Stewart J. Rahr Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Stewart J. Rahr Foundation supports a broad range of disease-related organizations in the U.S. Other grantmaking areas of interest include health, Jewish causes, education, veterans causes and music and art therapies.
IP TAKE: The Rahr Foundation makes millions in grants each year to well-established disease research organizations in the U.S. In its other areas of interest, however, it tends to support smaller outfits with which the family and/or foundation staff likely maintain connections.
The foundation invites grantseekers to complete a short contact form on its website to initiate the application process, but applicants will probably need to connect with the foundation’s staff through some other avenue to be recognized. It’s a relatively approachable funder, but it’s more bureaucratic and takes a while to respond. Consider networking with previous grantees to expedite getting on this funder’s radar provided that you fit their profile.
PROFILE: The Stewart J. Rahr Foundation was established New York City in 2011 by the billionaire Stewart Rahr. A native New Yorker, Rahr is a graduate of New York University, where he also earned a law degree. After graduating, Rahr became involved with his parents’ generic pharmaceutical company, Kinray, Inc. Rahr was able to increase the company’s revenues by stockpiling medications and selling them when prices rose—a practice that became controversial in the early 2000s. The healthcare services company Cardinal Health purchased Kinray in 2010 for a reported $1.3 billion. Since the sale, Rahr has become more involved with his philanthropy.
The Stewart J. Rahr Foundation is on a mission to support “youth, education and medical research,” but tax filings suggest that giving in these areas overlaps with Jewish causes. Veterans causes and art and music therapies are secondary areas of interest.
Grants for Diseases
Diseases is the Stewart J. Rahr Foundation’s largest giving area by far, accounting for more than half of the foundation’s total annual giving. The foundation does not name specific diseases of interest, but tax documents suggest interest in research and treatments for prostate cancer, melanoma, kidney diseases, AIDS and Lyme disease.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation has received millions in donations, and other leading recipients include the Melanoma Research Alliance Foundation, Faster Cures, the NephCure Foundation, the Global Lyme Alliance and the Foundation for AIDS Research.
Grants for Public Health and Access
In addition to its disease funding, the Rahr Foundation has supported several hospital and healthcare organizations that provide disease-related and general care services. It doesn’t offer more guidance in this grantmaking space; however.
Grantees include New York City’s Columbia University Medical Center, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and the Eric J. Trump Foundation, a children’s cancer charity that was scrutinized for donating sums to other Trump family organizations.
Grants for Jewish Causes
The Rahr Foundation has steadily supported Jewish organizations in the U.S. and Israel. Areas of interest appear to be Jewish religion, education and culture.
Recent grantees include Chicago’s Kabbalah Center, Congregation Keren Hachesed of Brooklyn, Birthright Israel, the National Commitment for the Furtherance of Jewish Education and the Aleph Institute. In Israel, the foundation has given to the Youth Renewal Fund, which works with low-income high school students, and the Israel Cancer Research Fund.
Grants for K-12 Education
The Rahr Foundation’s giving for K-12 education goes mainly to public and private elementary and middle schools in the New York City area. New York grantees include George Jackson Academy, De la Salle Academy, Public School 003 and the Marymount School. In California, the foundation has supported the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation.
Grants for Higher Education
Higher education is a smaller area of grantmaking for this funder, with grants mainly staying in New York and overlapping with the foundation’s Jewish giving. Grantees include the Yeshiva University and CUNY’s Baruch College.
Grants for Veterans and Military
Rahr’s recent grantmaking has included a few organizations supporting veterans and military families, although this is not one of the foundation’s main areas of interest. Grantees include the Navy SEAL Foundation, the American Fallen Soldiers Project, which has received ongoing support.
Other Grantmaking Opportunities
According to it’s taxes, the Stewart Rahr Foundation has demonstrated interest in the therapeutic use of music and art. One recent grant went to the New York City-based Daniels Music Foundation, which aims “to empower individuals with developmental and physical disabilities through music.” Other grants have supported the Heather on Earth Music Foundation, which provides music therapy in children’s hospitals, and the Art of Elysium, which supports people and communities “in the midst of difficult emotional life challenges” with art, music and film projects.
Important Grant Details:
The Stewart J. Rahr Foundation makes grants ranging from $5,000 to $2.5 million.
Rahr’s largest grants appear to go to large, disease-related organizations that receive multi-year funding.
While it tends to stick with larger organizations in the area of health, in its other interest areas, the foundation tends to give to medium- and small-sized organizations. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s sponsored charities page or its recent tax filings.
The Rahr Foundation invites grantseekers to fill out a brief contact form on its website.
Inquiries may also be directed to the foundation’s staff via email or telephone at (212) 724-7241.
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