Skip to content

· Private foundation

Warren Skaaren Charitable Trust

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$154k
Granted FY2024still arriving
13
Grants FY2024still arriving
3
States reached
$35k
Largest
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Education$192kArts & Culture$108kYouth Development$45kAnimals$45kFood & Nutrition$44kHealth$43kEnvironment$28kHuman Services$25kOther$0
02FY2024 · 13 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k5 grants · $24k
  • $10k–50k8 grants · $130k
$10,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$1.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Rochester Community & Technical College$35,000
Austin Pets Alive$20,000
Austin Film Society$20,000
Rise Child Development Center$15,000
Mobile Loaves & Fishes Inc$10,000
Community in Schools of Central Texas$10,000
Chinati Foundation$10,000
Austin Classical Guitar$10,000
Wonders & Worries$7,500
UT Austin$6,000
Owl Research Institute Inc$5,000
Texas 4000 for Cancer$4,000
UT Austin$1,500
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 (FY20–24, $28k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%RISE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: $3k → 10%Wonders & Worries: $8k → 10%Wonders & Worries: $8k → 10%WONDERS & WORRIES: $10k → 10%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.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 10% of Warren Skaaren Charitable Trust’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address. By recipient address, 71% of the giving stays in TX; by stated purpose, 62%.

Warren Skaaren Charitable Trustlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

84%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$482k · 18 repeat orgs$95k to everyone else

18 repeat relationships: 10 still active in FY2024, 8 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

18
11

Total granted

$482k
$78k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+27%
+40%

Still filing today

89%
73%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 89% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $18k went to new ones.

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

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

’20’21’22’23’24
HealthEducationArts & CultureYouth DevelopmentEnvironmentHuman ServicesOther
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

  • RC
    ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEG
    2× · 2023–2024 · $65k · revenue +24%
  • TC
    THE CHINATI FOUNDATION
    5× · 2020–2024 · $48k · revenue +116%
  • FS
    Film Society of Austin Inc
    3× · 2021–2024 · $40k · revenue +63%

Funded once

  • EY
    E4 YOUTH INCORPORATEDgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $20k · revenue +56%
  • Central Texas Food Bank Inc
    one grant, 2020 · $10k · revenue -28%
  • HO
    Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainersgraduated
    one grant, 2020 · $8k · revenue +252%
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
Aclu Foundation of Texas Inc

The ACLU Foundation of Texas is the unyielding guardian and promoter of freedom, justice, equality and dignity of all people, particularly for those who are still fighting to secure the full exercise of their civil rights and liberties.…

Civil Rights
2
Leadership Austin

Leadership austin connects and develops leaders to courageously engage and transform our communities.

Youth Development
3
Raise Texas

RAISE Texas advances equitable policies and programs that foster financial security and economic mobility for low- and moderate-income Texans. We equip, innovate and advocate to reduce disparities, remove barriers and build opportunities…

Human Services
4
American Civil Liberties Union of Texas Inc

The ACLU of Texas works with communities, at the State Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions.

—
5
Texas Land Trust Council

To support texas land trusts and promote land conservation efforts in texas. host texas land conservation conference to educate conservation related professionals and volunteers from across the state.

Environment
6
Farm and City

Farm&City is an independent 501c3 think & do tank dedicated to high quality urban & rural human habitat in Texas in perpetuity. We improve public policies to improve millions of Texans lives in ways that preserve and enhance Texas land,…

Education
7
Center for Austin Independent Journalism

To equip Austinites to make informed decisions through independent, in-depth reporting, diverse opinions, and civil dialogue. A strong local press is essential for a healthy community and democracy. We work to make Austin a more empowered…

Arts & Culture
8
Progress Texas Institute

The Progress Texas Institute provides research and strategic communications on issues with the ultimate goal of increasing civic engagement.

