Ruffo Family Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Racine, WI EIN: 82-5171174

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Racine, Wisconsin. It makes grants to charitable organizations working in education; arts and culture; healthcare; cancer prevention, treatment and research; and local community improvement.

Key facts about Ruffo Family Foundation Inc

In short: Ruffo Family Foundation Inc gave $331K across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Wisconsin. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
82-5171174
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$330,500
Grants made (2025)
36
Average grant
$9,181
Median grant
$3,000
New grantees (estimate)
17% first-time grantees (6 of 36, 2025)
Total assets
$3,247,595
Primary geography
Wisconsin (70% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.2M

+4.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$331K

+17.4% YoY

Grant Count

36

+16.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+1.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruffo Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $305K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Ruffo Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

17%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 6 of 36 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $11K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 130% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation states that its grantmaking supports education, arts and culture, healthcare, cancer prevention, treatment and research, and organizations seeking to improve local communities.

Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span these areas. The Racine Zoological Society describes its work as fostering an affordable wildlife experience that strengthens the bond between people and nature, while providing recreation and education, conserving wildlife and wild places, and advancing science. The Prairie School describes its mission as K–12 education in a private school setting. The Racine Art Museum Association says it exhibits, collects, preserves, and educates in contemporary visual arts.

Other grantees describe work in community funding and student support, university advancement, sexual and reproductive health services and education, and support for girls and young women in Africa. The foundation’s 2025 grants also included general operating support for healthcare and cancer-related organizations.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 36 grants totaling $330,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $88,000, with a median of $3,000. Its filing states that grants were provided to 35 exempt organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, Wisconsin recipients received 70% of grant dollars. New York received 11%, Massachusetts 8%, Virginia 4%, and Texas 2%.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.

Cities

RacineNew YorkMilwaukeeKenoshaAlexandriaCaryDallasSan FranciscoSouth HadleyIthacaMount PleasantTopekaJacksonvilleMadisonWind PointIthicaDoylestownNorthamptonWaitsfield

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K21 grants2019 24 grants2020 24 grants2021 31 grants2022 30 grants2023 31 grants2024 36 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $91K (2019) to $331K (2025). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $331K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Racine Zoological Society: $88KRacine Zoological Society$88KThe Prairie School: $50KThe Prairie School$50KMount Holyoke College: $27KMount Holyoke College$27KRacine Art Museum Association: $22KRacine Art Museum Association$22KCornell University: $20KCornell University$20KRacine Community Foundation: $15KRacine Community Foundation$15KUniversity of Wisconsin Foundation: $10KUniversity of WisconsinFoundation$10KPlanned Parenthood of Wisconsin Inc: $8KPlanned Parenthood ofWisconsin Inc$8KFoundation for the Advancement of Human Systems: $6KFoundation for the Advancementof Human Systems$6KSusan G Komen Cancer Foundation Inc: $6KSusan G Komen CancerFoundation Inc$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was Racine Zoological Society ($88K). Together the top 10 received $252K.

Grant Size Distribution

152 grants across all recorded years

149<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 152 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Racine Zoological Society Racine, WI$85,000 to support the capital campaign and $3,000 in general operating support$88,000
The Prairie School Wind Point, WI$17,500 to support the prairie fund, $5,000 for the prairie premiere scholarship program, $25,000 for the ruffo family scholarship fund, and $2,500 to sponsor the golf outing.$50,000
Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MASupport the Mount Holyoke Fund$27,000
Racine Art Museum Association Racine, WI$2,000 for savor artist stipend and $20,000 in general operating support$22,000
Cornell University Ithaca, NYSupport the samuel curtis johnson graduate school of management$20,000
Racine Community Foundation Racine, WISupport the Ruffo Family Fund$15,000
University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WISupport the Great People Scholarship Fund$10,000
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Inc Milwaukee, WIGeneral Operating Support$7,500
Foundation for the Advancement of Human Systems Alexandria, VAGeneral Operating Support$6,000
Susan G Komen Cancer Foundation Inc Dallas, TXGeneral Operating Support$6,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2025 $330,500 36
2024 $281,500 31
2023 $199,965 30
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$3,247,595$3,118,867$3,026,193
Revenue$477,014$389,908$336,091
Expenses$348,271$297,234$213,147
Qualifying Distributions$334,708$286,375$204,373
Net Investment Income$469,667$388,572$340,171
Distributable Amount$304,883$301,717$247,107

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 3, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 19, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Richard Ruffo as president and treasurer, Diane Ruffo as vice president and secretary, and Elena Ruffo and Nicholas Ruffo as board members.

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc is led by Richard Ruffo, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Richard Ruffo

    President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Diane Ruffo

    Vice President & Secretary

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elena Ruffo

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicholas Ruffo

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 44656, Racine, WI 53404-7014
Phone: (262) 994-5550

Frequently asked questions about Ruffo Family Foundation Inc

How much does Ruffo Family Foundation Inc give each year?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc gave $331K across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $282K across 31 grants.

What is Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $9,181, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ruffo Family Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.

Where does Ruffo Family Foundation Inc give grants?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (11%) and Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Racine, WI (12 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Alexandria, VA (3 grants) and Milwaukee, WI (3 grants).

Does Ruffo Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 86% of Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (31 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Racine Zoological Society ($88,000), The Prairie School ($50,000) and Mount Holyoke College ($27,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Ruffo Family Foundation Inc?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $335K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $305K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Ruffo Family Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation states that its grantmaking supports education, arts and culture, healthcare, cancer prevention, treatment and research, and organizations seeking to improve local communities. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Ruffo Family Foundation Inc?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Ruffo Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5171174. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Ruffo Family Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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