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Washington Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Washington 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.

$827k
Granted FY2025still arriving
86
Grants FY2025still arriving
6
States reached
$42k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0198% 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$1.3MHuman Services$1.0MEducation$807kHealth$689kReligion$630kHousing & Shelter$488kFood & Nutrition$384kCrime & Legal$368kOther$0
02FY2025 · 86 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k56 grants · $230k
  • $10k–50k30 grants · $597k
$6,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$13M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NASHVILLE SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION$42,000
THE BRANCH OF NASHVILLE$37,500
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF MID TN$34,000
SALVATION ARMY$31,000
FAITH FAMILY MEDICAL CLINIC$30,000
SILOAM HEALTH$27,500
THE STORE$25,000
NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION$25,000
MEN OF VALOR$25,000
CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS$22,500
LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY$22,500
CHURCH OF CHRIST DISASTER RELIEF$20,000
ARTISTS IN CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY$19,500
TENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER$18,250
NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE$18,250
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, $442k) land where the poverty rate runs at 13%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $14k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $13k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $12k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $12k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $10k → 14%AMERICAN RED CROSS: $9k → 14%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $24k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $15k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $14k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $7k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $7k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $6k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $6k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $6k → 10%TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME: $5k → 10%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $20k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $15k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $15k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $13k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $13k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $10k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $10k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $10k → 14%THE STORE: $25k → 14%CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SERVICES INC: $10k → 14%FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES: $6k → 14%FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES: $1k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $20k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $17k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $15k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $14k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $14k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $11k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $11k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $10k → 14%ALIVE HOSPICE: $9k → 14%WAYNE REED CHRISTIAN CHILDCARE CENTER: $5k → 14%WAYNE REED CHRISTIAN CHILDCARE CENTER: $5k → 14%WAYNE REED CHRISTIAN CHILDCARE 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.

Which US states its grants reach

MI
CA
KY
WV
VA
TN
DC
LA
AL
TX
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.

98%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$6.4M · 122 repeat orgs$151k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +38% since the first grant, against +30% for those funded once.

122 repeat relationships: 82 still active in FY2025, 40 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

122
15

Total granted

$6.4M
$124k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+38%
+30%

Still filing today

53%
53%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 97% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $27k 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 & CultureEducationHuman ServicesInternationalHealthHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • NS
    Nashville Symphony Association
    9× · 2017–2025 · $339k · revenue +29%
  • MO
    MEN OF VALOR
    9× · 2017–2025 · $250k · revenue +283%
  • LU
    LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY
    9× · 2017–2025 · $221k · revenue +44%

Funded once

  • CC
    CHICO CHURCH OF CHRIST
    one grant, 2018 · $34k
  • United Way of Greater Houston
    one grant, 2017 · $25k · revenue +5%
  • GLOBALGIVING FOUNDATION INCgraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $25k · revenue +34%
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
Nashville Public Radio

Nashville public radio's mission is to be the most trusted & independent nashville voice, connecting our communities through non-partisan journalism, compelling storytelling, civil conversation and music discovery.

Arts & Culture
2
Union University

Union university provides christ-centered education that promotes excellence and character development in service to church and society.

Education
3
Kings Academy Nashville

King's academy is a pre-k-8th grade independent christian school in nashville, tennessee, providing a classically inspired education to a racially and socioeconomically balanced student body.

Education
4
Nashville Inner City Ministry Inc

Nashville inner city ministry is a christ-centered community organization dedicated to empowering the spiritual, educational and vocational development of at-risk youth and their families.

—
5
Nashville Public Media Inc

Nashville banner is a locally owned, community supported, civic news organization. we exist to empower the people of nashville to make informed decisions by providing non-partisan journalism from an independent, nonprofit newsroom. we are…

Arts & Culture
6
Houston Christian University

The mission of houston christian university is to provide a learning experience that instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual, and professional excellence as a result of our central confession, "jesus christ is lord."

—
7
New Hope Academy

Christ-centered school educating children of diverse racial & socioeconomic backgrounds by establishing a biblical worldview & preparing each child to flourish academically, emotionally, socially & spiritually.

Education
8
Open Table of Nashville Inc

Open table of nashville is a non-profit, interfaith, community that disrupts the cycles of poverty, journeys with the marginalized and provides education about issues of homelessness.

Housing & Shelter
9
Chattanooga Christian School Inc

To prepare students to lead and serve with distinction while representing christ and his kingdom in all areas of home, church, society and culture.

