V Kann Rasmussen Foundation
The V Kann Rasmussen Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Founded in 1991, it supports work toward a more environmentally resilient, stable, and sustainable planet, with an emphasis on systems approaches and informed public involvement in environmental decision-making.
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation at a glance
In short: V Kann Rasmussen Foundation gave $8.1M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $450K), top state New York. 69% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,105,392
- +8.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -40.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $450,300
- +81.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $458,165
- Total assets
- $85,269,622
- -3.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (11 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (13% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to V Kann Rasmussen Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Application contact: V Kann Rasmussen Foundation Inc
Mailing address: 475 Riverside Drive No 900, New York, NY 10115
Phone: (212) 812-4271
Website: https://www.vkrf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from V Kann Rasmussen Foundation
Who V Kann Rasmussen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Transition Network ($1.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $6.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
123 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 41 grants of 123 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it works primarily on international-level issues, while also supporting selected national and place-based local projects. Its 2025 grants included recipients in the United States and internationally. Among the reported U.S. recipient-state shares were New York (13%), Washington, DC (12%), North Carolina (6%), and Oregon (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is V Kann Rasmussen Foundation open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 16 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $542K; repeat grants $428K. How we count
Medians: $474K first-time, $245K repeat.
- 25% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 209% of 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 $2.3M (2019) to $8.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $8.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Nations Foundation Washington, DC | In Support of Asra's Operations and Core Activities | $1,000,000 |
| United Nations Development Programme New York, NY | In support of "advancing nature in undp development thinking and practice for human development" project | $1,000,000 |
| University of Copenhagen | In Support of the Center for Applied Ecology | $809,532 |
| The University of Sydney - Camperdown | In support of the "including the more-than-human in decision making" project | $620,268 |
| Transition Network | In support of the project "accelerating nature-centric decision-making and living systems through bioregional governance partnerships" | $549,081 |
| Transition Network | In support of the project "field recordings from a thrutopian future" | $530,845 |
| Urban Sustainability Directors Network Sanford, NC | In support of carbon neutral cities alliance's project "designing urban climate governance for regenerative futures" | $500,000 |
| Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | In support of "aligning nature-centrism with organizational structure and purpose" project | $496,883 |
| Het Nieuwe Instituut | In Support of the "Growing Zoops" Project | $474,363 |
| Club of Rome | In support of the "embedding a nature-centric systems approach in eu policymaking & governance" project | $441,967 |
Ready to take the next step with V Kann Rasmussen 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 | $85,269,622 | $5,223,078 | $9,396,712 | $8,105,392 | 18 | $9,165,433 | $3,324,386 | $4,389,357 |
| 2024 | $88,235,809 | $1,829,600 | $8,755,662 | $7,461,013 | 30 | $8,401,534 | $651,188 | $4,533,649 |
| 2023 | $94,569,167 | $4,807,087 | $9,098,331 | $7,595,423 | 20 | $8,733,737 | $4,903,812 | $5,226,252 |
| 2022 | $97,895,330 | $4,853,565 | $9,547,399 | $7,713,112 | 23 | $9,130,281 | $9,757,280 | $5,369,750 |
| 2021 | $114,406,258 | $8,880,386 | $6,636,169 | $5,535,745 | 32 | — | $5,315,182 | $4,978,702 |
| 2020 | $90,058,142 | $2,545,982 | $6,751,816 | $5,489,188 | 23 | — | $2,952,294 | $4,333,940 |
| 2019 | $89,949,457 | $5,222,089 | $3,507,508 | $2,252,074 | 18 | — | $7,467,570 | $4,685,841 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, V Kann Rasmussen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M 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 environmental mission is to support the transition to a more environmentally resilient, stable, and sustainable planet. Its stated approach emphasizes integrated systems thinking and public involvement in environmental decision-making. Its funding priorities include projects that value all life, address root causes, engage with the scale and urgency of environmental problems, experiment with original ideas, and shift decision-making power and influence.
