Rauner Family Foundation

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 36-3993405

The Rauner Family Foundation is a private foundation established in Illinois in 1995 and based in New York, NY. It serves as the primary philanthropic vehicle of Bruce and Diana Rauner, a Chicago-area couple. The foundation maintains a low profile and does not accept unsolicited requests for funding.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$3.3M

-2.7% YoY

Grant Count

+33.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$163K

-27.1% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include:

Education reform
Environment and natural resources
Health and human services
Policy
Veterans causes
Jewish causes
Community and economic development
Higher education

Education reform is identified as the foundation's top concern, with particular focus on education initiatives in Chicago.

Grantmaking

How to Apply

** The foundation does not maintain a website and does not provide a clear means of contact for grantseekers. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests. Prospective grantees are advised to network to gain the foundation's attention.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

While much of the foundation's grantmaking remains concentrated in the Chicago area, it supports organizations nationally. Funding has been documented in Illinois, Florida, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

Illinois $9.7M (60%)

Florida $2.5M (16%)

District of Columbia $1.2M (7%)

Virginia $1.1M (7%)

New York $470K (3%)

Massachusetts $360K (2%)

New Hampshire $300K (2%)

Montana $240K (1%)

+3 more states

States

California District of Columbia Florida Illinois Massachusetts Mississippi Montana New Hampshire New York Utah Virginia

Cities

ARLINGTONBOSTONCAMBRIDGECHANNAHONCHICAGOCORAL GABLESHANOVERHANOVERNLIVINGSTONLOUISEMARSEILLESNEW YORKNEW YORKNNORTH MIAMIPALMETTO BAYPARK CITYSAN FRANCISCOTALLAHASSEEWASHINGTONWHEATON

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $55,468,406
Total Revenues: $2,448,280
Total Expenses: $4,080,444
Investment Income and Dividends: $895,925
Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $1,291,398

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $56,781,112
Total Giving: $3,268,020

Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2021
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

68 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Environmental Defense Fund ($1,000,000), Start Early ($1,000,000), Everglades Foundation ($250,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$50,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL	$1,000,000
EVERGLADES FOUNDATION PALMETTO BAY, FL	GENERAL	$250,000
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL	$25,000
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MIAMI NORTH MIAMI, FL	GENERAL	$5,000
NATIONAL PARKS & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$25,000
NATURE CONSERVANCY - MT ARLINGTON, VA	GENERAL	$50,000
PLAN A HEALTH LOUISE, MS	GENERAL	$25,000
ROGER BALDWIN FTDN REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL	$150,000
START EARLY CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL	$1,000,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Bruce Rauner — President

Former Governor of Illinois (2015-2019)
Co-founder and former Chairman of GTCR (Golder Thoma Cressey Rauner), a private equity firm
Dartmouth College graduate with an M.B.A. from Harvard

Diana Rauner — Vice President and Treasurer

Executive Director of Ounce of Prevention Fund

David Casper — Board Member

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BRUCE V RAUNER	PRESIDENT	1	—
DIANA M RAUNER	VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER, SECRETARY	1	—
DAVID R CASPER	DIRECTOR	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Religion Related

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Rauner Family Foundation fund?

The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include: • Education reform • Environment and natural resources • Health and human services • Policy • Veterans causes • Jewish causes • Community and economic development • Higher education Education reform is identified as the foundation's top concern, with particular focus on education initiatives in Chicago.

How do I apply for a grant from Rauner Family Foundation?

**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $3,020 to $1,000,000. **Recent Grants (2023):** • Start Early: $1,000,000 • The Everglades Foundation: $250,000 • Lawndale Educational and Regional Network Charter School: $100,000 **Historical Notable Grants:** • Chicago Public Education Fund: $1,000,000 • Noble Network of Charter Schools: $800,000 • Chicago International Charter School: $500,000 • Donors Trust: $500,000 (2011) and $200,000 (2012) **Application Process:** The foundation does not mai…

Where does Rauner Family Foundation make grants?

While much of the foundation's grantmaking remains concentrated in the Chicago area, it supports organizations nationally. Funding has been documented in Illinois, Florida, and New York.