Center for Rural Affairs
To cultivate strong communities rooted in social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and opportunity for all.
Center for Rural Affairs at a glance
In short: Center for Rural Affairs gave $328K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $109K), mostly in Nebraska. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $327,676
- +39.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -70.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $109,225
- +365.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $72,291
- Total assets
- $38,192,732
- +90.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Center for Rural Affairs funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Second House Collaborative ($250K). Together the top 3 received $328K.
Grant Size Distribution
33 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 33 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Center for Rural Affairs gives
- Giving grew 33% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $141K (2021) to $1.2M (2020). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $328K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Second House Collaborative Lincoln, NE | General Support | $250,000 |
| University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE | F&C Subcontracts | $72,291 |
| Sara May Brubacher Steinbrink Sky Chief Springs LLC Cambridge, NE | Conservation Mentorship Network | $5,385 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,192,732 | $18,576,488 | $11,840,371 | $327,676 | 3 | $817,980 |
| 2024 | $20,038,427 | $14,752,357 | $9,896,780 | $234,445 | 10 | $545,046 |
| 2023 | $14,405,206 | $7,387,243 | $8,118,552 | $188,966 | 11 | $279,951 |
| 2022 | $13,439,355 | $9,008,855 | $8,309,331 | $246,129 | 6 | $48,284 |
| 2021 | $13,490,836 | $10,957,614 | $7,470,451 | $140,879 | 3 | $39,258 |
| 2020 | $13,116,429 | $8,918,304 | $7,785,078 | $1,170,946 | 5 | $55,409 |
| 2019 | $10,885,392 | $5,883,590 | $6,748,368 | $172,228 | 7 | $78,109 |
About Center for Rural Affairs
Based on IRS filings
Center for Rural Affairs is a public charity, based in Lyons, NE. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $38.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $328K. Net investment income was $818K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Center for Rural Affairs is led by Brian Depew, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 7 of 23 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian Depew
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$100K (2019) → $168K (2025)
Jane Yule
President
Board Member → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Hackney
Nsac Director
Coalition Director → Nsac Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$107K (2021) → $153K (2025)
Mike Lavender
Nsac Policy Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$148K (2024) → $154K (2025)
Eowyn Corral
Grass Roots Co-Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$107K (2025)
Mike Bride
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$108K (2023) → $130K (2025)
Sophia Kruszewski
Nsac Deputy Policy Direcor
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$128K (2024) → $132K (2025)
Sandra Renner
Chief of Staff
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$89K (2025)
Chuck Karpf
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Demmel
Board Member
Vice President → President, 2022
President → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Fripp
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay Hall
Board Member
Secretary → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Krista Peeks Dittman
Board Member
President → Executive Committee, 2022
Executive Committee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leverne Barrett
Board Member
Board Member → Executive Committee, 2022
Executive Committee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Florell
Vice President
Executive Committee → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Swanson
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ross Larson
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Dilly
Board Member
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Meyer
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karina Perez
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steele Valenzuela
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Audrey Lutz Musilek
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lee Tesdell
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Amy Sandeen (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Linda Butkus (2023–2024) — CAO
- Former: Amanda McKinney (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Bride (2022) — CFO
- Former: Keith Mahaney (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Ferdinand Hoefner (2020–2021) — Senior Strategic Advisor
- Former: Bob Warrick (2019–2020) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Clark Nichols (2019–2020) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Don Reeves (2019–2020) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Jim Knopik (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Karen Tikalsky (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $168K, to Brian Depew (Executive Director). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Center for Rural Affairs
How much does Center for Rural Affairs give each year?
Center for Rural Affairs gave $328K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $234K across 10 grants.
What is Center for Rural Affairs's typical grant size?
Center for Rural Affairs's median grant in 2025 was $72,291, and its average grant was $109,225, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Center for Rural Affairs give grants?
Center for Rural Affairs gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lincoln, NE (2 grants).
Does Center for Rural Affairs give general operating support?
Yes: 33% of Center for Rural Affairs's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
How large is Center for Rural Affairs?
Center for Rural Affairs reported $38.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $18.6M.
What is Center for Rural Affairs's EIN?
Center for Rural Affairs's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-0553823. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 3, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Center for Rural Affairs's focus areas in our free grants database
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Center for Rural Affairs down — hundreds of funders to go?