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The Valerie Ann Luff Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Valerie Ann Luff Foundation

Its FY2026 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$85k
Granted FY2026still arriving
10
Grants FY2026still arriving
2
States reached
$31k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Religion$287kHealth$245kHousing & Shelter$59kHuman Services$12kRecreation & Sports$6kEducation$4kCrime & Legal$3kInternational$3kOther$0
02FY2026 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2026

  • Under $10k7 grants · $17k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $69k
$4,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$388k
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS$31,000
ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC$27,650
VERITAS CATHOLIC NETWORK$10,000
MALTA HOUSE INC$5,500
OUR LADY'S PILGRAMAGE$4,000
THOMAS MERTON FAMILY CENTER$2,500
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY$2,000
SHEPHARDS INC$1,000
FOUNDATIONS IN EDUCATION$1,000
ELIZABETH SETON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL$500
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 (FY17–26) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 32% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $45k → 17%CATHOLIC CHARITIES - THOMAS MERTON CENTER: $6k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $28k → 17%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $26k → 17%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $16k → 17%ORDER OF MALTA - PILGRIMAGE FUND: $11k → 17%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $10k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $48k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $8k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $31k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $7k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $28k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $7k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $25k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $7k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $25k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $6k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $20k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $6k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $20k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $6k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $18k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $5k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $16k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $4k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $15k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $4k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $8k → 9%ORDER OF MALTA AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: $4k → 17%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $5k → 9%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $5k → 9%ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: $5k → 9%CATHOLIC CHARITIES FAIRFIELD COUNTY: $4k → 9%MALTA HOUSE INC: $11k → 9%MALTA HOUSE INC: $9k → 9%MALTA HOUSE INC: $6k → 9%MALTA HOUSE INC: $6k → 9%MALTA HOUSE INC: $5k → 9%OUR LADYS PILGRIMAGE: $11k → 9%OUR LADYS PILGRAMAGE: $9k → 9%OUR LADYS PILGRAMAGE: $6k → 9%OUR LADY'S PILGRAMAGE: $11k → 9%OUR LADY'S PILGRAMAGE: $10k → 9%OUR LADY'S PILGRAMAGE: $7k → 9%OUR LADY'S PILGRAMAGE: $4k → 9%ST MARY'S CHURCH: $5k → 9%MALTA HOUSE: $5k → 9%MALTA HOUSE: $10k → 9%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

IL
NY
MA
PA
CT
CA
MD
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.

88%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$648k · 13 repeat orgs$86k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +55% since the first grant, against +25% for those funded once.

13 repeat relationships: 7 still active in FY2026, 6 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2026 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

13
33

Total granted

$648k
$82k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+55%
+25%

Still filing today

54%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2026, 95% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $4k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26
ReligionHealthRecreation & SportsHousing & ShelterFood & NutritionPhilanthropyOther
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

  • SC
    ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INC
    10× · 2017–2026 · $257k · revenue +55%
  • MH
    MALTA HOUSE INC
    10× · 2017–2026 · $65k · revenue +236%
  • OL
    Our Ladys Pilgrimage Inc
    9× · 2017–2026 · $54k · revenue +23%

Funded once

  • SC
    ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
    one grant, 2019 · $18k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2019 · $11k
  • OO
    ORDER OF MALTA - PILGRIMAGE FUND
    one grant, 2024 · $11k
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
St Vincent's Special Needs Center Inc

None

—
2
St Catherine of Siena Medical Center

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities.

Health
3
St Vincent's College Inc

Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually-centered, holistic care…

—
4
Stony Brook Childrens Services University Faculty Practice Corporation

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
5
Mercy Medical Center

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities.

Health
6
Mercy Medical Center Foundation

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities

—
7
Mercy Health

Mercy Health will provide assistance, support and direction to all of the health care institutions and activities operated and maintained by its Subsidiaries. The mission of Mercy Health in performing these activities shall be to provide a…

—
8
Neurology Associates of Stony Brook University Faculty Practice Corp

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
9
Franciscan Community Benefit Services

MISSION - TO celebrate life and serve with joy. Vision - to provide access to Catholic high schools and offer programs for higher education and career readiness for young women from the Chicago area.

