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· Private foundation

The Sparrow 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.

$2.9M
Granted FY2025still arriving
34
Grants FY2025still arriving
12
States reached
$1.5M
Largest
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Religion$4.5MInternational$1.5MEducation$913kYouth Development$902kEmployment$200kHousing & Shelter$156kHuman Services$124kFood & Nutrition$35kOther$0
02FY2025 · 34 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k18 grants · $54k
  • $10k–50k12 grants · $217k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $156k
  • $250k+3 grants · $2.5M
$5,000
Median grant
12
States reached
$22k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ILLUMINATIONS$1,500,000
LIFENET$500,000
INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION$500,000
ELEVATE USA$156,000
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION$30,000
SAMARITAN'S PURSE$25,000
NORTHWAY CHURCH$25,000
SPOKEN WORLDWIDE$25,000
ENRIGHT FOUNDATIONAL MINISTRIES$25,000
ELEVATE DALLAS$25,000
EAST WEST INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES$12,000
OUR CALLING$10,000
NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK$10,000
DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY$10,000
POINT OF VIEW$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 (FY20–25, $390k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, 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%STARFISH PROJECT: $100k → 13%STARFISH PROJECT: $45k → 13%STARFISH PROJECT: $25k → 13%STARFISH PROJECT: $25k → 13%SPOKEN WORLDWIDE: $25k → 14%STARFISH PROJECT: $5k → 13%SPOKEN WORLDWIDE: $15k → 14%SPOKEN WORLDWIDE: $10k → 14%SPOKEN WORLDWIDE: $10k → 14%OUR CALLING: $35k → 14%OUR CALLING: $20k → 14%OUR CALLING: $15k → 14%OUR CALLING: $15k → 14%OUR CALLING: $10k → 14%OUR CALLING: $10k → 14%OUR CALLING: $10k → 14%OUR CALLING: $5k → 14%THE FAMILY PLACE: $5k → 14%GENESIS WOMEN'S SHELTER & SUPPORT: $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

WA
MT
MN
IL
MI
NY
MA
IN
PA
CA
CO
VA
MD
NC
DC
OK
AL
GA
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.

96%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$8.1M · 39 repeat orgs$335k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +31% since the first grant, against +7% for those funded once.

39 repeat relationships: 29 still active in FY2025, 10 since wound down; 5 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

39
32

Total granted

$8.1M
$328k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+31%
+7%

Still filing today

54%
47%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $8k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’20’21’22’23’24’25
ReligionEducationHuman ServicesInternationalPhilanthropyHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • IF
    ILLUMINATIONS FOUNDATION INC
    5× · 2021–2025 · $2.9M · revenue +18%
  • IJ
    INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION
    3× · 2021–2025 · $1.1M · revenue +24%
  • EU
    ELEVATE USA
    6× · 2020–2025 · $717k · revenue +227%

Funded once

  • SR
    STRATEGIC RESOURCE GROUP INCgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $50k · revenue +87%
  • CF
    CROWN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES INC
    one grant, 2021 · $30k · revenue +7%
  • TR
    TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE
    one grant, 2020 · $25k
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
Christianity Today International

Christianity Today is a global community inspired by evangelical conviction to advance the stories and ideas of the kingdom of God. Our mission is to elevate the storytellers and sages of the global church.

Religion
2
International Leadership Institute

The international leadership institute (ili) changes history by accelerating the spread of the gospel through training and mobilizing leaders of leaders to reach their nations. ili accomplishes this purpose through cutting edge leadership…

Religion
3
Dallas International University

As a christian university, we provide education and research opportunities preparing global leaders to partner with local communities.

Education
4
Biglife International Inc

Biglife international inc. empowers believers worldwide to reach and disciple their own people for jesus christ.

Recreation & Sports
5
Youth for Christ International Ministries

As part of the body of Christ, to see that every young person in every people group in every nation has the opportunity to make an informed decision to be a follower of Jesus Christ and become a part of the local church.

Religion
6
Tyndale Bible Translators

Bible Translation and acts of Christian Services

Religion
7
Christian Mission for the United Nations Community

Christian Mission for the United Nations Community is a ministry aimed at leading the head of every nation and other top leaders to faith in Jesus Christ and helping them to walk in dependence upon God as they discharge the…

—
8
Global Outreach International Inc

To get the good news to every nation this generation by showing and sharing god's love by providing opportunities and supporting christian missionaries in over fifty seven countries around the world.

International
9
The King's University

The King's University integrates Biblical education and practical ministry to shape Spirit-formed individuals who follow Jesus, serve His Church, and are sent to impact the world.

Education
10
Global Media Outreach

Leveraging technology to invite all people to know jesus christ as savior and grow in a personal relationship with him.

Religion
11
Mission Without Borders International

The organization is dedicated to reaching people for christ through an international network of christians who journey with the poor and marginalized, bringing practical and spiritual support with hope of a better future,(continued on…

International
12
InitiativeGlobal

To join in the completion of the Great Commission through Scripture Engagement in all languages and every people group.

