The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales
The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales Foundation is a private foundation established in 1986 and based in Washington, DC. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since June 1988. It functions as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$185.5M
-12.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$37.0M
+175.5% YoY
Grant Count
17
+6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.2M
+159.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales reported a distributable amount of $9.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education
- Health organizations
- Children and youth services
- Social services
- Roman Catholic churches
- Jewish agencies and temples
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on:
- Virginia
- New York
- Maryland
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of November 2024
- Total assets: $185,496,219
- Total revenue: $8,218,589
- Total expenses: $38,460,296
- Total liabilities: $4,420
- Number of employees: 4
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $185,496,219 | $212,153,902 | $221,982,032 |
| Revenue | $8,218,589 | $7,841,955 | $95,551,218 |
| Expenses | $38,460,296 | $16,263,744 | $15,476,157 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $38,334,514 | $14,820,114 | $15,070,786 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,208,847 | $7,832,235 | $95,541,164 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,385,688 | $10,631,479 | $10,382,432 |
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
101 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Foundation to Combat Anti-semitism Inc ($25,000,000), Success Academy Charter Schools Inc ($4,830,000), Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services Inc ($2,560,811).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY PITTSBURGH, PA | EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT | $2,020,788 |
| CHABAD AT DUKE UG INC DURHAM, NC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CONQUER CANCER FDN OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY ALEXANDRIA, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $115,000 |
| EDUCATION REFORM NOW INC NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| FOUNDATION TO COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM INC FOXBOROUGH, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000,000 |
| FREDERICK DOUGLASS PROJECT FOR JUSTICE INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| HILLEL THE FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMPUS LIFE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA INC FAIRFAX, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BALTIMORE, MD | MEDICAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC ROCKVILLE, MD | EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVEN M RALES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MITCHELL P RALES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA B RALES | TRUSTEE & PRESIDENT | 40 | $305,164 |
| JOSEPH O BUNTING III | VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARY W DUNN | SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| TERESA LC BALDWIN | ASSISTANT TREASURER/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ILEANE ROSENTHAL | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $322,400 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported a groundbreaking initiative with Carnegie Mellon University to broaden access to STEM education. The Rales Fellows program was announced as a partnership between Carnegie Mellon and the foundation, with the first cohort of Rales Fellows welcomed to Carnegie Mellon University in September 2024.
Norman R Rales And Ruth Rales Foundation - Full Filing - News AppsContact Information
Address: 2200 Penn Ave NW, Suite 800W, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-419-7606
EIN: 59-6874589
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Health organizations • Children and youth services • Social services • Roman Catholic churches • Jewish agencies and temples • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales?
**Grant Activity (2024)** • Total giving: $36,987,599 • Number of grants: 25 • Typical award range: $5,000–$25,000,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2024)** • Foundation To Combat Anti-Semitism: $25,000,000 (General Support) • Success Academy Charter Schools: $4,830,000 (Educational Support) • Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services: Grant recipient
Where does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on: • Virginia • New York • Maryland
What size grants does The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales award?
In 2024, The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales awarded 17 grants totaling $37.0M — an average of about $2.2M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Norman R Rales and Ruth Rales reported a distributable amount of $9.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 2020–2024.
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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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