Civil Rights
9
Texans Care for Children Inc

Texans Care for Children shapes public policies and brings Texans together to make children a statewide priority. We work so kids can have what they need to be healthy, secure, and thriving and so every Texan can have the best start to…

Crime & Legal
10
Center for Public Policy Priorities

At the Every Texan, we believe in a Texas that offers everyone the chance to compete and succeed in life. We envision a Texas where everyone is healthy, well educated, and financially secure. We want the best Texas, a proud state that sets…

Public Benefit
11
Texas Foundation for Conservation

Fish and wildlife conservation and outreach including public awareness. Fifteen public relations campaign on social media with over 7.5 million impressions. Twenty plus speaking engagements to a variety of conservation organizations…

Animals
12
Texas 2036

Texas 2036 identifies and advances data-driven policies that will improve lives and expand opportunities for all Texans.

Public Benefit
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Dell Children's Foundation; the most unlike its peers is The Foundation At Shield Ranch. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

24 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. 24 of the 31 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)
5
Early backer (in before they grew)
24/24
Grantees still filing
18/24
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ROCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE: $65,000 · OtherROCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGECOMMUNITY IN SCHOOLS: $30,000 · OtherCOMMUNITY IN SCHOOLSDELL CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 · OtherDELL CHILDREN'S FOUNDATIONAUSTIN CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY: $20,000 · OtherAUSTIN CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETYCommunity in Schools of Central Texas: $10,000 · OtherOWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC: $9,000 · OtherOUR CHILDREN'S TRUST: $15,000 · OtherOUR CHILDREN'S TRUSTConservation Lands Foundation: $10,000 · OtherCentral Texas Food Bank Inc: $10,000 · Other+12 more: $71,500 · Other+12 moreTHE CHINATI FOUNDATION: $47,500 · Arts & CultureTHE CHINATI FOUND…Film Society of Austin Inc: $40,000 · Arts & CultureFilm Society of A…ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEG: $65,000 · EducationROCHESTER COMMU…TEXAS TRIBUNE INC: $15,000 · EducationTEXAS TRIBUNE I…Wonders & Worries Inc: $25,000 · Human ServicesRISE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC: $18,000 · Human ServicesTHE FOUNDATION AT SHIELD RANCH: $20,000 · Youth DevelopmentE4 YOUTH INCORPORATED: $20,000 · Youth DevelopmentAUSTIN PETS ALIVE INC: $35,500 · AnimalsMOBILE LOAVES & FISHES INC: $25,000 · Religion
Other$265,500Arts & Culture$87,500Education$80,000Human Services$43,000Youth Development$40,000Animals$35,500Religion$25,000

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 budgetROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEG: $65,000 over 2y, 4.1% of budgetTHE CHINATI FOUNDATION: $47,500 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetFilm Society of Austin Inc: $40,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetAUSTIN PETS ALIVE INC: $35,500 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetWonders & Worries Inc: $25,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetMOBILE LOAVES & FISHES INC: $25,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetDELL CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetAUSTIN CLASSICAL GUITAR SOCIETY: $20,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetTHE FOUNDATION AT SHIELD RANCH: $20,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetE4 YOUTH INCORPORATED: $20,000 over 1y, 5.7% of budgetRISE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC: $18,000 over 2y, 2.0% of budgetTEXAS TRIBUNE INC: $15,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetOUR CHILDREN'S TRUST: $15,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetCentral Texas Food Bank Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetConservation Lands Foundation: $10,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetOWL RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC: $9,000 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetFARMSHARE AUSTIN: $8,500 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetTEXAS 4000 FOR CANCER: $8,000 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetHousing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers: $7,500 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetJUST COMMUNITY INC: $7,500 over 1y, 0.3% of budgetFOUNDATION COMMUNITIES INC: $7,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLONE STAR CIRCLE OF CARE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAUSTIN SPEECH LABS INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetPease Park Conservancy: $2,500 over 1y, 0.2% 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.

Austin Community Foundation IncTX29.1× affinity12 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Austin Community Foundation Inc · St David's Foundation · Better Business Bureau · United Way for Greater Austin · Shield-Ayres Foundation · The Moody Foundation · Greater Houston Community Foundation · The Webber Family Foundation · Alice Kleberg Reynolds Meyer Foundat A0479800 · Greater Austin Performing Arts Center Inc · The Applied Materials Foundation · Shell USA Company Foundation

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 Warren Skaaren Charitable Trust funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Warren Skaaren Charitable Trust. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    8report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    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 31 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Warren Skaaren’s filings →

    More from the funding graph