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· Private foundation

The Pelican 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.

$340k
Granted FY2024still arriving
20
Grants FY2024still arriving
8
States reached
$150k
Largest
01What you fund
0196% classified

What you funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year — across FY20172024.

Health$691kEducation$349kReligion$197kRecreation & Sports$158kArts & Culture$145kCrime & Legal$103kScience & Tech$80kPhilanthropy$54kOther$0
02FY2024 · 20 grants

Where the money goes

Your grants by size, and where they go.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k14 grants · $36k
  • $10k–50k4 grants · $79k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $225k
$2,500
Median grant
8
States reached
$1.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Individual grant recipient$150,000
TUMTUM TREE FOUNDATION$75,000
UVA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATION$34,000
VA ATHLETICS FOUNDATION$25,000
DOMINICAN SISTERS OF ST CECILIA$10,000
RED BARN FOUNDATION$10,000
ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA$7,500
CATHOLIC CHARITIES$5,000
WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES$5,000
ST VINCENTS FOUNDATION$2,500
YOUNG CATHOLIC PROFESSIONALS$2,500
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BIRMINGHAM$2,500
CHILDREN'S HARBOR$2,500
EWTN$2,500
ST FRANCIS XAVIER CATHOLIC CHURCH$1,500
02The need
03

Do your dollars go where the need is?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, then read against the area’s typical level.

show:

Your human-services grants (FY17–23, $34k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 27% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Your grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%UNLESS U: $25k → 7%THE LOVELADY CENTER: $3k → 16%UNLESS U: $5k → 16%YMCA: $2k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount

Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty linein the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP; grantee ZIP can differ from where services are delivered.

Which US states your grants reach

WA
IL
NY
CA
WV
VA
MD
AR
TN
NC
LA
AL
TX
FL

US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are actually delivered. Need from public data — U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA — shown as context about the area, never attributed to your giving.

03Your edge
repeat funding

Who you back again

Which organizations you funded more than once, and which you funded a single time. Each grantee is matched to its own filings.

81%of every dollar goes to organizations you’ve funded before.
$1.7M · 29 repeat orgs$399k to everyone else

And the relationships you keep tend to grow: grantees you re-up on have seen median revenue of +78% since the first grant, against +42% for the ones you funded once.

29 repeat relationships — 12 still active in FY2024, 17 since wound down; 8 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

29
35

Total granted

$1.7M
$350k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+78%
+42%

Still filing today

48%
40%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 86% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $49k went to new ones.

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

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
HealthEducationReligionHuman ServicesArts & CultureCrime & LegalOther

First-time = a grantee’s first year in your filing window; renewed = funded in an earlier year too. As a portfolio matures the renewed share naturally climbs — once funded, an org stays “renewable” — so the signal is the years that buck it (a new-grantee intake wave). 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

  • TT
    TUM TUM TREE FOUNDATION
    7× · 2018–2024 · $451k · revenue +81%
  • TR
    THE RED BARN
    6× · 2017–2024 · $163k · revenue +91%
  • VIRGINIA STUDENT AID FOUNDATION INC
    2× · 2018–2023 · $83k · revenue +59%

Funded once

  • VL
    VARGONDA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2017 · $60k
  • TF
    TREE FOUNDATION INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $50k · revenue +162% · 54% of their budget
  • UA
    UVA ATHLETICS FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2020 · $50k

Repeat = funded in two or more distinct years; growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Your field

The map has a center of gravity: the average direction from the rest of the sector toward the organizations the foundation funds — the shape of its giving. Scoring every nonprofit along that direction surfaces the ones that look most like the portfolio. These are the closest matchesthat aren’t grantees — a resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Furman University

The primary mission of furman as a liberal arts institution is to provide a distinctive education in fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and the sciences, as well as selected professional disciplines.

Education
2
University of Virginia Investment Management Company

The university of virginia investment management company (uvimco) is organized to invest funds on behalf of the rector and visitors of the university of virginia (the university or uva) and university-associated organizations (uaos).

Education
3
Ave Maria University Inc

University education grounded in the traditions and faith of the roman catholic church

Education
4
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

5
United States Telecom Association

See schedule oustelecom exists to ensure members can compete, grow and thrive to build a world where families, enterprises and communities are connected through the power of broadband.our member companies have committed a considerable…

6
Evangel University

Evangel is a comprehensive christian university that is committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to become spirit empowered servants of god who will impact the church and society globally.

