Rice Foundation

• The foundation gives by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; build a relationship first, and when invited, describe your organisation and its activities, state the purpose and amount requested, and include a copy of the letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service.
• Its stated themes are youth and education, child and family services, medical research and healthcare, plant and wildlife conservation, and arts and culture, and it gives priority to the Chicago area as reported in other published sources, so that is where your fit should be clearest.
• It funds only 501(c)(3) organisations and, in general, non-private foundations, and does not award grants to individuals.
• About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $130,000, with a median of $20,000, so a request near $20,000 fits its usual pattern, though its largest grant was $1,500,000.
• Most of its grant dollars go to organisations it had funded before (84% in its most recent filing), so expect a relationship-led and competitive process.

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

• Field Musuem · Charitable
  $600,0002024 tax year
• Gigi's Playhouse · Charitable
  $500,0002024 tax year
• Marine Military Academy · Charitable
  $350,0002024 tax year
• Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation · Charitable
  $250,0002024 tax year
• Chicago Botanic Garden · Charitable
  $177,5002024 tax year
• Operation North Pole · Charitable
  $150,0002024 tax year
• North Shore Center the Performing A · Charitable
  $130,0002024 tax year
• Illinois Conservation Foundation · Charitable
  $130,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

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.