The Harry L Rust & Helen M Rust Charitable Foundation funds mid-sized, pragmatic grants focused on basic needs, child- and family-centered services, and community stability. While there is a clear concentration in the Kansas City area, the foundation also supports organizations in other regions (CA, CT, NC, NC/SE) that provide food security, housing/transitional living, literacy and child health. Many grants are unrestricted or for general operating/capacity support, showing a preference for flexible funding to frontline service providers. The foundation appears to prioritize organizations delivering direct services to low-income families, children, and refugees/immigrants.
A defining feature of the Harry L Rust & Helen M Rust Charitable Foundation is its steady support for direct-service organizations that meet basic needs, with repeated grants to food, housing, literacy, and family-support groups. In 2025, it gave $25,000 to Catholic Charities of KC-St Joseph Inc for emergency assistance and $20,000 to the Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry for a family empowerment continuum, both in Kansas City. The foundation also backs organizations serving children and families beyond Missouri, including $25,000 to Book Harvest in Durham for literacy and justice work and $25,000 to Insight Housing in Berkeley for general operating support. Its grants often go to frontline providers rather than large institutions, and many awards are structured for general operating support, program support, or board discretion. Recent examples show a practical mix of food security, housing stability, literacy, child health, and refugee and immigrant services. The foundation also funds individuals, which sets it apart from many private foundations and suggests a broader giving approach that includes both organizations and people. Across the latest grants, the pattern is consistent: flexible funding to community organizations addressing immediate needs for low-income families, children, and other vulnerable residents.
Food security is a core theme. The foundation gave $25,000 to Harvesters-the Community Food Network for general operating support, $25,000 to Monument Crisis Center for feeding low-income families, and $20,000 to Shawnee Mission Meals on Wheels for general operating expenses. Children’s literacy is another visible area: Book Harvest received $25,000 for literacy and justice for all, while The Friends of the Oakland Public Library received $20,000 for children’s literacy programming. Basic health access also appears in the recent grants. Levelup Kids Inc received $20,000 for free dental and vision care for low-income children, and Carolina Public Press received $20,000 for access to women’s healthcare. Housing and family stability show up through Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City and Kansas City Dream Center Co, each funded for neighborhood revitalization or transitional living.
$312K
$4.6M
$196K
$369K
Most grants fall between $15K and $20K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$20K
About 33% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Distributed portfolio of mid-sized grants (typically $18k–$37.5k) across ~26 recipients, emphasizing single-year general operating and capacity grants; geographically anchored in Kansas City but willing to fund effective frontline service providers elsewhere. A small number of repeat grantees appear, but most funding is one-off, pragmatic support for direct-service organizations.
Notable grantees: LEVELUP KIDS INC, HARVESTERS — The Community Food Network, PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS, BOOK HARVEST, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY
Typical grant size is tightly clustered: p25 is $15,000, median is $18,000, and p75 is $20,000. That points to mid-sized awards with limited spread, even though the foundation also makes some $25,000 grants. The recent list shows repeat giving to the same organizations across years, including Levelup Kids Inc in both 2023 and 2025 and Cornerstones of Care in 2025 after a 2024 grant to Cornerstone Community Developement. Grants are made by a charitable foundation, and the foundation also funds individuals. Program-related investments are not used. Awards are often unrestricted, general operating support, or board-discretion grants, which indicates flexible support rather than tightly restricted project-only funding.
Grantmaking is national, with all recent grants landing in the US. Missouri receives the largest share of awards by count, and 35% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Missouri. Kansas City is a recurring recipient city, joined by other Missouri locations such as Overland Park. Outside Missouri, the foundation has recent grants in California cities including Berkeley, Concord, Walnut Creek, Fairfield, Oakland, and West Santa Rosa, plus Connecticut recipients in Bridgeport and Stamford and North Carolina recipients in Durham and Ashville.
Recent grants go to food banks, crisis centers, literacy groups, housing and transitional-living providers, child health programs, and refugee and immigrant service organizations. Examples include emergency assistance, children’s literacy programming, free dental and vision care for low-income children, and family empowerment services.
The foundation’s grant sizes are centered in the high teens to low twenties: p25 is $15,000, the median is $18,000, and p75 is $20,000. Recent awards also include several $25,000 grants.
Yes. Several recent awards are for general operating support, board discretion, or general operating expenses, including grants to Harvesters-the Community Food Network, Insight Housing, The Friends of the Oakland Public Library, and Cornerstones of Care.
Missouri is the top state by grant count, and 35% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Missouri. Kansas City is the most frequent recipient city in the recent grant list, with additional Missouri grants to Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas.