Religion
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Ourcalling Inc; the most unlike its peers is Longview Ballet Theatre. 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

39 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. 39 of the 77 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)
39/39
Grantees still filing
28/39
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ILLUMINATIONS FOUNDATION INC: $2,850,000 · PhilanthropyILLUMINATIONS FOUNDATION INC+1 more: $6,500 · PhilanthropyLIFENET: $750,000 · OtherLIFENETNORTHWAY CHURCH: $645,500 · OtherNORTHWAY CHURCHCOME AND SEE FOUNDATION INC: $200,000 · OtherCOME AND SEE FOUNDATION INC+42 more: $664,190 · Other+42 moreINTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION: $1,067,220 · InternationalINTERNATIONAL J…+4 more: $63,000 · International+4 moreELEVATE USA: $716,500 · EducationELEVATE USAELEVATE DALLAS: $185,000 · EducationELEVATE DALLASDallas Theological Seminary: $80,000 · EducationDallas Theolog…DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: $72,750 · EducationDALLAS BAPTIST…UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC: $38,900 · Education+4 more: $18,500 · EducationSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $250,000 · ReligionSAMARITAN…Redeemer City To City: $200,000 · ReligionRedeemer …ENRIGHT FOUNDATIONAL MINISTRIES INC: $127,500 · ReligionENRIGHT F…STRATEGIC RESOURCE GROUP INC: $50,000 · ReligionSTRATEGIC…CROWN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES INC: $30,000 · Religion+4 more: $34,000 · ReligionStarfish Project Incorporated: $200,000 · Human ServicesOURCALLING INC: $120,000 · Human ServicesT4 Global Inc: $60,000 · Human ServicesOutrageous Love Inc: $18,500 · Human Services+2 more: $10,000 · Human Services100 FOLD STUDIO: $35,000 · Housing & Shelter
Philanthropy$2,856,500Other$2,259,690International$1,130,220Education$1,111,650Religion$691,500Human Services$408,500Housing & Shelter$35,000

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 budgetILLUMINATIONS FOUNDATION INC: $2,850,000 over 5y, 3.4% of budgetINTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION: $1,067,220 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetELEVATE USA: $716,500 over 6y, 11% of budgetSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $250,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetStarfish Project Incorporated: $200,000 over 5y, 3.0% of budgetRedeemer City To City: $200,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetELEVATE DALLAS: $185,000 over 6y, 19% of budgetENRIGHT FOUNDATIONAL MINISTRIES INC: $127,500 over 3y, 9.5% of budgetOURCALLING INC: $120,000 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetDallas Theological Seminary: $80,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetDALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: $72,750 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetT4 Global Inc: $60,000 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetSTRATEGIC RESOURCE GROUP INC: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC: $38,900 over 4y, 0.0% of budget100 FOLD STUDIO: $35,000 over 5y, 0.9% of budgetNORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK: $35,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetCROWN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES INC: $30,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetHOPE INTERNATIONAL: $25,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOUNSELING FOR BRAZIL MINISTRIES INC: $22,000 over 5y, 4.1% of budgetAsha Partners: $20,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetMISSION QUEST: $20,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetOutrageous Love Inc: $18,500 over 4y, 4.0% of budgetWORLD VISION INC: $11,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLIFE ACTION MINISTRIES: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBRIDGES TO LIFE: $10,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetHOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE JUSTICE FOUNDATION: $6,500 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetTEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMEDICAL AMBASSADORS INTERNATIONAL: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetThe New York City Leadership Center Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetThe Family Place: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLAUSANNE COMMITTEE FOR WORLD EVANGELIZATION: $3,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLONGVIEW BALLET THEATRE: $1,500 over 1y, 4.2% of budgetHeritage School of Texas: $1,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMEDIALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetFamily Legacy Missions International: $300 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.

  • Who funds ILLUMINATIONS FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION ↗
  • Who funds ELEVATE USA ↗
  • Who funds SAMARITAN'S PURSE ↗
  • Who funds Starfish Project Incorporated ↗
  • Who funds Redeemer City To City ↗
  • Who funds ELEVATE DALLAS ↗
  • Who funds ENRIGHT FOUNDATIONAL MINISTRIES INC ↗
  • Who funds OURCALLING INC ↗
  • Who funds Dallas Theological Seminary ↗
  • Who funds DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds T4 Global Inc ↗
  • Who funds STRATEGIC RESOURCE GROUP INC ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds 100 FOLD STUDIO ↗
  • Who funds NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds CROWN FINANCIAL MINISTRIES INC ↗
  • Who funds HOPE INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds COUNSELING FOR BRAZIL MINISTRIES INC ↗
  • Who funds Asha Partners ↗
  • Who funds MISSION QUEST ↗
  • Who funds Outrageous Love 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.

Christian Community Foundation IncCO23.2× affinity11 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Christian Community Foundation Inc · Servant Foundation · The Signatry Charitable Trust · Communities Foundation of Texas Inc · Christian Community Foundation of Memphis · International Generosity Foundation Trust · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation · The Dallas Foundation · Dallas Seminary Foundation · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · Love Thy Neighbor Too

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 50%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    5get no government money at all
    5report 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 Sparrow Charitable Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Sparrow Charitable 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 77 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

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