The foundation describes its recent focus as developing tools for addressing complex processes in societal and natural systems, and exploring nature’s inherent value and alternatives to anthropocentrism. Its typical grantees are innovative nonprofit organizations with leadership in specialized strategies, communication, and project performance.
Recent grants illustrate support for varied organizations and projects. The United Nations Foundation, which describes its mission as supporting the UN and UN causes through advocacy, ideas, resources, and partnerships, received $1 million in 2025. The Urban Sustainability Directors Network, whose mission is to connect local-government leaders to accelerate sustainability practices, received $500,000. Harvard’s President and Fellows, which describes its work as education and research across academic domains, received $370,810.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 18 grants totaling $8,105,392 in 2025. Individual grants ranged from $1,700 to $1 million, with a median of $458,165. Other large 2025 awards included $1 million to the United Nations Development Programme for a project on advancing nature in its development thinking and practice; $809,532 to the University of Copenhagen for its Center for Applied Ecology; and $620,268 to the University of Sydney for a project on including the more-than-human in decision-making.
The foundation typically offers two grant cycles per year, through invitation-only or open-call processes. It does not accept unsolicited requests. The foundation states that there will be no open calls for proposals in 2026. Its filing directs applicants to Statement 13 for application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions; those details are not specified here.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kristian Kann Rasmussen as director and chair; Astrid Kann-Rasmussen as director and vice chair; Andrew Bowman as director and treasurer; and Kristian Cedervall Lauta and Diane Ives as directors.
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation is led by Kristian Kann Rasmussen, Director & Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kristian Kann Rasmussen
Director & Chair
Trustee → Director & Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Andrew Bowman
Director & Treasurer
Trustee → Trustee & Treasurer, 2022
Trustee & Treasurer → Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $20K (2025)
Diane Ives
Director
Trustee - Term Start → Trustee, 2023
Trustee → Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$10K (2022) → $10K (2025)
Astrid Kann-Rasmussen See Stmt
Director & Vice Chair
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Kristian Cedervall Lauta Stmt
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Former officers (5)
- Former: Astrid Kann-Rasmussen (2019–2024) — Trustee & Board Chair
- Former: Kristian Cedervall Lauta (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Hans Kann Rasmussen (2019–2022) — Trustee & Vice Chair - Term
- Former: Lois Eh Smith Porter (2019–2022) — Trustee & Treasurer - Term
- Former: Soren Hermansen (2019–2020) — Trustee -
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $20K, to Andrew Bowman (Director and Treasurer). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about V Kann Rasmussen Foundation
How much does V Kann Rasmussen Foundation give each year?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation gave $8.1M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7.5M across 30 grants.
What is V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's typical grant size?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $458,165, and its average grant was $450,300, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from V Kann Rasmussen Foundation that year got $542K on average.
Where does V Kann Rasmussen Foundation give grants?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's top state is New York, with 13% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (12%) and North Carolina (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does V Kann Rasmussen Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's largest grantees?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Transition Network ($1,079,926 across 2 grants), United Nations Foundation ($1,000,000) and United Nations Development Programme ($1,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is V Kann Rasmussen Foundation?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation reported $85.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does V Kann Rasmussen Foundation fund?
The foundation’s environmental mission is to support the transition to a more environmentally resilient, stable, and sustainable planet. Its stated approach emphasizes integrated systems thinking and public involvement in environmental decision-making. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from V Kann Rasmussen Foundation?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check vkrf.org for any change to that policy.
What is V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's EIN?
V Kann Rasmussen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2283123. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does V Kann Rasmussen Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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 July 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). V Kann Rasmussen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/v-kann-rasmussen-foundation-morg_1899fb16a18746b8996f03565aa94c17
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_462283123_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{V Kann Rasmussen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/v-kann-rasmussen-foundation-morg_1899fb16a18746b8996f03565aa94c17},
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 V Kann Rasmussen 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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