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Ward Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Ward 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.

$252k
Granted FY2025still arriving
37
Grants FY2025still arriving
11
States reached
$26k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0189% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Health$554kEducation$541kRecreation & Sports$203kHuman Services$108kFood & Nutrition$83kPublic Safety & Disaster$44kReligion$36kHousing & Shelter$34kOther$0
02FY2025 · 37 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k23 grants · $72k
  • $10k–50k14 grants · $181k
$5,000
Median grant
11
States reached
$3.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Good Sports$26,000
Boston Children's Hospital Trust$26,000
Jackson County Library Foundation$15,000
CureSearch L McGuire Legacy Fund$13,000
Ashland Community Food Bank$10,793
Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship$10,000
Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship$10,000
Caring Unlimited$10,000
Camp Ta-Kum-Ta$10,000
Camp Sunshine$10,000
Individual grant recipient$10,000
Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship$10,000
Camp Sunshine$10,000
Camp One Step$10,000
Blossburg Memorial Library$5,500
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:

Its human-services grants (FY17–25, $62k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 64% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%Misericordia Foundation: $5k → 14%Second Story: $8k → 6%Caring Unlimited: $10k → 9%Misericordia Foundation: $4k → 14%Caring Unlimited: $10k → 9%Misericordia Foundation: $4k → 14%Misericordia Foundation: $4k → 14%Centro Tepeyac: $3k → 8%Sarah's Inn: $1k → 14%Sarah's Inn: $1k → 14%Centro Tepeyac: $2k → 8%Sarah's Inn: $500 → 14%Centro Tepeyac: $2k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $2k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $2k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $1k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $1k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $1k → 8%Centro Tepeyac: $1k → 8%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

ME
VT
IL
WI
NY
MA
OR
IN
PA
VA
MD
DE
DC
LA
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.

86%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.6M · 51 repeat orgs$255k to everyone else

51 repeat relationships: 25 still active in FY2025, 26 since wound down; 7 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

51
14

Total granted

$1.6M
$185k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+30%
+53%

Still filing today

45%
36%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 72% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $70k 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
HealthHuman ServicesEducationRecreation & SportsFood & NutritionAnimalsOther
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

  • CH
    Children's Hospital Corporation
    2× · 2023–2025 · $51k · revenue +32%
  • BM
    BLOSSBURG MEMORIAL LIBRARY
    9× · 2017–2025 · $47k · revenue +35%
  • S
    SPOONFULS
    4× · 2020–2025 · $44k · revenue +53%

Funded once

  • SP
    ST PAUL VI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
    one grant, 2019 · $50k
  • BA
    Blossburg Area Swim Assoc
    one grant, 2023 · $50k
  • K9S FOR WARRIORS INC
    one grant, 2022 · $20k · revenue +12%
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
United Children's Services of Bennington County Inc

Children's services

Human Services
2
Oncology and Kids Inc

To help kids and families heal the emotional scars of childhood cancer and learn to thrive.

Human Services
3
Children's Miracle Network

Children's miracle network (dba "children's miracle network hospitals") works to save kids' lives by bringing people together to raise money for children's healthcare in local communities.

Unclassified
4
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte Inc

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte (RMHC of GC) provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. Charlotte is recognized as a leading destination…

Human Services
5
Brighton Marine Inc

Brighton marine, inc. provides military and veteran families with comprehensive campus-based quality health care, as well as affordable and supportive housing for at-risk veterans and their families.

Health
6
Children's Home Society of North Carolina Inc

The Children's Home Society of North Carolina's mission is to promote the right of every child to a permanent, safe, and loving family.

Human Services
7
Camp Casco Inc

Camp Casco builds community for families affected by childhood cancer in New England through free camps and social opportunities.

Recreation & Sports
8
Boston Community Pediatrics Inc

Boston community pediatrics (bcp) provides ambulatory pediatric and related health care services to the residents of boston, massachusetts, and surrounding communities. bcp is a new model of innovative pediatric healthcare that addresses…

Health
9
CancerFree Kids

CancerFree KIDS exists to raise awareness of the need for more funding for pediatric cancer research and to raise funds that are invested in early stage, potentially game-changing research focused on gentler treatments and cures for…

Health
10
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Inc

The mission of the boston health care for the homeless program (bhchp) is to provide or assure access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our community.

Human Services
11
Curesearch for Children's Cancer

Curesearch's mission is to fund & support targeted & innovative cancer research with measurable results, & to be the authoritative source of information & resources for all those affected by children's cancer. see schedule o for…

Health
12
The Curetivity Foundation

Provide monetary or financial aid exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes and to solicit, receive, maintain and disburse funds for these purposes and for the betterment of children.

