The R.C. Durr Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The R.C. Durr Foundation funds non-profit educational, charitable and civic organisations serving the Larger Northern Kentucky community of Boone, Bracken, Campbell and 9 more counties in Kentucky, so work outside that area is not a fit.
- Typical grants run from $3,850 to $100,000, with about 8 in 10 of its 394 grants falling in that range and a median of $10,000, so a request around that median is realistic, even though the largest grant was about $545,000.
- It favours specific projects or programmes with measurable, innovative goals over general operating support or capital campaigns, so frame the ask around a defined initiative rather than core costs.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through its website, where you can save your information and return to it, but once submitted it cannot be edited, so prepare it carefully first.
- Across recent filings 58% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded, which suggests relationships help, but it does not fund individuals, political causes or candidates, other private foundations, endowments, fundraising or donor cultivation events, sponsorships, walks, runs, golf outings, neighbourhood- or school-specific events, raffle tickets or tables, or courtesy advertising, and religious organisations should only apply if their programme benefits the entire community.
Overview
The R.C. Durr Foundation is a US private foundation based in Covington, KY.
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 Foundation concentrates its primary funding on non-profit educational, charitable and civic organisations located in and serving people in the greater Northern Kentucky area. Its particular emphasis is education, social services and community development, with secondary consideration for health care, especially public health care. It also supports services addressing food, clothing and shelter, transportation, medical and dental care for the indigent, and the needs of the very young, the very old and people with developmental disabilities. Its funding also assists liveable communities, business incubation and future leadership development. It favours specific projects or programmes over general operating support and capital campaigns, particularly innovative, measurable work that can improve quality of life in the region.
Themes
- Education
- Social services
- Community development
- Health care
- Liveable communities
- Business incubation
- Leadership development
Geographic Focus
Priority: Larger Northern Kentucky community: Boone, Bracken, Campbell and 9 more counties in Kentucky.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Religious organizations unless they are engaged in programs benefiting the entire community which would otherwise meet the guidelines stated herein
- Political causes or candidates
- Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status or national origin
- Other private foundations
- Endowments
- Fundraising or donor cultivation events
- Sponsorships
- Walks
- Runs
- Golf outings
- Neighborhood- or school-specific events
- Raffle tickets or tables for fund raising events
- Courtesy advertising
How to apply
Organisations begin the application through the website and may save their information and return to it before submission; after submitting, they can no longer access it.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 58% 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 394 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Qualifying organisations focused on education, social services and community development that can improve quality of life receive priority.
- Health care receives secondary consideration, particularly public health care in the same geographic area.
- Projects are favoured when they have measurable goals, demonstrate effectiveness or innovation, serve as models and show collaboration.
- Specific projects or programmes meeting the guidelines are preferred to general operating or capital campaigns.
- Bricks-and-mortar projects are not given preference.
- Trustees may consider compelling ideas outside the stated guidelines.
- Trustees proactively identify areas for impact and seek out organisations and partnerships able to achieve those outcomes.
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 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to organisations The R.C. Durr Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 136 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $14,885 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Kentucky 4-H Foundation · General support$361,7002024 tax year
- Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Northern Kentucky Port Authority · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Kincaid Regional Theatre · General support$202,2102024 tax year
- Kenton County Government Center - Simon Kenton Statue · General support$162,4282024 tax year
- Fiesta NKY · General support$151,7002024 tax year
- PointARC of NKY · General support$150,0002024 tax year
- Harrison Memorial Hospital · General support$142,8552024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Robert W Zapp — Vice President
- Robert C Ziegler — Secretary
- Wilbert L Ziegler — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,671,673 | $5,930,135 | $91,068,344 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,742,843 | $3,869,645 | $97,230,196 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,581,688 | $4,743,684 | $103,376,282 | 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 R.C. Durr Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (859) 371-0070
- jmize@durrfoundation.com
- Covington, KY
- durrfoundation.com
Applying to The R.C. Durr Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (859) 371-0070
- jmize@durrfoundation.com
- Covington, KY
- durrfoundation.com