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The Rivers Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Rivers 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.

$22k
Granted FY2025still arriving
4
Grants FY2025still arriving
3
States reached
$10k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
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 2024.

Youth Development$1.0MRecreation & Sports$600kEducation$546kCommunity Improvement$522kReligion$488kHuman Services$318kHealth$241kCrime & Legal$35k
02FY2025 · 4 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k2 grants · $2k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $20k
$10,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$1.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
KNOT TODAY INC$10,000
10TH HOUR PRODUCTIONS$10,000
CHRIST THE KING PARISH DAPHNE$1,000
FELLOWSHIP OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS$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 (FY17–20, $459k) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, 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%CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $81k → 11%THE ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY: $5k → 11%CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $28k → 11%THE ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY: $5k → 11%CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $25k → 11%AGNUS DEI FOUNDATION: $135k → 11%AGNUS DEI FOUNDATION: $75k → 11%AGNUS DEI FOUNDATION: $64k → 11%CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $41k → 11%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

ID
IL
WI
MI
OH
PA
CA
CO
AZ
AL
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.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

92%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.5M · 15 repeat orgs$300k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +85% since the first grant, against +42% for those funded once.

15 repeat relationships: 1 still active in FY2025, 14 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

15
10

Total granted

$3.5M
$279k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+85%
+42%

Still filing today

40%
60%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 5% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $21k 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
Human ServicesYouth DevelopmentReligionHealthCivil RightsEducationOther
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

  • DI
    DAMASCUS INC
    3× · 2019–2022 · $1000k · revenue +86%
  • AD
    AGNUS DEI FOUNDATION
    3× · 2017–2019 · $274k · revenue +62% · 35% of their budget
  • CO
    CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES
    3× · 2017–2020 · $175k · revenue +173%

Funded once

  • IH
    IMMACULATE HEART MEDIA INC
    one grant, 2019 · $50k · revenue 0%
  • CC
    CATHOLIC CHURCH EXTENSION SOCIETY OF US OF AMER
    one grant, 2017 · $50k
  • RC
    RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGOgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $36k · revenue +60%
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
International Catholic Jurists Forum Inc

The International Catholic Jurists Forum (ICJF) was established to produce, compile, and share resources on fundamental human rights under attack in the regional and international human rights protection systems. It operates as a forum for…

Religion
2
The Children of the Father Foundation

Evangelizing & distribution of literature for the roman catholic church

—
3
Spirit Juice Entertainment Group Nfp

Produces and delivers original, high quality and authentically Catholic content for free online. We aim to evangelize the culture through the power of high quality visual media and

Religion
4
Imago Dei Ministries
—
5
Life Factors Ministries

We lead fatherless families to the Heavenly Father by spreading awareness, creating unique reources, speaking, partnering with local churches nationally, and establishing local ministries.

Human Services
6
Christian Family Care Agency Inc

The mission of christian family care is to strengthen families and serve at-risk children in the name of jesus christ. the outcome of our work results in building flourishing families and communities focusing on three pillars: preserve,…

Human Services
7
Messy Family Project

The Messy Family Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization empowering parents in their vital role of building vibrant families. Our mission is to empower parents, strengthen marriage, and bring families to Christ. Our mission is…

Religion
8
The Dynamic Catholic Institute

The dynamic catholic mission is to re-energize the catholic church in america by developing world-class resources that inspire people to rediscover the genius of catholicism.

Religion
9
En Familia Inc

En Familia is a non-profit Catholic organization that seeks to spread the Gospel values through the media.

Religion
10
Divine Mercy Ministries Inc

Divine Mercy Ministries, Inc. is a Christian maternity home for women 18 years of age and older facing unexpected pregnancies. Open to women of all faiths, it provides a loving and nurturing environment to meet the spiritual, physical,…

Religion
11
Turning Hearts Ministries International Inc

Christian religious teaching organization providing biblically based resources on emotional and relationship wholeness.

Religion
12
United in Love Adoptions
Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Damascus Inc; the most unlike its peers is Knot Today 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

18 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 18 of the 28 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.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
14/18
Grantees still filing
14/18
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ST MICHAEL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: $1,055,551 · OtherST MICHAEL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLDOMINICAN SMME CORPORATION: $522,000 · OtherDOMINICAN SMME CORPORATIONFELLOWSHIP OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: $136,500 · OtherFELLOWSHIP OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTSCHURCH OF THE NATIVITY: $114,000 · OtherCHURCH OF THE NATIVITY+9 more: $276,500 · Other+9 moreDAMASCUS INC: $999,999 · Youth DevelopmentDAMASCUS INC+2 more: $31,000 · Youth DevelopmentAGNUS DEI FOUNDATION: $274,000 · Human ServicesAGNUS DEI FOU…CULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $175,000 · Human ServicesCULTURE OF LI…+2 more: $11,500 · Human ServicesIMMACULATE HEART MEDIA INC: $50,000 · ReligionReal Life Catholic: $30,000 · Religion10TH HOUR PRODUCTIONS: $10,000 · ReligionRADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO: $36,000 · HealthCHASTITY PROJECT: $30,000 · HealthCOEUR DU CHRIST ACADEMY INC: $30,000 · EducationKNOT TODAY INC: $10,000 · Crime & LegalVOICES FOR CHILDREN: $10,000 · Civil Rights
Other$2,104,551Youth Development$1,030,999Human Services$460,500Religion$90,000Health$66,000Education$30,000Crime & Legal$10,000Civil Rights$10,000

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 budgetDAMASCUS INC: $999,999 over 3y, 6.6% of budgetAGNUS DEI FOUNDATION: $274,000 over 3y, 35% of budgetCULTURE OF LIFE FAMILY SERVICES: $175,000 over 3y, 9.2% of budgetIMMACULATE HEART MEDIA INC: $50,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMUELLER MINISTRIES KINGDOM LIVING INC: $40,000 over 2y, 26% of budgetRADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO: $36,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPROMISES2KIDS FOUNDATION: $32,500 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetCHASTITY PROJECT: $30,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetReal Life Catholic: $30,000 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetCOEUR DU CHRIST ACADEMY INC: $30,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetFREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE DEFENSE FUND INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetThe Culture Project International: $21,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetJUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH: $10,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budget10TH HOUR PRODUCTIONS: $10,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetVOICES FOR CHILDREN: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetANGELS FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY: $10,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetCASA OF NORTH ALABAMA: $1,500 over 1y, 0.9% 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.

God's GiftThe Rotary Foundation…Morgan Stanley Global…National Philanthropi…Renaissance Charitabl…Raymond James Charita…Natl Christian Charit…Donor Advised Charita…Vanguard Charitable E…American Online Givin…Network for GoodFidelity Investments …
God's GiftCA13.6× affinity4 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: God's Gift · The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · National Philanthropic Trust · Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Network for Good · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%1%3%4%5%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get 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 · 0–5%
    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 Rivers Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Rivers 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 from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 28 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 Rivers’ 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