Rasmuson Foundation
Rasmuson Foundation is a private foundation based in Anchorage, Alaska. Founded in 1955, it supports people, nonprofits, communities, and tribes through grants and collaborative initiatives, with a mission of empowering Alaskans to help each other.
Rasmuson Foundation at a glance
In short: Rasmuson Foundation gave $17.7M across 300 grants in 2024 (avg $59K), mostly in Alaska. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $17,659,981
- -39.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 300
- -57.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $58,867
- +41.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $845,447,369
- +11.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (70 of 233, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Alaska (98% 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 Rasmuson Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation says application information is available online. Tier 1, Community Support, and Legacy applicants should consult the relevant program guidelines; Tier 1 applications are accepted year-round and reviewed on a rolling basis. The foundation’s filing lists tax-exempt charitable organizations, government entities, and tribes among eligible applicants, and Alaska-resident individuals for applicable awards. It also states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states that Tier 1 and Tier 2 programs have no deadlines; arts grants and sabbatical awards follow the schedule provided by the foundation. Tier 1 applications are accepted year-round. The 2027 sabbatical cycle closed June 23, 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states that Tier 1 and Tier 2 programs have no deadlines; arts grants and sabbatical awards follow the…
- Contact
Application contact: Grants Manager
Mailing address: 301 W Northern Lights Blvd 601, Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 297-2700
Website: https://rasmuson.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Rasmuson Foundation
Distinguished Artist Awards
Rasmuson Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Fellowship Award Grant
Rasmuson Foundation
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Program-Related Investments Grant
Rasmuson Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Rasmuson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alaska Community Foundation ($2.7M across 8 grants). Together the top 10 received $8.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,948 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,580 grants of 2,948 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its grantmaking as covering all regions of Alaska and focuses its giving on Alaskans and Alaska organizations. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alaska; the remaining reported shares were DC 1%, with ME, MA, and WA each reported at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 300 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Rasmuson Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 70 of 233 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $52K; repeat grants $86K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 67% 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 $17.7M (2024) to $33.3M (2022). In 2024 it made 300 grants totaling $17.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage Community Land Trust Anchorage, AK | Food Business Incubator Facility | $1,000,000 |
| Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing Services Fairbanks, AK | Fairbanks Vacant/Blighted Housing Project | $1,000,000 |
| The Alaska Community Foundation Anchorage, AK | Affiliate Program | $1,000,000 |
| The Alaska Community Foundation Anchorage, AK | Support Camp Organizations Statewide | $1,000,000 |
| Alaska State Council on the Arts Anchorage, AK | Support Regranting and Flexible Fund Deployment | $750,000 |
| Residential Youth Care Inc Ketchikan, AK | Community Youth Center in Ketchikan | $600,000 |
| The Foraker Group Anchorage, AK | Sustaining Support | $600,000 |
| Juneau Housing First Collaborative Juneau, AK | Forget-Me-Not Manor: Phase 3 | $500,000 |
| University of Alaska Foundation Anchorage, AK | Ansep Acceleration Academy 10-Year Program | $500,000 |
| City of Soldotna Soldotna, AK | Soldotna Field House | $450,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Rasmuson 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 | $845,447,369 | $69,322,125 | $35,448,161 | $17,659,981 | 300 | $27,799,669 | $48,962,080 | $41,247,635 |
| 2023 | $760,803,239 | $48,146,136 | $38,384,353 | $29,327,665 | 706 | $42,383,831 | $45,640,087 | $35,098,385 |
| 2022 | $730,166,438 | $33,697,600 | $51,456,121 | $33,313,519 | 569 | $45,120,577 | $9,125,892 | $38,987,883 |
| 2021 | $851,377,242 | $102,826,089 | $45,783,594 | $26,825,360 | 716 | $34,644,043 | $99,122,743 | $38,955,770 |
| 2020 | $728,627,304 | $34,221,224 | $34,405,734 | $21,477,222 | 657 | — | $23,050,204 | $34,037,847 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rasmuson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $41.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is “to empower Alaskans to help each other.” Its vision is an Alaska where people, cultures, and communities are thriving. The foundation says it invests in people, nonprofits, communities, and tribes, and brings people together to address community priorities.
Its grant guidelines name Alaska nonprofits, tribes, and local government entities as partners. Nonprofits applying for Tier 1, Community Support, or Legacy grants should generally have 501(c)(3) status; individuals may not apply to those three programs. Faith-based organizations may apply for projects with broad community impact, but not projects that primarily benefit a congregation or advance an individual religion.
