The Roundhouse Foundation
101 Ways to Do Family Philanthropy: Lessons From Nearly Two Dozen Foundations
Inside the Roundhouse Foundation’s Growth into a Rural Funding Powerhouse
Schools Are “the Heartbeat of Rural Places” — and They Could Use More Philanthropic Support
It’s no secret that rural America has been overlooked by philanthropy over the years. A 2021 report by the nonprofit consulting firm FSG found that while 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, only 7% of funding from the top 1,200 … [Read more...] about Schools Are “the Heartbeat of Rural Places” — and They Could Use More Philanthropic Support
Suicide Is a Major Problem in Rural America. How Can Philanthropy Step Up for Prevention?
Suicide is one of the leading causes of the death in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide rates increased by 36% over the past two decades. The number of suicides reached a record high of 49,449 in 2022, up 3% from the … [Read more...] about Suicide Is a Major Problem in Rural America. How Can Philanthropy Step Up for Prevention?
Don’t Abandon Civic Engagement in Small Towns and Rural Places
A controversial question has resurfaced among our philanthropic colleagues who support the civic engagement of persuadable swaths of the American populace on a wide range of important issues: Is it worth our valuable time and limited resources to … [Read more...] about Don’t Abandon Civic Engagement in Small Towns and Rural Places
Why the Roundhouse Foundation Is Taking to the Airwaves to Tell the Story of Rural Philanthropy
I last caught up with the Roundhouse Foundation in 2022 as part of our ongoing series on family foundations with the National Center for Family Philanthropy. Based in Sisters, Oregon, and with a funding focus on all of rural Oregon, Roundhouse stands … [Read more...] about Why the Roundhouse Foundation Is Taking to the Airwaves to Tell the Story of Rural Philanthropy
Building the Ship to Sail: Now Is the Time for Rural Philanthropy to Collaborate to Win
“A giant wave is coming, it’s going to crash, and we’re not ready for it.” For more than a year, I’ve heard versions of this statement everywhere, from small, county-level gatherings to national rural development convenings. Hundreds of federal … [Read more...] about Building the Ship to Sail: Now Is the Time for Rural Philanthropy to Collaborate to Win
Rural Capacity Building: New Funding Gives This Appalachia-Based Ed Nonprofit Room to Grow
Education may be one of the top causes philanthropists support, but the sector as a whole often glosses over rural education despite the obvious need there. A recent study by the Center for Public Education found that while rural youth make up nearly … [Read more...] about Rural Capacity Building: New Funding Gives This Appalachia-Based Ed Nonprofit Room to Grow
After 35 Years, the Tow Foundation Reflects on the Past and Looks to the Future
Founded by Leonard and Claire Tow, the Tow Foundation recently held a 35th anniversary event called “Past Informed, Future Focused,” which nicely sums up this unique moment in time for the Connecticut-based family foundation. In addition to a major … [Read more...] about After 35 Years, the Tow Foundation Reflects on the Past and Looks to the Future
The Kendeda Fund is Writing its Last Checks — and the Last Chapter of a 30-Year Story of Giving
About 30 years ago, Diana Blank began to ramp up her philanthropy through what became known as the Kendeda Fund, drawing the name from her three children, Kenny, Dena and Danielle. Tapping into wealth derived from the Home Depot empire, which was … [Read more...] about The Kendeda Fund is Writing its Last Checks — and the Last Chapter of a 30-Year Story of Giving
Five Takeaways From IP’s New Report on Giving for Rural Communities
By and large, philanthropic funders in the U.S. tend to concentrate their support on urban parts of the country. To a certain degree, this makes sense: an overwhelming percentage of the nation's population resides in these areas — about 80%, per the … [Read more...] about Five Takeaways From IP’s New Report on Giving for Rural Communities
Small Funders, Big Impact: Five Takeaways from Our Coverage of Place-Based Rural Funders
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on October 4, 2023. The philanthropic sector in the U.S. distributed almost $500 billion in 2022, according to the most recent Giving USA report. Of that, only about 7% goes to rural America. Since … [Read more...] about Small Funders, Big Impact: Five Takeaways from Our Coverage of Place-Based Rural Funders
These Five Funders Are Supporting Rural Communities in the Pacific West
At Inside Philanthropy, we've written at length about the underfunding of organizations that support rural communities. But while there are some national funders that provide grants to rural America, the majority of support — and some of the most … [Read more...] about These Five Funders Are Supporting Rural Communities in the Pacific West
Five Texas Funders Supporting Rural Communities in the Lone Star State
As part of our ongoing series on funders who support rural communities, we've looked at national funders as well as regional and place-based funders in the Midwest, New England, the mid-Atlantic, the South, and the Mountain West. As the state with … [Read more...] about Five Texas Funders Supporting Rural Communities in the Lone Star State
Here are Some of the Rural Funders Working in the Mountain West
At Inside Philanthropy, we've written a lot about how rural communities in the United States continue to be underfunded. Rural America faces a number of challenges, including economic struggles, limited access to healthcare, lack of broadband and … [Read more...] about Here are Some of the Rural Funders Working in the Mountain West
Here Are Seven Grantmakers Backing Rural Communities in the South
