer United Inc$1,00010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 25 recipients with no EIN on record ($1.4M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

The Palmer Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 5 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 95 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$10k$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetPeninsula School of Art Inc: $312,500 over 7y, 14% of budgetThe Miracle Foundation Inc: $231,800 over 7y, 2.1% of budgetSouthern Environmental Law Center: $200,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetChesapeake Bay Foundation Inc: $185,000 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetForestplanet Inc: $169,500 over 4y, 57% of budgetHabitat for Humanity International Inc: $162,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetPartner for Surgery Inc: $160,500 over 5y, 14% of budgetAlliance for the Great Lakes: $150,000 over 2y, 2.2% of budgetDoorways for Women and Families Inc: $146,500 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetHoffman Institute Foundation: $137,000 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetNeo Fund: $136,000 over 4y, 34% of budgetNational Wildlife Federation: $135,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCarthage College: $126,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetKemper Center Inc: $103,000 over 7y, 10% of budgetFabretto Children's Foundation Inc: $98,000 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetAssociation to Preserve Cape Cod Inc: $82,000 over 2y, 1.7% of budgetSandhills Community College Foundation Inc: $77,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetBoys & Girls Club of Pbc: $75,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetFotokids Inc: $69,600 over 2y, 13% of budgetRoot-Pike Watershed Initiative Network Inc: $61,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetBoys and Girls Club of the Sandhills Inc: $60,000 over 2y, 3.0% of budgetHabitat for Humanity of the Nc Sandhills Inc: $55,000 over 1y, 1.0% of budgetUniversity of Wisconsin Foundation: $55,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLatino Community Fund of Washington State: $55,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetWingate University: $53,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetHope for Haiti Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetThe Manufacturing Institute: $50,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetArtistyear: $50,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetMedstar Health Research Institute Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMidwest Environmental Advocates Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 7.1% of budgetA Leg to Stand on Inc: $50,000 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetMassachusetts Audubon Society Inc: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNational Marine Sanctuary Foundation: $50,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetGeorgetown University: $47,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetIcare Inc: $46,800 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetSelf Help Africa Inc: $40,000 over 1y, 5.2% of budgetHighwater Farm: $40,000 over 1y, 8.3% of budgetFocus Points Family Resource Center: $40,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetGroundswell International Inc: $35,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetSalisbury Zoo Commission Inc: $35,000 over 2y, 6.5% of budgetFriends of Weymouth Inc: $35,000 over 1y, 4.9% of budgetHopecam Inc: $34,000 over 2y, 2.4% of budgetNorthern Door Childrens Center Inc: $32,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetAfrican Library Project: $32,000 over 2y, 5.7% of budgetCoalition for Career Development Center: $30,000 over 1y, 6.5% of budgetUrban Ecology Center Inc: $30,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetSunshine House Inc: $30,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetThe Urban Food Initiative Inc: $26,250 over 3y, 0.4% 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 95.

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 Milwaukee Foundation IncWI27.6× affinity13 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc · Door County Community Foundation Inc · Green Bay Packers Foundation · Hislop Family Foundation · Ellsworth and Carla Peterson Charitable Foundation · Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Inc · Cedar Street Charitable Foundation Inc · Herbert H Kohl Charities Inc · Tiaa Charitable Inc · The Chicago Community Trust · Charles & Marcia Larsenanthony & Priscilla Beadell Foundation · Mmg Foundation 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.

Compare The Palmer Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Palmer Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Palmer 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 Palmer Foundation

How much does The Palmer Foundation give?
The Palmer Foundation reported 28 grants totaling $800,000 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 24 and 33 organizations a year over FY2017 to FY2023.
What does The Palmer Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2024, its largest causes are Environment (17%), Human Services (16%), Education (15%).
Who are The Palmer Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2024: Peninsula School of Art Inc ($313k), The Miracle Foundation Inc ($232k), Southern Environmental Law Center ($200k).
Does The Palmer Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 42% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does The Palmer Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and does not take unsolicited requests. Check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Palmer Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc, Door County Community Foundation Inc, Green Bay Packers Foundation.
Where is The Palmer Foundation based?
The Palmer Foundation is based in VA.

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 128 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

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