The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. Its 2025 filing reports grants to educational institutions and programs, Jewish and community services, an anti-hate organization, and organizations supporting medical research.
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales at a glance
In short: The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales gave $131.8M across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $10.1M), mostly in Pennsylvania. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $131,789,163
- +256.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- -23.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,137,628
- +365.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $150,000
- Total assets
- $53,460,570
- -71.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2200 Penn Ave Nw 800W, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 419-7606
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carnegie Mellon University ($122.7M). Together the top 10 received $131.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 36 grants of 89 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Pennsylvania, 93%; New York, 3%; Florida, 2%; Maryland, 2%; and Virginia, 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $665K; repeat grants $14M. How we count
Medians: $63K first-time, $160K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 853% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.9M (2020) to $131.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $131.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Educational Support | $122,714,163 |
| Anti-Defamation League New York, NY | General Support | $2,525,000 |
| Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services Inc Boca Raton, FL | Counseling and Educational Support | $2,500,000 |
| Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation Inc Rockville, MD | Educational Support | $2,000,000 |
| Success Academy Charter Schools Inc New York, NY | Educational Support | $1,440,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Medical Support | $160,000 |
| Ron Brown Scholar Fund Charlottesville, VA | Educational Support | $150,000 |
| Conquer Cancer Fdn of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Alexandria, VA | General Support | $115,000 |
| Congregation Beth El of Montgomery Bethesda, MD | General Support | $100,000 |
| Chabad at Duke Ug Inc Durham, NC | General Support | $25,000 |
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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 | $53,460,570 | $12,631,805 | $133,331,563 | $131,789,163 | 13 | $133,156,974 | $12,622,393 | $7,291,412 |
| 2024 | $185,496,219 | $8,218,589 | $38,460,296 | $36,987,599 | 17 | $38,334,514 | $8,208,847 | $9,385,688 |
| 2023 | $212,153,902 | $7,841,955 | $16,263,744 | $13,425,788 | 16 | $14,820,114 | $7,832,235 | $10,631,479 |
| 2022 | $221,982,032 | $95,551,218 | $15,476,157 | $13,825,408 | 20 | $15,070,786 | $95,541,164 | $10,382,432 |
| 2021 | $273,877,705 | $57,753,188 | $9,843,824 | $9,271,825 | 23 | — | $57,741,166 | $12,132,106 |
| 2020 | $221,877,170 | $15,501,219 | $9,083,237 | $7,905,033 | 25 | — | $11,661,516 | $8,997,519 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales reported a distributable amount of $7.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for education, counseling, medical research, and general organizational support.
The grantee organizations describe their work in varied terms. Carnegie Mellon University says it aims to provide students with a transformative educational experience and cultivate a collaborative university community. Success Academy Charter Schools says it seeks to build public schools that help children from all backgrounds succeed in college and life. The Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation says it supports student success by funding special and innovative programs. The Anti-Defamation League describes its mission as opposing defamation of Jewish people and working for justice and fair treatment for all. Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services says it offers food, financial assistance, senior services, counseling, and career and employment services. Conquer Cancer says it funds cancer research to benefit patients.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $131,789,163. Individual grants ranged from $10,000 to $122,714,163, with a median grant of $150,000. Its largest 2025 grant was $122,714,163 to Carnegie Mellon University for educational support.
Other large 2025 grants included $2,525,000 to the Anti-Defamation League for general support; $2,500,000 to Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services for counseling and educational support; $2,000,000 to the Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation for educational support; and $1,440,000 to Success Academy Charter Schools for educational support. The foundation also reported grants of $160,000 to Johns Hopkins University for medical support, $150,000 to the Ron Brown Scholar Fund for educational support, and $115,000 to Conquer Cancer for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Steven M. Rales and Mitchell P. Rales as trustees; Joshua B. Rales as trustee and president; Joseph O. Bunting III as vice president and treasurer; Mary W. Dunn as secretary; Teresa L.C. Baldwin as assistant treasurer/secretary; Ileane Rosenthal as chief operating officer; and Queenie H. Chung as vice president.
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales is led by Joshua B. Rales, Trustee & President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joshua B. Rales
Trustee & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $305K (2025)
Mitchell P. Rales
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven M. Rales
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ileane Rosenthal
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$246K (2020) → $342K (2025)
Joseph O. Bunting III
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary W. Dunn
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Teresa L. C. Baldwin
Assistant Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Queenie H. Chung
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $342K, to Ileane Rosenthal (Chief Operating Officer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
How much does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales give each year?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales gave $131.8M across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $37.0M across 17 grants.
What is The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's typical grant size?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's median grant in 2025 was $150,000, and its average grant was $10,137,628, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales that year got $665K on average.
Where does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales give grants?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants), Bethesda, MD (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales give general operating support?
Yes: 54% of The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Educational Support" (4 grants).
Who are The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's largest grantees?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's largest 2025 grantees include Carnegie Mellon University ($122,714,163), Anti-Defamation League ($2,525,000) and Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services Inc ($2,500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales reported $53.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $133.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants show support for education, counseling, medical research, and general organizational support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales?
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 The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's EIN?
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-6874589. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-norman-r-rales-and-ruth-rales-morg_3e44d9f3d3ab41c58fdf8e3968c483f7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_596874589_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-norman-r-rales-and-ruth-rales-morg_3e44d9f3d3ab41c58fdf8e3968c483f7},
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 Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales'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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