Rainwater Charitable Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Rainwater Charitable Foundation is based in Fort Worth, TX, with a geographic focus on Texas and a priority for North Texas, so grant writers outside that area should check their project fits this focus.
- The foundation paid out $43,565,002 in grants, and about 8 in 10 of its 1,031 grants to organisations fell between $3,550 and $245,000, with a median grant of $50,000, so a request in that range is realistic for most applicants; its BRING IT programme caps requests at $100,000.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, which allows some flexibility on timing, though for BRING IT a Letter of Intent comes first and only invited applicants may submit a full proposal for external peer review.
- Across recent filings, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded in the prior two years, which suggests the foundation leans towards continuing relationships, so new applicants should be ready to build a track record over time.
- BRING IT applicants must be qualified research leaders at Texas-based academic institutions or nonprofit organisations, with for-profit collaborators allowed only where an eligible lead applicant remains responsible for the award, and BRING IT funding does not cover indirect costs.
Overview
Rainwater Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Fort Worth, TX.
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 organises its giving around family economic security and education, and medical research. Its family work supports North Texas families and children through quality education, upskilling, affordable housing and childcare; it backs K–12 learning, skilled-workforce initiatives and asset-building intended to strengthen families’ financial security. Its medical research strategy addresses gaps in primary tauopathies, including basic research, drug discovery and clinical trials, and work to develop new talent. The foundation seeks programmes with measurable success, strong leadership and capacity to scale, and works with community partners on lasting change. Through BRING IT, it also supports innovative brain-health and dementia research; qualified research leaders at Texas-based academic institutions and nonprofit organisations can apply, with for-profit collaborators permitted when an eligible lead applicant remains responsible for the award.
Themes
- Education
- Upskilling
- Affordable housing
- Childcare
- Primary tauopathies
- Brain health and dementia
Geographic Focus
Texas. Priority: North Texas.
What They Don't Fund
- BRING IT only: indirect costs
How to apply
For BRING IT, qualified research leaders at Texas-based academic institutions and nonprofit organisations submit a Letter of Intent. Selected applicants are invited to submit a full application for external scientific peer review; only invitees may submit a full application. The principal investigator must be authorised by the applicant organisation and have access to the resources needed to complete the project.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 1,031 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Competitive proposals should address an important unmet need or research opportunity and demonstrate a strong, feasible approach.
- Projects should be completed within 12 months and establish a clear basis for next-stage research, implementation, validation or funding.
- The principal investigator must be authorised by the applicant organisation and have access to the resources needed to complete the proposed work.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 3%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Rainwater Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 5% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, Belgium).
- 11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 320 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tarrant To & Through · Program support - college advising$3,316,6672024 tax year
- Life Outreach International · Operations support$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Fort Worth Community Land Trust · Program support - carroll park$2,000,0002024 tax year
- CitySquare · Operations support$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Alzheimer's Association · Medical research$1,866,1602024 tax year
- North Texas Community Foundation · Program support - courtney rainwater daf$1,612,2152024 tax year
- Texas Wesleyan University · Program support - leadership academy network$888,8002024 tax year
- Rhode Island Hospital Foundation · Medical research$857,2142024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Matthew J Rainwater — Trustee
- Courtney E Rainwater — Trustee
- Richard T Rainwater — Trustee
- Walter J Rainwater JR — Trustee
- Susan Montgomery — VP / Controller / Tax Director
- Melissa Parrish — Executive VP and CFO
- Aaron Bigbee — CIO and Investment Manager
- Jeremy Smith — President and Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $71,852,530 | $53,295,002 | $1,001,681,522 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $52,604,417 | $37,948,774 | $1,097,495,138 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $57,471,998 | $43,565,002 | $1,164,718,994 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Rainwater Charitable Foundation?
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Applying to Rainwater Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required