The Rawlings Foundation Inc.

Grant seekers must first understand that the database record for this foundation (EIN 65-1051638) reflects two distinct entities whose data has been merged. The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (La Grange, KY, therawlingsfoundation.com) is an evangelical Christian operating foundation with a mission 'to impact youth worldwide by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.' The website rawlingsfoundation.com and email grants@rhrfoundation.org listed in this record actually belong to the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation (Pueblo, CO) — a completely separate community foundation built on the Pueblo Chieftain newspaper family's legacy.

For The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (KY), the giving philosophy is inseparable from evangelical theology. Chairman Jonathan Falwell (son of Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA) and voting director George R. Rawlings define the foundation's theological direction. With over $153.7M in assets and annual revenue of $38–42M drawn primarily from contributions ($33–50M annually across tracked years), the foundation directs most resources to its own internationally operated youth camps in 10 countries. External grants go almost exclusively to organizations with direct ties to foundation leadership: Hope of Life received $6.03M across 3 grants; Family Church received $5.0M across 4 grants; Crestwood Baptist and Harrods Creek Baptist each received $882K. This locked-in pattern — the same organizations receiving repeated, multi-year support — signals that the foundation functions as a funder of its ministry network rather than an open philanthropic program.

For the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation (Colorado, rawlingsfoundation.com), the approach is wholly different. Under President Jane Rawlings and Executive Director Andrea Aragon, this foundation operates an open, semi-annual grant cycle serving 18 southern Colorado counties. It is accessible to first-time applicants who submit a Grant Intent Request and meet geographic and organizational requirements. First-time applicants should prioritize building familiarity with the foundation's community-improvement priorities and study funded projects in their county before submitting an intent request.

The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (KY) exhibits extreme concentration in external grantmaking, with the top two recipients — Hope of Life ($6,026,500 total, 3 grants) and Family Church ($5,002,000 total, 4 grants) — accounting for 70.5% of the $15,670,082 in tracked grants across 67 transactions. The top six recipients (adding Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center at $1.0M, Crestwood Baptist Church at $882K, Harrods Creek Baptist at $882K, and Global Surge at $620K) captured 86.3% of all recorded external grant dollars.

Below the top tier, grant sizes drop sharply. The next tier ranges from $34,000 to $150,000 (Tim Tebow Foundation at $150K, WDYN Radio at $100K, Sport For Life at $100K). A long tail of smaller grants extends down to $350 (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) and $400 (Humane Society of Oldham County). The average grant across all 67 transactions is $233,882, but this is heavily distorted by the top two recipients; excluding them, the average falls to approximately $73,600 per grant across 63 transactions.

Annual financial trends show significant volatility in external grantmaking: FY2019 grants paid $13.2M; FY2020 just $562K; FY2021 $10.2M; FY2022 $7.1M; FY2023 only $837K — while total giving remained $11.5M–$29.3M, reflecting the dominance of internal camp operating costs over external grants. Asset growth has been sustained: $58.1M (FY2012) → $83.4M (FY2015) → $106.9M (FY2019) → $188.4M (FY2023), though FY2024 saw a decline to $153.7M.

By geography, Kentucky receives 22 of 67 grants (33%), followed by Florida (11, 16%), Tennessee (7, 10%), Texas (5, 7%), Ohio (4, 6%), and several northeastern states. All external grants are to faith-based or evangelical-aligned organizations, with the sole secular exception being Vanderbilt medical institutions (total $1.4M), likely tied to personal relationships with foundation officers.

For the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation (CO), the pattern is a modest ~$26,000 average award distributed across approximately 70 organizations per annual cycle, with cumulative giving exceeding $12M since 1988.

The table below compares The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (KY) to asset-comparable peers in the Philanthropy & Grantmaking sector, all holding approximately $153–154M in assets:

Among these asset-equivalent peers, The Rawlings Foundation Inc. stands apart as the only primarily operating foundation — one that spends most of its annual disbursements running its own programs rather than awarding external grants. Its FY2023 external grants paid ($837K) represent less than 4% of its total annual giving ($22.3M), a ratio far below that of the Lavelle Fund, Ewing Halsell, or Wilburforce Foundation. The Bezos Family Foundation and Wilburforce Foundation both accept invited proposals through structured processes, while the Ewing Halsell Foundation (San Antonio, TX) is the most accessible open grantmaker among this cohort for conventional nonprofit applicants.

The most significant recent development for The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (KY) is the $34.7M asset decline from $188.4M in FY2023 to $153.7M in FY2024, a 18.4% reduction. With FY2024 revenue reported at $38.5M and grants/giving data not yet finalized in public filings, the cause remains unclear — possibilities include a one-time large distribution to a core ministry partner, portfolio revaluation, or changes in contribution inflows.

Leadership has remained stable. Jonathan Falwell has served as Chairman of the Board at consistent $120,000 annual compensation across at least four recent filings. Rosendo Usandizaga (Board Member, highest compensated at $210,000/year) and Herbert M. Rawlings (Director, $194,688) represent the primary compensated leadership. Allen Owens holds the role of International Evangelistic Program COO at $70,000/year, reflecting the global camp expansion to 10 countries.

For the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation (Colorado), the 2025 grant cycle resulted in $1,830,798 distributed to 70 organizations — a record distribution — pushing cumulative giving past $12 million since 1988. The 2026 cycle opened with a March 10, 2026 intent deadline and March 16 full application deadline, with award announcements expected in late April or early May 2026. Executive Director Andrea Aragon has established consistent semi-annual grant cycles with strong community roots in the Pueblo region.

For The Rawlings Foundation Inc. (EIN 65-1051638, La Grange, KY — therawlingsfoundation.com):

This foundation does not have an open application process. There is no public portal, no listed deadline, and public records confirm application instructions as 'none.' Grants go exclusively to evangelical Christian ministries with established personal ties to Chairman Jonathan Falwell (Thomas Road Baptist Church / Liberty University family network), the Rawlings family, or the Board. If your organization is an evangelical Christian ministry with demonstrated alignment with the foundation's Great Commission mandate and existing connections to its board network, approach through personal introductions — not written proposals. Emphasize international discipleship, youth evangelism, or church support ministry.

For the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation (Pueblo, CO — rawlingsfoundation.com, grants@rhrfoundation.org):

• Geography is a hard gate. Your organization must demonstrably serve residents in one of the 18 specific Colorado counties. A single program serving Pueblo County qualifies; statewide or national scope does not.
• Start with the Grant Intent Request, not the application. The foundation will confirm fit before accepting a full submission. Attempting to skip this step disqualifies your application.
• Timing is biennial. If your organization received funding in a prior cycle, you must wait two full years before reapplying. Track this date in your grants calendar.
• The 10-word project description is not a formality. Foundation guidelines explicitly ask you to describe your request in 10 words or fewer. Practice writing: 'renovation of community kitchen for seniors' or 'operating funds for youth after-school programs.' Vague or organizational-level descriptions are red flags.
• Religious organizations are ineligible. This restriction explicitly excludes faith-based organizations. Do not apply if your primary mission is religious.
• Submit an exact dollar amount with a project-specific budget. The foundation will not fund vague 'general support' or ranges. Every line item should be defensible.
• The average grant is approximately $26,000. Requests significantly above this average (e.g., $100,000+) face long odds without a compelling, community-wide project justification.
• Include a photo or graphic. This is a stated requirement and humanizes the request for board review.
• Post-award compliance matters. The grant report (due within 30 days of project completion or one year from award) is required and affects future eligibility.