About Anne Ray Foundation
To provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment.
Focus Areas
Animal WelfareArts & CulturesDisaster Relief & RecoveryEnvironmentLegacy & OpportunityQuality of LifeTeachers & Students
Who They Fund
indigenous peoples and local community stewardscoastal and freshwater-dependent communities / small-scale fishersconservation practitioners and community-based organizationspeople experiencing homelessnesschildren and youth (camp participants, students)populations in low- and middle-income countries vulnerable to disasters and health risks
About Anne Ray Foundation
Anne Ray Foundation’s recent record is defined by large, repeat commitments to a small set of organizations working in conservation, education, public media, housing, and disaster readiness. The Nature Conservancy appears throughout the grant list, including support for Enduring Earth, freshwater conservation in Africa and South America, tropical forest landscapes, and capacity-building for traditional and community conservation. Berea College is another recurring recipient, with grants for bridge support programming, a building rebuild, and maintenance funding. The foundation also makes substantial gifts to Public Broadcasting Service for PBS Earth programming and to the YMCA of the USA for water safety and business model optimization. Across those examples, the pattern is not small project support: awards commonly reach into the millions and often back organizational infrastructure, program continuity, and multi-year initiatives. That mix fits a foundation whose stated purpose is to provide assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment, while also funding work connected to students, families, and communities experiencing vulnerability.
What Anne Ray Foundation Funds
In environmental grantmaking, the foundation has backed both ecosystem protection and the organizational capacity behind it. It gave $6,725,000 to The Nature Conservancy for community-led conservation in tropical forests landscapes, and another $5,500,000 for community-led conservation, livelihoods and resilience in coastal ecosystems. Freshwater work also appears in a $5,000,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy for community-led freshwater conservation in Africa and South America. The arts and media side is visible through $6,000,000 to Public Broadcasting Service for PBS Earth III and $5,000,000 for programming support tied to PBS Earth IV. In youth and family-serving work, the foundation awarded $5,500,000 to YMCA of the USA for YMCA business model optimization and $4,130,000 for the water safety initiative.
How Anne Ray Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is substantial: the 25th percentile is $421,500, the median is $1,000,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,092,500. The recent grants list shows clear recurrence, with several recipients appearing across multiple years, including The Nature Conservancy, Berea College, Public Broadcasting Service, YMCA of the USA, the American National Red Cross International Services Department, and The Salvation Army in San Diego. That pattern suggests ongoing relationship-based funding rather than isolated awards. The foundation is a regular funder and, per the invitation-based grantmaking program, does not accept unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$167M
Total Assets
$5B
Total Revenue
$153.1M
Total Expenses
$172.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $422K and $2.1M, with a median of $1M.
25th Percentile
$422K
Median
$1M
75th Percentile
$2.1M
Geographic Reach
National7 states funded
About 3% of grants go to recipients in KY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
HEATHER KUKLA
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Anne Ray Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime