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The Payne Fund at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Private foundation

The Payne Fund

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.

$843k
Granted FY2024still arriving
41
Grants FY2024still arriving
7
States reached
$75k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$2.7MEducation$733kHealth$240kInternational$125kPhilanthropy$100kYouth Development$75kFood & Nutrition$65kPublic Benefit$50kOther$0
02FY2024 · 41 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k13 grants · $53k
  • $10k–50k24 grants · $531k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $260k
$20,000
Median grant
7
States reached
$3.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MUSICAL ARTS ASSOCIATION$75,000
FRIENDS OF BREAKTHROUGH SCHOOLS$75,000
DECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIO$60,000
FRANCES PAYNE BOLTON SCHOOL OF NURSING$50,000
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART$40,000
HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE$30,000
DECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIO$28,000
CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND$25,000
BREVARD MUSIC CENTER$25,000
MUSICAL ARTS ASSOCIATION$25,000
CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC$25,000
MOUNT VERNON LADIES ASSOCIATION$25,000
HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE$25,000
BREVARD MUSIC CENTER$25,000
MUSICAL ARTS ASSOCIATION$25,000
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 (FY23–24, $80k) land where the poverty rate runs at 17%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE: $30k → 17%HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE: $25k → 17%HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE: $25k → 17%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
VT
MN
NY
MA
OH
CA
MO
VA
NC
GA
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 6% of The Payne Fund’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

The Payne Fundlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 23% directed abroad (not shown)
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.

93%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.8M · 25 repeat orgs$278k to everyone else

25 repeat relationships: 19 still active in FY2024, 6 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

25
13

Total granted

$3.8M
$255k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+23%
+65%

Still filing today

76%
46%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $23k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationInternationalHousing & ShelterYouth DevelopmentPhilanthropyOther
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

  • TM
    The Musical Arts Association
    5× · 2020–2024 · $575k · revenue +45%
  • DA
    DECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIO
    5× · 2020–2024 · $414k · revenue +70%
  • BM
    BREVARD MUSIC CENTER INCORPORATED
    5× · 2020–2024 · $250k · revenue +115%

Funded once

  • CM
    CITY MISSION
    one grant, 2022 · $75k
  • CM
    CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORYgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $25k · revenue +76%
  • ED
    EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF OHIO
    one grant, 2021 · $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
Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati museum center inspires people of all ages to learn more about our world through science, regional history, and educational, engaging and meaningful experiences.

Arts & Culture
2
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
3
Columbia College Chicago

The organization's mission is to educate students for creative occupations in diverse fields of arts and media.

Education
4
Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art is a private, non-profit institution chartered by the State of New York Department of Education in 1929 to foster public awareness of modern and contemporary art. (Continued in Schedule O)

Arts & Culture
5
Point Park University

Provides innovative education in a dynamic urban setting. dedicated to academic excellence and community engagement,we prepare students of diverse backgrounds with the knowledge, skill,and experience to lead meaningful lives as informed…

—
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
Carleton College

See schedule o.founded in 1866, carleton college is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of 2,007 students located in the historic river town of northfield, minnesota. nationally recognized as the nation's top college for…

Education
8
Mills College

Mills college is an independent liberal arts college for women and gender nonbinary students, with graduate programs for all genders. the college educates students to think critically and communicate responsibly and effectively, to accept…

—
9
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
10
The Cleveland Institute of Art

The mission statement of the cleveland institute of art is as follows: to cultivate creative leaders who inspire people, strengthen communities, and contribute to a thriving and sustainable economy through an innovative education in art…

Education
11
Cincinnati Museum Association

Through the power of art, we contribute to a more vibrant cincinnati by inspiring its people and connecting our communities.