Religion
10
St Charles Hospital Corp

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities.

Health
11
Chs Physician Partners Pc

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities.

Health
12
St Francis Hospital

We, at ch, humbly join together to bring christ's healing mission and the mission of mercy of the catholic church expressed in catholic health care to our communities.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is St Catherine Center for Special Needs Inc; the most unlike its peers is Blood Cancer United 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

19 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 19 of the 49 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)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
19/19
Grantees still filing
15/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INC: $256,750 · OtherST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INCORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC: $207,000 · OtherORDER OF MALTA - AMERICAN ASSOC+38 more: $114,865 · Other+38 moreOur Ladys Pilgrimage Inc: $54,450 · ReligionOur Ladys Pi…Veritas Catholic Network Inc: $22,000 · ReligionVeritas Cath…+1 more: $2,500 · ReligionMALTA HOUSE INC: $64,775 · Housing & ShelterMALTA HOU…THE MIRACLE LEAGUE NORTH BAY: $3,000 · Recreation & SportsMALTA CAMP USA INC: $1,500 · Recreation & SportsFoundations in Education Inc: $4,000 · PhilanthropyONE WORLD SURGERY: $2,500 · InternationalSHEPHERDS INC: $1,000 · Education
Other$578,615Religion$78,950Housing & Shelter$64,775Recreation & Sports$4,500Philanthropy$4,000International$2,500Education$1,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INC: $256,750 over 10y, 1.0% of budgetMALTA HOUSE INC: $64,775 over 10y, 0.8% of budgetOur Ladys Pilgrimage Inc: $54,450 over 9y, 4.7% of budgetVeritas Catholic Network Inc: $22,000 over 3y, 2.5% of budgetCATHOLIC CHARITIES OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY INC: $6,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFoundations in Education Inc: $4,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTHE MIRACLE LEAGUE NORTH BAY: $3,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetONE WORLD SURGERY: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSPECIAL OLYMPICS CONNECTICUT INC: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetFeeding Dreams Inc: $500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE BRIDGE FAMILY CENTER INC: $450 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetEPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCARDINAL SHEHAN CENTER INC: $200 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTHE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK INC: $170 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY: $100 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $75 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 ST CATHERINE CENTER FOR SPECIAL NEEDS INC ↗
  • Who funds MALTA HOUSE INC ↗
  • Who funds Our Ladys Pilgrimage Inc ↗
  • Who funds Veritas Catholic Network Inc ↗
  • Who funds CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY INC ↗
  • Who funds Foundations in Education Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE MIRACLE LEAGUE NORTH BAY ↗
  • Who funds ONE WORLD SURGERY ↗
  • Who funds SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL ROCKFORD COUNCIL ↗
  • Who funds MALTA CAMP USA INC ↗
  • Who funds SHEPHERDS INC ↗
  • Who funds SPECIAL OLYMPICS CONNECTICUT INC ↗
  • Who funds Feeding Dreams Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE BRIDGE FAMILY CENTER 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.

The John and Ethel Ka…The Queally Foundatio…Sovereign Military Ho…National Philanthropi…Morgan Stanley Global…The Bank of America C…The Blackbaud Giving …Vanguard Charitable E…Donor Advised Charita…American Endowment Fo…American Online Givin…Fidelity Investments …
The John and Ethel Kashulon FoundationDE15.7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The John and Ethel Kashulon Foundation · The Queally Foundation Inc · Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes · National Philanthropic Trust · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc · The Blackbaud Giving Fund · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · American Endowment Foundation · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 60%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →median 22%
  • The Bridge Family Center Inc: 61% of income from government
  • Special Olympics Connecticut Inc: 42% of income from government
  • Epilepsy Foundation of America: 22% of income from government
  • The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Inc: 5% of income from government
  • Cardinal Shehan Center Inc: 4% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
6get no government money at all
2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
1rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
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 49 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 2026, released 2026. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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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