Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation
The Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including the arts, housing, and community services.
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation gave $678K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $34K), mostly in Washington. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $677,500
- -23.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +17.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $33,875
- -35.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $12,013,285
- +0.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (6 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 602 36Th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: (206) 356-0072
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was 5TH Avenue Theatre Association ($115K). Together the top 10 received $495K.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 86 (65%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington. The reported shares for other recipient states were California 7%, Pennsylvania 4%, the District of Columbia 4%, and North Carolina 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 20 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $473K (2021) to $888K (2023). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $678K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5TH Avenue Theatre Association Seattle, WA | General Support | $115,000 |
| Recovery Cafe Seattle, WA | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Plymouth Housing Group Seattle, WA | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Agros International Seattle, WA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Society of St Vincent De Paul Council of Seattle Area Seattle, WA | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Jubliee Women's Center Seattle, WA | Purchase and renovation of the maxwell house; remaining funds for general purposes | $50,000 |
| Seattle University Fund Seattle, WA | General Purposes | $50,000 |
| Jesuits West Los Gatos, CA | General Support | $30,000 |
| Water 1ST International Seattle, WA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Devon Preparatory School Devon, PA | General Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,013,285 | $763,903 | $752,617 | $677,500 | 20 | $680,750 | $717,114 | $693,952 |
| 2023 | $12,001,999 | $926,003 | $934,103 | $887,500 | 17 | $890,550 | $882,450 | $628,464 |
| 2022 | $12,010,099 | $198,857 | $662,257 | $604,500 | 21 | $607,500 | $201,977 | $666,695 |
| 2021 | $12,473,499 | $1,282,561 | $526,661 | $472,500 | 15 | $475,000 | $482,550 | $682,550 |
| 2020 | $11,717,599 | $566,328 | $569,583 | $517,500 | 13 | — | $217,495 | $583,895 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $694K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of work: the 5th Avenue Theatre Association says its mission is to nurture, advance, and celebrate musical theatre; Agros International says it works with rural poor families toward land ownership and economic self-sufficiency; and Chief Seattle Club says it provides a sacred space for urban Native peoples.
Other 2024 grantees describe work in disaster recovery, civic leadership, immigrant rights, and small-business ownership. For example, Shirts Across America says it helps rebuild homes in disaster-affected communities, while Northwest Immigrant Rights Project describes providing immigration legal services, community education, and systemic advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $677,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $115,000, with a median of $25,000. Its largest reported grants included $115,000 to 5th Avenue Theatre Association; $50,000 each to Recovery Cafe, Plymouth Housing Group, Agros International, Society of St Vincent de Paul Council of Seattle Area, Jubilee Women’s Center, and Seattle University Fund; and $30,000 to Jesuits West.
Other reported 2024 grants included $25,000 each to Water 1st International, Devon Preparatory School, Chief Seattle Club, and Shirts Across America. The filing lists the Jubilee Women’s Center grant purpose as “Purchase and renovation of the Maxwell House; remaining funds for general purposes.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patrick F Kennedy as co-president and secretary, Mary Melissa Ries as co-president, and Ruth M Verhoff as treasurer.
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation is led by Mary Melissa Ries, Co-President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary Melissa Ries
Co-President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick F. Kennedy
Co-President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruth M. Verhoff
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation
How much does Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation give each year?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation gave $678K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $888K across 17 grants.
What is Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $33,875, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation give grants?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (15 grants) and Los Gatos, CA (2 grants).
Does Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include 5TH Avenue Theatre Association ($115,000), Recovery Cafe ($50,000) and Plymouth Housing Group ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $681K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $694K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's EIN?
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5654237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Washington
Grousemont Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Grousemont Foundation funds community-led work in social justice, community needs, civic engagement, and climate and environmental justice, including arts, education, health, and human services. Its grants generally focus on the Puget Sound region; in 2024, the median grant was $25,000, though awards ranged from $500 to $1.25 million. It does not accept unsolicited requests and awards grants by invitation only.
Assets
$240.5M
Grants
179
Total Given
$10.2M
Medina Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Medina Foundation funds direct human services for Puget Sound residents, including youth support, hunger relief, and homelessness prevention, across a 14-county region. Its 2024 grants had a median of $20,000, with awards ranging from $95 to $250,000. As it prepares to sunset, it is prioritizing letters of inquiry from existing grantees; no application deadlines are stated.
Assets
$111.0M
Grants
220
Total Given
$4.8M
Moccasin Lake Foundation
Wilmington, DE
Moccasin Lake Foundation funds education, environmental work, and social services, with most of its giving focused in the Pacific Northwest; service-area rules vary by committee. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $750,000, with a median of $14,000. It accepts requests from registered 501(c)(3) organizations through its website.
Assets
$110.5M
Grants
117
Total Given
$6.9M
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust funds nonprofit capacity-building and projects in arts and culture, civic and community services, education, health and environmental stewardship, and scientific research across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its 2024 median grant was $87,000, with awards ranging from $4,000 to about $1.55 million. Eligible organizations can submit a Letter of Inquiry; full applications are by invitation.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
The Avista Foundation
Spokane, WA
The Avista Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in education, basic needs and poverty, and economic and cultural vitality. Its 2025 grants had a median of $1,000, though awards ranged from $20 to $350,000, and it serves communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, parts of southern Oregon, Sanders County, Montana, and Juneau, Alaska.
Assets
$10.6M
Grants
577
Total Given
$2.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Washington
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kennedy-ries-family-foundation-morg_e8508e8a439b4257bda026c18212f756
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_475654237_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kennedy-ries-family-foundation-morg_e8508e8a439b4257bda026c18212f756},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Kennedy-Ries Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?