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The Robert and Audrey Zinser Charitable Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Robert and Audrey Zinser Charitable 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.

$51k
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$17k
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.

Arts & Culture$284kAnimals$71kReligion$21kHealth$17kInternational$14kHousing & Shelter$10kPhilanthropy$10kYouth Development$10kOther$0
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k8 grants · $24k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $27k
$2,500
Median grant
4
States reached
$266k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
SAN DIEGO DANCE THEARTER$17,000
THE MLK COMMUNITY CHOIR OF SAN DIEG$10,000
SAN DIEGO YOUNG ARTISTS MUSIC ACADE$7,500
SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCEITY$6,000
BORREGO ART INSTITUTE$2,500
DOCTORS WITHOUT BOARDERS$2,000
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AM$2,000
KPBS$2,000
THE MYOSITIS ASSOCIATION$2,000
SOUTHERN CAREGIVERS RESOURCE CENTER$200
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 (FY25–25, $2k) land where the poverty rate runs at 6%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%THE MYOSITIS ASSOCIATION: $2k → 6%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.
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.

95%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$411k · 17 repeat orgs$23k to everyone else

17 repeat relationships: 8 still active in FY2025, 9 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

17
6

Total granted

$411k
$13k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+28%
+165%

Still filing today

59%
67%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 81% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $10k 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
Arts & CultureEnvironmentInternationalHousing & ShelterHealthHuman ServicesOther
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

  • SD
    SAN DIEGO DANCE THEATER
    8× · 2017–2025 · $134k · revenue +30%
  • PS
    PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RAILWAY MUSEUM ASSOCIATION INC
    4× · 2017–2023 · $37k · revenue +46%
  • PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC
    4× · 2020–2025 · $15k · revenue +40%

Funded once

  • AD
    Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Assograduated
    one grant, 2017 · $5k · revenue +256%
  • BI
    BOZ INSTITUTE
    one grant, 2021 · $5k
  • GT
    GOLD TRAIL CHAPTER DAR
    one grant, 2017 · $1k
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
San Diego Automotive Museum

The Museum functions as an educational and cultural institutionexercising community responsibility for the preservation of the automotive arts and sciences

Arts & Culture
2
Museum of Photographic Arts

To inspire, educate and engage the broadest possible audience through the presentation, collection, and preservation of photography, film and video. opa is one of only three museums in the nation dedicated solely to lens-based medium.

—
3
San Diego Municipal Employees Assn

The san diego municipal employees association (sdmea) is dedicated to being a strong and effective advocate for san diego city employees. sdmea is united to improve employees' standard of living and promote their fair treatment by…

—
4
The New Childrens Museum

The New Childrens Museum (the Museum) in San Diego is an arts-based childrens museum whose mission is to stimulate imagination, creativity, and critical thinking in children and families through inventive, engaging experiences with…

Arts & Culture
5
San Diego Opera Association

Mission: the mission of san diego opera is to deliver exceptional performances and exciting, accessible programs to diverse audiences, focusing on community partnerships, and the transformative and expressive power of the human voice. as…

Arts & Culture
6
San Diego Bird Alliance

Together we defend the regions birds, unique biodiversity and threatened habitats through advocacy, education and restoration.

Environment
7
Balboa Park Conservancy

Balboa Park Conservancy (the Conservancy) was organized on November 3, 1923. The Conservancy is the City of San Diegos (the City) partner and advocated for the greater good of Balboa Park (the Park). The Conservancy collaborated with and…

—
8
San Diego Housing Federation

The Federation brings together representatives of affordable housing community development corporations with others interested in the development and management of housing for low and moderate income persons in San Diego County to mutually…

Education
9
San Diego Ballet

Excite, entertain and enrich diverse audiences.

