Ghr Foundation

The GHR Foundation operates as a highly selective, partner-driven funder rooted in Catholic social values and entrepreneurial spirit. Founded in 1965 by Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst, the foundation takes a proactive approach to identifying and selecting grantee partners rather than accepting unsolicited proposals. Its strategy centers on achieving transformational change in four defined areas: Alzheimer's Prevention, Global Church Vitality, Thriving Local Community (Catholic schools), and Catholic Higher Education. Three of these four areas explicitly limit giving to Catholic organizations and schools. The foundation's organizational values — Lead with Love, Reimagine What's Possible, Partner Boldly, and Navigate and Adapt — reflect a mission-driven approach that prioritizes deep, long-term partnerships with a focused set of organizations over broad grantmaking. With over $1 billion in assets, GHR punches above its weight relative to similarly-sized foundations by concentrating resources in niche areas where it can drive outsized impact, particularly in Alzheimer's diagnostics and Catholic education.

GHR Foundation distributes approximately $38 million annually, with individual grants ranging from $500 to over $6 million. The foundation's funding is concentrated across its four program areas with distinct patterns. Alzheimer's Prevention receives significant investment focused on precision diagnostics and prevention trials — this is the one area where non-Catholic organizations can receive funding. The Thriving Local Community program supports Catholic schools specifically in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, while Catholic Higher Education grants go to pre-selected universities (primarily the founders' alma maters). Global Church Vitality grants support the worldwide Catholic Church, including translation services for the Roman Curia and initiatives at the intersection of faith and social justice. The foundation reported $5.9 million in direct charitable expenses for program-related activities including digital platform development, consultancy for Roman Curia offices, and preparation of multilingual materials. Multi-year partnership commitments are typical.

GHR Foundation occupies a unique niche among Catholic-oriented foundations. Compared to Koch Foundation and Raskob Foundation, GHR is significantly larger and more strategically focused, with its Alzheimer's Prevention program providing a distinctive non-religious dimension. Unlike the Hilton Foundation, which operates at a much larger scale with open RFPs, GHR maintains tight control over its partner selection. Its dual focus on Alzheimer's research and Catholic institutions is unusual in the foundation landscape — most health-focused funders do not have religious affiliations, and most Catholic foundations do not invest heavily in medical research. This combination reflects the Rauenhorst family's personal interests and values.

The GHR Foundation continues to advance its four program areas into 2025-2026. In Alzheimer's Prevention, the foundation has partnered with Washington University in St. Louis to fund development of diagnostic blood tests for Alzheimer's disease and supported the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU), a pioneering prevention trial program. The foundation also partners with the Alzheimer's Association on the PACE (Prevention, Accelerated, Community, Engagement) initiative. In Global Church Vitality, GHR developed a digital platform for online conversations and testimonies from young Black Catholics reflecting on their experiences at the intersection of faith and race, working with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The foundation continues to support preparation of multilingual materials for the Catholic Church's mission of promoting integral human development. St. Catherine University remains a key Catholic Higher Education partner.

GHR Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, making traditional grant-seeking approaches ineffective. Strategic approaches include: (1) Understand that three of four program areas are restricted to Catholic organizations — non-Catholic entities should focus on Alzheimer's Prevention alignment. (2) Network with existing GHR grantee partners, as the foundation identifies new partners through its existing network. (3) For Catholic schools in the Twin Cities, demonstrate alignment with the Thriving Local Community program by building relationships within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. (4) For Alzheimer's research, focus on precision diagnostics and prevention trials — the foundation's stated interest areas — and connect through the Alzheimer's Association and academic research networks. (5) For Global Church Vitality, work through Vatican-connected channels and demonstrate capacity for supporting the Catholic Church's global mission. (6) Contact the foundation at 60 S 6th St, Suite 2950, Minneapolis, MN 55402, or call 612-440-2500 for general inquiries. (7) Monitor the foundation's LinkedIn page for updates on new partnerships and program directions.