Education
10
Methodist Medical Center

Methodist Medical Center provides quality healthcare, in alignment with Covenant Health's mission to serve the community by improving the quality of life through better health regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

Health
11
Nashville Cares

Nashville cares exists to end the hiv epidemic, promote comprehensive sexual health and end sexual health stigmatization and discrimination through prevention, education, treatment, support, advocacy, and strategic partnership.

Health
12
Lead Public Schools Inc

Lead public schools exists to prepare all our students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and in life.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Nashville Rescue Mission; the most unlike its peers is Ultimate Escape. 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

82 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. 82 of the 141 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)
77/82
Grantees still filing
66/82
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY: $220,500 · OtherLIPSCOMB UNIVERSITYCUMBERLAND HEIGHTS: $213,000 · OtherCUMBERLAND HEIGHTSSILOAM HEALTH: $177,500 · OtherWPLN - NASHVILLE PUBLIC RADIO: $157,500 · OtherSALVATION ARMY: $136,000 · OtherCHURCH OF CHRIST DISASTER RELIEF: $129,500 · OtherMARTHA O'BRYAN CENTER INC: $147,000 · OtherSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF MIDDLE TN INC: $200,000 · Other+86 more: $2,416,750 · Other+86 moreNashville Symphony Association: $338,500 · Arts & CultureNashville Sympho…NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE INC: $116,750 · Arts & CultureNASHVILLE REPERT…TENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (TPAC) MANAGEMENT CORPORATION: $116,750 · Arts & CultureTENNESSEE PERFOR…NASHVILLE OPERA ASSOCIATION: $116,500 · Arts & CultureNASHVILLE OPERA …NASHVILLE BALLET: $98,500 · Arts & CultureNASHVILLE BALLETNashville Jazz Workshop: $38,000 · Arts & CultureNASHVILLE PUBLIC TELEVISION INC: $33,500 · Arts & Culture+11 more: $132,750 · Arts & Culture+11 moreALIVE HOSPICE INC: $120,500 · Human ServicesChristian Community Services Inc: $116,000 · Human ServicesTENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME INC: $89,500 · Human ServicesAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $68,500 · Human ServicesULTIMATE ESCAPE: $30,000 · Human ServicesTHE STORE INC: $25,000 · Human Services+3 more: $35,500 · Human ServicesFAITH FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER INC: $321,000 · HealthHOSPITAL HOSPITALITY HOUSE CORPORATION: $29,500 · HealthBETHESDA WORKSHOPS: $25,000 · Health+1 more: $5,000 · HealthMEN OF VALOR: $249,500 · Crime & LegalTENNESSEE PRISON OUTREACH MINISTRY INC: $118,000 · Crime & LegalNASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION: $189,000 · Housing & ShelterTHE NEXT DOOR INC: $67,000 · Housing & ShelterLAKESHORE FOUNDATION INC: $51,000 · Housing & ShelterCHRISTIAN EDUCATION INC: $69,500 · EducationVanderbilt University: $58,000 · EducationBelmont University: $52,500 · EducationPRESTON TAYLOR MINISTRIES: $45,500 · EducationPENCIL FOUNDATION: $21,500 · EducationFRIENDSHIP CHRISTIAN SCHOOL INC: $18,000 · EducationCOLUMBIA ACADEMY: $18,000 · EducationTENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $16,500 · Education+3 more: $5,000 · Education
Other$3,797,750Arts & Culture$991,250Human Services$485,000Health$380,500Crime & Legal$367,500Housing & Shelter$307,000Education$304,500

