Rural Futures Fund
Rural Futures Fund is a private foundation, based in Yarmouth, ME. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $321K. Net investment income was $25K.
Rural Futures Fund at a glance
In short: Rural Futures Fund gave $321K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $107K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $320,994
- +65.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -40.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $106,998
- +176.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Primary geography
- Maine (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Rural Futures Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rural Youth Institute ($311K). Together the top 3 received $321K.
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 24 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Rural Futures Fund gives
- Giving fell 53% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $194K (2024) to $683K (2022). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $321K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rural Youth Institute Portland, ME | General Operating Support | $310,666 |
| University of Maine Orono, ME | Funding support for the Bryant Pond 4-H Camp and Learning Center; Aspirations Incubator Program | $10,000 |
| Maine Philanthropy Center Portland, ME | General Operating Support | $328 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $26,262 | $783,036 | $320,994 | 3 | $779,858 | $24,975 | $21,418 |
| 2024 | $767,887 | $66,536 | $618,299 | $193,725 | 5 | $615,888 | $65,324 | $47,789 |
| 2023 | $1,319,650 | $144,138 | $657,173 | $212,704 | 5 | $653,165 | $123,163 | $79,474 |
| 2022 | $1,857,304 | $65,392 | $1,076,058 | $683,068 | 5 | $1,056,972 | $74,278 | $123,660 |
| 2021 | $3,002,762 | $379,970 | $1,084,186 | $610,466 | 6 | $1,056,863 | $365,068 | $170,661 |
| 2020 | $3,813,892 | $332,272 | $1,096,199 | $580,776 | 7 | — | $250,543 | $205,583 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rural Futures Fund reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Rural Futures Fund is led by Owen McCarthy, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 7 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Owen McCarthy
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan C Ruch
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Bonebakker
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Hudacs
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lowell Libby
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin M Cinelli
Associate Director & Secretary
Executive Director → Associate Director & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$115K (2020) → $100K (2025)
Sarah Campbell
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Catharine Biddle PhD (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jon Doty (2023–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Eliot R Cutler (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Justin Schair (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Megan Taft (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Melanie S Cutler MD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: William H Foster PhD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Krystal Williams (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $100K, to Erin M Cinelli (Associate Director and Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Rural Futures Fund
How much does Rural Futures Fund give each year?
Rural Futures Fund gave $321K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $194K across 5 grants.
What is Rural Futures Fund's typical grant size?
Rural Futures Fund's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $106,998, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Rural Futures Fund give grants?
Rural Futures Fund gives mostly in Maine: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (2 grants).
Does Rural Futures Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 67% of Rural Futures Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
How much is Rural Futures Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Rural Futures Fund reported a distributable amount of $21K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Rural Futures Fund's EIN?
Rural Futures Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8797462. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
Live grants for the work Rural Futures Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rural Futures Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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More similar funders
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Figures come from Rural Futures Fund'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.
Rural Futures Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?