The Ryan Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation describes its focus as medical research, healthcare and education, so a request should clearly connect to one of those areas.
- Its grant record is concentrated in Nebraska, with further grants reaching Missouri and Iowa, but the filing states no geographic focus, so treat that pattern as background rather than a rule on who may apply.
- About 8 in 10 of its 22 grants to organisations fall between $43 and $715,000, with a median of about $195,000, though its largest grant was $1,500,000, so a request near the median fits its typical pattern.
- The filing gives no deadlines and says the foundation accepts applications; include your general background, the amount requested and your proposed organisational budget.
- None of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so do not assume a past grant will be renewed.
Overview
The Ryan Foundation is a US private foundation based in Greenwood Village, CO.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Ryan Foundation describes its focus as medical research, healthcare and education. It furthers its charitable purposes primarily through grants and contributions to qualified charitable organisations. Its disclosed recipients include educational institutions, hospitals and healthcare organisations, religious bodies and community-service organisations, with general support recorded across those grants. The grant record is concentrated in Nebraska, with further grants reaching Missouri and Iowa. The filing's application information asks applicants to provide background information, the amount requested and a proposed organisational budget.
Themes
- Medical research
- Healthcare
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Nebraska and Missouri.
How to apply
An application should include the applicant's general background information, the amount requested and the organisation's proposed budget.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, none of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 22 grants to organisations were about $195,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 24% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 0% of grant dollars went to organisations The Ryan Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 15 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $294k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Catholic Bishop of Lincoln · General Support$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Omaha · General Support$800,0002024 tax year
- Catholic Archbishop of Omaha · General Support$715,0002024 tax year
- VJ and Angela Skutt Catholic High School · General Support$600,0002024 tax year
- Children's Hospital and Medical Center Foundation · General Support$400,0002024 tax year
- Lourdes Central Catholic School · General Support$370,0002024 tax year
- Boys Town National Research Hospital · General Support$320,5732024 tax year
- Curators of the University of Missouri · General Support$294,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Walter Longo MD — Board member
- Ramy Hanna — Board member
- Carol Ryan — Board member
- Steve Ryan — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $28,082,637 | $16,004,705 | $414,086,102 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $97,711,700 | $19,378,937 | $1,424,512,361 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $59,137,924 | $58,954,717 | $1,471,817,371 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Ryan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (402) 306-2965
- steve.p.ryan@ryan.foundation
- Greenwood Village, CO
- ryan.foundation
Applying to The Ryan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (402) 306-2965
- steve.p.ryan@ryan.foundation
- Greenwood Village, CO
- ryan.foundation