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetNashville Symphony Association: $338,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetFAITH FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER INC: $321,000 over 9y, 2.1% of budgetMEN OF VALOR: $249,500 over 9y, 1.6% of budgetLIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY: $220,500 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF MIDDLE TN INC: $200,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetNASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION: $189,000 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetSILOAM HEALTH: $177,500 over 7y, 0.5% of budgetMARTHA O'BRYAN CENTER INC: $147,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetALIVE HOSPICE INC: $120,500 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetTENNESSEE PRISON OUTREACH MINISTRY INC: $118,000 over 9y, 1.2% of budgetNASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE INC: $116,750 over 9y, 1.5% of budgetTENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (TPAC) MANAGEMENT CORPORATION: $116,750 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetNASHVILLE OPERA ASSOCIATION: $116,500 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetChristian Community Services Inc: $116,000 over 9y, 6.8% of budgetNASHVILLE BALLET: $98,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetENCOURAGEMENT MINISTRIES INC: $93,500 over 8y, 8.9% of budgetHEALING HANDS INTERNATIONAL INC: $93,000 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetYOUTH ENCOURAGEMENT SERVICES INC: $90,500 over 9y, 2.2% of budgetTENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME INC: $89,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetTHE BRANCH OF NASHVILLE INC: $80,000 over 6y, 1.0% of budgetCHRISTIAN EDUCATION INC: $69,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetLAKESHORE ESTATES INC: $68,500 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetAmerican National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches: $68,500 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTHE NEXT DOOR INC: $67,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetCHURCHES OF CHRIST DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT INC: $61,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetHabitat for Humanity: $58,500 over 9y, 12% of budgetVanderbilt University: $58,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetNASHVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS INC: $52,750 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetBelmont University: $52,500 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetLAKESHORE FOUNDATION INC: $51,000 over 3y, 3.6% of budgetARTISTS IN CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY INC: $48,500 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetMOBILE MEDICAL DISASTER RELIEF INC: $48,500 over 6y, 0.9% of budgetPRESTON TAYLOR MINISTRIES: $45,500 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetTHE CARPENTERS SQUARE INC: $44,000 over 9y, 10.0% of budgetNashville Jazz Workshop: $38,000 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetTHE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE INC: $36,250 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetNASHVILLE PUBLIC TELEVISION INC: $33,500 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetULTIMATE ESCAPE: $30,000 over 6y, 3.3% of budgetHOSPITAL HOSPITALITY HOUSE CORPORATION: $29,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetWO SMITH NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL: $28,250 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetWORLD CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION: $28,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetAFRICAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS FOUNDATION: $27,000 over 3y, 3.2% of budgetBETHESDA WORKSHOPS: $25,000 over 5y, 1.8% of budgetUnited Way of Greater Houston: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGLOBALGIVING FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetUNITED WAY OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE INC: $24,500 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetRochester Christian University: $22,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetNASHVILLE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: $21,500 over 9y, 6.9% 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 Nashville Symphony Association ↗
  • Who funds FAITH FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds MEN OF VALOR ↗
  • Who funds LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF MIDDLE TN INC ↗
  • Who funds NASHVILLE RESCUE MISSION ↗
  • Who funds SILOAM HEALTH ↗
  • Who funds MARTHA O'BRYAN CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds ALIVE HOSPICE INC ↗
  • Who funds TENNESSEE PRISON OUTREACH MINISTRY INC ↗
  • Who funds NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE INC ↗
  • Who funds TENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (TPAC) MANAGEMENT CORPORATION ↗
  • Who funds NASHVILLE OPERA ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds Christian Community Services Inc ↗
  • Who funds NASHVILLE BALLET ↗
  • Who funds ENCOURAGEMENT MINISTRIES INC ↗
  • Who funds HEALING HANDS INTERNATIONAL INC ↗
  • Who funds YOUTH ENCOURAGEMENT SERVICES INC ↗
  • Who funds TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOME INC ↗
  • Who funds THE BRANCH OF NASHVILLE INC ↗
  • Who funds CHRISTIAN EDUCATION INC ↗
  • Who funds LAKESHORE ESTATES INC ↗
  • Who funds American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches ↗
  • Who funds THE NEXT DOOR INC ↗
  • Who funds CHURCHES OF CHRIST DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT INC ↗
  • Who funds Habitat for Humanity ↗
  • Who funds Vanderbilt University ↗
  • Who funds NASHVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS INC ↗
  • Who funds Belmont University ↗

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 Community Foundat…Hca Healthcare Founda…Memorial Foundation I…The Frist FoundationDorothy Cate and Thom…Ezell Foundation IncDettwiller FoundationStephens' Christian T…Servant FoundationNashville Predators F…United Way of Middle …The Steven & Laurie E…
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee IncTN63.6× affinity44 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Hca Healthcare Foundation · Memorial Foundation Inc · The Frist Foundation · Dorothy Cate and Thomas F Frist Foundation · Ezell Foundation Inc · Dettwiller Foundation · Stephens' Christian Trust · Servant Foundation · Nashville Predators Foundation · United Way of Middle Tennessee Inc · The Steven & Laurie Eskind Family 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 Washington Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Washington Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%4%8%15%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
    0get no government money at all
    28report 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.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Washington Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Washington 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 141 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 Washington’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