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The Riss Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Riss Foundation

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.

$14k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
5
States reached
$3k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Health$26kReligion$25kFood & Nutrition$25kCivil Rights$24kEducation$19kInternational$14kCommunity Improvement$8kPublic Safety & Disaster$6kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$1,000
Median grant
5
States reached
$114k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN$2,500
CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK$2,500
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION$2,000
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER$1,000
LUNGEVITY FOUNDATION$1,000
UNDUE MEDICAL DEBT$1,000
TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER$1,000
CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS$1,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS$1,000
COMPASS PRO BONO$1,000
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 (FY20–23, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 67% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%RIP MEDICAL DEBT: $1k → 9%RIP MEDICAL DEBT: $2k → 13%RIP MEDICAL DEBT: $500 → 9%RIP MEDICAL DEBT: $1k → 13%HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT: $200 → 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

IL
NY
MA
OH
CT
RI
CA
CO
MD
DC
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 17% of The Riss Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

The Riss Foundationlessmore 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.

95%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$129k · 18 repeat orgs$6k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +33% since the first grant, against -7% for those funded once.

18 repeat relationships: 10 still active in FY2025, 8 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
9

Total granted

$129k
$6k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+33%
-7%

Still filing today

89%
100%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 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
Civil RightsHealthEducationEnvironmentHuman ServicesInternationalOther
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

  • CA
    CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK INC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $25k · revenue +80%
  • AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC
    8× · 2018–2025 · $14k · revenue +110%
  • MS
    MARET SCHOOL INC
    2× · 2017–2018 · $11k · revenue +33%

Funded once

  • THE MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCHgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue +95%
  • EARTHJUSTICEgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue +26%
  • NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue -18%
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
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
2
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.

—
3
Boston Architectural College

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

—
4
The Union of Concerned Scientists Inc

The union of concerned scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.

International
5
Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States Inc

The fsmb serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best…

Health
6
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

Founded in 1889, the national association of regulatory utility commisioners (naruc) is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing the state public service commisions who regulate the utilities that provide essential services such…

—
7
National Association of College and University Attorneys

To advance the practice of higher education attorneys for the benefit of the institutions they serve.

—
8
Aclu Foundation of Massachusetts Inc

Aclu foundation of ma was established to defend freedoms guaranteed in the constitution and bill of rights through public education and litigation.

Civil Rights
9
Council for Court Excellence

Council for court excellence's (cce's) mission is to bring people together to conduct research, educate, and advocate to make d.c.'s unique legal systems more just, equitable, and accountable to the community.

—
10
The Water Research Foundation

The purpose of the water research foundation (wrf) is a definitive research organization to advance the science of all things water to better meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. to engage exclusively in…

Environment
11
American Gas Association

American gas association's (the association) mission is to develop and advocate for informed, innovative, and durable policy that fulfills our nation's energy needs, environmental aspirations and economic potential. we are committed to…

—
12
Npr Foundation

The npr foundation ("foundation") is organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of its sole supported organization, national public radio, inc. ("npr inc."). the foundation supports npr inc. through various activities such as…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is National Immigration Law Center; the most unlike its peers is Capital Area Food Bank 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

27 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. 27 of the 29 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)
2
Early backer (in before they grew)
27/27
Grantees still filing
16/27
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

TEMPLE SINAI: $25,000 · OtherTEMPLE SINAIFRIENDS OF COMPASS INC: $7,500 · OtherFRIENDS OF COMPASS INCTHEATREWASHINGTON: $2,000 · OtherYALE COLLEGE: $2,000 · OtherBROWN UNIVERSITY: $5,000 · OtherBROWN UNIVERSITY350ORG: $2,500 · Other350ORG+3 more: $2,000 · OtherAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC: $14,000 · Civil RightsAMERICAN CIVIL LIBE…TREVOR PROJECT INC: $3,700 · Civil RightsTREVOR PROJECT INCTransgender Law Center: $2,500 · Civil RightsTransgender Law Cen…NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER: $2,000 · Civil RightsNATIONAL IMMIGRATIO…THE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS INC: $2,000 · Civil RightsTHE CENTER FOR REPR…NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC: $1,000 · Civil RightsNATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND INC: $1,000 · Civil RightsCAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK INC: $24,500 · Food & NutritionCAPITAL AREA FOOD …AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $11,500 · InternationalAMERICAN JEWIS…WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $6,000 · InternationalWORLD CENTRAL …MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $2,000 · InternationalMEDECINS SANS …LUNGEVITY FOUNDATION INC: $9,000 · HealthLUNGEVITY FO…PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $6,000 · HealthPLANNED PARE…THE MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH: $1,000 · HealthTHE MICHAEL …Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project: $1,000 · HealthWomen's Repr…MARET SCHOOL INC: $11,000 · EducationOberlin College: $750 · Education+1 more: $250 · EducationMEDICAL DEBT RESOLUTION INC: $6,300 · Human Services+1 more: $200 · Human Services
Other$46,000Civil Rights$26,200Food & Nutrition$24,500International$19,500Health$17,000Education$12,000Human Services$6,500

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

25%50%75%100%$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetCAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK INC: $24,500 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC: $14,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC: $11,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetMARET SCHOOL INC: $11,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLUNGEVITY FOUNDATION INC: $9,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF COMPASS INC: $7,500 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetMEDICAL DEBT RESOLUTION INC: $6,300 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBROWN UNIVERSITY: $5,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTREVOR PROJECT INC: $3,700 over 3y, 0.0% of budget350ORG: $2,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTransgender Law Center: $2,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHEATREWASHINGTON: $2,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEARTHJUSTICE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWomen's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetOberlin College: $750 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLEVINE MUSIC INC: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCATALYST CALIFORNIA: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCONCORD HILL SCHOOL: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHENRY STREET SETTLEMENT: $200 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.

Greater Washington Co…Morgan Stanley Global…National Philanthropi…Vanguard Charitable E…American Online Givin…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Greater Washington Community FoundationDC13.3× affinity4 shared granteesties to 7 of 7Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Greater Washington Community Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile 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 Riss Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Riss Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 20%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%4%8%11%15%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    2get no government money at all
    7report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–15%
    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 29 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 Riss’ 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