The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2026 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with recipients including universities, conservation organizations, and other nonprofits.
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation at a glance
In short: The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation gave $2.6M across 95 grants in 2026 (avg $27K), top state New York. 54% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $2,606,234
- +163.5% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 95
- +120.9% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $27,434
- +19.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,300
- Total assets
- $4,022,068
- +68.2% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (39 of 72, 2026)
- Primary geography
- New York (43% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 Third Avenue 40Th Floor, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 446-9300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Brown University ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
230 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 213 grants of 230 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 43% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 39% to recipients in Rhode Island, 7% to recipients in the District of Columbia, 5% to recipients in Colorado, and 2% to recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 95 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 39 of 72 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $66K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 31% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 1970% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $126K (2023) to $2.6M (2026). In 2026 it made 95 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brown University Providence, RI | Public Charities | $1,004,187 |
| Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Bronx, NY | Public Charities | $319,570 |
| Aspen Institute Aspen, CO | Public Charities | $101,376 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Public Charities | $101,376 |
| Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine New York, NY | Public Charities | $50,486 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Public Charities | $50,289 |
| Hopewell Fund Washington, DC | Public Charities | $50,165 |
| Jane Goodall Institute (The) Washington, DC | Public Charities | $35,028 |
| Ziggy's Refuge Farm Animal Sanctuary Providence, NC | Public Charities | $27,468 |
| Wild Tomorrow Fund (WTF) New York, NY | Public Charities | $25,799 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,022,068 | $2,026,047 | $2,608,987 | $2,606,234 | 95 | $2,606,234 | $26,087 | $169,258 |
| 2025 | $2,391,545 | $1,141,216 | $994,003 | $988,983 | 43 | $989,033 | $137,037 | $138,391 |
| 2024 | $3,332,683 | $3,240,881 | $805,377 | $804,057 | 33 | $804,057 | $162,367 | $106,750 |
| 2023 | $91,230 | $100,303 | $128,235 | $125,888 | 32 | $125,888 | $94,385 | $1,909 |
| 2022 | $119,162 | $203,894 | $215,217 | $210,785 | 27 | $210,785 | $192,957 | $2,538 |
| 2021 | $130,485 | $275,973 | $146,662 | $145,903 | 19 | — | $257,980 | $1,283 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation reported a distributable amount of $169K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its reported grants include support for organizations working in different areas. For example, the Hopewell Fund describes its work as using fiscal sponsorship and charitable grant-making to support initiatives aimed at advancing the public good and equity. The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Jane Goodall Institute are among the conservation-related organizations listed as recipients.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 95 grants totaling $2,606,234. Grant amounts ranged from $55 to $1,004,187, with a median of $10,300.
The largest reported grants included $1,004,187 to Brown University, $319,570 to the Wildlife Conservation Society, $101,376 to the Aspen Institute, and $101,376 to Columbia University. Other reported recipients included Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine ($50,486), Hopewell Fund ($50,165), and the Jane Goodall Institute ($35,028).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists John C Ruttenberg and Eric M Ruttenberg as directors.
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's 2026 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Eric M. Ruttenberg
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John C. Ruttenberg
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation
How much does The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation give each year?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation gave $2.6M across 95 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $989K across 43 grants.
What is The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's typical grant size?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $10,300, and its average grant was $27,434, across 95 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation give grants?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's top state is New York, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Rhode Island (39%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (28 grants), Washington, DC (10 grants), Clinton Corners, NY (4 grants) and Uniondale, NY (4 grants).
Does The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 95 grants with a stated purpose on The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Charities" (95 grants).
Who are The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's largest grantees?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Brown University ($1,004,187), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) ($335,359 across 2 grants) and Columbia University ($151,665 across 2 grants), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $169K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its reported grants include support for organizations working in different areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's EIN?
The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3317499. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-derald-h-ruttenberg-foundation-morg_dfd79f7bb8f44d44b56bed18c8086b6f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133317499_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-derald-h-ruttenberg-foundation-morg_dfd79f7bb8f44d44b56bed18c8086b6f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Derald H Ruttenberg Foundation'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.
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