The Rachael Ray Foundation
The Rachael Ray Foundation (RRF) is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Launched by Rachael Ray in 2016, it is fully funded by proceeds from the sale of Rachael Ray Nutrish products and supports organizations working to improve the lives of shelter animals and other animals in need.
The Rachael Ray Foundation at a glance
In short: The Rachael Ray Foundation gave $13.5M across 88 grants in 2024 (avg $154K), top state New York. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $13,541,403
- +1.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 88
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $153,880
- -2.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $70,000
- Total assets
- $7,441,901
- -11.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (9 of 88, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (35% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Rachael Ray Foundation
- 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: 276 5Th Avenue Ste 704-3132, New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 473-1001
Website: https://rachaelray.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Rachael Ray Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was North Shore Animal League America ($2.1M). Together the top 10 received $7.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
442 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 190 grants of 442 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations across the country. In 2024, New York recipients received 35% of grant dollars, followed by Utah at 10%, California at 7%, and the District of Columbia and Illinois at 6% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 88 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Rachael Ray Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 88 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $168K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 254% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10.2M (2021) to $15.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 88 grants totaling $13.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| North Shore Animal League America Port Washington, NY | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $2,100,000 |
| ASPCA New York, NY | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $1,300,000 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $1,300,000 |
| Animal Humane Society Golden Valley, MN | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $400,000 |
| Paws Chicago Chicago, IL | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $375,000 |
| Cleveland Animal Protection League Cleveland, OH | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $350,000 |
| Oregon Humane Society Portland, OR | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $350,000 |
| Denver Dumb Friends League Denver, CO | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $325,000 |
| Feeding America Chicago, IL | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $320,000 |
| Emancipet Austin, TX | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Rachael Ray Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,441,901 | $13,895,124 | $15,030,351 | $13,541,403 | 88 | $14,145,261 | $13,381,999 | $5,578,569 |
| 2023 | $8,420,412 | $15,008,927 | $14,457,017 | $13,305,000 | 84 | $13,799,826 | $14,594,629 | $5,623,924 |
| 2022 | $7,719,444 | $14,626,499 | $14,559,057 | $13,456,500 | 100 | $14,072,388 | $14,354,664 | $5,126,796 |
| 2021 | $7,577,809 | $13,587,191 | $11,220,125 | $10,225,000 | 89 | $10,923,557 | $13,327,011 | $5,387,000 |
| 2020 | $5,469,897 | $14,156,084 | $16,777,287 | $15,735,105 | 81 | — | $13,911,741 | $8,001,454 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rachael Ray Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it supports causes Rachael Ray cares about, including helping animals in need. Its website describes funding organizations across the country that improve the lives of shelter animals and other animals in need, as well as making funds available when animals urgently need help during emergencies or disasters. It also supports organizations that further Yum-o!’s mission.
Its 2024 grants included animal welfare organizations and food-related organizations. For example, North Shore Animal League America describes its mission as saving pets’ lives through adoption, rescue, education, medical care, spay/neuter services, and advocacy. Best Friends Animal Society says it works toward a time when there are no more homeless pets through exemplary animal care and community programs and partnerships. Feeding America describes its mission as advancing change by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food, while FoodCorps says it connects children to healthy food in schools.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 88 grants totaling $13,541,403. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $2,100,000, with a median grant of $70,000. The largest awards included $2,100,000 to North Shore Animal League America, $1,300,000 each to ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society, and $400,000 to Animal Humane Society. Other awards included $375,000 to PAWS Chicago, $350,000 each to Cleveland Animal Protection League and Oregon Humane Society, $325,000 to Denver Dumb Friends League, and $320,000 to Feeding America. The listed 2024 grants were described as unrestricted contributions to further the recipients’ exempt purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rachael Ray as president; John Cusimano as vice president and secretary; John Hall as vice president; Judith Keane as treasurer; and Andrew Peskoe, Richard Fields, and Tracy Quigley as governing members.
The Rachael Ray Foundation is led by Rachael Ray, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rachael Ray
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Peskoe
Governing Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Cusimano
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Hall
Vice President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judith Keane
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Fields
Governing Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Quigley
Governing Member
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mark Smucker (2020–2023) — Governing Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Rachael Ray Foundation
How much does The Rachael Ray Foundation give each year?
The Rachael Ray Foundation gave $13.5M across 88 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $13.3M across 84 grants.
What is The Rachael Ray Foundation's typical grant size?
The Rachael Ray Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $70,000, and its average grant was $153,880, across 88 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does The Rachael Ray Foundation give grants?
The Rachael Ray Foundation's top state is New York, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Utah (10%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (16 grants), Chicago, IL (5 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Austin, TX (2 grants).
Does The Rachael Ray Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Rachael Ray Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (88 of 88) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Rachael Ray Foundation's largest grantees?
The Rachael Ray Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include North Shore Animal League America ($2,100,000), ASPCA ($1,300,000) and Best Friends Animal Society ($1,300,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Rachael Ray Foundation?
The Rachael Ray Foundation reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Rachael Ray Foundation fund?
The foundation says it supports causes Rachael Ray cares about, including helping animals in need. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation?
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 Rachael Ray Foundation's EIN?
The Rachael Ray Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3236729. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Rachael Ray 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Rachael Ray Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-rachael-ray-foundation-morg_f3b010a0c4e74d2db2e47037c7c6ce7b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_813236729_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Rachael Ray Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-rachael-ray-foundation-morg_f3b010a0c4e74d2db2e47037c7c6ce7b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Rachael Ray 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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