The Richard W Rupp Foundation
The Richard W Rupp Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1998 and based in Buffalo, New York. The foundation operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving across the United States.
Key facts about The Richard W Rupp Foundation
- EIN
- 16-1551594
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $470,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 46
- Average grant
- $10,217
- Median grant
- $7,750
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (17 of 46, 2024)
- Total assets
- $11,795,064
- Primary geography
- New York (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Richard W Rupp Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Richard W Rupp Foundation's 46 itemized 2024 grants were New York (64%), New Jersey (11%) and Maryland (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (21 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Rochester, NY (3 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants). None of its 46 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (42 grants).
Is The Richard W Rupp Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 46 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 37% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Richard W Rupp Foundation
- How to evaluate The Richard W Rupp Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.8M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$470K
+7.6% YoY
Grant Count
46
+17.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-8.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Richard W Rupp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $562K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Human Services
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- World Music Movement
- Theater Renovation
- Bio-diverse Amazon Tropical Rainforest
Grantmaking
The foundation also made a $10,000 grant to a Buffalo children and youth organization in 2023.
Ready to take the next step with The Richard W Rupp Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:
- New York (primary focus, particularly Buffalo)
- California
- Illinois
- Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas
The foundation supports both major metropolitan areas and smaller communities nationwide.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 46 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,795,064
- Total Giving: $470,000
- Total Revenue: $1,063,991
- Total Expenses: $658,209
- Investment Income: $183,717
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $11,042,160 (approximately)
- Total Revenue: $412,133
- Total Expenses: $621,019
The foundation maintains no employees and carries no liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,795,064 | $11,042,160 | $9,766,849 |
| Revenue | $1,063,991 | $412,133 | $826,222 |
| Expenses | $658,209 | $621,019 | $755,984 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $508,013 | $473,894 | $564,697 |
| Net Investment Income | $935,892 | $256,620 | $645,302 |
| Distributable Amount | $561,763 | $509,623 | $513,330 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
212 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Agricultural Justice Project ($50,000), Nofa (Northeast Organic Farming Assoc) ($40,000), Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AGRICULTURAL JUSTICE PROJECT Glassboro, NJ | PROGRAM SERVICES | $50,000 |
| NOFA (NORTHEAST ORGANIC FARMING ASSOC) Barre, MD | PROGRAM SERVICES | $40,000 |
| HALLWALLS CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER Buffalo, NY | PROGRAM SERVICES | $35,000 |
| DEMOCRACY NOW PRODUCTIONS INC New York, NY | PROGRAM SERVICES | $25,000 |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN Washington, DC | PROGRAM SERVICES | $25,000 |
| THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ROCHESTER Rochester, NY | PROGRAM SERVICES | $13,000 |
| WORLD MUSIC PRODUCTIONS Brooklyn, NY | WORLD MUSIC MOVEMENT | $13,000 |
| THE BRIGID ALLIANCE New York, NY | PROGRAM SERVICES | $11,500 |
| AMAZON WATCH San Francisco, CA | BIO-DIVERSE AMAZON TROPICAL RAINFOREST | $10,000 |
| ARTS SERVICES INITIATIVE Buffalo, NY | PROGRAM SERVICES | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key officers include:
- William R. Rupp (Officer, $30,000 annual compensation)
- Susan S. Rupp (Officer, $30,000 annual compensation)
- Christina D. Rupp (Officer, $30,000 annual compensation)
- Peter J. Brevorka (Treasurer, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| William R Rupp | Officer/President | 10 | $30,000 |
| Susan S Rupp | Officer | 10 | $30,000 |
| Christina D Rupp | Officer | 10 | $30,000 |
| Peter J Brevorka | Officer/Treasurer | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Richard W Rupp Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Human Services • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • World Music Movement • Theater Renovation • Bio-diverse Amazon Tropical Rainforest
How do I apply for a grant from The Richard W Rupp Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $50,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, the foundation made 36 grants totaling $262,500 (with additional grants bringing total giving to $470,000). Recent grantees include: • World Central Kitchen ($25,000) • Democracy Now Productions ($25,000) • World Music Productions ($13,000) • National Susan B Anthony Museum & House The foundation also made a $10,000 grant to a Buffalo children and youth organization in 2023.
Where does The Richard W Rupp Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and cities, including: • New York (primary focus, particularly Buffalo) • California • Illinois • Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas The foundation supports both major metropolitan areas and smaller communities nationwide.
What size grants does The Richard W Rupp Foundation award?
In 2024, The Richard W Rupp Foundation awarded 46 grants totaling $470K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Richard W Rupp Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Richard W Rupp Foundation reported a distributable amount of $562K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Richard W Rupp Foundation's EIN?
The Richard W Rupp Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1551594. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.