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The Townsend Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Townsend 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.

$4.4M
Granted FY2025still arriving
60
Grants FY2025still arriving
13
States reached
$1.0M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02Its granteesRead
03Its fieldRead
04Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2019 to 2025.

Education$4.5MReligion$1.2MPhilanthropy$638kRecreation & Sports$553kArts & Culture$421kHousing & Shelter$380kHealth$230kHuman Services$60kOther$0
02FY2025 · 60 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k28 grants · $68k
  • $10k–50k19 grants · $326k
  • $50k–250k7 grants · $479k
  • $250k+6 grants · $3.5M
$10,000
Median grant
13
States reached
$282k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$1,000,000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$1,000,000
Episcopal High School$500,000
Episcopal High School$500,000
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church$250,000
Grand Teton National Park Foundation$250,000
Hospital for Special Surgery Fund Inc$112,500
West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc$83,333
The Lord's Place$83,333
Grand Teton National Park Foundation$50,000
Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Inc$50,000
US Ski & Snowboard Foundation$50,000
US Ski & Snowboard Foundation$50,000
US Ski & Snowboard Foundation$38,334
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church$37,500
02Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

84%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$8.1M · 44 repeat orgs$1.5M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +17% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

44 repeat relationships: 35 still active in FY2025, 9 since wound down; 8 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

44
35

Total granted

$8.1M
$1.5M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+17%
0%

Still filing today

73%
60%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 99% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $29k went to new ones.

50%100%’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureRecreation & SportsEducationPhilanthropyEnvironmentHealthOther
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

  • TP
    THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA
    2× · 2024–2025 · $1.4M · revenue +24%
  • GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
    4× · 2022–2025 · $559k · revenue +98%
  • TL
    THE LORD'S PLACE INC
    4× · 2022–2025 · $325k · revenue +14%

Funded once

  • UO
    University of North Carolina
    one grant, 2023 · $1.1M
  • EH
    Episcopal High School
    one grant, 2022 · $110k
  • US
    US Ski & Snowboard Team Foundation
    one grant, 2022 · $50k
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.

03Its 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
Governors Island Corporation

The governors island corporation, doing business as the trust for governors island, is the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization created by the city of new york and charged with the planning, redevelopment and ongoing operations of 150…

Animals
2
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

Enhance the ability of actec members to provide the most efficient and highest quality services to their clients; develop qualified trust and estate counselors; improve and reform probate, trust and tax laws, procedures, and standards of…

Community Improvement
3
International Tennis Hall of Fame Incorporated

The international tennis hall of fame (ithf) is a non-profit organization that preserves the history of tennis and celebrates to inspire excellence across generations globally. founded in 1954 in newport, ri, the ithf honors tennis'…

Recreation & Sports
4
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

Education
5
New York Botanical Garden

The new york botanical garden is a museum of plants and a scientific research center devoted to the study of plants and their uses. it is the garden's mission to improve public understanding of the natural world, horticulture, and the…

Environment
6
The Trustees of Princeton University

Research, education and general - princeton university is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025…

Education
7
Usga Foundation

The foundation is dedicated to fulfilling the usga's mission to champion and advance the game of golf, everywhere it is played. its purpose is soley charitable, scientific, and educational within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the…

Recreation & Sports
8
Harvard Conservation Trust

To preserve the unique character and natural resources of harvard.

Environment
9
Furman University

The primary mission of furman as a liberal arts institution is to provide a distinctive education in fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and the sciences, as well as selected professional disciplines.

Education
10
Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc

Dutchess land conservancy (dlc) is dedicated to preserving the scenic, agricultural and environmental resources of dutchess county, new york, and the surrounding area. dlc, as a private non-profit land conservation organization, carries…

Environment
11
Rhode Island School of Design

The mission of rhode island school of design, through its college and museum,is to educate its students and the public in the creation and (see schedule o)appreciation of works of art and design, to discover and transmit knowledge and to…

Education
12
The American Institute of Architects

Vision: drive positive change through the power of design and focused activism.mission: aia inspires and empowers architects to improve society and transform the world.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Educational Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
03the grantee network