The foundation supports projects across a wide range of needs, from small capital purchases and technology upgrades to construction, renovation, and significant strategic projects. Among its 2024 grantees, Anchorage Community Land Trust describes its work as neighborhood revitalization and economic development; Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing Services describes its work as preserving and revitalizing quality, affordable housing; and Juneau Housing First Collaborative describes its mission as ending homelessness through housing and connection to services. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 300 grants totaling $17,659,981 in 2024. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $1 million, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest reported awards included $1 million each to Anchorage Community Land Trust for a food business incubator facility, Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing Services for a vacant and blighted housing project, and The Alaska Community Foundation for its affiliate program and support for camp organizations statewide. Other large awards included $750,000 to an individual recipient Council on the Arts for regranting and flexible fund deployment, and $600,000 to Residential Youth Care for a community youth center in Ketchikan.
The foundation describes Tier 1 grants as year-round, rolling awards of up to $35,000, primarily for small capital projects and one-time investments. Community Support grants may provide up to $250,000 for capital or programmatic projects, while Legacy grants exceed $250,000 and may support significant capital projects, strategically important programs, or innovative solutions with broad community or statewide significance. Strategic grants are by invitation. The foundation also offers program-related investments, artist awards, and a Sabbatical Program. Its website states that Project Awards will open in 2027; the 2027 sabbatical application period, which closed June 23, 2026, has passed.
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes direct charitable activity that included an Individual Artist Award program and a low-interest loan to Alaska Children’s Institute for the Performing Arts for construction of Triumvirate Theater. It also describes a Sabbatical Program that awards five to seven grants to nonprofit and tribal executives.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing were Adam Gibbons, chair; Natasha Von Imhof, vice chair; Jay Gibbons, secretary/treasurer; and directors Cathryn Rasmuson, Lile R. Gibbons, Judy Rasmuson, Togi Letuligasenoa, Mike Navarre, Marilyn Romano, and Curtis McQueen.
Rasmuson Foundation is led by Gretchen Guess, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 4 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gretchen Guess
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$398K (2023) → $520K (2024)
Adam Gibbons
Chair
Director → Chairman, 2021
Chairman → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cathryn Rasmuson
Director
Vice Chairman → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Curtis McQueen
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Rasmuson
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lile R. Gibbons
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marilyn Romano
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Navarre
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angela Salazar
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Hurlburt
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Togi Letuligasenoa
Director
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Perez
Vice President Programs
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$254K (2023) → $283K (2024)
Natasha Pineda
Vice President Strategy
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$179K (2023) → $268K (2024)
Robert Doehl
Vice President Operations
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$223K (2023) → $235K (2024)
Jay Gibbons
Secretary & Treasurer
Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natasha Von Imhof
Vice Chair
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice Chairman, 2021
Vice Chairman → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Alexandra K. McKay (2020–2023) — Former Vice President Programs
- Former: Angela S. Cox (2020–2023) — Former Vice President External Affairs
- Former: Julee Farley (2020–2023) — Former Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Rebecca Brice-Henderson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey C. Baird (2021–2023) — Former Chief of Staff
- Former: Sammye Pokryfky (2023) — Interim President & CEO
- Former: Diane S. Kaplan (2020–2022) — President & CEO
- Former: Edward B. Rasmuson (2020–2021) — Chairman Emeritus
- Former: Jason Metrokin (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Deborah Bitney (2020) — Vice President Finance & Administrator
- Former: Jeffery Baird (2020) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Kris Norosz (2020) — Director
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 $520K, to Gretchen Guess (President/CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Rasmuson Foundation
How much does Rasmuson Foundation give each year?
Rasmuson Foundation gave $17.7M across 300 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $29.3M across 706 grants.
What is Rasmuson Foundation's typical grant size?
Rasmuson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $58,867, across 300 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rasmuson Foundation that year got $52K on average.
Where does Rasmuson Foundation give grants?
Rasmuson Foundation gives mostly in Alaska: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Anchorage, AK (148 grants), Fairbanks, AK (27 grants), Wasilla, AK (15 grants) and Ketchikan, AK (14 grants).
Does Rasmuson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of Rasmuson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (137 of 300) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Sabbatical Award" (6 grants).
Who are Rasmuson Foundation's largest grantees?
Rasmuson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alaska Community Foundation ($2,665,460 across 8 grants), Fairbanks Neighborhood Housing Services ($1,100,000 across 2 grants) and Anchorage Community Land Trust ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Rasmuson Foundation?
Rasmuson Foundation reported $845.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $41.2M (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 Rasmuson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is “to empower Alaskans to help each other.” Its vision is an Alaska where people, cultures, and communities are thriving. The foundation says it invests in people, nonprofits, communities, and tribes, and brings people together to address community priorities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rasmuson Foundation?
The foundation says application information is available online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rasmuson Foundation's EIN?
Rasmuson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6340739. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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 Rasmuson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Rasmuson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rasmuson-foundation-morg_07596e3422e5407aa2863be47fc8c89e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916340739_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Rasmuson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rasmuson-foundation-morg_07596e3422e5407aa2863be47fc8c89e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 Rasmuson 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.
Rasmuson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?