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The Placzek Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Placzek Family 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.

$87k
Granted FY2024still arriving
29
Grants FY2024still arriving
8
States reached
$16k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0189% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Education$122kHealth$100kArts & Culture$34kPublic Safety & Disaster$17kCivil Rights$16kInternational$16kReligion$14kAnimals$12kOther$0
02FY2024 · 29 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k27 grants · $60k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $27k
$2,000
Median grant
8
States reached
$1.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UCSF - Hematology Pulmunology Palliative Care Departments$16,000
Acalanes High School Auto Shop$11,000
OPU Organization for Aid to Refugees$6,000
Individual grant recipient$4,500
Individual grant recipient$4,000
Acalanes High School Auto Shop$4,000
Jewish Community of Brno$3,300
ALS Therapy Dev Institute$3,000
Young Musicians Choral Orchestra$3,000
Olympic Valley Fire Fighters Association$3,000
Lindsay Wildlife Experience$3,000
Mehrin Moravian Jewish Museum$2,200
Regional Parks Foundation$2,000
Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church$2,000
Berkeley Public Schools Fund$2,000
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.

US giving: 82% of grant dollars ($364k). The need read here covers only this US portion; the 18% that went abroad ($81k) is mapped below.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–23, $3k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, 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%American Red Cross: $1k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $1k → 14%THE RED CROSS: $500 → 10%THE RED CROSS: $500 → 10%THE RED CROSS: $100 → 10%THE RED CROSS: $100 → 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

WA
NY
MA
OR
OH
CA
CO
VA
MD
NC
DC
LA
AL
TX

Beyond the US: 18% of all-years giving ($81k)

1 country, by the recipient’s country on the filing.

grant dollars sentlessmore
Czechia$81k · 21 grants
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. International giving is mapped by the recipient’s country from the same 990 filings; comparable need data isn’t available at that grain.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

77%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$339k · 70 repeat orgs$102k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +25% since the first grant, against +21% for those funded once.

70 repeat relationships: 23 still active in FY2024, 47 since wound down; 5 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

70
26

Total granted

$339k
$95k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+25%
+21%

Still filing today

37%
23%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $7k 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
Arts & CultureEnvironmentEducationAnimalsInternationalRecreation & SportsOther
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

  • LP
    Lafayette Partners in Education
    6× · 2019–2024 · $25k · revenue +78%
  • ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
    6× · 2017–2024 · $6k · revenue +87%
  • BP
    Berkeley Public Schools Fund
    3× · 2022–2024 · $6k · revenue +25%

Funded once

  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2018 · $22k
  • UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2022 · $21k · revenue -21%
  • PP
    PAUL PROJECTS
    one grant, 2022 · $17k
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
California Academy of Sciences

The academy is a renowned scientific and educational institution with a mission to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. based in san francisco's golden gate park, it is home to a world-class aquarium,…

Arts & Culture
2
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

See schedule osfmoma believes the art of our time is vital and shares it with passion and purpose, and that art and the creative process can open minds and help build a better world. for that reason, we assemble unparalleled collections,…

Arts & Culture
3
Conservation Society of California

Through management of oakland zoo, the conservation society of california deepens connection with animals, saves wildlife, and inspires champions for the natural world.

Animals
4
Sempervirens Fund

To ensure coast redwood forests in the santa cruz mountains thrive for generations to come. since 1900, sempervirens has protected more than 36,000 acres. learn more about our mission, vision, and strategic plan through 2030 at:…

Environment
5
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
—
6
World Wildlife Fund Inc

Wwf's mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on earth. (continued on schedule o)

Environment
7
Resource Renewal Institute

The resource renewal institute facilitates the creation, development and implementation of practical strategies to solve the entire complex environmental problem by addressing it comprehensively.

Environment
8
California Institute for Biodiversity

Create and publish educational materials, conduct professional development, promote awareness, and sponsor research on the spectacular biological diversity of the State of CA.

Education
9
Save the Redwoods League

Save the redwoods league protects and restores redwood forests and connects people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish.

