The Rhe Charitable Foundation
The RHE Charitable Foundation is a Form 990-PF (a private foundation) based in San Rafael, California. It supports organizations working in edgy arts, human resilience, and the environment, with its stated interests including arts experiences for Bay Area audiences, services for challenged community members, and protection of lands and waters.
The Rhe Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Rhe Charitable Foundation gave $208K across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in California. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $207,805
- +17.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- +8.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,312
- +7.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $2,978,492
- +28.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (9 of 25, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (100% 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 Rhe Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6 Dowitcher Way, San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone: (415) 424-7882
Website: https://www.rhefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Rhe Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Oakland Theater Project ($50K). Together the top 10 received $144K.
Grant Size Distribution
187 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 186 grants of 187 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its arts funding as focused on Bay Area audiences and its environmental support as benefiting selected stewards of Northern California. All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Rhe Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 25 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 231% 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 $177K (2023) to $218K (2021). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $208K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Theater Project Oakland, CA | Edgy Arts Theater Experiences | $50,000 |
| Theater Bay Area San Francisco, CA | Edgy Arts: Art Fellowship | $12,000 |
| Covenant House California Los Angeles, CA | Human Resilience: Supporting Safe Haven Program and Outreach | $11,000 |
| California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, CA | Environment: Sea Horse Dediccation | $10,645 |
| Good Shephard Gracenter San Francisco, CA | Womens Recovery Transitional Housing | $10,000 |
| Point Blue Petaluma, CA | Environment: Field Research | $10,000 |
| Restore the Delta Stockton, CA | Environment: Bay-Delta Health | $10,000 |
| Ritter Center San Rafael, CA | Human Resilience Homelessness | $10,000 |
| Swords to Plowshares San Francisco, CA | Human Resilience Veteran Support | $10,000 |
| Vida Verde Nature Education San Gregorio, CA | Environment/Human Resilience 5TH Grader Equity Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Rhe Charitable 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 | $2,978,492 | $219,681 | $371,426 | $207,805 | 25 | $334,065 | $183,088 | $144,403 |
| 2023 | $2,322,308 | $104,852 | $341,006 | $177,117 | 23 | $340,190 | $69,603 | $146,066 |
| 2022 | $2,558,719 | $129,220 | $371,889 | $198,758 | 35 | $330,939 | $89,378 | $133,882 |
| 2021 | $2,805,287 | $357,637 | $392,981 | $218,443 | 56 | $345,740 | $308,168 | $135,547 |
| 2020 | $2,845,262 | $233,996 | $367,861 | $195,376 | 48 | — | $190,401 | $171,620 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rhe Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $144K 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’s three focus areas are Edgy Arts, Human Resilience, and the Environment. Its arts funding supports creative leaders bringing diverse, under-represented, and emerging artistic talent to Bay Area audiences. Its human resilience work includes nonprofits providing education, housing, social services, mental health and addiction-recovery services, mentorship, and self-esteem building. Its environmental support includes Northern California organizations working in habitat preservation, conservation research, advocacy, environmental science, and education.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate these fields. Oakland Theater Project describes its mission as creating compelling theater that explores the human condition and unites diverse audiences. California Academy of Sciences says its mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. Vida Verde Nature Education says it provides free overnight environmental learning experiences to students who otherwise might not have the opportunity. Ritter Center describes its work as providing comprehensive health and social support services to reduce the impacts of homelessness and poverty in Marin County.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $207,805. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $50,000, with a median of $8,000. Its largest reported grant was $50,000 to Oakland Theater Project for “Edgy Arts Theater Experiences.” Other notable grants included $12,000 to Theater Bay Area for an “Edgy Arts: Art Fellowship,” $11,000 to Covenant House California for its safe haven program and outreach, and $10,645 to California Academy of Sciences for “Sea Horse Dedication.” The foundation also awarded $10,000 each to Good Shepherd Gracenter, Point Blue, Restore the Delta, Ritter Center, Swords to Plowshares, Vida Verde Nature Education, and Women’s Earth Alliance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jennifer Heyneman Sousae as Executive Director, Will Sousae as Vice President, and Jeff Arnold and Karrie Myers Taylor as board members. The foundation’s website says Jennifer Heyneman Sousae has served as Executive Director since its inception in 2008.
The Rhe Charitable Foundation is led by Jennifer Heyneman Sousae, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jennifer Heyneman Sousae
Executive Director
President Executive Director → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$93K (2020) → $96K (2024)
Jeff Arnold
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karrie Myers Taylor
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Will Sousae
Vice President
New on the 2024 filing
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Jeffrey Arnold (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Karrie Myers-Taylor (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Nadananda Hamilton (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: William Sousae (2020–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Jennifer Heyneman Sousae Exec Dir (2021–2023) — President Executive Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $96K, to Jennifer Heyneman Sousae (Executive Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about The Rhe Charitable Foundation
How much does The Rhe Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation gave $208K across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $177K across 23 grants.
What is The Rhe Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,000, and its average grant was $8,312, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Rhe Charitable Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Rhe Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), Berkeley, CA (5 grants), San Rafael, CA (3 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants).
Does The Rhe Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on The Rhe Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Rhe Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Oakland Theater Project ($50,000), Theater Bay Area ($12,000) and Covenant House California ($11,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Rhe Charitable Foundation?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $334K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $144K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Rhe Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s three focus areas are Edgy Arts, Human Resilience, and the Environment. Its arts funding supports creative leaders bringing diverse, under-represented, and emerging artistic talent to Bay Area audiences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Rhe Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Rhe Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Rhe Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2469224. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Rhe Charitable 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 Rhe Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-rhe-charitable-foundation-morg_0527ec79a4624d16b1ea34e07ea21697
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_262469224_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Rhe Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-rhe-charitable-foundation-morg_0527ec79a4624d16b1ea34e07ea21697},
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 Rhe Charitable 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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