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Pennsylvania · Private foundation

The Topper Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$2.4M
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
40
Grants FY2024
38
Organizations funded FY2023
61%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$5,010
Largest grant, FY2024
$960,000
Organizations funded a year
31 to 43
FY2017 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
10
Total assets, FY2024
$20M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 61% of the organizations The Topper Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 12% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 88% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $219k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23
HealthHuman ServicesEducationArts & CulturePhilanthropyReligionOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2024still arriving38$2.4M39%
FY202338$1.8M61%
FY202231$1.4M32%
FY202134$1.6M26%
FY202039$2.4M46%
FY201943$1.9M44%
FY201832$888k41%
FY201734$1.0Mn/a
95% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Philanthropy$6.2MEducation$3.3MReligion$2.8MHealth$477kYouth Development$229kArts & Culture$145kHousing & Shelter$106kCrime & Legal$90kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

IL
WI
NY
MA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
CA
CO
MO
VA
MD
DE
DC
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Diocese of Allentown$1,225,0404n/a
Villanova University$1,213,36080%
The School Sisters of St Francis$560,0001n/a
Kolbe Academy Inc$424,3363n/a
Diocese of Allentown$296,5008n/a
Desales University$243,10060%
Lehigh Valley Health Network$211,44944%
Trinity Hall$196,00052%
St Michael the Archangel$128,0002n/a
Lehigh Valley Hospital$115,34030%
Show all 72 grantees
All grantees of The Topper Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Diocese of Allentown$1,225,0404n/a
Villanova University$1,213,36080%
The School Sisters of St Francis$560,0001n/a
Kolbe Academy Inc$424,3363n/a
Diocese of Allentown$296,5008n/a
Desales University$243,10060%
Lehigh Valley Health Network$211,44944%
Trinity Hall$196,00052%
St Michael the Archangel$128,0002n/a
Lehigh Valley Hospital$115,34030%
Mercy Special Learning Center Inc$113,9506n/a
Good Shepherd Corporation$90,250640%
Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society Inc$75,00036%
Regina Angelorum Academy$60,00021%
Cay Galgon Life House$54,00052%
The Lehigh Gas Foundation$39,292224%
The Catholic Foundation$35,0001n/a
Boys and Girls Club of Allentown Inc$31,40080%
Bloom for Women Inc$28,50032%
Nafasi Project Inc$27,500337%
International OCD Foundation Inc$25,00010%
Historic Bethlehem Incorporated$22,060419%
Building 21$21,00011%
Healthnetwork Foundation Fka Health Net Foundation Inc$20,00020%
St Anne's Retirement Communityinc$20,00020%
Lehigh University$15,00010%
Allentown Rescue Mission Inc$15,00030%
Star Community Health Inc$15,00010%
Blessed Sacrament$15,0001n/a
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation$14,00020%
National Association of Basketball Coaches Foundation Inc$12,50010%
Special Olympics Pennsylvania Inc$12,03640%
Second Round Foundation Inc$12,0001n/a
American Heart Association Inc$10,25030%
Camelot for Children$10,00022%
Lehigh County Humane Society$10,00010%
Catholic Psychotherapy Association Inc$10,00022%
The Hillside School$7,50020%
Wolf Performing Arts Center Inc$7,50020%
Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley Inc$5,50030%
Room at the Inn$5,01011%
Little Sisters of the Poor$5,000146%
Walking With Purpose Inc$5,00010%
Montefiore Medical Center$5,00010%
The Nemours Foundation$5,00010%
American Cancer Society Inc$5,00010%
St Francis Center for Renewal Inc$5,0001n/a
Little Sisters of the Poor of the City and County of Philadelphia$5,00010%
New Hope Integrated Behavioral Health Care Inc$5,00010%
Community Services for Children Inc$5,00010%
New Bethany Inc$3,53050%
The Agnes Irwin School$2,58410%
Active Minds Inc$2,50010%
St Thomas Episcopal Church$2,5001n/a
Amigos de Jesus$2,00010%
Association of Small Foundations$1,64520%
Second Harvest$1,56210%
St Baldrick's Foundation Inc$1,50020%
Bach Choir of Bethlehem$1,25010%
Blood Cancer United Inc$1,10020%
Women United$1,0001n/a
Catholic Relief Services$1,0001n/a
Moorings Park Foundation Inc$1,00010%
The New Jersey Golf Foundation Inc$70010%
Abington Friends School$50010%
Hospice of Dayton Inc$50010%
Mount Saint Joseph Academy$5001n/a
Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc$20010%
YMCA of the Roses$20010%
Kidspeace Corporation$10010%
The Andrew McDonough B Foundation$10010%
St Luke's Hospital of Bethlehem Pa$5010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 69 recipients with no EIN on record ($8.0M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