Arts & Culture
12
California College of the Arts

California college of the arts educates students to shape culture and society through the practice and critical study of art, architecture, design, and writing. benefitting from its san francisco bay area location, the college prepares…

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Cleveland Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Theatre Du Reve 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

31 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. 31 of the 44 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
31/31
Grantees still filing
25/31
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

MOUNT VERNON LADIES ASSOCIATION: $675,000 · OtherMOUNT VERNON LADIES ASSOCIATIONFRANCES PAYNE BOLTON SCHOOL OF NURSING: $655,000 · OtherFRANCES PAYNE BOLTON SCHOOL OF NURSINGBREVARD MUSIC CENTER INCORPORATED: $250,000 · OtherBREVARD MUSIC CENTER INCORPORATEDCITY MISSION: $75,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $75,000 · Other+16 more: $302,500 · Other+16 moreThe Musical Arts Association: $575,000 · Arts & CultureThe Musical Arts AssociationDECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIO: $413,790 · Arts & CultureDECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIOCLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART: $150,000 · Arts & CultureCLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ARTLAKEVIEW CEMETERY FOUNDATION: $139,000 · Arts & CultureLAKEVIEW CEMETERY FOUNDATIONTHEATRE DU REVE INC: $90,000 · Arts & CultureTHEATRE DU REVE INC+5 more: $117,500 · Arts & Culture+5 moreFRIENDS OF BREAKTHROUGH SCHOOLS: $175,000 · EducationFRIENDS OF…CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC: $166,000 · EducationCLEVELAND …THE CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND: $50,000 · EducationTHE CITY C…THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION: $100,000 · PhilanthropyVERNER INC: $12,500 · PhilanthropyWEST MARIN COMMUNITY SERVICES: $5,000 · PhilanthropyMYRIAD USA INC: $55,000 · InternationalCLEVELAND COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS: $37,500 · InternationalTHE CARTER CENTER INC: $20,000 · InternationalTHE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GREECE: $5,000 · InternationalHOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE INC: $80,000 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITY LAND TRUST ASSOCIATION OF WEST MARIN: $35,000 · Housing & ShelterHospitality Homes Inc: $7,500 · Housing & Shelter
Other$2,032,500Arts & Culture$1,485,290Education$391,000Philanthropy$117,500International$117,500Human Services$80,000Housing & Shelter$42,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetThe Musical Arts Association: $575,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetDECORATIVE ARTS CENTER OF OHIO: $413,790 over 5y, 17% of budgetBREVARD MUSIC CENTER INCORPORATED: $250,000 over 5y, 0.7% of budgetFRIENDS OF BREAKTHROUGH SCHOOLS: $175,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetCLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC: $166,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetCLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART: $150,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetLAKEVIEW CEMETERY FOUNDATION: $139,000 over 4y, 4.0% of budgetTHE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHEATRE DU REVE INC: $90,000 over 5y, 34% of budgetHOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE INC: $80,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetMYRIAD USA INC: $55,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND: $50,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetSAN FRANCISCO FOOD BANK: $40,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPlayhouse Square Foundation: $37,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCLEVELAND COUNCIL ON WORLD AFFAIRS: $37,500 over 2y, 1.5% of budgetCOMMUNITY LAND TRUST ASSOCIATION OF WEST MARIN: $35,000 over 5y, 0.8% of budgetCLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY: $25,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMARIN AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST: $25,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE: $25,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE CARTER CENTER INC: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMULTIPLIER: $15,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetKWMR: $15,000 over 3y, 1.0% of budgetPortland Museum of Art: $15,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetVERNER INC: $12,500 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCOUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetHospitality Homes Inc: $7,500 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetWEST MARIN COMMUNITY SERVICES: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLINIC: $5,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetTHE SANNEH FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetENTERPRISE FOR YOUTH: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GREECE: $5,000 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.

Kulas FoundationJohn P Murphy Foundat…The George Gund Found…The Albert B & Audrey…Martha Holden Jenning…The Nord Family Found…The Cleveland Foundat…Jpmorgan Chase Founda…Vanguard Charitable E…American Endowment Fo…Morgan Stanley Global…Gs Donor Advised Phil…
Kulas FoundationOH15.7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Kulas Foundation · John P Murphy Foundation · The George Gund Foundation · The Albert B & Audrey G Ratner Family Foundation · Martha Holden Jennings Foundation · The Nord Family Foundation · The Cleveland Foundation · Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Endowment Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management 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 Payne Fund funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Payne Fund. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%3%10%23%40%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →median 2%
  • The American College of Greece: 2% of income from government
  • People's Health and Wellness Clinic: 2% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
11report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–90%
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 Payne Fund?

Find your warmest path to The Payne Fund 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 44 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

Play a game based on Payne’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