Rmlow Foundation
RMLOW Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 2011, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors including education, human services, and community development.
Key facts about Rmlow Foundation
- EIN
- 27-5255976
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $504,737
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- Average grant
- $9,013
- Median grant
- $3,300
- Total assets
- $1,836,264
- Primary geography
- California (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation operates on a preselected grantees model, typically selecting recipients rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Rmlow Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Rmlow Foundation's 56 itemized 2024 grants were California (51%), Minnesota (18%) and New York (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (29 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Oakland, CA (4 grants) and Berkeley, CA (3 grants). None of its 56 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Development" (19 grants), "Social Improvement" (13 grants) and "Religion" (11 grants).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
-2.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$505K
+3.3% YoY
Grant Count
56
-5.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+8.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rmlow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $98K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking reflects interests in:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Community Development
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on a preselected grantees model, typically selecting recipients rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
Grant Range
$3,300
Average Grant
amount: $8,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Rmlow Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding regions include:
- California (primary focus)
- New York
- Virginia
- Minnesota
The foundation's grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states, with California, New York, and Minnesota accounting for 88% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 56 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $1.89 million
- Total Revenue: $702,000
- Total Expenses: $978,000
- Total Liabilities: $280,000
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $1.836 million
- Total Giving: $504,737
Annual Income: $1.2 million (reported)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,836,264 | $1,887,982 | $2,002,886 |
| Revenue | $1,054,406 | $701,890 | $1,898,060 |
| Expenses | $1,174,950 | $977,999 | $653,860 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,061,621 | $900,700 | $574,587 |
| Net Investment Income | $808,915 | $636,621 | $874,279 |
| Distributable Amount | $97,503 | $138,904 | $158,428 |
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
233 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Crop Organization ($60,000), North Hennepin Community College Foundation ($60,000), Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CROP ORGANIZATION OAKLAND, CA | COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | $60,000 |
| NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION BROOKLYN PARK, MN | EDUCATION | $60,000 |
| PEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC NEW YORK, NY | RELIGION | $50,000 |
| 13TH TRIBE SAUSALITO, CA | RELIGION | $37,800 |
| COLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICA DULUTH, MN | EDUCATION | $30,000 |
| HOLLINS UNIVERSITY ROANOKE, VA | EDUCATION | $30,000 |
| THE KITCHEN SAN FRANCISCO, CA | COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | $24,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, MD | EDUCATION | $20,000 |
| CHABAD OF COLE VALLEY SAN FRANCISCO, CA | RELIGION | $19,800 |
| CONVERGENCE CENTER FOR POLICY RESOLUTION WASHINGTON, DC | SOCIAL IMPROVEMENT | $18,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Roger M. Low — Director and President of RMLOW Foundation. Roger has been active in the Bay Area nonprofit community, including board memberships with CROP Organization and Camp Tawonga. He previously chaired the Governance Committee at Camp Tawonga and served on the boards of Temple Emanu-El and The Imagine Bus Project. Roger ran Parallax Fund, an investment fund, for over 20 years.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROGER M LOW | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Roger M. Low, President of RMLOW Foundation, co-founded Kaleidoscope, an organization focused on creating environments for human connection among nonprofit leaders. The initiative began with three dinner conversations hosted by Low in his San Francisco home in summer 2013, bringing together board members, executive directors, and senior leaders from the nonprofit sector. Kaleidoscope has since evolved to focus on stakeholders involved in the lives of people returning to the Bay Area from incarceration, launching cohorts including the Leadership Cohort and Community Cohort in partnership with CROP.
GLCF Awards $700,000 to 47 Nonprofit Organizations - InsideLowellSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rmlow Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking reflects interests in: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community Development
How do I apply for a grant from Rmlow Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $18,000 to $78,000 • Median grant size: $3,300 • Average grant amount: $8,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $104 to $78,000 **Application Process:** The foundation operates on a preselected grantees model, typically selecting recipients rather than accepting unsolicited proposals. **Recent Activity:** • 2024: 56 grants distributed, totaling $504,737 • 2023: 59 grants distributed, totaling $489,000 • 2022: 72 grants distributed,…
Where does Rmlow Foundation make grants?
Primary funding regions include: • California (primary focus) • New York • Virginia • Minnesota The foundation's grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states, with California, New York, and Minnesota accounting for 88% of all grants.
What size grants does Rmlow Foundation award?
In 2024, Rmlow Foundation awarded 56 grants totaling $505K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Rmlow Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Rmlow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $98K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Rmlow Foundation's EIN?
Rmlow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-5255976. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rmlow Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.