Opus Prize Foundation
The Opus Prize Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It gives the annual Opus Prize, a faith-based humanitarian award recognizing individuals and organizations working on social problems through faith-filled change and social innovation. The award consists of a $1 million laureate prize and two $100,000 prizes.
Opus Prize Foundation at a glance
In short: Opus Prize Foundation gave $1.4M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $98K), top state New York. 64% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,370,000
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $97,857
- +21.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $38,799,016
- +4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (9 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (7% 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 Opus Prize Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Opus Prize nominations are managed by university partners, and the Foundation uses a confidential process to nominate and select recipients.
- Contact
Mailing address: 101 S Phillips Ave 508, Sious Falls, SD 57104
Phone: (952) 656-4800
Website: https://opusprize.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Opus Prize Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Centre for Women Studies and Intervention ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 67 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says finalists may work anywhere in the world. Its reported 2024 grant dollars included recipients in New York and Louisiana, each with 7% of the total, and Massachusetts and Nebraska, each with 1%. The largest 2024 grant was to an organization whose location was not specified in the filing data.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Opus Prize Foundation open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 14 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $149K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% 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 $548K (2020) to $1.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Centre for Women Studies and Intervention | Honoree Sister Uti Francisca Ngozi | $1,000,000 |
| Thrive for Life Prision Project Inc New York, NY | General Operations | $100,000 |
| Jesuit Refugee Service Romania | Honoree Catalin and Bianca Albu | $100,000 |
| Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA | Hosting Opus Prize Ceremony | $90,000 |
| TeamLift Inc Omaha, NE | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Security fence and water tank | $15,000 |
| Eagle Valley Land Trust Edwards, CO | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Marianas Alliance for Growth of Islanders Beaverton, OR | Marianas Festival | $10,000 |
| Edina Crime Prevention Fund Minneapolis, MN | General Operations | $10,000 |
| The Gray House Springfield, MA | 50% General Operations and 50% Food | $6,000 |
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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 | $38,799,016 | $5,183,744 | $1,777,323 | $1,370,000 | 14 | $1,632,708 | $4,516,622 | $1,818,292 |
| 2023 | $36,976,556 | $1,544,524 | $1,842,768 | $1,367,500 | 17 | $1,631,278 | $735,961 | $1,658,267 |
| 2022 | $33,432,522 | $1,254,713 | $1,805,339 | $1,443,000 | 16 | $1,649,525 | $1,365,485 | $1,665,179 |
| 2021 | $36,786,411 | $6,240,281 | $1,398,783 | $1,220,000 | 8 | $1,370,101 | $8,600,919 | $1,567,911 |
| 2020 | $31,832,946 | $2,891,670 | $713,786 | $548,000 | 12 | — | $981,081 | $1,411,873 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Opus Prize Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M 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
The Foundation describes its purpose as recognizing people and organizations that champion faith-filled change, both to expand their humanitarian work and to inspire others to serve. Its selection values include social entrepreneurship, transformational leadership, sustainable change, faith, unsung heroes, and a life of service. It looks for locally rooted approaches that address the causes of social problems as well as immediate needs.
Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Xavier University of Louisiana says its mission is to prepare students for leadership and service in pursuit of a more just and humane society. The Gray House describes its work as providing food, clothing, and educational services to neighbors facing hardship. Homework House says it provides free tutoring and mentoring for children at risk of academic failure.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reported 14 grants totaling $1,370,000 in 2024. Individual grants ranged from $1,500 to $1,000,000, with a median of $10,000. In 2023, it reported 17 grants totaling $1,367,500. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 14 grants totaling $1.4 million.
The largest reported 2024 grants included $1,000,000 to the Centre for Women Studies and Intervention in honor of Sister Uti Francisca Ngozi; $100,000 to Thrive for Life Prison Project Inc. for general operations; and $100,000 to Jesuit Refugee Service Romania in honor of Catalin and Bianca Albu. Other notable grants were $90,000 to Xavier University of Louisiana to host the Opus Prize ceremony and $15,000 to TeamLift Inc. for general operations.
Nominations are managed by university partners through a confidential process; the Foundation does not accept unsolicited nominations. The prize grant is awarded to the nominee’s organization in honor of the work of its team. The organization must be a legally incorporated, nongovernmental, publicly recognized charitable organization with IRS tax-exempt status or an international equivalent. The Foundation states there are no formal restrictions on use of the award other than that it must advance the recipient organization’s work.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kristine Rauenhorst as Chair/Director; Michael Rauenhorst as Vice Chair/Director; Tammy Crosby and Carol Slatter as Vice Presidents; Nat Robinson as Treasurer/Director; Judy Doerr as Secretary/Director; Katie Scharfbillig as Tax Officer; Julie Goldman as Officer In Training; and Sr Eneless Chimbali and Sr Annette McDermott as Directors.
Opus Prize Foundation is led by Kristine Rauenhorst, Chair & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2021); 3 of 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristine Rauenhorst
Chair & Director
Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2023
Vice Chair & Director → Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judy Doerr
Secretary & Director
Director → Secretary & Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Rauenhorst
Vice Chair & Director
Director → Chair & Director, 2022
Chair & Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nat Robinson
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sr Annette McDermott
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sr Eneless Chimbali
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carol Slatter
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
$1K (2022) → $2K (2024)
Katie Scharfbillig
Tax Officer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2022) → $7K (2024)
Tammy Crosby
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1.2 hrs/week
$6K (2022) → $6K (2024)
Julie Goldman
Officer in Training
Director → Officer in Training, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Dan McGinty (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Johnson (2020–2022) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Joseph Rauenhorst (2020–2021) — Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary & Director
- Former: Stephanie Russell (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Susan Turner (2020–2021) — Director · Filing note: Until dec
- Former: Margaret Green-Rauenhorst (2020) — Chair
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $7K, to Katie Scharfbillig (Tax Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Opus Prize Foundation
How much does Opus Prize Foundation give each year?
Opus Prize Foundation gave $1.4M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 17 grants.
What is Opus Prize Foundation's typical grant size?
Opus Prize Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $97,857, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Opus Prize Foundation that year got $149K on average.
Where does Opus Prize Foundation give grants?
Opus Prize Foundation's top state is New York, with 7% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Louisiana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Springfield, MA (2 grants).
Does Opus Prize Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 43% of Opus Prize Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Opus Prize Foundation's largest grantees?
Opus Prize Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Centre for Women Studies and Intervention ($1,000,000), Thrive for Life Prision Project Inc ($100,000) and Jesuit Refugee Service Romania ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Opus Prize Foundation?
Opus Prize Foundation reported $38.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (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 Opus Prize Foundation fund?
The Foundation describes its purpose as recognizing people and organizations that champion faith-filled change, both to expand their humanitarian work and to inspire others to serve. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Opus Prize Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Opus Prize Foundation's EIN?
Opus Prize Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-0434399. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Opus Prize 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Opus Prize Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/opus-prize-foundation-morg_ae152d58153e4550828882a11d666843
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_460434399_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Opus Prize Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/opus-prize-foundation-morg_ae152d58153e4550828882a11d666843},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-01. 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 Opus Prize 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.
Opus Prize Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?