The RAO Foundation
The Rao Foundation is a private foundation based in Flower Mound, Texas, that supports organizations working in education, health, and the environment. Its website describes its aim as empowering future generations to build a more sustainable planet through better health and education.
The RAO Foundation at a glance
In short: The RAO Foundation gave $2.2M across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), mostly in Texas. 45% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,210,100
- +314.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +81.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $110,505
- +127.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,500
- Total assets
- $50,573
- -41.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (9 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (66% 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 RAO Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Its website invites organizations to submit a full funding request online. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations whose primary focus aligns with the foundation’s mission and must not discriminate on the listed grounds, including race, religion, disability, gender identity, or political views. Texas or California operations are highly preferred. The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations; it lists no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2025 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2025 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Nagaraj V Rao
Mailing address: 8480 Esters Blvd Ste 100, Irving, TX 75063
Phone: (844) 676-0123
Website: https://www.raofound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The RAO Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 63 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports organizations in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and nationwide, and that Texas or California operations are highly preferred for applicants. In filing year 2025, reported grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (66%), Colorado (23%), New Jersey (9%), California (2%), and New York (1%). Percentages are as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The RAO Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 20 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $176K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 919% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $32K (2019) to $2.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Fort Worth, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $1,005,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute Boulder, CO | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $500,000 |
| Climate Central Princeton, NJ | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $200,000 |
| Pediplace Lewisville Lewisville, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $185,000 |
| University of Texas Austin Austin, TX | RAO Foundation Endowed Scholarship | $125,000 |
| Dallas Symphony Orchestra Dallas, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $40,000 |
| North Texas Public Broadcasting (Kera) Dallas, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $25,000 |
| Odyssey Charter School Altadena, CA | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $25,000 |
| Christian Community Action Lewisville, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of North Texas Dallas, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The RAO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,573 | $2,200,000 | $2,235,170 | $2,210,100 | 20 | $2,235,170 | — | $2,833 |
| 2024 | $85,743 | $571,660 | $536,695 | $533,830 | 11 | $536,640 | — | $2,759 |
| 2023 | $50,778 | $1,630,145 | $1,625,131 | $1,623,380 | 11 | $1,624,985 | — | $7,359 |
| 2022 | $45,764 | $100,059 | $221,853 | $216,875 | 10 | $221,275 | $59 | $5,347 |
| 2021 | $167,558 | $395,235 | $349,701 | $344,370 | 11 | $346,811 | — | $3,552 |
| 2020 | $122,024 | $100,000 | $63,030 | $55,156 | 13 | — | — | $3,770 |
| 2019 | $85,054 | $50,100 | $37,862 | $32,269 | 8 | — | — | $2,203 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The RAO Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2025 — 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’s stated mission connects children’s education and health with environmental sustainability. It says children need to be safe and healthy to benefit from education, and that education helps them care for the environment.
Its giving includes support for organizations whose work relates to these areas. For example, Rocky Mountain Institute describes its mission as transforming the global energy system toward a zero-carbon future, while Climate Central says it researches and reports on climate change and its impacts and solutions. Other 2025 grantees describe work supporting children with critical illnesses, students and teachers, and people experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $2,210,100. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $1,005,000, with a median of $17,500.
The largest reported grants included $1,005,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County, $500,000 to Rocky Mountain Institute, $200,000 to Climate Central, $185,000 to PediPlace Lewisville, and $125,000 to the University of Texas at Austin for a Rao Foundation endowed scholarship. Other grants included $40,000 to Dallas Symphony Orchestra, $25,000 each to North Texas Public Broadcasting (KERA) and Odyssey Charter School, and $20,000 each to Christian Community Action and Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Nagaraj V Rao — President/Treasurer
- Seshkumari Rao — Vice President
- Jaideep Jayaram — Secretary
The RAO Foundation is led by Nagaraj V. Rao, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nagaraj V. Rao
President & Treasurer
President → President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaideep Jayaram
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Seshkumari Rao
Vice President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 RAO Foundation
How much does The RAO Foundation give each year?
The RAO Foundation gave $2.2M across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $534K across 11 grants.
What is The RAO Foundation's typical grant size?
The RAO Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $110,505, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The RAO Foundation that year got $30K on average.
Where does The RAO Foundation give grants?
The RAO Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (23%) and New Jersey (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lewisville, TX (5 grants), Dallas, TX (3 grants) and Denton, TX (2 grants).
Does The RAO Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of The RAO Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The RAO Foundation's largest grantees?
The RAO Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County ($1,005,000), Rocky Mountain Institute ($500,000) and Climate Central ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The RAO Foundation?
The RAO Foundation reported $51K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The RAO Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission connects children’s education and health with environmental sustainability. It says children need to be safe and healthy to benefit from education, and that education helps them care for the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The RAO Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The RAO Foundation's EIN?
The RAO Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2665652. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The RAO Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 24, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The RAO Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-rao-foundation-morg_da0de7e6cc914bd3b2ec922c94aad90d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_452665652_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The RAO Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-rao-foundation-morg_da0de7e6cc914bd3b2ec922c94aad90d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 RAO 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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