Skip to content
The Sassafras Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Sassafras Foundation

Its FY2023 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$24k
Granted FY2023
14
Grants FY2023
5
States reached
$18k
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 2023.

International$19kEnvironment$12kFood & Nutrition$3kAnimals$3kHuman Services$3kPhilanthropy$2kArts & Culture$1kCivil Rights$1kOther$0
02FY2023 · 14 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2023

  • Under $10k13 grants · $6k
  • $10k–50k1 grant · $18k
$500
Median grant
5
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
LEND A HAND ACROSS AMERICA$18,000
THE SELFHELP HOME$2,000
FEEDING AMERICA$1,000
CONCERN WORLDWIDE$700
BEVERLY SHORES DEPOT MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY$500
CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY$500
SHIRLEY HEINZE LAND TRUST$500
J STREET$500
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND$152
LUBEZNIK CENTER FOR THE ARTS$125
FACING HISTORY & OURSELVES$105
BEVERLY SHORES FIRE DEPARTMENT$100
JAMES B MORAN CENTER FOR YOUTH ADVOCACY$100
MLB CHARITIES$75
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 (FY22–23, $3k) 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%THE SELFHELP HOME: $2k → 14%THE SELFHELP HOME: $500 → 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

IL
MI
NY
MA
IN
WV
VA
AZ
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.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

12%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$5k · 4 repeat orgs$40k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +59% since the first grant, against +16% for those funded once.

4 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2023, 0 since wound down; 10 grantees were first funded in FY2023 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

4
20

Total granted

$5k
$19k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+59%
+16%

Still filing today

75%
40%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 13% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $21k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Arts & CultureFood & NutritionEnvironmentInternationalCrime & LegalRecreation & 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

  • TS
    THE SELFHELP HOME INC
    2× · 2022–2023 · $3k · revenue +10%
  • SH
    SHIRLEY HEINZE LAND TRUST INC
    2× · 2019–2023 · $620 · revenue +134%
  • JB
    JAMES B MORAN CENTER FOR YOUTH ADVOCACY
    2× · 2022–2023 · $600 · revenue +59%

Funded once

  • TO
    TOWN OF BEVERLY SHORES ERROSION FUND
    one grant, 2020 · $10k
  • JS
    J STREET FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $2k
  • FB
    FOOD BANK OF NORTHWEST INDIANA INC
    one grant, 2022 · $1k · revenue +16%
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
Rainforest Trust

Rainforest trust saves endangered wildlife and protects our planet by creating rainforest reserves through partnerships, community engagement, and donor support.

International
2
American Water Works Association

To promote public health, safety, and welfare through the improvement of the quality and quantity of drinking water and the development and furtherance of understanding of the problems relating thereto.

Public Benefit
3
Eastern National

Eastern national promotes the public's understanding and support of america's national parks and other public trust partners by providing quality educational experiences, products and services.

Recreation & Sports
4
Minnesota Land Trust

The minnesota land trust protects and restores minnesota's most vital natural lands in order to provide wildlife habitat, clean water, outdoor experiences and scenic beauty for generations to come.

Environment
5
Lincoln Park Zoological Society

Lincoln park zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience in the heart of chicago and by advancing the highest quality of animal care, horticulture, education, science and…

Animals
6
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc

Connect conservationists and supporters, deploy resources to the field, provide conservationists with tools and support they need to succeed.

Animals
7
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

To sustain, restore, and enhance the nation's fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats.

Animals
8
Food & Water Watch

Food & water watch conducts extensive research and public education to ensure the food and water we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. so we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of…

Food & Nutrition
9
Jefferson National Parks Association

Jefferson national parks association provides quality educational products and related services that enhance public understanding and appreciation of america's national parks, public lands and historic places.

Arts & Culture
10
Heartlands Conservancy

The mission of heartlands conservancy is to empower and colaborate with the people of southern illinois to advance and protect the health of our distinctive communities and nationally significant natural and cultural resources.

Environment
11
Native Plant Trust Inc

The organization's mission is to conserve and promote new england's native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes.

Environment
12
Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Our mission is conserving West Michigans ecologically critical land. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments in creating natural areas, and helping private landowners…

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Window to the World Communications Inc; the most unlike its peers is Lend a Hand Across America Pf. 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

19 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. 19 of the 35 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)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
19/19
Grantees still filing
12/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Lend A Hand Across America PF: $18,000 · Food & NutritionLend A Hand Across America PFFOOD BANK OF NORTHWEST INDIANA INC: $1,000 · Food & NutritionFeeding America: $1,000 · Food & NutritionTOWN OF BEVERLY SHORES ERROSION FUND: $10,000 · OtherTOWN OF BEVERLY SHORES ERROSION FUNDJ STREET FOUNDATION: $1,500 · OtherJ STREET FOUNDATIONCORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY: $1,490 · OtherCORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGYWORLD CENTER KITCHEN: $1,000 · OtherWORLD CENTER KITCHENSHIRLEY HEINZE LAND FOUNDATION: $1,000 · OtherSHIRLEY HEINZE LAND FOUNDATION+15 more: $3,745 · Other+15 moreTHE SELFHELP HOME INC: $2,500 · Human ServicesSHIRLEY HEINZE LAND TRUST INC: $620 · EnvironmentDESERT FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST: $500 · EnvironmentWORLD WILDLIFE FUND INC: $152 · EnvironmentCONCERN WORLDWIDE (US) INC: $700 · InternationalJ STREET: $500 · InternationalJAMES B MORAN CENTER FOR YOUTH ADVOCACY: $600 · Crime & LegalSHRIVER CENTER ON POVERTY LAW: $500 · Crime & LegalWINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS INC: $220 · Arts & CultureTHE JACK AND SHIRLEY LUBEZNIK CENTER FOR THE ARTS: $125 · Arts & CultureFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $105 · Arts & CultureARIZONA OPERA COMPANY: $100 · Arts & Culture
Food & Nutrition$20,000Other$18,735Human Services$2,500Environment$1,272International$1,200Crime & Legal$1,100Arts & Culture$550

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 budgetTHE SELFHELP HOME INC: $2,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFOOD BANK OF NORTHWEST INDIANA INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFeeding America: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCONCERN WORLDWIDE (US) INC: $700 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSHIRLEY HEINZE LAND TRUST INC: $620 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetJAMES B MORAN CENTER FOR YOUTH ADVOCACY: $600 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSHRIVER CENTER ON POVERTY LAW: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDESERT FOOTHILLS LAND TRUST: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetJ STREET: $500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWILD AT HEART INC: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCHICAGO PARKS FOUNDATION: $250 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS INC: $220 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD WILDLIFE FUND INC: $152 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE JACK AND SHIRLEY LUBEZNIK CENTER FOR THE ARTS: $125 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFACING HISTORY & OURSELVES INC: $105 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetARIZONA OPERA COMPANY: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNorthwestern University: $10 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.

Jpmorgan Chase Founda…American Endowment Fo…Morgan Stanley Global…Vanguard Charitable E…Donor Advised Charita…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Jpmorgan Chase FoundationNY9.9× affinity4 shared granteesties to 7 of 7Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · American Endowment Foundation · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Online Giving Foundation 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 Sassafras Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Sassafras Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–90%
    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 35 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 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Sassafras’ 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