The Rick's Family Foundation Inc
The Rick's Family Foundation Inc is a private philanthropic foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Established in 2019, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization designated for charitable, educational, and grantmaking purposes. The foundation maintains significant financial resources and focuses on making impactful contributions to communities across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.8M
+92.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-31.8% YoY
Grant Count
31
+158.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
-73.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rick's Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Children's health and nutrition research
The foundation demonstrates particular interest in supporting research initiatives that advance children's health and wellbeing, with emphasis on nutrition science and its role in preventing disease and promoting healthy development.
Grantmaking
The foundation has demonstrated a willingness to provide matching funds to leverage additional philanthropic support for priority initiatives.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives primarily in:
- Indiana
- Wyoming
- New York
The foundation also supports various communities across the United States more broadly.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $9,823,951
- Total Revenue: $18,290,811
- Total Expenses: $1,837,466
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $1,827,898
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with substantial assets and revenue relative to expenses, allowing for significant grantmaking capacity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,823,951 | $5,109,878 | $3,182,933 |
| Revenue | $18,290,811 | $14,476,472 | $2,401,335 |
| Expenses | $1,837,466 | $2,684,476 | $279,698 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,827,898 | $2,679,451 | $268,109 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,267,251 | $283,651 | $142,828 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,152,183 | $1,354,412 | $584,766 |
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
87 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Purdue Rsch Fdn - John Purdue Club ($1,000,000), Purdue Rsch Fdn - John Purdue Club ($255,948), Tfa Indianapolis ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HOLLIDAY PARK FOUNDATION INDIANAPOLIS, IN | PARK PROGRAMS, RESTORATION | $250 |
| JACKSON HOLE LAND TRUST JACKSON, WY | OPEN-SPACE AND WILDLIFE-HABITAT | $10,000 |
| FRIENDS OF MAROTT WOODS INDIANAPOLIS, IN | HABITAT RESTORATION, TRAILS | $5,000 |
| HORIZON HOUSE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | SERVICES TO HOMELESS | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS GREATER INDPLS INDIANAPOLIS, IN | DISASTER RELIEF, PREPAREDNESS | $5,000 |
| FRIENDS OF BRIDGER-TETON JACKSON, WY | STEWARDSHIP AND CONSERVATION | $5,500 |
| THE NATIONAL PKU ALLIANCE WASHINGTON, DC | PKU RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| PI BETA PHI TOWN COUNTRY, MO | LITERACY INITIATIVES ANDSCHOLARSHIP | $5,000 |
| CROSSROADS OF AMERICA COUNCIL BSA INDIANAPOLIS, IN | YOUTH LEADERSHIP, CHARACTER | $20,000 |
| PURDUE RSCH FDN - JOHN PURDUE CLUB INDIANAPOLIS, IN | STUDENT-ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS | $255,948 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Leadership:
- Christina Ricks, MD - Pediatric physician who leads the foundation alongside her husband
- David A. Ricks - Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company; co-leads the foundation with his wife
Both leaders serve without compensation. Christina Ricks brings medical expertise in pediatrics to the foundation's work, while David Ricks provides business and philanthropic leadership.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTINA RICKS | CHAIR | — | — |
| DAVID RICKS | SECRETARY/DI | — | — |
| JOSEPH RICKS | TREASURER/DI | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In January 2024, the Ricks Family Foundation announced a major commitment to children's nutrition research. The foundation provided a $2.5 million donation to Riley Children's Foundation to seed the Heartland Children's Nutrition Collaborative, a partnership between Purdue University's College of Agriculture Department of Food Science and Indiana University's School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics.
THE RICK'S FAMILY FOUNDATION INC - GrantableThe collaborative aims to investigate critical questions about how early-life food intake shapes both short-term and long-term health outcomes in children, including research on the microbiome, disease prevention, and nutrition's role in treating chronic and acute illnesses. The foundation's matching challenge of an additional $2.5 million was designed to inspire contributions from other individuals, foundations, and corporations to support this research initiative.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rick's Family Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Children's health and nutrition research The foundation demonstrates particular interest in supporting research initiatives that advance children's health and wellbeing, with emphasis on nutrition science and its role in preventing disease and promoting healthy development.
How do I apply for a grant from The Rick's Family Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $200 to $2,475,858 • Total giving (2024): $1,827,898 **Recent Major Grants:** • $2.5 million donation to Riley Children's Foundation in support of the Heartland Children's Nutrition Collaborative, a joint research initiative between Purdue University and Indiana University • An additional $2.5 million challenge match offered to inspire other contributions to the Heartland Children's Nutrition Collaborative The foundation has demonstrated a willi…
Where does The Rick's Family Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives primarily in: • Indiana • Wyoming • New York The foundation also supports various communities across the United States more broadly.
What size grants does The Rick's Family Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Rick's Family Foundation Inc awarded 31 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $59K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rick's Family Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Rick's Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Rick's Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Rick's Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3828842. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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