The Kentfields Foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on higher education, making large discretionary gifts to a single university while also supporting community resilience work in Baltimore. Its grantmaking is highly concentrated and strategic—multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar awards rather than many small grants—and favors repeat, unrestricted support to favored institutions.
Kentfields Foundation C/o Philip J Rauch gives in a highly concentrated way, with a $2,005,000 award to Wesleyan University standing out in the recent record. That one grant, paired with later $500,000 support to the same university in 2024 and 2025, shows a strong long-term institutional relationship. Alongside higher-education giving, the foundation also backs Baltimore-based environmental and community resilience work, including Blue Water Baltimore and Bridges Baltimore, with grants tied to water quality, equitable communities, and organizational growth. Its recent activity suggests a pattern of large, discretionary awards rather than a broad spread of small grants. The foundation’s giving also reaches Maryland and neighboring states through conservation, climate, and outdoor-equity groups, while continuing to support institutions in the Baltimore area. Across the record, the foundation appears to favor repeat relationships, capacity-building language, and unrestricted or discretionary support for selected partners.
In higher education, Kentfields Foundation C/o Philip J Rauch gave $2,005,000 to Wesleyan University for the Wesleyan University Annual Fund and Wesleyan University Professorship, then followed with $500,000 grants in 2024 and 2025 tied to the same institution. In Baltimore community work, it gave $225,000 to Blue Water Baltimore for building equitable and resilient communities, and earlier $150,000 for water quality monitoring, advocacy, and enforcement in Baltimore. The foundation also supports organizational growth: Bridges Baltimore received $166,667 in 2024 and $106,667 in 2025 for capacity building for expansion. Environmental advocacy appears in several grants, including $100,000 to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership and Chesapeake Bay litigation and accountability.
Typical grant size is substantial: the p25 is $10,000, the median is $45,000, and the p75 is $66,250. The recent record shows a small number of very large awards at the top end, including seven-figure support, alongside repeated mid-sized operating and discretionary grants. Recipients often reappear across multiple years, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation’s structure is identifiable from the data as a private foundation, and it funds individuals. No application process is described in the provided record.
$2.4M
$33.7M
$5.8M
$2.8M
Most grants fall between $10K and $66K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$66K
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Very concentrated: few large grants, repeat multi-year or multi-grant support to a principal beneficiary (Wesleyan University), with occasional targeted community/environmental grants in Baltimore.
Notable grantees: Wesleyan University, Blue Water Baltimore
Giving is national, but the recipient base is heavily concentrated in Maryland. Forty-five percent of grants go to recipients in the HQ state of Maryland, with Baltimore appearing repeatedly in the recent grants list through Blue Water Baltimore, Bridges Baltimore, PARKS & PEOPLE Foundation Inc, Backyard Basecamp, and the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. Outside Maryland, the record includes Middletown, CT; Harrisburg, PA; Beach Lake, PA; Trenton, NJ; and Washington, DC. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the provided data.
The recent record centers on higher education and environmental or community resilience work. Wesleyan University received the largest awards, while Baltimore-based groups such as Blue Water Baltimore and Bridges Baltimore received support tied to water quality, equitable communities, and organizational expansion.
The grant-size distribution is relatively large: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $45,000, and p75 is $66,250. The recent list also includes several much larger awards, including grants of $500,000 and $2,005,000.
Yes. Wesleyan University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Blue Water Baltimore appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Bridges Baltimore appears in 2024 and 2025. Several other recipients also repeat across years, indicating sustained relationships.
Maryland receives the largest share of grants by recipient location, at 45% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. Baltimore is especially prominent, and the broader record also reaches Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, DC.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals according to the provided data, alongside its institutional grants to universities and nonprofit organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT | $500,000 | 2025 | Discretionary distribution |
| BLUE WATER BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $225,000 | 2025 | BUILDING EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES |
| BRIDGES BALTIMORE | BALTIMORE, MD | $106,667 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING FOR EXPANSION |
| ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY INC | Annapolis, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE |
| PARKS & PEOPLE Foundation INc | BALTIMORE, MD | $85,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT FOR GREENSPACE EQUITY |
| MARYLAND LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION F | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $80,000 | 2025 | IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS IN MARYLAND |
| DELAWARE HIGHLANDS CONSERVANCY | BEACH LAKE, PA | $80,000 | 2025 | BUILDING ON SUCCESS: FULL-TIME DONOR RELATIONS |
| PENNFUTURE | HARRISBURG, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | PREVENTING THE PAVING OF THE POCONOS CAMPAIGN |
| OUTDOOR EQUITY ALLIANCE | TRENTON, NJ | $75,000 | 2025 | OUTDOOR EQUITY ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
| ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY PROJECT | WASHINGTON, DC | $70,000 | 2025 | MARYLAND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES CAMPAIGN |