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Good Sports Inc; the most unlike its peers is Blossburg Firemen's Ambulance Assoc. 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

32 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. 32 of the 72 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)
31/32
Grantees still filing
20/32
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship: $363,967 · OtherLuke McGuire Memorial ScholarshipCure Search for Children: $216,800 · OtherCure Search for ChildrenIndividual grant recipient: $70,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientCamp One Step at a Time: $60,000 · OtherST PAUL VI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherBlossburg Area Swim Assoc: $50,000 · Other+40 more: $418,571 · Other+40 moreVERMONTS CAMP TA-KUM-TA: $90,000 · HealthVERMONTS CAMP TA…Children's Hospital Corporation: $51,000 · HealthChildren's Hospi…Sacopee Valley Health Center: $30,000 · HealthSacopee Valley H…STILLBRAVE CHILDHOOD CANCER FOUNDATION INC: $29,753 · HealthSTILLBRAVE CHILD…Childrens Oncology Services Inc: $20,000 · HealthChildrens Oncolo…THE MERCY HEALTH CLINIC INC: $13,500 · HealthBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $10,000 · HealthCAMP CAN DO 2014 INC: $10,000 · Health+3 more: $12,000 · HealthSPOONFULS: $44,000 · Food & NutritionBEYOND HUNGER: $28,000 · Food & NutritionBLOSSBURG MEMORIAL LIBRARY: $47,300 · EducationJackson County Library Foundation: $15,000 · EducationA WIDER CIRCLE INC: $7,500 · EducationCARING UNLIMITED: $20,000 · Human ServicesMISERICORDIA FOUNDATION: $17,000 · Human ServicesCENTRO TEPEYAC INC: $14,500 · Human ServicesABUSED AND HOMELESS CHILDREN'S REFUGE INC: $7,650 · Human ServicesSARAH'S INN: $2,500 · Human ServicesCAMP SUNSHINE AT SEBAGO LAKE INC: $30,000 · Recreation & SportsHARBOR CAMPS INC: $20,000 · Recreation & SportsSERVE AND RETURN CHICAGO: $7,000 · Recreation & SportsGOOD SPORTS INC: $26,000 · Youth Development
Other$1,279,338Health$266,253Food & Nutrition$72,000Education$69,800Human Services$61,650Recreation & Sports$57,000Youth Development$26,000

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 budgetVERMONTS CAMP TA-KUM-TA: $90,000 over 9y, 0.8% of budgetChildren's Hospital Corporation: $51,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBLOSSBURG MEMORIAL LIBRARY: $47,300 over 9y, 4.9% of budgetSPOONFULS: $44,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetSacopee Valley Health Center: $30,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetHealth Care Without Walls Inc: $30,000 over 6y, 0.7% of budgetCAMP SUNSHINE AT SEBAGO LAKE INC: $30,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetSTILLBRAVE CHILDHOOD CANCER FOUNDATION INC: $29,753 over 2y, 6.9% of budgetBEYOND HUNGER: $28,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetGOOD SPORTS INC: $26,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetChildrens Oncology Services Inc: $20,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetCARING UNLIMITED: $20,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetHARBOR CAMPS INC: $20,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetK9S FOR WARRIORS INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetMISERICORDIA FOUNDATION: $17,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSOME INC: $17,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetJackson County Library Foundation: $15,000 over 1y, 2.9% of budgetCENTRO TEPEYAC INC: $14,500 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetTHE MERCY HEALTH CLINIC INC: $13,500 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCAMP CAN DO 2014 INC: $10,000 over 1y, 7.7% of budgetABUSED AND HOMELESS CHILDREN'S REFUGE INC: $7,650 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetA WIDER CIRCLE INC: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSERVE AND RETURN CHICAGO: $7,000 over 3y, 5.4% of budgetFriendship Place: $7,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetOak Park River Forest Infant Welfare S: $6,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetST MATTHEWS HOUSE INC: $4,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetIllinois Spina Bifida Association: $4,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetSARAH'S INN: $2,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBLOSSBURG FIREMEN'S AMBULANCE ASSOC: $2,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetPURA Syndrome Foundation: $1,500 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetNAPLES ZOO INC: $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.

  • Who funds VERMONTS CAMP TA-KUM-TA ↗
  • Who funds Children's Hospital Corporation ↗
  • Who funds BLOSSBURG MEMORIAL LIBRARY ↗
  • Who funds SPOONFULS ↗
  • Who funds Sacopee Valley Health Center ↗
  • Who funds Health Care Without Walls Inc ↗
  • Who funds CAMP SUNSHINE AT SEBAGO LAKE INC ↗
  • Who funds STILLBRAVE CHILDHOOD CANCER FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds BEYOND HUNGER ↗
  • Who funds GOOD SPORTS INC ↗
  • Who funds Childrens Oncology Services Inc ↗
  • Who funds CARING UNLIMITED ↗
  • Who funds HARBOR CAMPS INC ↗
  • Who funds K9S FOR WARRIORS INC ↗
  • Who funds MISERICORDIA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SOME INC ↗
  • Who funds Jackson County Library Foundation ↗
  • Who funds CENTRO TEPEYAC INC ↗
  • Who funds THE MERCY HEALTH CLINIC 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.

Usg Foundation IncJpmorgan Chase Founda…Good Heart Work Smart…Aetna Foundation IncAmerican Endowment Fo…AbbVie FoundationThe Chicago Community…Morgan Stanley Global…Network for GoodVanguard Charitable E…American Online Givin…The Pfizer Foundation…
Usg Foundation IncIL15.4× affinity5 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Usg Foundation Inc · Jpmorgan Chase Foundation · Good Heart Work Smart Foundation · Aetna Foundation Inc · American Endowment Foundation · AbbVie Foundation · The Chicago Community Trust · Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc · Network for Good · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · The Pfizer 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.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Ward Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ward Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 60%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →median 6%
  • Children's Hospital Corporation: 10% of income from government
  • A Wider Circle Inc: 6% of income from government
  • K9S for Warriors Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
6get no government money at all
6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–90%
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 72 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 Ward’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