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Neil And Anna Rasmussen Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.0M
Grant Range
$1K - $2.5M

Neil And Anna Rasmussen Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,967,499 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $53.6 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $2,500,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts, New York, and District of Columbia, with additional grants to Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, and other states

Contact Details

Address: 393 Estabrook Rd, Concord, MA 01742-5614
Phone: 978-287-0422
EIN: 04-6771880

Note: This is a private family foundation with no public website or email address listed.

Overview

The Neil And Anna Rasmussen Foundation was established in November 1995 by Neil Rasmussen, founder of American Power Conversion Corporation (APC), and his wife Anna Winter Rasmussen. With total assets of $53.6 million, the foundation distributed approximately $6 million in grants in 2023 across 54 awards. Neil Rasmussen, who earned his master's degree in electrical engineering from MIT and later served as Senior Vice President and CTO of Schneider Electric (which acquired APC), has focused the foundation's philanthropic efforts on advancing climate science, microbiome research, education, and human services. The foundation operates as a trustee-directed private foundation with no officer compensation and minimal administrative overhead, allocating virtually all expenses (94.7%) toward charitable purposes. Neil serves on the MIT Corporation and multiple Visiting Committees spanning the Schools of Science, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with public application processes. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their philanthropic interests and relationships. Known funding areas include:

Education & Research (Primary Focus)

  • MIT climate science research and fellowships ($3 million+ commitment)
  • Norman C. Rasmussen Fellowship Fund at MIT EAPS (14 fellows supported to date)
  • Microbiome research and Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics
  • Laboratory infrastructure at universities

Human Services

  • Various human services organizations, particularly in Massachusetts

Philanthropy & Voluntarism

  • Support for grantmaking infrastructure and philanthropic organizations

Priority Areas

Based on documented giving patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Climate Science Research: Fundamental research on Earth's climate system, particularly at MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS)
  • Medical Research: Microbiome research, particularly related to inflammatory bowel disease and therapeutics
  • Higher Education: MIT and other research universities
  • Scientific Infrastructure: State-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities
  • Fellowship Programs: Supporting graduate students and researchers in climate science
  • OpenBiome: Neil Rasmussen serves as a director and has supported their work expanding access to fecal matter transplants

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly documented, but as a private family foundation with trustee-directed giving:

  • The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Giving is concentrated in areas where the trustees have personal involvement and expertise
  • Focus is primarily on established institutions rather than startup organizations

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Neil E. Rasmussen: Founder and primary trustee. MIT Corporation member, retired Vice President of Innovation at Schneider Electric. Founded American Power Conversion Corporation in 1981. No compensation from foundation.
  • Anna Winter Rasmussen: Co-trustee. No compensation from foundation.
  • Susan W. Winter: Trustee (likely Anna's relative). No compensation from foundation.

Neil Rasmussen's Philanthropic Philosophy:

On climate science, Rasmussen has stated: "Building fundamental knowledge of the workings of the Earth's climate system is a crucial step on the path towards effective action on climate change."

He emphasizes the connection between research and policy: "Even with the technology and know-how to tackle climate change, nothing will be done until there is the political will to solve the problem." He believes that fundamental scientific knowledge combined with talented researchers will make "all the difference" in guiding policy toward a sustainable future.

On microbiome research, Rasmussen recognized a coordination gap in Boston's research ecosystem and "had the idea to find all the clinical researchers in the area studying diseases associated with the microbiome and pair them up with people like [biological engineers, mathematicians, and ecologists] at MIT."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Neil And Anna Rasmussen Foundation operates as a private family foundation with trustee-directed grantmaking. Grants are made at the discretion of Neil and Anna Rasmussen based on their personal philanthropic interests and existing relationships with institutions and causes.

The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or maintain a grants portal. All giving appears to be proactively identified and initiated by the trustees rather than in response to applications.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on documented giving patterns, the Rasmussens support causes through:

Direct Personal Engagement: Neil Rasmussen serves in leadership roles at organizations the foundation supports:

  • MIT Corporation member
  • Member of four MIT Visiting Committees (Schools of Science, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Director at OpenBiome
  • Active participant in MIT's Campaign for a Better World

Areas of Deep Expertise: The foundation supports fields where Neil has professional knowledge:

  • Climate and energy research (aligns with his career in power systems and energy technology)
  • Microbiome therapeutics (area where he took leadership in coordinating Boston research community)
  • Scientific infrastructure and laboratory facilities

MIT Connection: The strongest pattern in their giving is support for MIT, particularly:

  • Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
  • Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
  • MIT-affiliated initiatives like the Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics

Organizations operating in climate science, microbiome research, or scientific education with connections to MIT or the Boston research community would be most aligned with the foundation's documented interests.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are trustee-initiated rather than application-driven.

Success Rates

Not applicable - this is not an open application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, the following factors characterize organizations that have successfully received support:

Strong Institutional Credibility: The foundation supports established, prestigious research institutions, particularly MIT. They funded CMIT as "one of the first university-based microbiome research centers in the country" and committed $3 million to state-of-the-art EAPS laboratories.

Focus on Fundamental Research: Neil Rasmussen prioritizes "building fundamental knowledge" over applied solutions, believing this knowledge base is "a crucial step on the path towards effective action." Organizations conducting rigorous, fundamental scientific research align with this philosophy.

Systems-Level Thinking: The Rasmussens recognize gaps in research coordination and infrastructure. They supported CMIT specifically to connect clinical researchers with MIT engineers, mathematicians, and ecologists - bridging disciplinary silos.

Climate Science Priority: EAPS climate fellows and laboratory infrastructure represent major foundation investments. The Norman C. Rasmussen Fellowship Fund has supported 14 fellows to date, demonstrating sustained commitment to developing the next generation of climate scientists.

Long-Term Commitment: Rather than one-off grants, the foundation makes enduring commitments like fellowship endowments and multi-year laboratory infrastructure support. Organizations seeking transformational rather than transactional support align with this approach.

Personal Connection: Neil Rasmussen's direct involvement (MIT Corporation, OpenBiome board, Visiting Committees) precedes major grants. His hands-on approach to philanthropy suggests he prefers causes where he can contribute expertise, not just capital.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not an application-driven foundation: The Neil And Anna Rasmussen Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. All grantmaking is trustee-directed based on the Rasmussens' personal interests and relationships.

  • MIT connection is strongest pathway: Documented giving shows MIT as the primary beneficiary, particularly EAPS and microbiome research programs. Organizations affiliated with MIT or seeking to partner with MIT programs may have the most alignment.

  • Climate science and microbiome research are core interests: The Norman C. Rasmussen Fellowship Fund, EAPS laboratory commitment, and CMIT support demonstrate sustained focus on these fields. Organizations outside these areas are unlikely to receive support.

  • Trustees value fundamental research over applied work: Neil Rasmussen explicitly prioritizes "building fundamental knowledge" as the foundation for eventual policy change and practical solutions.

  • Infrastructure and human capital investments: Rather than program grants, documented giving emphasizes laboratories, fellowships, and institutional capacity - investments with long-term impact on research capability.

  • Personal engagement precedes funding: Neil Rasmussen serves on boards and committees of organizations the foundation supports. Relationship-building at the trustee level appears essential, though there is no prescribed pathway for this.

  • Geographic focus: While based in Massachusetts with strong emphasis on Boston-area institutions, the foundation makes grants across multiple states including New York, DC, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Florida, and North Carolina.

References

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