The Renaissance Foundation
The Renaissance Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 2000 and based in Portland, Oregon. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to making a significant difference in the lives of people in need, with a particular emphasis on educational access and services for those with financial need.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.3M
-33.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.7M
-8.3% YoY
Grant Count
228
-5.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
-2.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Renaissance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $970K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for education, human services, and the environment. The organization is particularly committed to supporting first-generation college students and low-income populations.
Core funding priorities include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Environment
- Philanthropy and Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Grantmaking
The Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP), created in 2005, is the foundation's flagship initiative. The program provides renewable college scholarships to talented first-generation students with significant financial need.
Average Grant
amount and median grant amount data available but specific figures not disclosed in sources
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation generally funds programs in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The foundation has also supported selected national and international programs.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2024):
- Total assets: $8,256,918
- Total giving: $4,677,293
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,256,918 | $12,484,680 | $14,715,465 |
| Revenue | $2,844,912 | $3,386,322 | $2,094,649 |
| Expenses | $5,281,197 | $5,509,924 | $4,908,344 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,114,619 | $5,393,781 | $4,784,230 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,726,323 | $2,486,391 | $1,248,808 |
| Distributable Amount | $969,510 | $1,008,439 | $1,141,071 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Renaissance Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include All Classical Radio ($250,000), Depaul University ($53,620), Cornell University ($30,180).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE DECATUR, GA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| ALL CLASSICAL RADIO PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| AMHERST COLLEGE AMHERST, MA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TEMPE, AZ | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| AUGUSTANA COLLEGE ROCK ISLAND, IL | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| BENTLEY UNIVERSITY WALTHAM, MA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| BLANCHETT HOUSE PORTLAND, OR | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRVING J LEVIN | CHAIR & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DIANA HOFF | PRESIDENT, SECRETARY & DIRECTOR | 40 | $131,618 |
| STEPHANIE J FOWLER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 80516, Portland, OR 97280-1516
- Phone: 503-807-4363
- Website: WWW.TRFWEBSITE.ORG
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Renaissance Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on giving primarily for education, human services, and the environment. The organization is particularly committed to supporting first-generation college students and low-income populations. Core funding priorities include: • Education • Human Services • Environment • Philanthropy and Voluntarism & Grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Renaissance Foundation?
The Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP), created in 2005, is the foundation's flagship initiative. The program provides renewable college scholarships to talented first-generation students with significant financial need. **Scholarship Details:** • Awarded to first-generation college freshmen and sophomores who demonstrate financial need, passion for their field of study, and academic achievement • Renewable for up to 4 years provided recipients maintain a 3.0 GPA or better and complete 12 or mo…
Where does The Renaissance Foundation make grants?
The foundation generally funds programs in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The foundation has also supported selected national and international programs.
What size grants does The Renaissance Foundation award?
In 2024, The Renaissance Foundation awarded 228 grants totaling $4.7M — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Renaissance Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Renaissance Foundation reported a distributable amount of $970K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Renaissance Foundation's EIN?
The Renaissance Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-1306116. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Renaissance Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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