| VENETOULIS INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL JOURNALISM DBA THE | BALTIMORE, MD | $70,000 | 2025 | ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM AT THE BALTIMORE BANNER |
| THE WALTERS ART MUSEUM | BALTIMORE, MD | $60,000 | 2025 | New Exhibits and Installations |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF MERCER COUNTY | TRENTON, NJ | $60,000 | 2025 | BGCMC STEM AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 2024-25 |
| CHESAPEAKE LEGAL ALLIANCE | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BACKYARD BASECAMP INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $60,000 | 2025 | BACKYARD BASECAMP |
| THE WATERSHED INSTITUTE | PENNINGTON, NJ | $55,000 | 2025 | ADDRESSING FLOODING AND PROTECTING WATER QUALITY |
| THE COMMONS | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | CREATING THE CODE FOR CHANGE - COMMONS GENERAL SUP |
| CONSERVATION FOUNDATION OF LANCASTER COUNTY | LANCASTER, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | SHEPHERDING UNIQUE STORMWATER SOLUTIONS FOR LANCAS |
| SHORERIVERS INC | EASTON, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| INTERFAITH PARTNERS FOR THE CHESAPEAKE | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING FAITHFUL GREEN LEADERS MOBILIZATION |
| BALTIMORE GREEN SPACE | BALTIMORE, MD | $40,000 | 2025 | SUSTAINING AND BOLSTERING GREEN SPACES |
| MARYLAND PHILANTHROPY NETWORK | BALTIMORE, MD | $37,310 | 2025 | CLIMATE PARTNERS |
| CIVIC WORKS | BALTIMORE, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | CIVIC WORKS' COMMUNITY LANDSCAPING PROGRAM |
| THE 6TH BRANCH | BALTIMORE, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | 2024 COMMUNITY FARMING PROGRAM |
| FARM ALLIANCE OF BALTIMORE INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | Black Butterfly teaching and farming |
| INTERSECTION OF CHANGE | BALTIMORE, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT FOR STRENGTH TO LOVE II FARM |
| POCONO HERITAGE LAND TRUST | EAST STROUDSBURG, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | INCREASING POCONO HERITAGE LAND TRUST'S LAND PROTE |
| RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | DEVELOPING PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF CHINQUAPIN RUN PR |
| GREENER PARTNERS | NORRISTOWN, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | STRENGTHENING GARDEN-BASED FOOD EDUCATION |
| WHITE RIVER PARTNERSHIP | South Royalton, VT | $30,000 | 2025 | Water quality monitoring and restoration programs |
| SUSTAINABLE WOODSTOCK INC | WOODSTOCK, VT | $30,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NORTHERN CENTRAL AND SOUTHE | MORRISTOWN, NJ | $15,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| REBUILD METRO | Baltimore, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | General Operating Support, Discretionary Grant |
| THE HILL SCHOOL | POTTSTOWN, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE & FOOD SYSTEM FUNDERS | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | KENTFIELDS FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP DUES |
| BREAKTHROUGH T1D | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| ADELANTE LATINA | BALTIMORE, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grant |
| THE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENDOCRIN |
| ASYLEE WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE | BALTIMORE, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | DISCRETIONARY GRANT |
| Wesleyan University | MIDDLETOWN, CT | $500,000 | 2024 | Wesleyan University Annual Fund ; Wesleyan University Professorship |
| Bridges Baltimore | Baltimore, MD | $166,667 | 2024 | Capacity Building for Expansion |
| Blue Water Baltimore | BALTIMORE, MD | $150,000 | 2024 | Water Quality Monitoring, Advocacy, & Enforcement in Baltimore, Building Equitable and Resilient Communities in Baltimore |
| PennFuture | Harrisburg, PA | $100,000 | 2024 | Preventing the Paving of the Poconos Campaign |
| ShoreRivers Inc | EASTON, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | ShoreRivers: Healthy Rivers on the Eastern Shore Through Community Engagement and Advocacy |
| Chesapeake Bay Foundation | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | CBF Making History: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership; Chesapeake Bay Litigation & Accountability |
| ReBUILD Metro | Baltimore, MD | $85,000 | 2024 | General Operating Support, Discretionary Grant |
| Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education F | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $80,000 | 2024 | Advancing Climate Justice in Maryland |
| Backyard Basecamp Inc | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,000 | 2024 | Backyard Basecamp |
| Parks & People Foundation Inc | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,000 | 2024 | Parks Projects Department Support |
IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS IN MARYLAND
BUILDING ON SUCCESS: FULL-TIME DONOR RELATIONS
OUTDOOR EQUITY ALLIANCE
$75,000OUTDOOR EQUITY ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM AT THE BALTIMORE BANNER
BGCMC STEM AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 2024-25
SHEPHERDING UNIQUE STORMWATER SOLUTIONS FOR LANCAS
EXPANDING FAITHFUL GREEN LEADERS MOBILIZATION
BALTIMORE GREEN SPACE
$40,000SUSTAINING AND BOLSTERING GREEN SPACES
THE 6TH BRANCH
$35,0002024 COMMUNITY FARMING PROGRAM
POCONO HERITAGE LAND TRUST
$30,000INCREASING POCONO HERITAGE LAND TRUST'S LAND PROTE
DEVELOPING PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF CHINQUAPIN RUN PR
Water quality monitoring and restoration programs
SUSTAINABLE WOODSTOCK INC
$30,000OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
KENTFIELDS FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP DUES
DISCRETIONARY GRANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENDOCRIN
ASYLEE WOMEN'S ENTERPRISE
$5,000DISCRETIONARY GRANT
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
$5,000DISCRETIONARY GRANT
Wesleyan University Annual Fund ; Wesleyan University Professorship
Water Quality Monitoring, Advocacy, & Enforcement in Baltimore, Building Equitable and Resilient Communities in Baltimore
ShoreRivers: Healthy Rivers on the Eastern Shore Through Community Engagement and Advocacy
CBF Making History: Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership; Chesapeake Bay Litigation & Accountability
Advancing Climate Justice in Maryland