Education
7
Association of Catholic Colleges and University

The association of catholic colleges and universities, founded in 1899, serves as the collective voice of u.s catholic higher education. through programs and services, the association strengthens and promptes the catholic identity and…

8
Atlantic University Inc

Provide post-secondary education of excellence.

Education
9
Vanderbilt University

See Disclosure Above.

Education
10
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
11
Loyola Marymount University

Organization's mission loyola marymount university maintains a three-fold mission: 1)the encouragement of learning, 2) the education of the whole person, and 3)the service of faith and the promotion of justice.

Education
12
The University of TexasTexas a&M Investment Management Company

To generate superior long-term investment returns to support The University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems as they provide world-class teaching, push the boundaries of discovery, and achieve excellence in patient healthcare for…

Education

For reference, the grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Catholic Answers Inc and the most unlike its peers is Institute for Advanced Physics. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.

For each theme you fund, this compares how the sector’s money is shifting with how your own giving is shifting.

← shrinkinggrowing →↓ leaning in → pulling backsteadyChristian Missionary Organi…South Asian Cultural and Sp…Cancer Support OrganizationsVolunteer Fire DepartmentsLegal Aid & Immigration Ser…Ymca Community CentersUnited Way FederationsIndependent K-8 SchoolsPublic University Foundatio…Community Arts OrganizationsLand Conservation Organizat…Animal Rescue and Adoption
the sector your giving your giving is ahead of the sector the sector’s ahead of you· dot size = how much the theme matters to each side
Ordered by the change in your giving — leaning in on top, pulling back at the bottom. The bar between the two dots is how out of step you are with the sector. Hover any row for detail.

Sector change and giving change are each shown relative to their own range, growing (right) or shrinking (left); both normalized, so inflation isn’t mistaken for growth.

Your grantees are a median of 32 years old; the field is 15. You back the established end — and your money leans older still.

THE FIELDby orgYOUR GRANTEESby number23%0%<5yr14%0%5–10yr19%30%10–20yr15%22%20–35yr12%19%35–55yr17%30%55yr+
THE FIELDby orgYOUR MONEYby value23%0%<5yr14%0%5–10yr19%25%10–20yr15%56%20–35yr12%2%35–55yr17%17%55yr+

The field is 23% startups (under 5 years old) — 0% of your grantees by number, and just 0% of your money.

Closures · last 5 years

The orgs you fund almost never close 0.0% lost their exemption, against 14% of the field you don’t fund.

orgs you fund
0.0%0/34
the rest of the field
14%
3,157/22,745

Age = years since IRS exemption (a founding proxy). “Closed” = auto-revocation for 3 years of non-filing — a floor on closure, not proof, and bigger established orgs lapse least. Association, not causation.

04the grantee network

30 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each one resolved to its own IRS returns and tracked year by year — your grant beside their revenue from every source. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

Counted here: distinct organizations you funded across 20172025, not grant rows in a single year — so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 30 of the 72 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile; the rest are funded organizations whose filings we could not track year by year.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
30/30
Grantees still filing
25/30
Grew since you first funded

Where your money sits — by cause, then by grantee

UVA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATION — $253,000 · OtherUVA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATIONIndividual grant recipient — $151,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientST ROSE CATHOLIC SCHOOL — $83,250 · OtherST ROSE CATHOLIC SCHOOLRED MOUNTAIN THEATRE CO — $65,000 · OtherRED MOUNTAIN THEATRE COCATHEDRAL OF ST PAUL — $64,365 · OtherCATHEDRAL OF ST PAULST VINCENTS FOUNDATION — $64,000 · OtherST VINCENTS FOUNDATIONVARGONDA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATION — $60,000 · OtherVARGONDA LAW SCHOOL FOUNDATIONUVA ATHLETICS FOUNDATION — $50,000 · Other+44 more — $322,330 · Other+44 moreTUM TUM TREE FOUNDATION — $451,000 · HealthTUM TUM TREE FOUNDATIONTHE RED BARN — $163,000 · HealthTHE RED BARN+5 more — $25,500 · HealthVIRGINIA STUDENT AID FOUNDATION INC — $82,500 · EducationTREE FOUNDATION INC — $50,000 · EducationTHE ALTAMONT SCHOOL — $18,500 · Education+1 more — $2,500 · EducationINSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED PHYSICS — $70,000 · Science & TechRED MOUNTAIN THEATRE COMPANY INC — $45,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more — $1,000 · Arts & CultureUNLESS U INC — $30,000 · Human ServicesFREEDOM RAIN INC — $2,500 · Human ServicesYMCA — $1,518 · Human ServicesWORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES — $7,500 · ReligionLA PROMESA FOUNDATION — $6,000 · ReligionETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK INC — $6,000 · Religion
Other$1,112,945Health$639,500Education$153,500Science & Tech$70,000Arts & Culture$46,000Human Services$34,018Religion$19,500

