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Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$406k
Granted FY2025still arriving
32
Grants FY2025still arriving
4
States reached
$40k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2025.

Health$919kHuman Services$450kCommunity Improvement$417kArts & Culture$211kYouth Development$209kEducation$181kHousing & Shelter$138kPhilanthropy$116kOther$0
02FY2025 · 32 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k10 grants · $49k
  • $10k–50k22 grants · $357k
$10,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$7.7M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UNITED WAY WORLDWIDE$40,000
MERCY HEALTH FDN$37,149
AKRON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL$37,149
Individual grant recipient$25,000
AUTISM SOCIETY OF MAHONING VALLEY$19,060
AKIVA ACADEMY$15,000
HENRY H STAMBAUGH AUDITORIUM ASSOCIATION$15,000
YOUNGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPM$15,000
COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES$15,000
MERCY HEALTH FOUNDATION MAHONING VALLEY$12,500
INSPIRING MINDS YOUNGSTOWN$12,500
UNITED RETURNING CITIZENS INC$12,500
SALVATION ARMY$11,000
STUDENTS MOTIVATED BY THE ARTS$10,381
MAHONING VALLEY SOJOURN TO THE PAST$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 (FY18–25, $298k) land where the poverty rate runs at 18%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 98% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%OPERATION WARM INC: $5k → 10%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $10k → 16%FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $2k → 12%FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $2k → 12%FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $2k → 12%CATHOLIC CHARITIES: $20k → 19%COMPASS Family & Community Services: $15k → 19%OHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $5k → 15%COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $15k → 19%OHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $5k → 15%OHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $2k → 15%OHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $2k → 15%UNITED RETURNING CITIZENS INC: $13k → 19%INSPIRING MINDS YOUNGSTOWN: $13k → 16%COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $10k → 19%COMPASS Family & Community Services: $10k → 19%COMPASS Family & Community Services: $10k → 19%COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $6k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $5k → 19%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $10k → 19%YWCA OF YOUNGSTOWN: $10k → 19%YWCA OF YOUNGSTOWN: $10k → 19%GOLDEN STRING INC: $10k → 19%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $10k → 19%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $10k → 19%GOLDEN STRING INC: $10k → 19%YWCA OF YOUNGSTOWN: $8k → 19%YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: $3k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $16k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $10k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $10k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $10k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELAOPMENT PROGRAM: $10k → 19%POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: $10k → 19%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
OH
PA
VA
DE
TX
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.
$2.6M · 59 repeat orgs$358k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +67% since the first grant, against -3% for those funded once.

59 repeat relationships: 20 still active in FY2025, 39 since wound down; 11 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

59
32

Total granted

$2.6M
$221k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+67%
-3%

Still filing today

56%
34%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 63% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $137k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesArts & CultureHealthEducationYouth DevelopmentCommunity ImprovementOther
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

  • BS
    Bon Secours Mercy Health Foundation
    8× · 2018–2025 · $328k · revenue +234%
  • CF
    COMMISSION FOR JEWISH EDUCATION OF GREATER YOUNGSTOWN
    7× · 2018–2025 · $87k · revenue +67%
  • YN
    YOUNGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    6× · 2018–2025 · $80k · revenue +419%

Funded once

  • CC
    CATHOLIC CHARITIES CORPORATION
    one grant, 2022 · $20k · revenue -1%
  • RM
    RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
    one grant, 2023 · $10k
  • BE
    BRITE ENERGY INNOVATORS
    one grant, 2023 · $10k · revenue -6%
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
Ohio United Way

To strengthen the capacity of United Ways across Ohio and to advance the common good for Ohioans.

Philanthropy
2
Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People Inc

Empowering and strengthening ohio's people (esop) helps adults in all stages of life achieve and maintain financial wellness and housing stability.

Housing & Shelter
3
United Way of Central Ohio Inc

United way of central ohio is the local organization that harnesses the power of communities working together - people, nonprofits, businesses and government - to create a stronger, more equitable central ohio. see schedule o.we do this…

Philanthropy
4
Philanthropy Ohio

To lead and equip ohio philanthropy to be effective partners for change in our communities.

Philanthropy
5
United Way of Bucks County

United way of bucks county creates opportunities for quality education, financial stability, and good health to ensure real, lasting change for individuals and our communities.

Philanthropy
6
Ohio Chamber of Commerce

As the state's leading business advocate and resource, the ohio chamber of commerce aggressively champions free enterprise, economic competitiveness and growth for the benefit of all ohioans.

