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Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation at a glance

· Public charity

Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation

Provide charitable benefits for charitable, educational, scientific, literary, and religious purposes.

$433k
Granted FY2025still arriving
18
Grants FY2025still arriving
1
States reached
$30k
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 2025.

Arts & Culture$3.1MYouth Development$171kHuman Services$45kEducation$15kCommunity Improvement$6kCivil Rights$1k
02FY2025 · 18 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k2 grants · $10k
  • $10k–50k16 grants · $418k
$30,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$4.4M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
FERNANDO PULLUM COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER$30,000
CITY HEARTS KIDS SAY YES TO THE ARTS$30,000
ACTORS' GANG INC$30,000
UNUSUAL SUSPECTS THEATRE COMPANY$30,000
GRAND VISION FOUNDATION$30,000
INNER-CITY ARTS$30,000
SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA$30,000
YOUNG STORYTELLERS FOUNDATION$30,000
ELEMENTAL MUSIC$30,000
INNER CITY YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF LOS ANGELES$30,000
EAST WEST PLAYERS INC$30,000
PS ARTS$30,000
FERNANDO PULLUM COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER$20,000
RUCKUSROOTS$17,500
CITY HEARTS KIDS SAY YES TO THE ARTS$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 (FY23–23, $5k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%ALL PEOPLES COMMUNITY CENTER: $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.
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.

94%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.1M · 32 repeat orgs$204k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +45% since the first grant, against +38% for those funded once.

32 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2025, 21 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

32
14

Total granted

$3.1M
$96k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+45%
+38%

Still filing today

94%
71%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 75% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $108k 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
Arts & CultureYouth DevelopmentEducationCommunity ImprovementCivil RightsRecreation & SportsOther
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

  • PA
    PS ARTS
    9× · 2017–2025 · $250k · revenue +35%
  • SJ
    SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA
    9× · 2017–2025 · $250k · revenue +48%
  • YS
    YOUNG STORYTELLERS
    9× · 2017–2025 · $235k · revenue +85%

Funded once

  • CK
    CONGA KIDSgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $25k · revenue +248%
  • NL
    NO LIMITS THEATER GROUP INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $25k · revenue +38%
  • LW
    LULA WASHINGTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $10k · revenue +32%
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
Los Angeles International Dance Festival
—
2
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Society Inc

The orchestra pursues its mission, "to enrich and connect our community through intimate and transformative musical experiences which exemplify and foster artistic excellence, education and innovation," through the blend of traditional…

Arts & Culture
3
Latino Theater Company

The latino theater company operates the los angeles theatre center, whose mission is to provide a world class arts center for those pursuing artistic excellence; a laboratory where both tradition and innovation are honored and honed; a…

Arts & Culture
4
Renaissance Arts Academy

Tk-12 charter public school focused on educational equity and success for all students with a priority on tradionally underserved populations.

Education
5
Angels Gate Cultural Center Inc

To provide space for artists to work and to engage community through arts education, exhibitions of contemporary art, and cultural events.

Arts & Culture
6
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts

Deeply rooted in our local beverly hills community and influenced by cultural change, the wallis annenberg center for the performing arts, a public-private partnership with the city of beverly hills, strives to be a site for the…

Arts & Culture
7
Artronika

ARTRONIKA is a collective of Los Angeles based artists that produce immersive arts programming showcasing an array of South Asian talent and culture. Through innovative and inclusive events, we reimagine traditional music, art, and…

—
8
California Institute of Contemporary Art
—
9
Los Angeles Opera Company

To serve the public by producing world-class opera that preserves, promotes and advances the art form while embodying the diversity, spirit and artistic sensibility unique to los angeles. we envision an engaged and enlightened community in…

Arts & Culture
10
Los Angeles Performance Practice

As creative producers, we are devoted to the production and presentation of groundbreaking experiences in contemporary performance that use innovative approaches to collaboration, technology, and social engagement. As a service…

Arts & Culture
11
Contra-Tiempo

Contra-tiempo is a bold, multilingual los angeles-based activist dance theater company creating physically intense and politically astute performance work that moves audience to imagine what is possible. We create a new physical, visual…

Arts & Culture
12
Arts for La

Arts for la leads communities, artists and organizations to advocate for an equitable, healthy, and creative los angeles region through the arts.

Arts & Culture
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Latino Public Radio Consortium. 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

