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The Turner Dream Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Turner Dream 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.

$16k
Granted FY2025still arriving
7
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$8k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
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 2024.

Education$22kHuman Services$5kYouth Development$4kCrime & Legal$2kCommunity Improvement$2kArts & Culture$1kPublic Benefit$1kFood & Nutrition$700Other$0
02FY2025 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$250
Median grant
4
States reached
$46k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
LA'S PLAYHOUSE LLC$7,500
University of San Diego$5,000
National Bar Institute$2,500
Links Inc Foundation$250
Meharry Medical College$100
Salvation Army$100
Feeding San Diego$100
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 99% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%CAF Red Tail Squadron: $150 → 9%Hands On Technology: $2k → 10%March of Dimes: $100 → 10%Elementary Institute of Science: $2k → 11%Links Inc Foundation: $1k → 14%LA'S PLAYHOUSE LLC: $8k → 13%Tuskegee Airmen Museum: $200 → 32%Meharry Medical College: $250 → 14%Ogden Family Foundation: $1k → 13%CAF Red Tail Squadron: $100 → 9%Hands On Technology: $800 → 10%Elementary Institute of Science: $2k → 11%Links Inc Foundation: $250 → 14%Tuskegee Airmen Museum: $50 → 32%Meharry Medical College: $100 → 14%CAF Red Tail Squadron: $50 → 9%San Diego Education Fund: $1k → 11%Meharry Medical College: $100 → 14%San Diego Education Fund: $1k → 11%Meharry Medical College: $100 → 14%San Diego Education Fund: $1k → 11%San Diego Education Fund: $750 → 11%Girl Scouts in San Diego: $100 → 11%Salvation Army: $1k → 11%Salvation Army: $1k → 11%San Diego Food Bank: $500 → 11%Salvation Army: $550 → 11%San Diego Food Bank: $100 → 11%Salvation Army: $300 → 11%Jacobs Cushman San Diego Food Bank: $100 → 11%Salvation Army: $100 → 11%Feeding San Diego: $100 → 11%Maraya Performing Arts: $250 → 11%University of San Diego: $5k → 11%University of San Diego: $1k → 11%San Diego Urban League: $2k → 11%National Bar Institute: $3k → 11%National Bar Institute: $2k → 11%Lincoln High School Girls Basketbal: $100 → 11%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.
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.

76%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$41k · 14 repeat orgs$13k to everyone else

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

14 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2025, 9 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

14
9

Total granted

$41k
$5k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+17%
0%

Still filing today

50%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 51% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $8k 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
EducationFood & NutritionHealthHuman ServicesScience & TechArts & CultureOther
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

  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO
    2× · 2024–2025 · $6k · revenue +19%
  • EI
    ELEMENTARY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
    2× · 2018–2019 · $4k · revenue +10%
  • SD
    SAN DIEGO EDUCATION FUND
    4× · 2020–2023 · $4k · revenue +7%

Funded once

  • SD
    San Diego Urban League
    one grant, 2019 · $2k
  • OF
    Ogden Family Foundation
    one grant, 2019 · $1k
  • SD
    San Diego Chapter Links
    one grant, 2024 · $1k
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
The San Diego Foundation

The san diego foundation inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region.

Philanthropy
2
San Diego County Citizens' Scholars Foundation
—
3
San Diego Municipal Employees Assn

The san diego municipal employees association (sdmea) is dedicated to being a strong and effective advocate for san diego city employees. sdmea is united to improve employees' standard of living and promote their fair treatment by…

—
4
San Diego State University Foundation Sdsu Research Foundation

To support and further the research, education and community service objectives of san diego state university.

Education
5
San Diego Squared

To advance workforce and talent development within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM") sectors by fostering excellence in education, expanding access to opportunities, and delivering transformative resources to…

Education
6
Associated Students of San Diego State University

To support the social, recreational, cultural and education programs and facilities, both on campus and in the community, and to advocate for student interests, provide leadership opportunities and participate in shared governance.

—
7
Mana De San Diego

Mana de san diego transforms communities by empowering latinas to achieve upward mobility and a better quality of life.

Education
8
San Diego French-American School

San diego french-american school offers an exceptional bilingual education within a vibrant international community, preparing students to become confident, responsible and engaged global citizens.

—
9
San Diego Diplomacy Council

Programmed and coordinated visits to san diego by international visitors and escorts, working in association with appropriate united states government agencies and the global ties u.s. network.

Community Improvement
10
San Diego Regional Economic Development Foundation

To support and cultivate sustainable employment opportunities for San Diego County residents contributing to a prosperous local economy.

Community Improvement
11
San Diego Double Ten Committee
Arts & Culture
12
San Diego Jewish Academy

San Diego Jewish Academy empowers each student to learn for life, guided by Jewish values and rooted in strength of community.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank; the most unlike its peers is Zeta Sigma Lambda Foundation Inc. 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

11 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. 11 of the 25 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)
1
Early backer (in before they grew)
11/11
Grantees still filing
7/11
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $11,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientLA'S PLAYHOUSE LLC: $7,500 · OtherLA'S PLAYHOUSE LLCUNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO: $6,125 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGONational Bar Institute: $4,000 · OtherNational Bar InstituteTHE SALVATION ARMY: $3,010 · OtherTHE SALVATION ARMYIndividual grant recipient: $2,800 · OtherIndividual grant recipientSan Diego Kappa Alpha Foundation: $2,000 · OtherSan Diego Urban League: $1,500 · Other+8 more: $4,250 · Other+8 moreELEMENTARY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE: $3,975 · Science & TechSAN DIEGO EDUCATION FUND: $3,750 · Health+1 more: $100 · HealthSAN DIEGO DELTA FOUNDATION INC: $1,156 · Human ServicesMEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE: $550 · EducationZETA SIGMA LAMBDA FOUNDATION INC: $500 · EducationJACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK: $700 · Food & NutritionFEEDING SAN DIEGO: $100 · Food & NutritionSan Diego Alpha Foundation: $500 · Arts & Culture
Other$42,185Science & Tech$3,975Health$3,850Human Services$1,156Education$1,050Food & Nutrition$800Arts & Culture$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 budgetUNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO: $6,125 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetELEMENTARY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE: $3,975 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetSAN DIEGO EDUCATION FUND: $3,750 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetTHE LINKS FOUNDATION INCORPORATED: $1,250 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSAN DIEGO DELTA FOUNDATION INC: $1,156 over 3y, 1.7% of budgetJACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK: $700 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE: $550 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetFEEDING SAN DIEGO: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMARCH OF DIMES INC: $100 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 UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO ↗
  • Who funds ELEMENTARY INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO EDUCATION FUND ↗
  • Who funds THE LINKS FOUNDATION INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO DELTA FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds JACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds ZETA SIGMA LAMBDA FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds San Diego Alpha Foundation ↗
  • Who funds FEEDING SAN DIEGO ↗
  • Who funds MARCH OF DIMES INC ↗

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization The Turner Dream Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Turner Dream 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%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–40%
    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 Turner Dream Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to The Turner Dream 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 25 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 Turner Dream’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