Rooted Philanthropic is a private foundation based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to strengthening and uplifting the East Side neighborhoods of Saint Paul. The foundation was originally established in 2014 as the Runyon Family Foundation and underwent a strategic expansion and rebranding in 2023 to focus specifically on the East Side community. The foundation provides financial, social, and supportive resources to efforts and organizations aligned with its mission of community development and economic empowerment.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.0M
+32.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+18.9% YoY
Grant Count
43
+104.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
-41.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rooted Philanthropic reported a distributable amount of $434K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Rooted Philanthropic supports the people of Saint Paul's East Side communities to unlock their potential by investing in their capacity, growth, and innovation.
Vision: By deliberately and thoughtfully engaging the communities of Saint Paul's East Side, building on the innovation and entrepreneurship already there, partnering with others to build capacity, and investing with revolutionary tools and resources, Rooted Philanthropic will be an innovative leader in philanthropy in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Entrepreneurship & Small Business: Supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners in creating and building sustainable economic security and generational assets
- Education: Ensuring quality education for youth, including the Future Leader Scholarship program at Hill-Murray High School (established 2019)
- Wellness: Engaging the community in healthy living and wellness initiatives
- Women's Empowerment: Supporting women-focused initiatives on the East Side
The foundation's overarching goal is to support sustainable, generational wealth, health, and well-being by breaking down systemic barriers that have historically inhibited equitable social and financial well-being.
Grantmaking
Organizations aligned with the foundation's funding interests are encouraged to complete a "Mini Letter of Inquiry" form on the foundation's grantmaking page. The foundation emphasizes being responsive and efficient in making grant decisions and distributing resources.
Review Cycle
- The majority of grants come through relationship-building and are by invitation only
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Rooted Philanthropic?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Rooted Philanthropic focuses exclusively on Saint Paul's East Side neighborhoods, specifically service areas designated as Districts D1, D2, D4, and D5. The foundation's commitment to this geographic area is rooted in the personal history of its founders, who grew up in these neighborhoods.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $8,963,867
- Total Giving: $2,370,900
- Total Revenues: $5,025,806
- Total Expenses: $3,092,168
- Number of Employees: 2
Funding Source: The Runyon Family Foundation provided $5,335,680 in 2023 for the founding of Rooted Philanthropic as a new foundation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,963,867 | $6,792,802 | — |
| Revenue | $5,025,806 | $8,296,801 | — |
| Expenses | $3,092,168 | $2,302,974 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,047,350 | $2,266,638 | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,580,988 | $103,739 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $434,267 | $222,348 | — |
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
64 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Rooted Philanthropic
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hill Murray School Foundation ($480,000), East Side Funders Group ($277,000), Local Initiative Support Corporation ($248,400).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 180 DEGREES MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| ACCESS PHILANTHROPY MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| ACHIEVE TWIN CITIES MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $875 |
| AFRICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS ST PAUL, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| ALIVENESS PROJECT MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| ASIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION ST PAUL, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,950 |
| BASIC NEEDS INC ST PAUL PARK, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CAMP ODAYIN OAKDALE, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| CARLETON COLLEGE NORTHFIELD, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $875 |
| CENTER FOR BROADCAST JOURNALISM ST PAUL, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Patrick J. Troska
- Executive Director
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 651-225-1463
Vong Thao
- Program Officer, Entrepreneurship & Small Business
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 651-316-4430
Felicia Henderson
- Program Officer, Wellness
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 651-728-7045
- Joined the foundation on May 12, 2025
- Long-time East Side resident with nearly a decade of holistic health and wellness experience
- Founder of Divine Mental Health and Wellness and Pure Balance Teen Safe Haven nonprofit
Betsy Currie
- Operations Manager
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 651-583-5338
Founders:
- Charles (Chuck) Runyon and Shannon Runyon — Co-founders with deep East Side roots. Both grew up on the East Side; Shannon graduated from Hill-Murray High School and Chuck from Johnson High School. They are co-founders of Self-Esteem Brands, which franchises health-related businesses globally, including Anytime Fitness, the world's largest franchised fitness club brand.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES RUNYON | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| SHANNON RUNYON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TONY NICHOLSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PATRICK TROSKA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $220,500 |
| VONG THAO | MANAGER | 40 | $102,937 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Foundation Expansion (May 2023):**
Rooted Philanthropic officially expanded its focus and rebranded from the Runyon Family Foundation to concentrate specifically on Saint Paul's East Side neighborhoods. The founders committed to increasing annual grantmaking and expanding the foundation's work in the community.
Rooted Philanthropic Expands to Focus on Saint Paul\u2019s East Side - Rooted\**Staff Additions:**
Felicia Henderson joined Rooted Philanthropic as Program Officer for Wellness on May 12, 2025, bringing expertise in holistic health, community wellness, and mental health support for underserved East Side youth.
Rooted Philanthropic Expands to Focus on Saint Paul\u2019s East Side - Rooted\**Grantmaking Philosophy:**
The foundation operates on the principle that "the community knows best what it needs," prioritizing relationship-building and community engagement over traditional competitive grant processes. This approach reflects a commitment to being responsive and innovative in supporting East Side initiatives.
Deeply Rooted models effective community-academic partnership to advanceContact Information
Address: 804 Margaret Street Saint Paul, MN 55106
The foundation encourages organizations doing work aligned with its funding interests to reach out through the Mini Letter of Inquiry form or direct contact with staff members.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rooted Philanthropic fund?
**Mission:** Rooted Philanthropic supports the people of Saint Paul's East Side communities to unlock their potential by investing in their capacity, growth, and innovation. **Vision:** By deliberately and thoughtfully engaging the communities of Saint Paul's East Side, building on the innovation and entrepreneurship already there, partnering with others to build capacity, and investing with revolutionary tools and resources, Rooted Philanthropic will be an innovative leader in philanthropy in …
How do I apply for a grant from Rooted Philanthropic?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $250,000–$605,000 • Grants are made on an ongoing basis without strict application deadlines • The majority of grants come through relationship-building and are by invitation only • Prospective grantees are identified through referrals, community advisors, existing grantees, relationships, and occasional RFPs **Types of Support:** • General operating support (primary mechanism) • Funding for specific training and technical assistance • Learning …
Where does Rooted Philanthropic make grants?
Rooted Philanthropic focuses exclusively on Saint Paul's East Side neighborhoods, specifically service areas designated as Districts D1, D2, D4, and D5. The foundation's commitment to this geographic area is rooted in the personal history of its founders, who grew up in these neighborhoods.
What size grants does Rooted Philanthropic award?
In 2024, Rooted Philanthropic awarded 43 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $55K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Rooted Philanthropic required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Rooted Philanthropic reported a distributable amount of $434K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Rooted Philanthropic's EIN?
Rooted Philanthropic's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-1319784. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rooted Philanthropic'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.
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