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Rugaber Family Fund at a glance

· Private foundation

Rugaber Family Fund

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$241k
Granted FY2025still arriving
57
Grants FY2025still arriving
10
States reached
$120k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Education$416kArts & Culture$383kReligion$212kHousing & Shelter$151kPhilanthropy$101kAnimals$56kEnvironment$51kPublic Safety & Disaster$46kOther$0
02FY2025 · 57 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k53 grants · $85k
  • $10k–50k3 grants · $36k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $120k
$1,000
Median grant
10
States reached
$3.5M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
VIRGINIA LUTHERAN HOMES$120,000
MAYBERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH$15,000
DICKINSON COLLEGE$11,000
Individual grant recipient$10,000
FLOYD COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY$5,000
PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CENTER$5,000
SMITH COLLEGE$5,000
WELLESLEY COLLEGE$5,000
UNITED WAY OF RKE VALLEY$5,000
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH$5,000
TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART$4,500
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY$2,500
ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA$2,500
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE$2,500
VIRGINIA HUMANITIES$2,500
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY17–25, $43k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 95% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%UPLIFT NORTHWEST: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%UPLIFT NORTHWEST: $2k → 9%UPLIFT NORTHWEST: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%MILLIONAIR CLUB CHARITY: $2k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%ARLINGTON THRIVE: $1k → 7%ARLINGTON THRIVE: $1k → 7%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%REAL CHANGE: $1k → 9%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $1k → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $1k → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%FAMILY SERVICE OF RKE VALLEY: $500 → 20%PEOPLE'S HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%PEOPLE'S HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%FACING HOMELESSNESS: $1k → 9%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
NY
MA
OR
OH
PA
VA
MD
NC
DC
GA
TX
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

99%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.5M · 67 repeat orgs$21k to everyone else

67 repeat relationships: 51 still active in FY2025, 16 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

67
9

Total granted

$1.5M
$18k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+31%
+212%

Still filing today

70%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 99% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Arts & CultureEducationHuman ServicesAnimalsHealthEnvironmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • AS
    Agnes Scott College
    9× · 2017–2025 · $180k · revenue +56%
  • RC
    ROANOKE CULTURAL ENDOWMENT
    4× · 2018–2022 · $100k · revenue +67%
  • FC
    Floyd Community Center for the Arts
    9× · 2017–2025 · $66k · revenue +61%

Funded once

  • RH
    RAM HOUSE
    one grant, 2024 · $5k
  • TB
    TO BE LIKE MEgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $5k · revenue +431%
  • AH
    ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER INCgraduated
    one grant, 2024 · $3k · revenue +212%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Wilson College

Wilson college empowers students to be confident and critical thinkers, creative visionaries, effective communicators, honorable leaders, and agents of justice.

Education
2
Association of Washington Cities

The association of washington cities builds connections between our state's diverse cities and towns, while providing our members with the support needed to thrive through delivery of data-driven education, nationally recognized pooling…

—
3
Boston Architectural College

The bac is committed to provide excellence in design education grounded in practice and accessible to diverse communities.

—
4
Furman University

The primary mission of furman as a liberal arts institution is to provide a distinctive education in fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and the sciences, as well as selected professional disciplines.

Education
5
University of Virginia Foundation

To provide administrative services to university of virginia (university) entities, university associated organizations, or other entities involved in activities which support the university. to engage in matters pertaining to real…

Education
6
Saint Anselm College

Saint anselm is a catholic, benedictine college providing all of its students a distinctive liberal arts education that incorporates opportunities for professional and career preparation. it does so in a learning community that encourages…

Education
7
Nashville Public Radio

Nashville public radio's mission is to be the most trusted & independent nashville voice, connecting our communities through non-partisan journalism, compelling storytelling, civil conversation and music discovery.

Arts & Culture
8
University of Virginia Investment Management Company

The university of virginia investment management company (uvimco) is organized to invest funds on behalf of the rector and visitors of the university of virginia (the university or uva) and university-associated organizations (uaos).

Education
9
Barton College

Founded in 1902, barton college is a four-year, private, liberal arts college located in wilson, n.c. the barton experience focuses on academic excellence within a wide range of professional and liberal arts programs leading to…

Education
10
Virginia Wesleyan University

Virginia wesleyan university is a fully accredited liberal arts, united-methodist related institution founded in 1961.

—
11
Vcu Investment Management Company

To provide investment and investment management and related services to the rector and the board of visitors of virginia commonwealth university (vcu), and/or to the private and independent foundations and other entities affiliated with…

Education
12
Virginia Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives

Trade association for electric cooperatives

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Arlington Thrive; the most unlike its peers is Meadows of Dan Volunteer Fire Department. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

57 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 57 of the 83 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
14
Early backer (in before they grew)
57/57
Grantees still filing
39/57
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Agnes Scott College: $180,000 · OtherAgnes Scott CollegeMAYBERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: $141,000 · OtherMAYBERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHVIRGINIA LUTHERAN HOMES INC: $140,000 · OtherVIRGINIA LUTHERAN HOMES INCIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientGRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH: $45,000 · OtherGRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCHUNITED WAY OF RKE VALLEY: $37,500 · Other+37 more: $237,350 · Other+37 moreROANOKE CULTURAL ENDOWMENT: $100,000 · Arts & CultureROANOKE CULTURAL EN…Floyd Community Center for the Arts: $66,000 · Arts & CultureFloyd Community Cen…TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART: $58,500 · Arts & CultureTAUBMAN MUSEUM OF A…ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $13,500 · Arts & CultureOPERA ROANOKE: $10,000 · Arts & Culture+4 more: $17,500 · Arts & Culture+4 moreDICKINSON COLLEGE: $46,000 · EducationDICKINSON COLLEG…THE TRUSTEES OF THE SMITH COLLEGE: $45,000 · EducationTHE TRUSTEES OF …Wellesley College: $34,000 · EducationWellesley Colleg…HOLLINS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION: $26,000 · EducationHOLLINS UNIVERSI…THE BUSH SCHOOL: $22,500 · EducationTHE BUSH SCHOOLUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation Inc: $12,500 · EducationUniversity of No…VIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION INC: $12,500 · EducationVIRGINIA TECH FO…CURRY COLLEGE: $12,000 · EducationFERRUM COLLEGE: $9,000 · EducationROANOKE COLLEGE: $9,000 · EducationRoanoke Womens Foundation: $19,400 · Human ServicesUPLIFT NORTHWEST: $18,000 · Human ServicesPRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CENTER: $10,000 · Human ServicesREAL CHANGE HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT: $9,000 · Human ServicesFACING HOMELESSNESS: $6,000 · Human ServicesFAMILY SERVICE OF ROANOKE VALLEY: $5,500 · Human ServicesTO BE LIKE ME: $5,000 · Human Services+2 more: $4,000 · Human ServicesWASHINGTON WOMEN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 · PhilanthropySOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS: $18,000 · PhilanthropyFloyd County Humane Society Inc: $27,000 · AnimalsTHE SEATTLE AQUARIUM SOCIETY: $6,000 · AnimalsAnimal Welfare League of Arlington: $4,000 · AnimalsSEATTLE ANIMAL SHELTER FOUNDATION: $2,000 · AnimalsSEATTLE AREA FELINE RESCUE FKA ANIMAL TALK RESCUE: $2,000 · Animals+1 more: $1,000 · AnimalsBLUE RIDGE PARKWAY FOUNDATION: $28,000 · EnvironmentNEW RIVER LAND TRUST: $9,000 · EnvironmentTHE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION: $2,250 · EnvironmentAMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: $2,000 · Environment
Other$830,850Arts & Culture$265,500Education$228,500Human Services$76,900Philanthropy$43,000Animals$42,000Environment$41,250

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetAgnes Scott College: $180,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetVIRGINIA LUTHERAN HOMES INC: $140,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetROANOKE CULTURAL ENDOWMENT: $100,000 over 4y, 6.3% of budgetFloyd Community Center for the Arts: $66,000 over 9y, 3.9% of budgetTAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART: $58,500 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetDICKINSON COLLEGE: $46,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetTHE TRUSTEES OF THE SMITH COLLEGE: $45,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetWellesley College: $34,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetBLUE RIDGE PARKWAY FOUNDATION: $28,000 over 9y, 0.6% of budgetFloyd County Humane Society Inc: $27,000 over 8y, 2.5% of budgetHOLLINS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION: $26,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetWASHINGTON WOMEN'S FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 3y, 1.4% of budgetTHE BUSH SCHOOL: $22,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetRoanoke Womens Foundation: $19,400 over 9y, 0.8% of budgetUPLIFT NORTHWEST: $18,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetSOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS: $18,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetMEADOWS OF DAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT: $16,500 over 8y, 9.0% of budgetVESTA RESCUE SQUAD INCORPORATED: $15,000 over 9y, 6.6% of budgetROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: $13,500 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation Inc: $12,500 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetVIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION INC: $12,500 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetCURRY COLLEGE: $12,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetPRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CENTER: $10,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetOPERA ROANOKE: $10,000 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetJUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA INC: $9,000 over 9y, 0.4% of budgetNEW RIVER LAND TRUST: $9,000 over 9y, 0.3% of budgetFERRUM COLLEGE: $9,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetVIRGINIA PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT: $9,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $9,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetREAL CHANGE HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT: $9,000 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetROANOKE COLLEGE: $9,000 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetCaring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County Inc: $9,000 over 9y, 0.5% of budgetVIRGINIA FOUNDATION FOR THE HUMANITIES AND PUBLIC POLICY: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SOCIETY OF ST ANDREW INC: $6,100 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetTHE SEATTLE AQUARIUM SOCIETY: $6,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetPLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT NORTHWEST HAWAII ALASKA INDIANA AND KENTUCKY: $6,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetFACING HOMELESSNESS: $6,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetFAMILY SERVICE OF ROANOKE VALLEY: $5,500 over 9y, 0.1% of budgetPACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET ASSOCIATION: $5,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTO BE LIKE ME: $5,000 over 1y, 3.8% of budgetAnimal Welfare League of Arlington: $4,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER INC: $3,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetLAMBERT HOUSE: $3,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $2,250 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION: $2,250 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL PSORIASIS FOUNDATION: $2,250 over 9y, 0.0% of budgetSEATTLE ANIMAL SHELTER FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetCLASSICAL 981: $2,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds Agnes Scott College ↗
  • Who funds VIRGINIA LUTHERAN HOMES INC ↗
  • Who funds ROANOKE CULTURAL ENDOWMENT ↗
  • Who funds Floyd Community Center for the Arts ↗
  • Who funds TAUBMAN MUSEUM OF ART ↗
  • Who funds DICKINSON COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds THE TRUSTEES OF THE SMITH COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds Wellesley College ↗
  • Who funds BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Floyd County Humane Society Inc ↗
  • Who funds HOLLINS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION ↗
  • Who funds WASHINGTON WOMEN'S FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE BUSH SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds Roanoke Womens Foundation ↗
  • Who funds UPLIFT NORTHWEST ↗
  • Who funds SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS ↗
  • Who funds MEADOWS OF DAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ↗
  • Who funds VESTA RESCUE SQUAD INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds ROANOKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ↗
  • Who funds University of North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds VIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds CURRY COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CENTER ↗
  • Who funds OPERA ROANOKE ↗
  • Who funds JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA INC ↗
  • Who funds NEW RIVER LAND TRUST ↗
  • Who funds FERRUM COLLEGE ↗
  • Who funds VIRGINIA PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds REAL CHANGE HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Community Foundation …Seattle FoundationUnited Way of King Co…Puget Sound Energy Fo…Moccasin Lake Foundat…Lucky Seven FoundationMightycause Charitabl…Edgar a Thurman Fdn C…The Norcliffe Foundat…Ge Aerospace Foundati…Gates FoundationTaubman Foundation fo…
Community Foundation Serving Western VirginiaVA25.8× affinity10 shared granteesties to 4 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia · Seattle Foundation · United Way of King County · Puget Sound Energy Foundation · Moccasin Lake Foundation · Lucky Seven Foundation · Mightycause Charitable Foundation · Edgar a Thurman Fdn Children Nect · The Norcliffe Foundation · Ge Aerospace Foundation · Gates Foundation · Taubman Foundation for the Arts

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Rugaber Family Fund funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Rugaber Family Fund. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%10%20%30%40%share of the org’s income from government →median 1%
  • The Trustees of the Smith College: 1% of income from government
  • Wellesley College: 1% of income from government
  • Curry College: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
0get no government money at all
28report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–40%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 83 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Rugaber Family’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home