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Worthington Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Worthington Family Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$246k
Granted FY2024still arriving
11
Grants FY2024still arriving
4
States reached
$47k
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 2024.

Arts & Culture$1.2MEnvironment$407kEducation$167kRecreation & Sports$90kScience & Tech$20kYouth Development$12kOther$0
02FY2024 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k2 grants · $14k
  • $10k–50k9 grants · $232k
$20,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$4.7M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE$46,615
MSU OPERA THEATRE$33,500
Individual grant recipient$29,000
INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION$25,000
SCENIC CITY CLAY ARTS$25,000
AU SABLE INSTITUTE$20,000
W VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA$20,000
ECOLOGY CENTER$18,395
WASHTENAW INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL$14,000
SEEDS$9,000
ARCHING OAKS JAPANESE ART CENTER$5,000
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 15%, against an area that typically sits at 14%. 58% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 14%AU SABLE INSTITUTE: $23k → 9%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $47k → 10%ECOLOGY CENTER: $33k → 14%LANSING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $20k → 16%DETROIT OPERA THEATRE: $35k → 21%SCENIC CITY CLAY ARTS: $25k → 12%HERMITAGE MUSEUM AND GARDENS: $20k → 19%INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $25k → 7%AU SABLE INSTITUTE: $23k → 9%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $44k → 10%ECOLOGY CENTER: $32k → 14%MICHIGAN AUDUBON: $27k → 16%MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE: $35k → 21%INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $25k → 7%AU SABLE INSTITUTE: $22k → 9%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $44k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $34k → 16%MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE: $35k → 21%INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $23k → 7%AU SABLE INSTITUTE: $20k → 9%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $40k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $34k → 16%MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE: $35k → 21%INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $21k → 7%AU SABLE INSTITUTE: $20k → 9%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $39k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $34k → 16%MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE: $32k → 21%INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $20k → 7%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $35k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $34k → 16%MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE: $30k → 21%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $34k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $33k → 16%OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE: $21k → 10%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $32k → 16%PEWABIC POTTERY: $50k → 21%ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $25k → 14%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $31k → 16%PEWABIC POTTERY: $50k → 21%MSU OPERA THEATRE: $30k → 16%PEWABIC POTTERY: $50k → 21%PEWABIC POTTERY: $50k → 21%PEWABIC POTTERY: $40k → 21%PEWABIC POTTERY: $40k → 21%PEWABIC POTTERY: $29k → 21%PEWABIC POTTERY: $29k → 21%CAMP WESTMINSTER: $25k → 21%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.

90%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.8M · 17 repeat orgs$208k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +38% since the first grant, against +21% for those funded once.

17 repeat relationships: 8 still active in FY2024, 9 since wound down; 3 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

17
10

Total granted

$1.8M
$149k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+38%
+21%

Still filing today

53%
70%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 76% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $59k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEnvironmentYouth DevelopmentOther
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

  • OT
    OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE INC
    8× · 2017–2024 · $304k · revenue +38%
  • IS
    INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
    8× · 2017–2024 · $174k · revenue +163%
  • AS
    AU SABLE INSTITUTE
    8× · 2017–2024 · $167k · revenue +38%

Funded once

  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2020 · $27k
  • TH
    THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM AND GARDENS
    one grant, 2021 · $20k · revenue +21%
  • LS
    LANSING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2021 · $20k · revenue +159%
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
Great Lakes Center for the Arts

The Center's mission is to inspire, entertain, educate, and serve all in Northern Michigan year-round by presenting exceptional experiences across the full spectrum of the performing arts and offering impactful educational opportunities.

Arts & Culture
2
Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Our mission is conserving West Michigans ecologically critical land. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments in creating natural areas, and helping private landowners…

Environment
3
Lake Superior Center

To engage and inspire, encouraging stewardship of wildlife and water.

Environment
4
Six Rivers Land Conservancy Fka Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy

To conserve, sustain, and connect natural areas, land, and waters that make the places we live special

Environment
5
Leelanau Conservancy

To conserve the land, water and scenic character of leelanau county, and to provide educational programs to develop an understanding and appreciation of leelanau county's natural heritage.

Environment
6
Michigan Science Center

The mission of the michigan science center is to inspire curious minds of all ages to discover, explore and appreciate science, technology, engineering and math in a creative, dynamic learning environment.

Education
7
Michigan Enviromental Council

Informing and educating the public and decision makers about environmental issues.

Environment
8
The Dahlem Conservancy

The mission of the dahlem conservancy is to provide environmental education and outdoor experiences to the people of south central michigan.

Environment
9
Michigan Legacy Art Park

Inspire awareness, appreciation and passion for michigan's history and stories, culture and environment through the arts.

Arts & Culture
10
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science Inc

The museum is an educational corporation formed to ignite a life-long passion for exploring, discovering, and valuing nature and science.

—
11
East Michigan Environmental Action Council Inc

To protect and restore land, air, water, and diversity of life through informed personal and public action.

Environment
12
Michigan Water Environment Association

Be and create stewards for the water environment of michigan. provide high quality education for michigan's water professionals. educate and inform policy makers and the general public. promote scientifically sound environmental practices…

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Au Sable Institute; the most unlike its peers is Grass River Natural Area Inc. 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

18 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. 18 of the 30 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)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
17/18
Grantees still filing
15/18
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Individual grant recipient: $338,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientMSU OPERA THEATRE: $259,000 · OtherMSU OPERA THEATREAU SABLE INSTITUTE: $166,760 · OtherAU SABLE INSTITUTEDETROIT OPERA THEATRE: $52,500 · OtherAnn Arbor Symphony Orchestra Inc: $40,000 · OtherGRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA INC: $38,583 · Other+11 more: $195,713 · Other+11 moreOLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE INC: $304,160 · Arts & CultureOLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE INCDETROIT OPERA: $167,000 · Arts & CultureDETROIT OPERASCENIC CITY CLAY ARTS: $25,000 · Arts & CultureTHE HERMITAGE MUSEUM AND GARDENS: $20,000 · Arts & CultureLANSING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION: $20,000 · Arts & CultureWEST VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC: $20,000 · Arts & Culture+1 more: $10,000 · Arts & CultureINLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $174,000 · EnvironmentINLAND SEAS EDUCAT…ECOLOGY CENTER: $117,520 · EnvironmentECOLOGY CENTERSEEDS: $22,000 · EnvironmentSEEDSECOLOGY PROJECT INTERNATIONAL: $11,750 · Environment+1 more: $8,000 · EnvironmentNORTE YOUTH CYCLING: $12,000 · Youth Development
Other$1,090,556Arts & Culture$566,160Environment$333,270Youth Development$12,000

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 budgetOLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE INC: $304,160 over 8y, 7.2% of budgetINLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: $174,000 over 8y, 2.1% of budgetDETROIT OPERA: $167,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetAU SABLE INSTITUTE: $166,760 over 8y, 2.8% of budgetECOLOGY CENTER: $117,520 over 6y, 2.6% of budgetAnn Arbor Symphony Orchestra Inc: $40,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetGRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA INC: $38,583 over 2y, 3.9% of budgetSCENIC CITY CLAY ARTS: $25,000 over 1y, 4.4% of budgetSEEDS: $22,000 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetTHE HERMITAGE MUSEUM AND GARDENS: $20,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetLANSING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION: $20,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetWEST VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC: $20,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetTHE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNORTE YOUTH CYCLING: $12,000 over 1y, 1.7% of budgetECOLOGY PROJECT INTERNATIONAL: $11,750 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetGLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: $10,000 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetLESLIE SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTER: $10,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetKalamazoo Nature Center: $8,000 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.

  • Who funds OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE INC ↗
  • Who funds INLAND SEAS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds DETROIT OPERA ↗
  • Who funds AU SABLE INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds ECOLOGY CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Inc ↗
  • Who funds GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA INC ↗
  • Who funds SCENIC CITY CLAY ARTS ↗
  • Who funds SEEDS ↗
  • Who funds THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM AND GARDENS ↗
  • Who funds LANSING SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds WEST VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC ↗
  • Who funds THE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION INC ↗
  • Who funds NORTE YOUTH CYCLING ↗
  • Who funds ECOLOGY PROJECT INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER ↗
  • Who funds LESLIE SCIENCE AND NATURE CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Kalamazoo Nature Center ↗

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.

Grand Traverse Region…The Art and Mary Schm…Harry a and Margaret …Oleson FoundationRotary Charities of T…Barton J Ingraham & G…DTE Energy FoundationCharles Stewart Mott …Raymond James Charita…The Pfizer Foundation…Vanguard Charitable E…Charities Aid Foundat…
Grand Traverse Regional Community FoundationMI19.9× affinity7 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation · The Art and Mary Schmuckal Family Foundation · Harry a and Margaret D Towsley Foundation · Oleson Foundation · Rotary Charities of Traverse City · Barton J Ingraham & Gail G Ingraham Foundation · DTE Energy Foundation · Charles Stewart Mott Foundation · Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund · The Pfizer Foundation Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Charities Aid Foundation America

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

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    7report 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.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Worthington Family Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Worthington Family 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 30 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 Worthington Family’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