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The Shirley McKernan Courage Foundation (Fka Mc Kernan & Ruby Family Foundation) at a glance

· Private foundation

The Shirley McKernan Courage Foundation (Fka Mc Kernan & Ruby 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.

$410k
Granted FY2025still arriving
5
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$100k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0198% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Health$1.4MAnimals$683kEducation$150kInternational$25kCivil Rights$15kReligion$5kPhilanthropy$2kHuman Services$1kOther$0
02FY2025 · 5 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $10k
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $400k
$100,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$1.0M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL$100,000
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL$100,000
CANINE COMPANIONS$100,000
CANINE COMPANIONS$100,000
SPCA LA$10,000
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 (FY17–25, $636k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 1% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%GUID DOGS FOR THE BLIND: $1k → 8%CANINE COMPANIONS: $125k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE: $1k → 11%GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND: $50 → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $100k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $100k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $100k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $25k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $1k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $1k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $1k → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $500 → 9%CANINE COMPANIONS: $250 → 9%GUIDE DOGS OF AMERICA: $5k → 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
OH
CA
KY
VA
TN
DC
TX
FL
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.

89%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$2.0M · 9 repeat orgs$259k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +61% since the first grant, against +17% for those funded once.

9 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2025, 6 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

9
17

Total granted

$2.0M
$259k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+61%
+17%

Still filing today

78%
41%

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
Human ServicesHealthAnimalsCivil RightsEducationInternationalOther
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

  • CC
    CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE INC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $630k · revenue +76%
  • CH
    Children's Hospital Los Angeles
    7× · 2017–2023 · $600k · revenue +78%
  • ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC
    4× · 2022–2025 · $407k · revenue +59%

Funded once

  • CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITYgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $150k · revenue +34%
  • SJ
    ST JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER
    one grant, 2024 · $25k
  • CT
    CLEAN THE WORLD FOUNDATION INC
    one grant, 2020 · $25k · revenue +7%
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
Santa Barbara Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Santa barbara humane operates two campuses located in santa barbara and santa maria providing care for community-owned and homeless animals. both campuses offer affordable high quality veterinary care, compassionate behavior training…

Animals
2
Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The primary mission of the humane society is to end animal cruelty, neglect and overpopulation in south carolina.

Animals
3
The Humane Society for Seattleking County

Seattle humane promotes the human-animal bond by saving and serving pets in need, regardless of age, ability, circumstance or geography.

Animals
4
Worldwide Vets Incorporated

Our goal is to sustainably improve animal welfare, provide veterinary care, and improve veterinary education globally. in order to achieve this goal, we work in over 10 countries, across 5 continents, supporting local people and animals,…

Animals
5
American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation

The mission of the akc canine health foundation, inc. is to fund, advance, and communicate canine health research and science through knowledge and discovery.

Animals
6
Animal Care Sanctuary

Animal care sanctuary's lifesaving mission as a no kill organization envisions a community that promotes turning compassion into action for companion animals by: 1.) adopting healthy pet companions into loving homes. 2.) promoting the…

Animals
7
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…

—
8
MRIGlobal

To improve the lives of people through innovative scientific and engineering research.

Science & Tech
9
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.

—
10
California Dental Association

The california dental association is committed to the success of our members in service to their patients and the public.

Community Improvement
11
Health Care Without Harm

The mission of health care without harm (hcwh) is to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability and a leader in the global movement for environmental health…

Environment
12
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County

The SPCA Monterey County's Mission is assuring compassionate treatment of all animals through rescue, rehabilitation, protection and education. The SPCA shelters homeless, neglected, and abused pets, including dogs, cats, horses, exotic…

Animals
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Canine Companions for Independence Inc; the most unlike its peers is The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 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

14 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. 14 of the 26 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)
0
Early backer (in before they grew)
14/14
Grantees still filing
13/14
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Children's Hospital Los Angeles: $600,000 · HealthChildren's Hospital Los AngelesST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC: $407,150 · HealthST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INCSAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATION: $275,000 · HealthSAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATIONCANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE INC: $629,750 · Human ServicesCANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDE…+3 more: $6,050 · Human ServicesCASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: $150,000 · EducationST JUDES CHILDRENS HOSPITAL: $53,000 · OtherST JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER: $25,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $10,000 · OtherST JOHN'S CANCER INST: $10,000 · OtherUNITED HEALTH UKRAIN: $5,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY SYNAGOGUE: $5,000 · Other+7 more: $11,000 · OtherLOS ANGELES SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $29,250 · AnimalsHumane World for Animals Inc: $11,275 · AnimalsTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $2,000 · AnimalsCLEAN THE WORLD FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 · InternationalREFUGEE & IMMIGRANT CENTER FOR EDUCATION & LEGAL SERVICES: $15,000 · Civil Rights
Health$1,282,150Human Services$635,800Education$150,000Other$119,000Animals$42,525International$25,000Civil Rights$15,000

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 budgetCANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE INC: $629,750 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetChildren's Hospital Los Angeles: $600,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC: $407,150 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATION: $275,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetCASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: $150,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLOS ANGELES SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $29,250 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetCLEAN THE WORLD FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetREFUGEE & IMMIGRANT CENTER FOR EDUCATION & LEGAL SERVICES: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHumane World for Animals Inc: $11,275 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetGUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF AMERICA: $150 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND INC: $50 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.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Shirley McKernan Courage Foundation (Fka Mc Kernan & Ruby Family Foundation) funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Shirley McKernan Courage Foundation (Fka Mc Kernan & Ruby Family Foundation). Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%6%13%19%25%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Clean the World Foundation Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
3report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–25%
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 26 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 Shirley McKernan Courage Foundation (Fka Mc Kernan & Ruby Family Foundation)’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