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RMF Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.6M
Grant Range
Up to $0.3M00
00

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,592,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $54 million
  • Grant Range: Varies widely ($50,000 median)
  • Number of Grants: 14-21 annually
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Oregon and Pacific Northwest
  • Application Method: Invitation only - preselected organizations

Contact Details

Address: 9450 SW Gemini Drive #14354, Beaverton, OR 97008-7105

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries as they do not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

Founded by Ryan Finley, co-founder of SurveyMonkey, and his wife Mary Finley, the RMF Foundation received its IRS tax-exempt status in August 2014. The foundation has grown significantly from its inception to hold over $54 million in assets as of 2024. Operating as a private grantmaking foundation, RMF Foundation focuses its philanthropy on medical research (particularly cancer research), arts and culture, food security, community development, education, and healthcare. The foundation is managed by the Finley family with a focus on strategic, high-impact giving to organizations primarily based in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. In 2020, the foundation gained recognition for its rapid response to COVID-19, donating $3 million to Legacy Health and Oregon Health & Science University to support frontline healthcare workers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The RMF Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with application cycles. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the board of directors to preselected charitable organizations. Recent grant activity shows:

  • 2024: 21 grants distributed totaling approximately $1.8 million
  • 2023: 14 grants totaling $1,592,000
  • Grant Median: $50,000
  • Grant Range: Varies from small grants to major gifts exceeding $300,000

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports:

  • Medical Research: Cancer research, AI technology applications in healthcare, medical foundations
  • Healthcare Access: Support for healthcare institutions and programs serving underserved communities
  • Food Security: Organizations addressing hunger and building equitable food systems
  • Arts and Culture: Museums, cultural institutions, and arts programs
  • Education: Youth programs, dropout prevention, college readiness initiatives
  • Low-Income Housing: Organizations supporting affordable housing
  • Community Development: Organizations addressing systemic community needs

Geographic Focus

Grants are concentrated in:

  • Oregon (primary focus)
  • Washington State
  • California
  • Limited grants to organizations in Washington, D.C.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has not published explicit exclusions, but their grantmaking pattern suggests they focus on established institutions and organizations with proven track records rather than:

  • Start-up organizations
  • Individual requests
  • For-profit entities
  • Organizations outside their established geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Ryan Finley - President & Director: Co-founder of SurveyMonkey (1999), the world's largest online survey software company. Based in Portland, Oregon. Previously served on the Oregon advisory board of Stand for Children and as a Board of Trustees Member at Portland Art Museum. In 2016, donated $250,000 to support the Oregon State Funding for Dropout Prevention and College Readiness Initiative.

  • Mary Finley - Secretary & Director: Co-leads the foundation's philanthropic efforts with Ryan. Together they have demonstrated commitment to healthcare, education, and community organizations in Oregon.

  • David E. Grein - Director

All directors serve without compensation. The foundation has no paid staff and operates with minimal administrative overhead, allowing the vast majority of resources to be directed toward charitable purposes (93.8% of expenses in 2024 went to charitable disbursements).

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The RMF Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded based on:

  • Board discretion and the directors' personal knowledge of organizations
  • Established relationships with the Finley family and board members
  • Proactive identification of organizations aligned with the foundation's mission
  • Strategic giving priorities determined internally by the board

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made on a rolling basis at the discretion of the board rather than through competitive application cycles.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received support from the RMF Foundation typically demonstrate:

Strong Institutional Track Record: Grant recipients include major, well-established institutions such as:

  • University of Washington (received $300,000 for cancer vaccine research)
  • Oregon Food Bank (received $250,000 for equitable food systems work)
  • Providence Medical Foundations (multiple grants for medical research and programs)
  • Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
  • Legacy Health

Clear Alignment with Foundation Priorities: Successful grantees work in areas the board has demonstrated sustained interest in - medical research, food security, arts and culture, and education.

Oregon/Pacific Northwest Connection: The vast majority of grants go to organizations with significant presence or impact in Oregon and the surrounding region.

High-Impact Potential: Recent grants suggest the foundation favors projects with potential for significant, measurable impact, such as cancer vaccine research and equitable food systems development.

Existing Relationship with Board Members: Given the foundation's approach, organizations that have been funded likely had prior connections or relationships with Ryan and Mary Finley or other board members, either through Ryan's business activities, board service, or personal philanthropic interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications - they do not accept unsolicited funding requests
  • Focus on relationship-building in other contexts - Organizations seeking funding would need to connect with Ryan or Mary Finley through their other philanthropic activities, board memberships, or business networks rather than through formal grant applications
  • Geographic alignment is critical - Nearly all funding goes to Oregon-based organizations or those with significant Oregon impact
  • Institutional capacity matters - Recent grants favor established organizations with proven track records and institutional strength
  • Strategic priorities are broad but consistent - Medical research, food security, arts/culture, and education appear to be enduring interests
  • The foundation responds to urgent needs - As evidenced by the $3 million COVID-19 response in 2020, the board can move quickly when circumstances warrant
  • Large grants are possible - While the median grant is $50,000, the foundation has made grants of $300,000 or more to organizations and causes aligned with their priorities

References

  1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - RMF Foundation (EIN 80-0875249). Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/800875249 (Accessed January 2026)

  2. Grantmakers.io - RMF Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/800875249-rmf-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)

  3. Cause IQ - RMF Foundation. Available at: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/rmf-foundation,800875249/ (Accessed January 2026)

  4. OHSU News (March 31, 2020). "Mary and Ryan Finley donate $3 million to Legacy Health, OHSU to combat COVID-19." Available at: https://news.ohsu.edu/2020/03/31/mary-and-ryan-finley-donate-3-million-to-legacy-health-ohsu-to-combat-covid-19 (Accessed January 2026)

  5. Legacy Health News Release (March 31, 2020). "Mary and Ryan Finley donate $3 million to Legacy Health, OHSU to combat COVID-19." Available at: https://www.legacyhealth.org/About/news-and-media/for-the-media/news-releases/2020/3-31-mary-and-ryan-finley-donate-3-million (Accessed January 2026)

  6. Wikipedia. "Ryan Finley (businessman)." Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Finley_(businessman) (Accessed January 2026)

  7. Instrumentl - RMF Foundation 990 Report. Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/rmf-foundation (Accessed January 2026)

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