← Back to US Funders Directory

Rainwater Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$37.9M
Grant Range
$100K - $2.0M

Rainwater Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $37.9 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $881 million
  • Geographic Focus: Primary focus on Fort Worth/Tarrant County, TX; also South Carolina, Rwanda, and Kenya
  • Founded: 1991
  • Grant Range: Varies widely by program - from $200,000 to $500,000+ for research grants; average $118,590 across all programs
  • Decision Time: LOIs reviewed twice yearly (June and October)

Contact Details

Address: 777 Main Street, Suite 2250, Fort Worth, TX 76102

Email:

Website: rainwatercharitablefoundation.org

Grantee Portal: rainwatercharitablefoundation.my.site.com

Overview

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF) was founded in 1991 by Richard E. Rainwater, a renowned private equity investor and philanthropist from Fort Worth, Texas. With total assets exceeding $881 million and annual giving of approximately $37.9 million (2023), the foundation operates with a clear vision articulated by its founder: "Let's give it all away. But let's do it in a particular way, with our hearts and our minds."

The foundation's dual focus evolved after Rainwater was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) in 2009, expanding from education and family economic security to include groundbreaking medical research on neurodegenerative diseases. By his death in 2015, Rainwater had donated over $380 million to more than 500 organizations globally, bequeathing nearly his entire estate to charitable purposes. Today, RCF distributes over $510 million since 2012 across three major areas: Family Economic Security ($240.3M+), Medical Research ($166.7M+), and Other Foundation Programs including Africa and scholarships ($103.9M+). The foundation is one of the largest independent funders of primary tauopathy research and has helped advance eight treatments into human trials with over $140 million invested in medical research to date.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Family Economic Security Program (North Texas focus)

  • Early Childhood & Family Support: Quality early childhood education, childcare access, family support services
  • K-12 Education: School models with significantly better outcomes than traditional schools; programs improving reading and math outcomes in Tarrant County (includes Leadership Academy Network, Fort Worth Children's Partnership, middle school redesign)
  • Upskilling: Helping students, families, and underskilled adults understand postsecondary opportunities
  • Community Asset Building: Affordable housing, museums, parks, community centers; wealth-building opportunities; investing in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods; removing barriers to high-opportunity neighborhoods

Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) reviewed twice yearly (June and October) for K-12 Education, Upskilling, and Community Asset Building only. Note: LOI process currently closed for remainder of 2025; reopens February 1, 2026.

2. Medical Research Program (International)

  • The Tau Consortium: Invitation-only collaborative research commissioning world-class research on primary tauopathies (PSP, FTD). Consisted of over 85 grants in 2023.
  • The Rainwater Prize: Annual awards recognizing scientific progress in neurodegenerative disease research
    • Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Research: $400,000
    • Innovative Early-Career Scientist: $200,000
    • Milestone-based prize: Up to $2 million
  • Tauopathy Challenge Workshop: Grants for innovative research projects, typically $500,000 per project over 2 years
  • Clinical Readiness & Biomarker Development
  • Drug Discovery & Translation Initiatives

Application Method: Invitation-only for Tau Consortium; competitive application for Rainwater Prize and Tauopathy Challenge Workshop

3. Other Foundation Programs

  • Africa Funding: Educational programs in Rwanda and Kenya providing affordable, high-quality education
  • Scholarships: Dream Big Determined Scholars Program for Tarrant County high school juniors demonstrating academic achievement despite adversity
  • Educational Technology Solutions

Priority Areas

  • Education: Early childhood development, K-12 education improvement, college access and completion
  • Family Economic Security: Asset building, affordable housing, workforce development, childcare access
  • Neurodegenerative Disease Research: Primary tauopathies (PSP, FTD), tau protein research, drug discovery, clinical trials
  • Community Development: Strengthening cultural assets and social capital in Fort Worth neighborhoods
  • International Education: East Africa educational access and quality

What They Don't Fund

  • Private foundations
  • Individuals or families
  • Political organizations, candidates, or lobbyists
  • International organizations not qualified under U.S. IRS regulations
  • Organizations outside of Tarrant County (for Family Economic Security Program)
  • Unsolicited proposals outside specified LOI focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

  • Jeremy Smith, President - Joined RCF in April 2009; oversees $50-60M in annual funding across children's well-being, neurodegenerative disease research, and education. Smith has stated: "The Rainwater Tau Leadership Fellows will honor the Foundation's 30-year legacy by supporting the next generation of leaders in tau-related neurodegenerative disease research and beyond."
  • Melissa Parrish, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Program Leadership

  • Ximena Antunez De Mayolo, Principal
  • Carlo Capua, Senior Principal
  • Jeanelle Davis, Senior Principal
  • Sarah Geer, Principal

Medical Research Team

  • Amy Rommel, Ph.D., Scientific Program Director
  • Glenn Harris, Ph.D., Director of Research Partnerships, Business Development & Drug Discovery Lead
  • Lymor Barnhard, Ph.D., Program Manager, Drug Discovery and PET Imaging

Investment Team

  • Aaron Bigbee, Chief Investment Officer
  • TJ Moen, Investment Director

Founder's Legacy

Richard E. Rainwater (1944-2015) believed that "a good education promoted wholistic community flourishing" and applied business principles to philanthropy—emphasizing leadership and scaling proven solutions. His personal diagnosis with PSP transformed the foundation's mission to include medical research.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Family Economic Security Programs (K-12 Education, Upskilling, Community Asset Building):

The foundation reviews Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) for specific funding areas. Note: The LOI process is currently closed for the remainder of 2025 and will reopen on February 1, 2026.