The American South faces a number of pressing issues, including struggling local economies, lack of access to affordable healthcare and other resources, underfunded schools, and more. And while some funders have stepped up to provide funding, the … [Read more...] about Here Are Seven Grantmakers Backing Rural Communities in the South
How One Funder Is Seeking to Bolster Mental Healthcare in Rural America
Despite progress in recent years, mental healthcare remains out of reach for many Americans. According to findings by Mental Health America (MHA), more than half of adults — 54.7% — with a mental illness are not receiving healthcare. About 42% of … [Read more...] about How One Funder Is Seeking to Bolster Mental Healthcare in Rural America
With Its First Major Grant, a New Foundation Tackles Rural Healthcare Access
Rural America faces plenty of challenges, but access to healthcare is among the most pressing. One big problem is distance: A 2018 analysis by Pew Research Center found that on average, rural Americans live 10.5 miles from the nearest hospital … [Read more...] about With Its First Major Grant, a New Foundation Tackles Rural Healthcare Access
Rural-to-Rural Partnerships: Leveling the Playing Field to Secure Federal Funding
Across the country, communities are competing to access the unprecedented funding approved through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other federal and state programs. Metro areas across the U.S. are engaged in all-hands-on-deck efforts … [Read more...] about Rural-to-Rural Partnerships: Leveling the Playing Field to Secure Federal Funding
Here are Four Grantmakers Backing Rural Areas in New England and the Mid-Atlantic
New England and the Mid-Atlantic probably aren’t the first places that come to mind when one thinks of rural America. Despite the proximity to Boston, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York City — the unofficial home of U.S. philanthropy — large … [Read more...] about Here are Four Grantmakers Backing Rural Areas in New England and the Mid-Atlantic
What It Looks Like When a Multigenerational Family Foundation Makes All Voices Equal
Therma-Tru Corporation was a family-owned business whose bread and butter was manufacturing exterior and entry doors. The Midwestern company traces its roots to the 1960s, when David Welles, a retired Owens Corning executive, purchased a bankrupt … [Read more...] about What It Looks Like When a Multigenerational Family Foundation Makes All Voices Equal
Here Are Five Grantmakers Funding the Rural Midwest
By and large, philanthropy tends to focus its grantmaking on urban parts of the United States. Rural America, on the other hand, receives only a paltry 7% of U.S. grantmaking, despite the fact that around 14% of the nation’s population lives in rural … [Read more...] about Here Are Five Grantmakers Funding the Rural Midwest
The Evolution of the Woodcock Foundation: A Progressive Family Funder Branches Out
Polly W. Guth was an heir to one of the founders of the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. She was also an active philanthropist, heavily involved in groups like Planned Parenthood of New York City and Asia Society. In 1996, Guth founded the … [Read more...] about The Evolution of the Woodcock Foundation: A Progressive Family Funder Branches Out
This Foundation Keeps a Huge Extended Family United While Helping Other Families Thrive
I first heard about Cleveland-based William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation in an unusual way. I was on a solo road trip from Texas to L.A. and nearly ran out of gas in the desert, when a service station arose from the dirt and tumbleweeds like … [Read more...] about This Foundation Keeps a Huge Extended Family United While Helping Other Families Thrive
Here Are Four Major National Funders Supporting Rural America
This article was originally published on February 24, 2023. Funding rural areas is a tricky, albeit important, task. And unfortunately, philanthropy as a whole tends to ignore rural America. Only about 7% of all U.S. grantmaking goes to rural … [Read more...] about Here Are Four Major National Funders Supporting Rural America
Here Are Four Things We’re Learning About Family Philanthropy
About a year ago, Inside Philanthropy and the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) began partnering on a series of profiles exploring different approaches to family philanthropy. As the lead writer of the series, I was excited for the … [Read more...] about Here Are Four Things We’re Learning About Family Philanthropy
Passing the Torch: A Family Foundation Empowers Dozens of Young Philanthropists
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Newport Beach, California, Tarsadia Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that provide educational opportunities for the underserved, support health and wellbeing of the community, and help people find … [Read more...] about Passing the Torch: A Family Foundation Empowers Dozens of Young Philanthropists
How Philanthropy Can Help Connect Rural Communities to Federal Infrastructure Funds
With unprecedented federal infrastructure investments beginning to reach communities across the U.S., there is hope that “the time is ripe to make wider and more resilient geographic prosperity a real possibility,” as a recent Brookings report put … [Read more...] about How Philanthropy Can Help Connect Rural Communities to Federal Infrastructure Funds
How a Connecticut Family Foundation Evolved to Support Youth-Led Social Change
The origins of the Perrin Family Foundation are similar to many other grantmakers rooted in the wealth of successful American executives. Charles Perrin started his career at General Foods in the late 1960s. The Trinity College and Columbia Business … [Read more...] about How a Connecticut Family Foundation Evolved to Support Youth-Led Social Change