Unclassified
10
Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Smvdm is a california public benefit corporation whose mission is to foster family and youth inspired learining by creating experiences to explore ourselves, our valley, our world, and beyond. smvdm serves schools, families, and youth…

—
11
San Diego County Bar Association

The mission of the san diego county bar association is to be the representative of the san diego county legal profession, serving the prblic and the profession by enhancing the legal system and promoting justice, professional excellence,…

—
12
Zoological Society of San Diego

San diego zoo wildlife alliance is committed to saving species worldwide by uniting our expertise in wildlife care and conservation science with our dedication to inspiring passion for nature.

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The San Diego Foundation; the most unlike its peers is OPERA4KIDS. 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, 2017–2025.

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. 18 of the 27 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)
18/18
Grantees still filing
12/18
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SAN DIEGO DANCE THEATER: $134,000 · OtherSAN DIEGO DANCE THEATERSAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCEITY: $70,500 · OtherSAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCEITYTHE MLK COMMUNITY CHOIR OF SAN DIEG: $62,000 · OtherTHE MLK COMMUNITY CHOIR OF SAN DIEGKPBS: $14,500 · OtherOPERA4KIDS: $11,500 · Other+11 more: $26,150 · Other+11 morePACIFIC SOUTHWEST RAILWAY MUSEUM ASSOCIATION INC: $37,000 · Arts & CulturePACIFIC SOUTHWEST …Borrego Art Institute: $27,000 · Arts & CultureBorrego Art Instit…SAN DIEGO YOUNG ARTIST MUSIC ACADEM: $7,500 · Arts & CultureSAN DIEGO YOUNG AR…+2 more: $2,000 · Arts & CulturePLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $15,000 · HealthMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $13,500 · InternationalTHE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $10,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY HOUSING WORKS: $10,000 · Housing & ShelterAnza-Borrego Desert Natural History Asso: $5,000 · Environment+1 more: $150 · Environment
Other$318,650Arts & Culture$73,500Health$15,000International$13,500Philanthropy$10,000Housing & Shelter$10,000Environment$5,150

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetSAN DIEGO DANCE THEATER: $134,000 over 8y, 5.8% of budgetPACIFIC SOUTHWEST RAILWAY MUSEUM ASSOCIATION INC: $37,000 over 4y, 4.6% of budgetBorrego Art Institute: $27,000 over 8y, 2.1% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC: $15,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC: $13,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetOPERA4KIDS: $11,500 over 3y, 8.2% of budgetStandUp for Kids: $10,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTHE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOMMUNITY HOUSING WORKS: $10,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAN DIEGO YOUNG ARTIST MUSIC ACADEM: $7,500 over 1y, 5.8% of budgetAnza-Borrego Desert Natural History Asso: $5,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetUCLA FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUSS MIDWAY MUSEUM: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBODHI TREE CONCERTS: $1,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetSAN DIEGO FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBorrego Springs Youth and Senior Center: $500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetWORLD WILDLIFE FUND INC: $150 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 SAN DIEGO DANCE THEATER ↗
  • Who funds PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RAILWAY MUSEUM ASSOCIATION INC ↗
  • Who funds Borrego Art Institute ↗
  • Who funds PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC ↗
  • Who funds MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES USA INC ↗
  • Who funds OPERA4KIDS ↗
  • Who funds StandUp for Kids ↗
  • Who funds THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds COMMUNITY HOUSING WORKS ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO YOUNG ARTIST MUSIC ACADEM ↗
  • Who funds Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Asso ↗
  • Who funds UCLA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds The Myositis Association ↗
  • Who funds USS MIDWAY MUSEUM ↗
  • Who funds BODHI TREE CONCERTS ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO FIRE RELIEF ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds Borrego Springs Youth and Senior Center ↗
  • Who funds WORLD WILDLIFE FUND INC ↗

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.

The San Diego Foundat…The Conrad Prebys Fou…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
The San Diego FoundationCA21× affinity8 shared granteesties to 4 of 4Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The San Diego Foundation · The Conrad Prebys Foundation · 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 Robert and Audrey Zinser Charitable Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Robert and Audrey Zinser Charitable Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%8%15%22%30%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get 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 · 0–30%
    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 27 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 Robert and Audrey Zinser’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