No. The foundation funds individuals as well as organizations. Its recent grant list is mainly organizational, but the foundation profile indicates that individual funding is part of its grantmaking approach.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DURHAM LITERACY CENTER INC | DURHAM, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | DURHAM LITERACY CENTER COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM |
| FIRST PLACE FOR YOUTH | OAKLAND, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | MY FIRST PLACE |
| INSIGHT HOUSING | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS (GREATER KANSAS CITY) | KANSAS CITY, MO | $25,000 | 2026 | DISASTER RELIEF |
| SHAWNEE MISSION MEALS ON WHEELS | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $25,000 | 2026 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS |
| FRED FINCH YOUTH CENTER | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | CULTIVATING HOLISTIC WELLNESS |
| CHILDREN RISING INC | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | FAMILYBRIDGE |
| THE ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS |
| MERCY LEARNING CENTER OF BRIDGEPORT INCORPORATED | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | LITERACY & LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM FOR WOMEN |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2026 | NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT |
| EAST BAY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER | BERKELEY, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION DEFENSE AND JUSTICE FOR YOUTH (EDJY) PROGRAM |
| INSPIRICA INC | STAMFORD, CT | $20,000 | 2026 | EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, & FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT [EEFE] PROGRAM |
| HARVESTERS-THE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2026 | FEEDING CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS ACROSS OUR REGION |
| A SAFE PLACE | OAKLAND, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS |
| SAINT LUKES FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $12,000 | 2026 | AWARE360 SOLUTION (ALERT GPS) |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF KC-ST JOSEPH INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $25,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE |
| METROPOLITAN LUTHERAN MINISTRY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | FAMILY EMPOWERMENT CONTINUUM |
| CORNERSTONES OF CARE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT |
| STUDENT U | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | USED FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES |
| CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | SUMMER TRAINING IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH (STAR) 2.0 |
| THE FRIENDS OF THE OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S LITERACY PROGRAMMING |
| LEVELUP KIDS INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | FREE DENTAL AND VISION CARE FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $20,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE (SRH) ACCESS ACROSS KANSAS CITY |
| CONNECTICUT INSTITUTE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | PROJECT RESCUE |
| KANSAS CITY DREAM CENTER CO | KANSAS CITY, KS | $20,000 | 2025 | KANSAS CITY DREAM CENTER TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER |
| ADAM J LEWIS ACADEMY INC | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $18,000 | 2025 | USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT |
| KC COMMON GOOD INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $15,000 | 2025 | KC 360 AND VILLAGE INITIATIVE: IMPROVING SAFETY AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF JEFFERSON CITY | JEFFERSON CITY, MO | $15,000 | 2025 | PROJECT STEAM |
| COLUMBIA CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE | COLUMBIA, MO | $15,000 | 2025 | COLUMBIA CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE |
| WILDWOOD OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER INC | LACYGNE, KS | $12,000 | 2025 | HAPPY, HEALTHY KANSAS CITY CAMPERS |
| CAMP CLAIRE INC | OLD LYME, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | ELECTRICAL CODE UPGRADES/IMPROVEMENTS |
| PIEDMONT EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | PIEDMONT, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | PIEDMONT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT EXCELLENCE |
| MONUMENT CRISIS CENTER | CONCORD, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | FEEDING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES |
| BOOK HARVEST | DURHAM, NC | $25,000 | 2024 | WITH LITERACY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL |
| CONTRA COSTA CRISIS CENTER | WALNUT CREEK, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS FOLLOW-UP PROJECT |
| INSIGHT HOUSING | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NOURISH BRIDGEPORT INC | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HARVESTERS-THE COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK | KANSAS CITY, MO | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS | ASHVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2024 | ACCESS TO WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2024 | NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT |
| SHAWNEE MISSION MEALS ON WHEELS | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES |
| CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPEMENT | FORD HEIGHTS, IL | $18,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| EAST BAY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER | BERKELEY, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION, DEFENSE & JUSTICE FOR YOUTH (EDJY) |
| MINDDRIVE INCORPORATED | KANSAS CITY, MO | $15,000 | 2024 | STEM PROGRAMS |
| NOTRE DAME DE SION SCHOOL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $10,000 | 2024 | EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM |
| PIEDMONT EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | PIEDMONT, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LOVED TWICE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $24,000 | 2023 | WAREHOUSE RENTAL & PURCHASE OF 15,000 GARMETS OF BABY CLOTHING FOR NEWBORNS-IN-NEED |
| FOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO | FAIRFIELD, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| EL FUTURO | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR NC'S LATINO FAMILIES |
| DURHAM LITERACY CENTER INC | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS FOR LITERACY STUDENTS |
DURHAM LITERACY CENTER INC
$25,000DURHAM LITERACY CENTER COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM
USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS
AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS (GREATER KANSAS CITY)
$25,000DISASTER RELIEF
SHAWNEE MISSION MEALS ON WHEELS
$25,000USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS
CULTIVATING HOLISTIC WELLNESS
USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS
LITERACY & LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM FOR WOMEN
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT
EDUCATION DEFENSE AND JUSTICE FOR YOUTH (EDJY) PROGRAM
INSPIRICA INC
$20,000EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, & FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT [EEFE] PROGRAM
FEEDING CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS ACROSS OUR REGION
USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATIONS
USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT
USED FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES
THE FRIENDS OF THE OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
$20,000CHILDREN'S LITERACY PROGRAMMING
EXPANDING SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE (SRH) ACCESS ACROSS KANSAS CITY
KANSAS CITY DREAM CENTER CO
$20,000KANSAS CITY DREAM CENTER TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER
USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT
KC 360 AND VILLAGE INITIATIVE: IMPROVING SAFETY AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY
CAMP CLAIRE INC
$10,000ELECTRICAL CODE UPGRADES/IMPROVEMENTS
SHAWNEE MISSION MEALS ON WHEELS
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES
CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPEMENT
$18,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MINDDRIVE INCORPORATED
$15,000STEM PROGRAMS
NOTRE DAME DE SION SCHOOL
$10,000EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM
LOVED TWICE
$24,000WAREHOUSE RENTAL & PURCHASE OF 15,000 GARMETS OF BABY CLOTHING FOR NEWBORNS-IN-NEED
CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR NC'S LATINO FAMILIES
DURHAM LITERACY CENTER INC
$20,000COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS FOR LITERACY STUDENTS