The Graham Foundation
York, PA · EIN 23-6805421. Reported 177 grants totalling $13.2M to 88 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Graham Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,500 and $20,000; the smallest was $200 and the largest $1,200,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $3,020,000 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $1,750,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $1,525,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Trustees of Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $1,220,000 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $750,000 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| York College of Pa | York, PA | $612,500 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| York College of Pennsylvania | York, PA | $612,500 | 5 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Pennsylvania State University | State College, PA | $600,468 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Penn State University | State College, PA | $600,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Regents of the University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $535,000 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| York Jewish Community Center | York, PA | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ysc Academy | Chester, PA | $335,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Way of York County | York, PA | $170,500 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Logos Academy | York, PA | $150,000 | 8 | 4 | 2024 |
| Crispus Attucks | Lancaster, PA | $75,000 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Crispus Attucks York | York, PA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Squam Lakes Conservation | Holderness, NH | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Appell Center for the Performing Arts | York, PA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Silverback Educational Foundationfor the Arts Dance & Athletics | Newtown Square, PA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| YMCA of York County | York, PA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| YMCA of York | York, PA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| York City Parks Conservancy | York, PA | $32,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Leg Up Farm | Mt Wolf, PA | $32,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| YWCA York | York, PA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Cultural Alliance | York, PA | $28,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cultural Alliance of York County Inc | York, PA | $28,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Pappus House | York, PA | $28,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Squam Lakes Conservation Society | Holderness, NH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Byrnes Health Ed Center | York, PA | $24,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| American Red Cross | Lancaster, PA | $22,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Appell Center for the Performing Arts | York, PW | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Keystone Kidspace | York, PA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Byrnes Health Education | York, PA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Byrnes Health Education Center | York, PA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Upmc Pinnacle Foundation | Harrisburg, PA | $12,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Dreamwrights Center for Community Arts | York, PA | $11,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Family First Health | York, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Miss Pa Scholarship Foundation | York, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Steam Into History | New Freedom, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Salvation Army | York, PA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| York Academy Foundation | York, PA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| York County Libraries | York, PA | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Red Cross | Washington, DC | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Downtown Inc | York, PA | $6,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Make a Wish Foundation | York, PA | $6,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Children's Home of York | York, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Habitat for Humanity | York, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Weeconnect - Elc Inc | York, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| York Symphony Orchestra | York, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hacc Foundation | Harrisburg, PA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The York County Bar Foundation | York, PA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Young Life | York, PA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Give Local York | York, PA | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| White Rose | York, PA | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| White Rose Leadership Institute Dba Give Local York | York, PA | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| White Rose Leadership Institute | York, PA | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Heart Association | Lancaster, PA | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Junior League of York | York, PA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| York County Literacy Council | York, PA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| York City Parks & Recreation Bureau | York, PA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| York City Recreation & Parks | York, PA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Main Street York Inc (downtown York Inc) | York, PA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| New Birth of Freedom Council | York, PA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Susquehanna Score | York, PA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Tennis for Kids Inc | York, PA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| York City Parks & Recreation | York, PA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| York Co Literacy Council | York, PA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| York Literacy Institute | York, PA | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Creative York (york Arts) | York, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Garden Club of York | York, PA | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Olivia's House | York, PA | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Pink Power | York, PA | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Arc of York County | York, PA | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| York County Honors Choirs | York, PA | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| York County Food Bank | York, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Farm & Natural Lands Trust | York, PA | $750 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pa Partnerships for Children | Harrisburg, PA | $625 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Our Daily Bread | York, PA | $600 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| NAMI York-Adams | York, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness - NAMI York-Adams | York, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI | York, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Susquehanna National Heritage Area | Wrightsville, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Bill and Hilda Goodling Teacher Scholarship | York, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| York County Honors Choir | York, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| York County Rail | Sevens Valley, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| York County Rail Trail | Seven Valleys, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| York County Rail Trail Authority | Sevens Valley, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| York Benevolent Association | York, PA | $450 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
39 of 88 (44%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 51%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- The Pennsylvania State University
Graham Center Innovation & Collaboration - University of Michigan
GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE - The Regents of the University of Michigan
GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE OPERATING SUPPORT FUND - University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
THE EGYPTIAN GALLERIES FUND - York College of Pa
GRAHAM INNOVATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM, GRAHAM COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION FELLOWS, AND GRAHAM CENTER FOR COLLABORATIVE INNOVATIONS - Ysc Academy
PA EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION PROGRAM.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 70 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50 | $3,171,918 | $2,250 |
| 2022 | 40 | $3,195,075 | $3,250 |
| 2023 | 44 | $3,651,150 | $7,750 |
| 2024 | 43 | $3,200,750 | $8,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Graham Foundation has 106 of them, worth $116.0M. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth | Hanover, NH | $11.3M |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $7,000,000 |
| The Trustees of Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $7,000,000 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $7,000,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $5,000,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $4,250,000 |
| University of Michigan Gift Admin Office | Ann Arbor, MI | $4,000,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $3,000,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania Development Dept | Philadelphia, PA | $3,000,000 |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | $2,920,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $2,500,000 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $2,500,000 |
| York College of Pennsylvania | York, PA | $2,500,000 |
| The Regents of the University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $2,500,000 |
| The Regents of the University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | $2,500,000 |
Where its money goes
52% of its giving went to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Graham Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1420 Sixth Avenue, York, PA, 17403. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 23-6805421 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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