62 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. 62 of the 90 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)
9
Early backer (in before they grew)
62/62
Grantees still filing
37/62
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL: $3,141,000 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILLUniversity of North Carolina: $1,140,000 · OtherUniversity of North CarolinaST BARNABAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $1,091,210 · OtherST BARNABAS EPISCOPAL CHURCHWEST PALM GOLF COMMUNITY TRUST INC: $254,999 · Other+42 more: $596,900 · Other+42 moreTHE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA: $1,415,400 · EducationTHE PROTESTANT EP…+8 more: $69,100 · EducationGRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION: $558,850 · PhilanthropyROBESON-LUMBERTON KIWANIS CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 · Philanthropy+6 more: $28,500 · PhilanthropyThe Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Inc: $200,000 · Arts & CultureThe Society of the Four Arts Inc: $61,750 · Arts & CultureGREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $50,000 · Arts & CultureJUDD FOUNDATION: $20,000 · Arts & CultureTHE CHINATI FOUNDATION: $20,000 · Arts & CultureSOLOMON R GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION: $20,000 · Arts & Culture+6 more: $40,500 · Arts & CultureTHE LORD'S PLACE INC: $324,999 · Housing & ShelterCAPE FEAR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INC: $50,000 · Housing & ShelterUnited States Ski Team Foundation: $276,668 · Recreation & SportsCity Squash Inc: $20,000 · Recreation & Sports+8 more: $49,800 · Recreation & SportsThe Hospital for Special Surgery Fund Inc: $162,500 · Health+2 more: $6,000 · Health
Other$6,224,109Education$1,484,500Philanthropy$612,350Arts & Culture$412,250Housing & Shelter$374,999Recreation & Sports$346,468Health$168,500

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 budgetTHE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA: $1,415,400 over 2y, 1.5% of budgetGRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION: $558,850 over 4y, 1.3% of budgetTHE LORD'S PLACE INC: $324,999 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetUnited States Ski Team Foundation: $276,668 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetWEST PALM GOLF COMMUNITY TRUST INC: $254,999 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetThe Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Inc: $200,000 over 3y, 0.8% of budgetThe Hospital for Special Surgery Fund Inc: $162,500 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe Society of the Four Arts Inc: $61,750 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetFAMILY CENTERS INC: $60,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetCAPE FEAR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INC: $50,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetGREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $50,000 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetREADWORKSINC: $30,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetTHE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC: $29,400 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED WAY OF GREENWICH INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetROBESON-LUMBERTON KIWANIS CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetCity Squash Inc: $20,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetLYME NURSERY SCHOOL INC: $20,000 over 2y, 3.6% of budgetJUDD FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetTHE CHINATI FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MARTIN COUNTY: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSOLOMON R GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC: $11,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetThe Madeira School: $10,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetFRIENDS OF OAKHILL: $10,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetWORLD CUP DREAMS FOUNDATION FKA SFI FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budget564 PARK AVENUE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetHIGHER ED WORKS: $10,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetTRIANGLE GOLF FOUNDATION INC DBA THE FIRST TEE OF THE TRIANGLE: $10,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetBATH & TENNIS HISTORIC BUILDING PRESERVATION FOUNDATION INC: $10,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetPALM BEACH NAVY SEAL EVENING OF TRIBUTE INC: $10,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetALOTIAN CHARITABLE EVENTS: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetCITY OF OAKS FOUNDATION INC: $8,000 over 4y, 0.8% of budgetUNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION: $6,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE FIBROLAMELLAR CANCER FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetASSOCIATION OF GOVERNING BOARDS OF UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMuseum of Modern Art: $5,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB: $4,250 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetRICHARD HAMPTON JENRETTE FOUNDATION: $3,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetUSSGA MEMORIAL FUND INC: $3,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetWomens Justice Initiative Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetThe Rome Chamber Music Festival Inc: $3,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetINSPIRICA INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMEALS-ON-WHEELS INC: $2,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetTHE GREENWICH TREE CONSERVANCY INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.3% 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.

The Bessemer Giving F…Robertson FoundationFoundation for the Ca…The Goldman Sachs Cha…Royce Family Fund IncTriangle Community Fo…North Carolina Commun…National Philanthropi…The Wolverine Foundat…The Stanton Family Fo…Thomas Rutherfoord Fo…The Niner Foundation …
The Bessemer Giving FundNJ17.7× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Bessemer Giving Fund · Robertson Foundation · Foundation for the Carolinas · The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund · Royce Family Fund Inc · Triangle Community Foundation Inc · North Carolina Community Foundation · National Philanthropic Trust · The Wolverine Foundation · The Stanton Family Foundation · Thomas Rutherfoord Foundation · The Niner Foundation Inc

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.
04Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Townsend Family Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Townsend 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 90 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 Townsend 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