Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation
The Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation is a private foundation based in Willis, Texas. Its 2025 grants went primarily to Texas organizations, supporting work in education, community services, health, the arts, and other areas represented by its grantees.
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation at a glance
In short: Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation gave $2.2M across 62 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,214,250
- +10.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 62
- +26.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,714
- -12.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $37,248,033
- -1.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9582 Escondido Drive, Willis, TX 77318
Phone: (936) 228-2226
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Breakthrough Central Texas ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
228 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 160 grants of 228 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas and 1% to recipients in Ohio. The filing also lists recipient shares of 0% for New York, Maryland, and Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
Cities
How Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation gives
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2020) to $2.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 62 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Breakthrough Central Texas Austin, TX | Pathways to Opportunity Campaign | $250,000 |
| Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX | Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series | $225,000 |
| The Seton Fund Austin, TX | Women First Campaign & Dell Seton | $225,000 |
| The SAFE Alliance Austin, TX | General Support and The Sasha | $120,000 |
| Creative Action Austin, TX | Community Arts Collaborative | $100,000 |
| Snowdrop Foundation Inc Houston, TX | General Support | $100,000 |
| Sustainable Food Center Austin, TX | General Support | $100,000 |
| Camp for All Houston, TX | Blazing New Trails Capital Campaign | $75,000 |
| First United Methodist Church of Houston Houston, TX | Downtown Campus Maintenance | $75,000 |
| Communities in Schools of Central Texas Austin, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,248,033 | $1,702,637 | $2,395,110 | $2,214,250 | 62 | $2,266,518 | $1,640,868 | $2,255,899 |
| 2024 | $37,940,506 | $1,994,210 | $2,174,046 | $2,001,000 | 49 | $2,049,699 | $1,819,500 | $2,155,093 |
| 2023 | $38,120,342 | $747,056 | $2,139,278 | $1,985,000 | 44 | $2,026,801 | $634,579 | $2,035,661 |
| 2022 | $39,755,509 | — | $2,580,215 | $2,465,000 | 44 | $2,465,000 | $1,499,169 | $2,087,237 |
| 2021 | $41,573,800 | $10,156,136 | $2,226,478 | $2,100,000 | 29 | $2,100,000 | $10,029,658 | — |
| 2020 | $33,704,509 | $3,295,779 | $2,032,979 | $1,926,000 | 15 | — | $3,188,800 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2025 — 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 2025 grants included support for a university, social-service organizations, arts and food-system programs, and charitable campaigns and facilities.
Grantees describe their work in their own terms: Stephen F Austin State University supports the university and its students; The SAFE Alliance assists individuals and families impacted by child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault; and Sustainable Food Center says it transforms the food system to nourish health, land, and livelihood. Creative Action describes partnering with schools and communities to help young people develop life skills and creative expression. Snowdrop Foundation says it provides scholarships for college-bound pediatric cancer patients and childhood cancer survivors while raising funds and awareness for research. DePelchin Children’s Center focuses on children’s mental and physical well-being, while Communities in Schools of an individual recipient provides holistic student support. Ronald McDonald House Charities of an individual recipient provides lodging and support services to families with critically ill or injured children.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 62 grants totaling $2,214,250 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median of $15,000. Its largest 2025 awards included $250,000 to an individual recipient for the Pathways to Opportunity Campaign; $225,000 each to Stephen F Austin State University for the Rusche Distinguished Lecture Series and The Seton Fund for the Women First Campaign & Dell Seton; and $120,000 to The SAFE Alliance for general support and The Sasha. Other notable grants included $100,000 each to Creative Action, Snowdrop Foundation, and Sustainable Food Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Suzanne R Jefferys as President/Treasurer, Holly Michele Rosas as Executive Director/Vice President/Secretary/Director, and Jordan Jefferys Hatfield as Vice President/Director.
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation is led by Holly Michele Rosas, Executive Director, Vice President, Secretary & Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Holly Michele Rosas
Executive Director, Vice President, Secretary & Director
Secretary & Director → Secretary, Vice President & Director, 2022
Secretary, Vice President & Director → Executive Director, Vice President, Secretary & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$43K (2023) → $51K (2025)
Suzanne R Jefferys
President & Treasurer
President & Treasurer → President, Treasurer & Director, 2023
President, Treasurer & Director → President & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jordan Jefferys Hatfield
Vice President & Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jordan Brooke Jefferys (2020–2024) — Vice President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $51K, to Holly Michele Rosas (Exec Director/VP/Sec/Director).
Frequently asked questions about Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation
How much does Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation give each year?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation gave $2.2M across 62 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.0M across 49 grants.
What is Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's typical grant size?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $35,714, across 62 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation give grants?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (29 grants), Houston, TX (8 grants), Nacogdoches, TX (5 grants) and Conroe, TX (3 grants).
Does Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 73% of Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 62) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's largest grantees?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Breakthrough Central Texas ($250,000), Stephen F Austin State University ($250,000 across 2 grants) and The Seton Fund ($225,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation reported $37.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a university, social-service organizations, arts and food-system programs, and charitable campaigns and facilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's EIN?
Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1741790. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 27, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mr-and-mrs-nelson-rusche-foundation-morg_73004c4dfb164c6d950f8cc9cc46da0c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311741790_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mr-and-mrs-nelson-rusche-foundation-morg_73004c4dfb164c6d950f8cc9cc46da0c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Mr and Mrs Nelson Rusche 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.
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