The Topper Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 3 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 58 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetVillanova University: $1,213,360 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetDesales University: $243,100 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetLehigh Valley Health Network: $211,449 over 4y, 3.8% of budgetTrinity Hall: $196,000 over 5y, 2.0% of budgetLehigh Valley Hospital: $115,340 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetGood Shepherd Corporation: $90,250 over 6y, 40% of budgetGreens Ledge Light Preservation Society Inc: $75,000 over 3y, 5.9% of budgetRegina Angelorum Academy: $60,000 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetCay Galgon Life House: $54,000 over 5y, 1.8% of budgetThe Lehigh Gas Foundation: $39,292 over 2y, 24% of budgetBoys and Girls Club of Allentown Inc: $31,400 over 8y, 0.4% of budgetBloom for Women Inc: $28,500 over 3y, 1.7% of budgetNafasi Project Inc: $27,500 over 3y, 37% of budgetInternational OCD Foundation Inc: $25,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetHistoric Bethlehem Incorporated: $22,060 over 4y, 19% of budgetBuilding 21: $21,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetHealthnetwork Foundation Fka Health Net Foundation Inc: $20,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSt Anne's Retirement Communityinc: $20,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetLehigh University: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAllentown Rescue Mission Inc: $15,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetStar Community Health Inc: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetStephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation: $14,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNational Association of Basketball Coaches Foundation Inc: $12,500 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetSpecial Olympics Pennsylvania Inc: $12,036 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetAmerican Heart Association Inc: $10,250 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCamelot for Children: $10,000 over 2y, 1.9% of budgetLehigh County Humane Society: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetCatholic Psychotherapy Association Inc: $10,000 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetThe Hillside School: $7,500 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetWolf Performing Arts Center Inc: $7,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetCommunity Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley Inc: $5,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetRoom at the Inn: $5,010 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetLittle Sisters of the Poor: $5,000 over 1y, 46% of budgetWalking With Purpose Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMontefiore Medical Center: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Nemours Foundation: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Cancer Society Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLittle Sisters of the Poor of the City and County of Philadelphia: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNew Hope Integrated Behavioral Health Care Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCommunity Services for Children Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNew Bethany Inc: $3,530 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetThe Agnes Irwin School: $2,584 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetActive Minds Inc: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAmigos de Jesus: $2,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAssociation of Small Foundations: $1,645 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSecond Harvest: $1,562 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetSt Baldrick's Foundation Inc: $1,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBach Choir of Bethlehem: $1,250 over 1y, 0.1% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 58.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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.

United Way of the Greater Lehigh ValleyPA57.1× affinity26 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley · Lehigh Valley Community Foundation · Air Products Foundation · Ppl Foundation · The Century Fund Trust · The Frank J Ryan and Jane E Ryan Family Foundation · Salvaggio Family Foundation · The Lehigh Gas Foundation · Ross J Born and Wendy G Born Charitable Trust · Harry C Trexler Estate · Frederick H Bedford Jr & Margaret S Bedford Charitable Foundation · Pennsylvania Automotive Association 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.

Compare The Topper Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Topper Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Topper 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.

About The Topper Foundation

How much does The Topper Foundation give?
The Topper Foundation reported 40 grants totaling $2,423,526 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 31 and 43 organizations a year over FY2017 to FY2023.
What does The Topper Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2024, its largest causes are Philanthropy (45%), Education (24%), Religion (21%).
Who are The Topper Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2024: Diocese of Allentown ($1.2M), Villanova University ($1.2M), The School Sisters of St Francis ($560k).
Does The Topper Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 61% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does The Topper Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Topper Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, Air Products Foundation.
Where is The Topper Foundation based?
The Topper Foundation is based in PA.

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 143 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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