Environment
10
Chile-California Council

The Chile-California Council is a San Francisco-based nonprofit dedicated to developing and promoting joint endeavors and cooperative relations between Chile and California, as well as individuals, legal entities and other institutions in…

International
11
Sonoma Botanical Garden
—
12
California Wildlife Foundation

The foundation works with diverse groups representing many interests to acquire and restore critical wildlife habitat and protecting species

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is California State Parks Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 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

38 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. 38 of the 103 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)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
37/38
Grantees still filing
23/38
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UCSF - Hematology Pulmunology Palliative Care Departments: $35,000 · OtherUCSF - Hematology Pulmunology Palliative Care DepartmentsGEORGE PLACZEK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM UNION OF CZECH MATHEMATICIANS: $31,500 · OtherGEORGE PLACZEK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM UNION OF CZECH MATHEMATICIANSAcalanes High School Auto Shop: $21,725 · OtherAcalanes High School Auto ShopIndividual grant recipient: $21,600 · OtherIndividual grant recipientPAUL PROJECTS: $17,486 · OtherUCSF CARDIOLOGY COUNCIL: $12,000 · OtherJewish Community of Brno: $11,500 · Other+71 more: $186,046 · Other+71 moreLafayette Partners in Education: $24,800 · EducationLafayette Partne…UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION: $21,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF CA…Transports to Truth Inc: $9,000 · EducationTransports to Tr…Berkeley Public Schools Fund: $6,000 · EducationBerkeley Public …THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $2,500 · EducationTHE COLORADO COLLEGE: $2,400 · EducationKQED INC: $7,664 · Arts & CultureLINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM: $6,000 · Arts & CultureYOUNG MUSICIANS CHORAL ORCHESTRA: $4,100 · Arts & CultureOAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA: $1,500 · Arts & CultureBERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE: $1,200 · Arts & Culture+2 more: $1,200 · Arts & CultureWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $3,800 · InternationalMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $3,000 · InternationalAMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $1,200 · InternationalANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION: $4,000 · AnimalsMONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: $1,400 · AnimalsBEAR LEAGUE: $1,100 · AnimalsAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $3,200 · Human ServicesSave The Bay: $1,000 · EnvironmentAmerican Whitewater: $1,000 · EnvironmentSIERRA WATCH: $600 · EnvironmentWORLD SALMON COUNCIL: $500 · Environment+1 more: $100 · Environment
Other$336,857Education$65,700Arts & Culture$21,664International$8,000Animals$6,500Human Services$3,200Environment$3,200

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 budgetLafayette Partners in Education: $24,800 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION: $21,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTransports to Truth Inc: $9,000 over 3y, 2.0% of budgetKQED INC: $7,664 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetREGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION: $6,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK: $6,100 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetLINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM: $6,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBerkeley Public Schools Fund: $6,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetYOUNG MUSICIANS CHORAL ORCHESTRA: $4,100 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION: $4,000 over 4y, 2.1% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $3,800 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $3,200 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetST MARY'S HIGH SCHOOL: $3,100 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE DAWN REDWOODS CHARITABLE TRUST: $3,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $2,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetTHE COLORADO COLLEGE: $2,400 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetIMPACT JUSTICE: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCHP 11-99 FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetOAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA: $1,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM FOUNDATION: $1,400 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetDana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc: $1,400 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE: $1,200 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $1,200 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBEAR LEAGUE: $1,100 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetSave The Bay: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSILVERTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetLAFAYETTE ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetAmerican Whitewater: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART: $600 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSIERRA WATCH: $600 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSEUM: $600 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD SALMON COUNCIL: $500 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetPACIFIC REPERTORY THEATRE: $500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION: $400 over 2y, 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.

  • Who funds Lafayette Partners in Education ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Transports to Truth Inc ↗
  • Who funds KQED INC ↗
  • Who funds REGIONAL PARKS FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds Berkeley Public Schools Fund ↗
  • Who funds YOUNG MUSICIANS CHORAL ORCHESTRA ↗
  • Who funds ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC ↗
  • Who funds American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches ↗
  • Who funds ST MARY'S HIGH SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC ↗
  • Who funds THE DAWN REDWOODS CHARITABLE TRUST ↗

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.

East Bay Community Fo…Marin Community Found…Jewish Community Fede…Ibm International Fou…Esb Charitable Founda…Gordon E and Betty I …The William & Flora H…The San Francisco Fou…Morgan Stanley Global…Silicon Valley Commun…The Blackbaud Giving …Vanguard Charitable E…
East Bay Community FoundationCA20.1× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: East Bay Community Foundation · Marin Community Foundation · Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma · Ibm International Foundation · Esb Charitable Foundation · Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation · The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation · The San Francisco Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program

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 Placzek Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Placzek Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →median 7%
  • World Salmon Council: 55% of income from government
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc: 7% of income from government
  • American Whitewater: 5% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
7report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely 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.

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 103 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 Placzek 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