The Renaissance Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated priority is the Portland area, so an organisation working there is the clearest fit, although it also says it supports some national and international programmes.
- Most of its grants are small: half of its 720 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $4,000 and $32,000, so a modest request in that range is typical rather than a limit.
- Its filing asks for a brief project or programme budget stating the amount requested, a board roster, and a narrative of no more than three pages on the organisation's history and achievements.
- It generally does not consider requests for capital expenses or contributions to capital campaigns, so those should not be sent.
- Repeat funding is strong, with 92% of its grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had funded in earlier filings, so a new applicant should expect a competitive route, and no deadlines are given in the filing.
Overview
The Renaissance Foundation is a US private foundation based in Portland, OR.
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 Renaissance Foundation says its intent is to make a significant difference in the lives of people in need, especially in education, human services and the environment. It has primarily invested in educational access and services for people with financial need, and awards grants to organisations sharing its values of education, social justice, equity and inclusion, environmental justice and human service. It generally funds programmes in the Portland area, while also supporting some national and international programmes. Its signature Renaissance Scholars Program provides renewable college scholarships to talented first-generation students with significant financial need.
Themes
- Educational access
- Human services
- Environment
- Social justice
- Equity and inclusion
- College scholarships
Geographic Focus
Priority: Portland area.
What They Don't Fund
- Requests for capital expenses or contributions to capital campaigns (generally not considered)
How to apply
Applicants are asked for a brief project or programme budget stating the amount requested, a board roster, and a narrative of no more than three pages describing the organisation's history and achievements.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 92% 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 720 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It awards grants to organisations that share its core values of education, social justice, equity and inclusion, environmental justice and human service.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 8%
- The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations The Renaissance Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 228 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $5,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Oregon · Scholarships$405,5012024 tax year
- Oregon State University · Scholarships$379,9802024 tax year
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · Scholarships$340,0002024 tax year
- University of Portland · Scholarships$275,0002024 tax year
- Portland State University · Scholarships$273,8632024 tax year
- All Classical Radio · General operating purposes$250,0002024 tax year
- Stand for Children · Scholarships$215,0002024 tax year
- University of Illinois at Chicago · Scholarships$116,2982024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Stephanie J Fowler — Director
- Diana Hoff — President, Secretary & Director
- Irving J Levin — Chair & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,908,344 | $4,580,659 | $20,857,279 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,509,924 | $5,098,104 | $21,360,913 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,281,197 | $4,677,293 | $17,383,032 | 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 Renaissance Foundation?
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Applying to The Renaissance Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required