Each org by its size and your share of it — top-left is where you’re load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ your share of their budgetTUM TUM TREE FOUNDATION — $451,000 over 7y, 9.7% of budgetTHE RED BARN — $163,000 over 6y, 8.8% of budgetVIRGINIA STUDENT AID FOUNDATION INC — $82,500 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED PHYSICS — $70,000 over 4y, 8.6% of budgetTREE FOUNDATION INC — $50,000 over 1y, 54% of budgetRED MOUNTAIN THEATRE COMPANY INC — $45,000 over 3y, 0.8% of budgetUNLESS U INC — $30,000 over 2y, 2.5% of budgetHOLY FAMILY CRISTO REY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL INC — $22,500 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetTHE ALTAMONT SCHOOL — $18,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetAmerican Heart Association Inc — $10,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCHILDREN'S HARBOR INC — $10,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetUNITED WAY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INC — $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCATHOLIC ANSWERS INC — $8,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetWORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES — $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetLA PROMESA FOUNDATION — $6,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK INC — $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFRATERNUS INC — $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetNOORISTAN FOUNDATION INC — $5,000 over 1y, 4.3% of budgetSMILE-A-MILE — $3,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetTHE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE INC — $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION — $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFREEDOM RAIN INC — $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetYMCA — $1,518 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetBirmingham Zoo Inc — $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMAGIC MOMENTS — $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCASHIERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC — $1,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetLEGAL FOUNDATION OF WASHINGTON — $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGLENVILLE-CASHIERS RESCUE SQUAD INC — $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Go grantee by grantee — a decade per org, and how each moved after you funded them

A decade per grantee — revenue shaded, your grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds TUM TUM TREE FOUNDATION
  • Who funds THE RED BARN
  • Who funds VIRGINIA STUDENT AID FOUNDATION INC
  • Who funds INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED PHYSICS
  • Who funds TREE FOUNDATION INC
  • Who funds RED MOUNTAIN THEATRE COMPANY INC
  • Who funds UNLESS U INC
  • Who funds HOLY FAMILY CRISTO REY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL INC
  • Who funds THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL
  • Who funds American Heart Association Inc
  • Who funds CHILDREN'S HARBOR INC
  • Who funds UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INC
  • Who funds CATHOLIC ANSWERS INC
  • Who funds WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES
  • Who funds LA PROMESA FOUNDATION
  • Who funds ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK INC

The grantmakers whose grantees overlap with yours far more than size alone predicts. Each orbits closer the stronger the alignment; the arcs between them show where they also fund each other. Here it reads as a tightly interlocked camp — most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Community Foundation of Greater BirminghamAL25× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham · The Lee Bruno Foundation · Dunn-French Foundation · Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust · Hill Crest Foundation Inc · Altecstyslinger Foundation · Alabama Power Foundation Inc · Arlington Partners Charitable Foundation Inc · The Hackney Foundation · Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation · The Daniel Foundation of Alabama · Thomas H Lowder Family Foundation

Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. A research starting point: overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Government reliance of your grantees

Every dot is one organization The Pelican Foundation funds. Left–right is the share of its income from government; up–down is the share from you. Bigger dots raise more. Filter to federal or a single department — and drag the year to watch it move.

2024
202122232425
no gov · 20%1%3%6%10%your share of their income ↑0%3%5%8%10%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 · 0–10%
    typical government reliance, FY2025

    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 your grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first — a floor, not 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 12–24 months.

    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to The Pelican Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Pelican 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.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read directly from IRS e-file XML — your own 990/990-PF and the multi-year returns of the 72 grantees we resolved across every year we hold, several hundred filings in all (a different count from the grant rows on the cover, which are one fiscal year)— each linked to its source. Grantee achievements and outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III); we read these as association with sustained funding — the foundation is one of several forces — suppress low-confidence name matches rather than guess, and say so where a figure rests on a single grant or filing. Not everything on this page is a filed figure, and the difference matters. Filed is what you reported on your 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. How we build these →

    Generated from your IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    More from the funding graph