—
7
Orrville United Way Inc

The orrville united way improves lives by unitiing people and resources to advance the common good in orrville, dalton and marshallville in eastern wayne county ohio. our goal is to create long-lasting changes that prevent future problems…

—
8
The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley

The united way of youngstown and the mahoning valley seeks to be the driving force behind sustained improvement in the lives of all our citizens, through initiatives that promote education, income, health, and community support services.

Philanthropy
9
Muskingum Economic Opportunity Action Group

The organization's mission is to establish effective programs that mobilize and utilize bothpublic and private resources in a proactive and concerted attack on poverty in muskingum county, ohio and its surrounding areas by establishing and…

—
10
Young Women's Christian Association Greater Pittsburgh

Ywca greater pittsburgh is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. we envision a community that advances education, opportunity, and equity regardless of gender, race, or…

Human Services
11
Central Ohio Youth for Christ Inc

Coyfc reaches young people everywhere, working with the local church and other like minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the word of god and prayer, passion for…

Youth Development
12
Oucu Financial Credit Union Fka Ohio University Credit Union

Provide financial services to its members.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Youngstown State University Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Safe House Ministries. 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

55 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. 55 of the 104 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)
19
Early backer (in before they grew)
53/55
Grantees still filing
32/55
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

COMMUNITY INC: $248,869 · OtherCOMMUNITY INCAKRON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: $248,181 · OtherAKRON CHILDREN'S HOSPITALCHILDREN'S HOSP MED CTR OF AKRON: $80,176 · OtherSALVATION ARMY: $78,500 · Other+71 more: $1,115,639 · Other+71 moreBon Secours Mercy Health Foundation: $328,357 · ReligionBon Secours Mer…COMMISSION FOR JEWISH EDUCATION OF GREATER YOUNGSTOWN: $87,000 · ReligionCOMMISSION FOR …POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INC: $71,000 · Human ServicesPOTENTIAL D…COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $66,154 · Human ServicesCOMPASS FAM…YWCA MAHONING VALLEY: $60,913 · Human ServicesYWCA MAHONI…CATHOLIC CHARITIES CORPORATION: $20,000 · Human ServicesCATHOLIC CH…GOLDEN STRING INC: $20,000 · Human ServicesGOLDEN STRI…OHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $14,000 · Human ServicesInspiring Minds of Youngstown Inc: $12,500 · Human ServicesUNITED RETURNING CITIZENS INC: $12,500 · Human Services+3 more: $23,500 · Human Services+3 moreBUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART: $50,000 · Arts & CultureTHE YOUNGSTOWN PLAYHOUSE: $40,000 · Arts & CultureOPERA Western Reserve Inc: $36,000 · Arts & CultureHENRY H STAMBAUGH AUDITORIUM ASSOC: $15,000 · Arts & CultureSTUDENTS MOTIVATED BY THE ARTS INC: $10,381 · Arts & Culture+2 more: $7,000 · Arts & CultureYOUNGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: $80,000 · Housing & ShelterRESCUE MISSION OF MAHONING VALLEY: $50,588 · Housing & ShelterSIGHT FOR ALL UNITED INC: $50,000 · HealthCOLEMAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INC: $45,000 · HealthNATIONAL SOCIETY TO PREVENT BLINDNESS: $20,000 · HealthPLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER OHIO: $9,500 · HealthYOUNGSTOWN AREA JEWISH FEDERATION: $50,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY WORLDWIDE: $40,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY: $8,224 · Philanthropy
Other$1,771,365Religion$415,357Human Services$300,567Arts & Culture$158,381Housing & Shelter$130,588Health$124,500Philanthropy$98,224

