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The Robert Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Robert Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family 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.

$49k
Granted FY2025still arriving
2
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$34k
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 2025.

Philanthropy$120kArts & Culture$76kFood & Nutrition$48kCivil Rights$37kCrime & Legal$20kInternational$19kPublic Safety & Disaster$12kHealth$10kOther$0
02FY2025 · 2 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$34,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$457k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK$34,000
COALITION FOR HUMANE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS$15,000
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 (FY19–20, $6k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER: $1k → 14%UNION RESCUE MISSION: $1k → 14%UNION RESCUE MISSION: $1k → 14%DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER: $1k → 14%PEOPLE ASSISTING THE HOMELESS: $1k → 14%PEOPLE ASSISTING THE HOMELESS (PATH): $1k → 14%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

NY
MA
CT
CA
NE
AR
DC
AL
TX
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.

61%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$159k · 25 repeat orgs$100k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +92% since the first grant, against +17% for those funded once.

25 repeat relationships: 1 still active in FY2025, 24 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

25
14

Total granted

$159k
$85k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+92%
+17%

Still filing today

76%
71%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 69% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $15k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’23’24’25
Civil RightsHuman ServicesCrime & LegalInternationalEducationHealthOther
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

  • LA
    LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK
    4× · 2018–2025 · $39k · revenue +223%
  • LA
    LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS
    5× · 2017–2022 · $24k · revenue +25%
  • UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF
    4× · 2017–2020 · $8k · revenue +76%

Funded once

  • TT
    TONGVA TARAXAT PAXAAVXA CONSERVANCY
    one grant, 2023 · $40k · revenue -40%
  • SU
    SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION FUND INC
    one grant, 2024 · $15k · revenue 0%
  • WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA
    one grant, 2024 · $15k · revenue -20%
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
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
2
Jobs with Justice San Francisco

A long-term, strategic alliance of labor, community, faith-based, and student organizations working together to build greater economic power for workers and community members through employee rights at work and access to good jobs,…

Employment
3
Public Counsel

Public counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. (see sch o for…

Crime & Legal
4
Public Advocates Inc

For more than five decades, public advocates has challenged the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination by strengthening community voices in public policy and achieving tangible legal victories advancing education, housing,…

—
5
Actionaid Usa

Actionaid is an international network building a just, equitable, and sustainable world in solidarity with communities on the frontlines of poverty and injustice. actionaid usa is the u.s. branch of actionaid international, which works in…

Social Science
6
Alliance for Safety and Justice

Just safe's mission is to educate the public about the needs of communities most impacted by crime, violence, and incarceration; and promote new safety solutions through community-building, leadership development, grassroots mobilization,…

Crime & Legal
7
Asociacion Interamericana Para La Defensa Del Ambiente

To strenghten people's ability to guarantee their individual and collective right to a healthy environment, via the development, implementation, and effective enforcement of national and international law.

Crime & Legal
8
Colorado Center On Law and Policy

Colorado center on law and policy is an antipoverty organization advancing the rights of every coloradan.

Crime & Legal
9
California Forward

Ca fwd drives action to identify solutions that can be taken to scale to meet the challenges the state is facing. the organization is driven by the belief that regional solutions across the state will help ensure economic, environmental,…

Public Benefit
10
The California Channel

To distribute public affairs and other educational information in order to create an electronic bridge between californians and their public officials, and, in the process educate a new generation of voting citizens and civic leaders who…

—
11
Ucla Foundation

The ucla foundation is the giving, receiving, and investing arm of the ucla campus. the foundation enables private donors to help build, sustain and advance one of the world's finest academic and research institutions. private philanthropy…

Education
12
Planned Parenthood California Central Coast

To improve our communities' sexual and reproductive health outcomes through health care, education, and advocacy.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Women's Foundation of California; the most unlike its peers is Prison Policy Initiative. 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

31 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. 31 of the 41 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)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
31/31
Grantees still filing
23/31
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

TONGVA TARAXAT PAXAAVXA CONSERVANCY: $40,000 · OtherTONGVA TARAXAT PAXAAVXA CONSERVANCYLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK: $39,000 · OtherLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANKWOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA: $15,000 · OtherWOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIAUNITED FOR PUERTO RICO: $6,000 · OtherPLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES: $7,600 · OtherPLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES+14 more: $34,500 · Other+14 moreCOMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION: $105,000 · Community ImprovementCOMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION+2 more: $3,400 · Community ImprovementCOALITION FOR HUMANE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: $15,000 · Civil RightsCOALITION FO…SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION FUND INC: $15,000 · Civil RightsSHOWING UP F…EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $5,600 · Civil RightsEQUAL JUSTIC…ACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: $5,000 · Civil RightsACLU FOUNDAT…+1 more: $1,000 · Civil RightsLOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS: $24,000 · EducationLOS ANGEL…PS Science: $4,000 · EducationPS Scienc…CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES: $2,000 · EducationCROSSROAD…UNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $8,200 · InternationalSave The Children Federation Inc: $6,200 · InternationalHEIFER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 · InternationalTHE BAIL PROJECT INC: $6,000 · Crime & LegalKIND INC: $5,000 · Crime & LegalSANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION: $1,000 · Crime & LegalPEACE 4 KIDS: $2,500 · Human ServicesUNION RESCUE MISSION: $2,000 · Human ServicesPATH: $2,000 · Human ServicesDOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER: $2,000 · Human ServicesBORDER ANGELS: $1,500 · Human Services
Other$142,100Community Improvement$108,400Civil Rights$41,600Education$30,000International$19,400Crime & Legal$12,000Human Services$10,000

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 budgetCOMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION: $105,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTONGVA TARAXAT PAXAAVXA CONSERVANCY: $40,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetLOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK: $39,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetLOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS: $24,000 over 5y, 2.1% of budgetCOALITION FOR HUMANE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: $15,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION FUND INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetWOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA: $15,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetUNITED STATES FUND FOR UNICEF: $8,200 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD LOS ANGELES: $7,600 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSave The Children Federation Inc: $6,200 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE BAIL PROJECT INC: $6,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetEQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $5,600 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetHEIFER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetKIND INC: $5,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: $5,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPS Science: $4,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetPEN AMERICAN CENTER INC: $4,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTREEPEOPLE INC: $3,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: $2,900 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetPEACE 4 KIDS: $2,500 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetWESTSIDE FOOD BANK: $2,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetUNION RESCUE MISSION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetVENICE FAMILY CLINIC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetPATH: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetDOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBORDER ANGELS: $1,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SENTENCING PROJECT: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPrison Policy Initiative: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSUMMAEVERYTHANG COMMUNITY CENTER IN: $500 over 1y, 0.1% 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.

California Community …Silicon Valley Commun…National Philanthropi…The Bank of America C…Network for GoodAmerican Online Givin…Vanguard Charitable E…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
California Community FoundationCA16.3× affinity6 shared granteesties to 9 of 9Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: California Community Foundation · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · National Philanthropic Trust · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · Network for Good · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · 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 Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Robert Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 30%
  • Save the Children Federation Inc: 30% of income from government
  • Sandy Hook Promise Foundation: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
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 Robert Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Robert Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson Family 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 41 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 Lemelson and Susan Morse Lemelson 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