Introducing IMPACT+: A New Way to Measure MLB Foundation Impact
IMPACT+ adjusts foundation spending for parent club revenue and valuation. The dispersion — from 30 to 304 — was unexpected.
After collecting IRS 990 data on all MLB team foundations, I'm introducing a beta version of the IMPACT+ score. Indexed to 100 like ERA+ and wRC+, IMPACT+ aims to measure the community impact each foundation delivers. I total the dollars foundations spend through grantmaking and programs they run directly, then adjust for the parent club's revenue and franchise valuation.
The Top Five (2024)
1. Jays Care Foundation — 304.4(!)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation — 209.1
3. Amazin' Mets Foundation — 170.9
4. Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation — 162.8
5. Red Sox Foundation — 155.9
The Bottom Five (2024)*
25. Los Angeles Angels — 38.7
26. Colorado Rockies — 37.8
27. Seattle Mariners — 31.7
28. New York Yankees — 31.6
29. Pittsburgh Pirates — 30.7
*The A's Foundation has not filed a 990 since 2022, so the ranking only goes to 29.
What This Captures — and What It Doesn't
The dispersion from 30 to 304 was quite unexpected. While IMPACT+ only captures what appears in tax filings, I believe it's a reasonable start at measuring relative community impact across teams.
As I've noted before, this analysis misses partnerships, co-fundraising, in-kind contributions, and volunteer programs. The Red Sox and The Jimmy Fund are the clearest example — through the Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, the Red Sox help raise tens of millions annually that never appear in their 990. To their credit, they still rank in the top five.
Where This Could Go
There's more I could layer into IMPACT+ — weighting for how actively foundations deploy their assets, for example. Unlike traditional endowments, I don't think MLB foundations should be evaluated on long-term capital accumulation. The more interesting question, at least to me, is what are they doing for their communities right now.
This is still very much in beta. I am not a data scientist. Have thoughts, advice, or want to know how your favorite team stacks up?