LOI Submission Process:

  1. Register for access to the online portal at rainwatercharitablefoundation.my.site.com by clicking "First Time Here?" at the bottom right
  2. Provide requested registration information
  3. Check email for automated message and set password meeting specified criteria
  4. Complete all required fields in LOI (Submit button only appears when all fields are completed)
  5. Submit LOI for review

For Medical Research Programs:

The Tau Consortium operates by invitation only. Competitive applications are available for:

  • The Rainwater Prize (annual)
  • Tauopathy Challenge Workshop grants (periodic)

Research-focused organizations should monitor the foundation's website for announcements.

For Early Childhood & Family Support:

The foundation does not currently accept LOIs for this program area. Grants are made through existing relationships and trustee discretion.

Decision Timeline

LOI Review Cycle: Letters of Intent are reviewed twice per year:

  • June cycle: LOIs due by end of day on the first Tuesday in June (e.g., June 3, 2025)
  • October cycle: Specific date not published; typically early October

The foundation has not published specific timelines for how long organizations can expect to wait between LOI submission and decision, or between invitation to full proposal and final grant decision. Organizations should contact grants@rainwatercf.org for timeline expectations.

Success Rates

The foundation made 305 awards in 2023 and 365 awards in 2022. Specific success rates (percentage of LOIs invited to full proposal, or proposals funded) are not publicly available. The foundation's description of its LOI process emphasizes that "your LOI must be succinct and air tight to get invited to apply for grant," suggesting a competitive process.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Organizations should contact grants@rainwatercf.org for guidance on reapplying after an unsuccessful LOI or proposal.

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Priorities

Geographic Alignment is Critical: The foundation describes itself as "transparent and approachable, especially partial to the Fort Worth area." For Family Economic Security grants, organizations must be aligned with funding priorities in Tarrant County specifically. The foundation gives "priority to those that aim to improve student outcomes in reading and math in Tarrant County."

Evidence of Impact: The foundation seeks to support "innovative and impactful programs" and invests in "school models that have significantly better outcomes than traditional school models." Applications should demonstrate measurable outcomes and proven effectiveness.

Scaling Proven Solutions: Reflecting founder Richard Rainwater's business principles, the foundation emphasizes "scaling proven solutions." They look for programs that can be replicated and expanded rather than one-time initiatives.

Strategic Fit: The foundation has a "current areas of focus" approach, meaning priorities may evolve. Organizations should carefully review the foundation's current strategic priorities before applying.

Collaboration: Recent medical research grants demonstrate the foundation's willingness to partner with other funders (CurePSP, Aging Mind Foundation, Alzheimer's Association) on significant initiatives.

Recent Grant Recipients Demonstrate Priorities

Education & Family Support in Fort Worth: ADFW Family Child Care Network, AB Christian Learning Center, Avance-North Texas, Child Care Associates, ChildCareGroup, First3Years, Fort Worth ISD, Fort Worth Education Partnership, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Leadership Academy Network, Fort Worth Children's Partnership

Research: Recent Tauopathy Challenge Workshop recipients (2024) included Dr. Bowles, Dr. Cho, Dr. Rinehart, Dr. van der Kant, and Dr. Verstreken. Rainwater Prize winners have included researchers from University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University, University of Gothenburg, and Brown University.

Application Quality

The foundation's guidance that LOIs "must be succinct and air tight" indicates they value:

  • Clear, concise writing
  • Well-articulated need and solution
  • Strong organizational capacity
  • Measurable outcomes
  • Alignment with current priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic focus is paramount: For Family Economic Security grants, you must serve Tarrant County and demonstrate measurable impact on Fort Worth area families and children, particularly in reading and math outcomes.

  • Know the review cycle: LOIs are reviewed only twice per year (June and October), and the process is currently closed until February 1, 2026. Plan accordingly and don't miss deadlines.

  • Your LOI is your gateway: The foundation emphasizes that your LOI must be "succinct and air tight" to receive an invitation to full proposal. Invest significant effort in crafting a compelling, concise LOI.

  • Demonstrate scalability and proven results: The founder's legacy emphasizes scaling proven solutions. Show evidence of impact and how your program can expand or be replicated.

  • Medical research is invitation-only: Unless applying for competitive programs like the Rainwater Prize, neurodegenerative disease researchers should focus on building relationships and demonstrating expertise in tau-related research.

  • Early Childhood program is relationship-based: The foundation does not accept unsolicited LOIs for Early Childhood & Family Support, suggesting existing relationships and trustee discretion drive these grants.

  • The foundation values partnership: Recent collaborative grants with other major funders suggest openness to co-funding significant initiatives, particularly in medical research.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory