Kenneth Rainin Foundation

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation is an Oakland, California based private grantmaking foundation. The foundation was seeded by the fortune of medical supply manufacturer Kenneth Rainin.

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation
Website: krfoundation.org
Founded:

2008

CEO:

Jennifer Rainin

Location: Oakland, CA View on map
Tax ID: 94-3289283
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $668,933,681 Revenue: $25,289,234 Expenses: $50,479,043

Contents

    The foundation supports the arts in the San Francisco Bay area and medical research, mostly in the area of inflammatory bowel disease. The foundation also funds childhood education programs in the San Francisco Bay area. 1

    The vast majority of the foundation’s giving is towards noncontroversial causes such as medical research, childhood education programs, and the arts. But the foundation has also supported left-of-center environmentalist organizations and to the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center. 1

    The foundation’s co-founder and CEO, Jennifer Rainin, was a public opponent of former President Donald Trump and his agenda on numerous issues. 2

    Overview

    In 2008 after the passing of her father Kenneth Rainin, who made his fortune manufacturing medical supplies, Jennifer helped to launch the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. She has worked as CEO of the foundation since its founding. 3

    When Kenneth Rainin died, he left the bulk of his estate to the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. However, the vast majority of the money was given in installments. In the foundation’s first year, it only gave away about $1 million, which was a small portion of Rainin’s estate. 4

    Reflecting Rainin’s life and interests, the mission of the foundation is to support medical research (especially in the area of inflammatory bowel disease) and the arts. 4

    The foundation has a major commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues inspired by critical race theory. The foundation began its commitment to the program in 2017 with some of its arts giving. In addition, the foundation’s CEO Jennifer Rainin has a personal commitment to the critical race theory-aligned doctrine of “anti-racism.” 5

    The foundation established the SFFILM Rainin Filmmaking Grants, the largest independent narrative film grantmaking body in the U.S. The foundation also created the Community Arts Stabilization Trust, which purchases and leases space for nonprofit arts organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. 3

    In 2025, the foundation joined a coalition of groups to launch The Courage Project, a national initiative recognizing “everyday acts of civic bravery” by individuals and nonprofit organizations across the United States. The project was established with an initial $5 million commitment and provides awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to support grassroots civic engagement efforts.6

    In 2025, the foundation partnered with the Trust Based Philanthropy Project through their “Meet the moment” initiative. This initiative seeks to bring its supporters together “in solidarity with nonprofits.” The group claims that the political climate could pose risks to nonprofits through reductions in funding, legal concerns, and lack of staff. 7

    Opposition To Donald Trump

    In 2017, Jennifer Rainin signed a letter on behalf of the foundation that opposed an executive order by President Donald Trump that barred entry to the United States of nationals of certain countries. The letter also opposed increased deportations and enforcement of immigration law. Finally, the letter also declared its opposition to policies that would “affect the rights” of women, African-Americans, the LGBT community, and others. 8

    Also in 2017, she published a blog post on the foundation’s website that accused then-President Trump of encouraging racism, hatred, intimidation, and violence. She then linked the a post from the controversial far-left Southern Poverty Law Center. 2

    In 2021, she signed a letter on behalf of the foundation that attacked President Donald Trump and blamed him for fanning the flames of political violence in the wake of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. The letter also blamed Trump and other Republicans of promoting conspiracy theories and denying the legitimacy of President-elect Joe Biden’s election. 9

    Leadership

    Jennifer Rainin is the chief executive officer of the foundation. She is the daughter of the foundation’s namesake and she helped co-found the foundation after his death. She is also a filmmaker. 3

    Finances

    According to its 2019 tax return, the foundation generated $13,884,229 in revenue and had expenses of $30,757,897, with $16,421,074 awarded as grants. The foundation has $619,535,428 in assets. 1

    Most Kenneth Rainin Foundation grants are to not-overtly-political causes such as medical research, arts, and childhood education. But left-of-center organizations such as Earthjustice and the Southern Poverty Law Center have also received KRF grants. 1

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $668,933,681 $25,289,234 $50,479,043 View
    2023 $641,172,974 $10,372,080 $36,985,705 View
    2022 $608,719,527 $9,404,948 $30,790,626 View
    2021 $686,022,836 $27,079,663 $25,440,628 View
    2020 $599,807,567 $-38,615,626 $24,923,520 View

    Prior year filings: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Ross DemontCHIEF INVESTMENT OFF$1,010,574
    Jennifer RaininCEO/DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT$637,304
    Lauren WebsterCFO/TREASURER$439,486
    Jose FloresDIR. INVEST. & PORTF$377,498
    Laverne MatiasCHIEF OF ORG EFFECTI$341,737
    Michelle TrottEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SECRETARY$324,551
    Gerald TaillonCONTROLLER$253,200
    Laura WilsonDIRECTOR,HEALTH STRA$230,256
    Rivkah MedowDIRECTOR$25,000
    Moy EngDIRECTOR$25,000
    William RogersDIRECTOR$25,000
    Dash PattersonDIRECTOR$25,000

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $75,920
    • Number of Grants: 2
    • Number of Funders: 2

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $3,0002021 Akonadi FoundationProject support to Kenneth Rainin Foundation, specifically Covid-19 Relief Funding and Landscape Research for Bay Area Artists

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $172,653,311
    • Number of Grants: 2,112
    • Number of Recipients: 790

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $3,087,6312020 FluentSeedsWe seek investment from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation to help us serve 3,000 Oakland children and adults over the 2020-2021 year through evidence-based professional learning and instructional materials. We are requesting a multi-year grant to increase services in Oakland each year thereafter. Nationally, our objective is to serve 2,100 adults and 21,000 children in the year 2022-2023.
    $3,000,0002024 COMMUNITY ARTS STABILIZATION TRUSTGeneral Operating Support
    $2,400,0002021 SFFILM
    $2,360,0002021 Oakland Unified School District
    $2,082,0002021 Oakland Unified School District
    $1,850,0002020 Oakland Unified School DistrictWe are scaling our efforts from previous projects to provide research-based Early Literacy professional development and support through a Community of Practice of principals and coaches and in PLCS directly to TK-2ND grade teachers and Early Literacy tutors use valid, predictive and reliable assessments to provide data-driven, relationship based coaching to teachers and tutors including data conferences, bi-monthly observation/feedback cycles and collaborative learning to all OUSD school sites showing a need in literacy efforts.
    $1,800,0002024 Education for ChangeStructured Literacy Initiative
    $1,690,0002021 Education for Change Public Schools
    $1,300,0002024 The Roxie Theater$1,200,000 for the Roxie Forever Campaign and $100,000 for general operations support of the new facility and staff.
    $1,101,6662022 Cares for LearningTO SUPPORT THE OAKLAND HUB.
    $1,000,0002022 COMMUNITY ARTS STABILIZATION TRUST10X
    $1,000,0002022 COMMUNITY ARTS STABILIZATION TRUST10X
    $989,0002020 Education for ChangeWe want 80% of K-2 students to be on-track to reading proficiently by 3RD grade in 2021. We want 90% of TK students to be kinder ready at the end of each year.
    $900,0002023 Education for Change23-25 STRUCTURED LITERACY INITIATIVE: TK-2 COACHING/TRAINING & TUTORING
    $886,0002024 Californians for the ArtsField Leadership/Artist Advocate Program
    $850,0002022 SFFILMSF FILM RAININ FILMMAKING GRANTS AND PROGRAMS
    $845,0002022 Education for ChangeEFC EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE ("WIN") FOR GRADES TK-2
    $832,4322024 Oakland Unified School DistrictStructured Literacy Initiative
    $800,0002023 Cares for Learning23-25 OAKLAND PREK-2 COACHING/TRAINING
    $800,0002023 SFFILMSFFILM RAININ FILMMAKING GRANTS AND PROGRAMS
    $760,0002024 Aspire Public Schools23-25 Structured Literacy Initiative
    $710,0002024 Assoc of Black GastroenterologistsFor capacity building support including ABGH Rising, ED salary support & the Research Grant program
    $600,0002023 United States Artists IncFOR THE RAININ FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
    $590,0002024 The Teaching WellGeneral Retention Support
    $590,0002022 Oakland Unified School DistrictOAKLAND EARLY LITERACY PROJECT

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/943289283/02_2021_prefixes_92-95%2F943289283_201912_990PF_2021021917723586.
    2. Rainin, Jennifer. “We Must Not Be Silent.” Kenneth Rainin Foundation. August 25, 2017. https://krfoundation.org/we-must-not-be-silent/.
    3. “Jennifer Rainin.” Kenneth Rainin Foundation. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://krfoundation.org/about/who-we-are/staff/jennifer-rainin/#:~:text=Jen%20Rainin%20launched%20the%20Kenneth,outside%20of%20philanthropy%27s%20traditional%20circles
    4. Wolfe, Dawn. “Five(Ish) Questions For Jennifer Rainin, CEO Of Arts And Education Funder The Rainin Foundation — Inside Philanthropy.” Inside Philanthropy. October 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028184032/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/10/28/5-ish-questions-for-jennifer-rainin-ceo-of-arts-and-early-ed-funder-the-rainin-foundation.
    5. Rainin, Jennifer. “An Update On Our Journey With Diversity, Equity And Inclusion.” Kenneth Rainin Foundation. November 18, 2020. https://krfoundation.org/an-update-on-our-dei-journey/.
    6. Matthiessen, Connie. “Big Funders Take a Symbolic Stand through the Courage Project.” Inside Philanthropy, June 30, 2025. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/big-funders-take-a-symbolic-stand-through-the-courage-project. 
    7. “Meet the Moment – Trust-Based Philanthropy.” Trust Based Philanthropy . Accessed September 29, 2025. https://www.trustbasedphilanthropy.org/meet-the-moment#signatories.
    8. “Joint Foundation Statement On Immigration.” February 24, 2017.  Zellerbach Family Foundation. https://zff.org/2017/02/joint-foundation-statement-on-immigration/.
    9. “Jerome Signs On To Letter Condemning Political Violence.” January 11, 2021. Jerome Foundation. https://www.jeromefdn.org/jerome-signs-letter-condemning-political-violence.