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetBon Secours Mercy Health Foundation: $328,357 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMISSION FOR JEWISH EDUCATION OF GREATER YOUNGSTOWN: $87,000 over 7y, 1.1% of budgetYOUNGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: $80,000 over 6y, 0.4% of budgetPOTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INC: $71,000 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetCOMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES: $66,154 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetYWCA MAHONING VALLEY: $60,913 over 6y, 1.5% of budgetRESCUE MISSION OF MAHONING VALLEY: $50,588 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetYOUNGSTOWN AREA JEWISH FEDERATION: $50,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetBUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART: $50,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetSIGHT FOR ALL UNITED INC: $50,000 over 5y, 11% of budgetHUMILITY OF MARY HOUSING INC: $45,081 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetCOLEMAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INC: $45,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetYOUNGSTOWNWARREN REGIONAL CHAMBER: $40,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetTHE YOUNGSTOWN PLAYHOUSE: $40,000 over 5y, 2.5% of budgetBEATITUDE HOUSE INC: $36,154 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetOPERA Western Reserve Inc: $36,000 over 7y, 4.9% of budgetTHE YOUNGSTOWN EDISON BUSINESS INCUBATOR: $35,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetKOOL BOIZ FOUNDATION: $35,000 over 4y, 12% of budgetINTERFAITH HOME MAINTENANCE SERVICE INC: $31,416 over 2y, 3.1% of budgetMAHONING VALLEY COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM INC: $30,000 over 2y, 13% of budgetURSULINE SISTERS MISSION: $30,000 over 2y, 17% of budgetGIRL SCOUTS OF NORTH EAST OHIO: $25,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL SOCIETY TO PREVENT BLINDNESS: $20,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetCATHOLIC CHARITIES CORPORATION: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGOLDEN STRING INC: $20,000 over 2y, 3.2% of budgetMAHONING VALLEY SOJOURN TO THE PAST: $20,000 over 3y, 5.0% of budgetJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO: $19,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetInspiring Minds: $18,000 over 3y, 0.4% of budgetTHE OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES: $16,500 over 4y, 0.2% of budgetHENRY H STAMBAUGH AUDITORIUM ASSOC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetSISTER JEROME'S SCHOOLS INC: $14,012 over 2y, 1.0% of budgetOHIO LIVING HOLDINGS: $14,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetYOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $14,000 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetSTUDENTS MOTIVATED BY THE ARTS INC: $10,381 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetBRITE ENERGY INNOVATORS: $10,000 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetOHIO URBAN RENAISSANCE: $10,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetYOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER OHIO: $9,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetTRUMBULL MOBILE MEALS INC: $8,552 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetUNITED WAY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY: $8,224 over 1y, 1.3% of budgetOperation Warm Inc: $7,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $6,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE URSULINE CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE ENGLISH CENTER: $5,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MAHONING VALLEY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM OF OHIO: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetMAHONING VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetOak Hill Collaborative Inc: $3,000 over 1y, 2.0% 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 Bon Secours Mercy Health Foundation ↗
  • Who funds COMMISSION FOR JEWISH EDUCATION OF GREATER YOUNGSTOWN ↗
  • Who funds YOUNGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ↗
  • Who funds POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INC ↗
  • Who funds COMPASS FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES ↗
  • Who funds YWCA MAHONING VALLEY ↗
  • Who funds RESCUE MISSION OF MAHONING VALLEY ↗
  • Who funds YOUNGSTOWN AREA JEWISH FEDERATION ↗
  • Who funds BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART ↗
  • Who funds SIGHT FOR ALL UNITED INC ↗
  • Who funds HUMILITY OF MARY HOUSING INC ↗
  • Who funds COLEMAN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds UNITED WAY WORLDWIDE ↗
  • Who funds YOUNGSTOWNWARREN REGIONAL CHAMBER ↗
  • Who funds THE YOUNGSTOWN PLAYHOUSE ↗
  • Who funds BEATITUDE HOUSE INC ↗
  • Who funds OPERA Western Reserve Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE YOUNGSTOWN EDISON BUSINESS INCUBATOR ↗
  • Who funds KOOL BOIZ FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds INTERFAITH HOME MAINTENANCE SERVICE INC ↗
  • Who funds MAHONING VALLEY COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM INC ↗
  • Who funds URSULINE SISTERS MISSION ↗
  • Who funds GIRL SCOUTS OF NORTH EAST OHIO ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL SOCIETY TO PREVENT BLINDNESS ↗
  • Who funds CATHOLIC CHARITIES CORPORATION ↗

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.

Community Foundation …Youngstown Fdn GeneralSenator Maurice & Flo…Ruth Beecher H XI Cha…Premier Bank Foundati…The Raymond John Wean…Frank & Pearl Gelbman…The Wm M & a Cafaro F…Trust Uw David Tod Ar…Fibushendricks Family…The William Swanston …Frances Schermer Char…
Community Foundation of the Mahoning ValleyOH86.1× affinity39 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley · Youngstown Fdn General · Senator Maurice & Florence Lipscher Char · Ruth Beecher H XI Char Tw · Premier Bank Foundation · The Raymond John Wean Foundation · Frank & Pearl Gelbman Charitable Fdn · The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation · Trust Uw David Tod Arrel · Fibushendricks Family Foundation · The William Swanston Charitable Fund · Frances Schermer Charitable Trust 41-46496008

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 Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Walter E & Caroline H Watson Trust. 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
    18report 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.

    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 104 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 Walter E & Caroline H Watson’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