46 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. 46 of the 50 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)
15
Early backer (in before they grew)
44/46
Grantees still filing
36/46
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA: $250,000 · Arts & CultureSYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRAINNER-CITY ARTS: $220,000 · Arts & CultureINNER-CITY ARTSINNER CITY YOUTH ORCHRSTRA OF LOS ANGELES INC: $135,000 · Arts & CultureINNER CITY YOUTH ORCHRSTRA OF LOS ANGELES INCFERNANDO PULLUM COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER: $120,000 · Arts & CultureFERNANDO PULLUM COMMUNITY ARTS CENTERSANTA CECILIA OPERA AND ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION: $113,000 · Arts & CultureSANTA CECILIA OPERA AND ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATIONART CREATES US INC: $110,500 · Arts & CultureART CREATES US INCSOUND ART INC DBA IN THE BAND: $110,000 · Arts & CultureSOUND ART INC DBA IN THE BANDDramatic Results: $110,000 · Arts & CultureDramatic ResultsACTOR'S GANG INC: $100,000 · Arts & CultureACTOR'S GANG INCVENICE ARTS: $75,000 · Arts & Culture+16 more: $424,500 · Arts & Culture+16 morePS ARTS: $250,000 · OtherPS ARTSAMERICAN YOUTH SYMPHONY INC: $170,000 · OtherAMERICAN YOUTH SYMPHONY IN…FULCRUM ARTS: $115,000 · OtherFULCRUM ARTSETM-LA INC: $110,000 · OtherETM-LA INCIndividual grant recipient: $62,500 · OtherIndividual grant recipientLACER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: $50,500 · OtherLACER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS+6 more: $19,500 · OtherYOUNG STORYTELLERS: $235,000 · Youth DevelopmentYOUNG STORYTELL…CITY HEARTS KIDS SAY YES TO THE ARTS LA FRINGE THEATRE INC: $210,000 · Youth DevelopmentCITY HEARTS KID…+2 more: $12,500 · Youth DevelopmentDEBBIE ALLEN DANCE INC DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE ACADEMY: $160,000 · EducationCREATE NOW INC: $50,000 · EducationHarmony Project: $15,500 · Education+1 more: $5,000 · EducationWATER BUFFALO CLUB INC DBA WE BENEFIT CHILDREN: $65,000 · Recreation & SportsGRAND VISION FOUNDATION: $30,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: $17,500 · Community ImprovementINCLUSIVE ACTION FOR THE CITY: $3,000 · Community Improvement
Arts & Culture$1,768,000Other$777,500Youth Development$457,500Education$230,500Recreation & Sports$65,000Philanthropy$30,000Community Improvement$20,500

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 budgetPS ARTS: $250,000 over 9y, 1.8% of budgetSYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA: $250,000 over 9y, 19% of budgetYOUNG STORYTELLERS: $235,000 over 9y, 3.1% of budgetINNER-CITY ARTS: $220,000 over 7y, 1.0% of budgetCITY HEARTS KIDS SAY YES TO THE ARTS LA FRINGE THEATRE INC: $210,000 over 7y, 19% of budgetAMERICAN YOUTH SYMPHONY INC: $170,000 over 6y, 7.9% of budgetDEBBIE ALLEN DANCE INC DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE ACADEMY: $160,000 over 6y, 1.0% of budgetINNER CITY YOUTH ORCHRSTRA OF LOS ANGELES INC: $135,000 over 7y, 8.8% of budgetFERNANDO PULLUM COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER: $120,000 over 4y, 3.5% of budgetFULCRUM ARTS: $115,000 over 4y, 2.3% of budgetSANTA CECILIA OPERA AND ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION: $113,000 over 4y, 6.1% of budgetART CREATES US INC: $110,500 over 4y, 6.6% of budgetSOUND ART INC DBA IN THE BAND: $110,000 over 4y, 16% of budgetETM-LA INC: $110,000 over 4y, 2.0% of budgetDramatic Results: $110,000 over 4y, 4.8% of budgetACTOR'S GANG INC: $100,000 over 3y, 3.4% of budgetVENICE ARTS: $75,000 over 3y, 3.0% of budgetWATER BUFFALO CLUB INC DBA WE BENEFIT CHILDREN: $65,000 over 2y, 3.5% of budgetPLAZA DE LA RAZA INC: $52,500 over 3y, 3.2% of budgetLACER AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: $50,500 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetLOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE ASSOCIATION: $50,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetYOUNG MUSICIANS FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 2y, 3.9% of budgetAUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST: $45,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetEAST-WEST PLAYERS INC: $32,500 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetELEMENTAL MUSIC: $30,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetGRAND VISION FOUNDATION: $30,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetCONGA KIDS: $25,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetNO LIMITS THEATER GROUP INC: $25,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetSOUNDS LIKE LA: $22,500 over 8y, 1.1% of budgetKALEIDOSCOPE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: $20,000 over 2y, 9.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: $17,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetRUCKUSROOTS INC: $17,500 over 1y, 5.4% of budgetHarmony Project: $15,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetLULA WASHINGTON CONTEMPORARY DANCE FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetDIY GIRLS: $10,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetPERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY: $8,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLATINO PUBLIC RADIO CONSORTIUM: $5,000 over 1y, 12% of budgetALL PEOPLES COMMUNITY CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetACADEMY FOUNDATION: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF SANTA MONICA INC: $2,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCENTER THEATRE GROUP OF LOS ANGELES: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: $1,000 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.

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.

California Community …The Ahmanson Foundati…The Ralph M Parsons F…The Annenberg Foundat…Perenchio FoundationThe Rose Hills Founda…Elbridge Stuart Found…The Meredith and Rose…Weingart FoundationStern Sidney Memorial…The Herb Alpert Found…The J Paul Getty Trust
California Community FoundationCA52.7× affinity32 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: California Community Foundation · The Ahmanson Foundation · The Ralph M Parsons Foundation · The Annenberg Foundation · Perenchio Foundation · The Rose Hills Foundation · Elbridge Stuart Foundation Dba Stuart Foundation · The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charit (Aka the Music Man Foundation) · Weingart Foundation · Stern Sidney Memorial Tuw · The Herb Alpert Foundation · The J Paul Getty Trust

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 Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%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
    0get no government money at all
    22report 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 Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Thelma Pearl Howard 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 50 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 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 Thelma Pearl Howard’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