insights
field guides for reading IRS filings and seeing what funders actually do.
-
what you can learn from a 990 in 2 minutes
what you'll learn the five questions that reveal how an organization actually works — revenue model, leadership, and where the money really goes — without reading the full filing.
-
questions to ask before a donor meeting
what you'll learn the handful of signals that tell you how a foundation gives — typical grant size, repeat behavior, and who they come back to — so you walk in knowing what's actually likely.
-
how to evaluate foundation fit before applying
what you'll learn a fast filter for real fit — whether they fund organizations like yours, how often they take new grantees, and when you're wasting your time.
-
how to read a 990-PF
what you'll learn where the real signal lives in a 990-PF — who gets funded, how often, and what patterns repeat — and which sections you can safely ignore.
-
when guidelines don't match behavior
what you'll learn how to spot the gap between stated priorities and actual funding — and why past behavior is a better predictor than any guideline page.