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Discover the latest from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation. Check out our recent press releases, get in contact with us, and learn more about our organization.
About the Foundation
The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF) is a private family foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas. Founded by Richard E. Rainwater in 1991, the RCF initially focused on funding initiatives that support children, believing that high-quality education could transform lives and uplift families. After 30 years, we’ve expanded our focus to support education, family economic security, medical research, and global initiatives. Having invested more than $426 million in transformative initiatives, we continue to embrace a philanthropic approach grounded in humility, partnership, and a drive for lasting impact.
Read more about our mission and values.
Summary of Our Program Areas
Family Economic Security Program: We are dedicated to supporting North Texas families through quality education, upskilling, and affordable housing. Over $200 million has been invested in this initiative—with key areas of funding including early childhood and family support, K-12 education, and community asset building to promote financial independence and prosperity. By partnering with community organizations, the RCF aims to create lasting change that equips families to thrive.
Medical Research Program: After Richard Rainwater was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease and primary tauopathy called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), the RCF expanded its mission to accelerate the development of new diagnostics and treatments for tau-related disorders.
Primary tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of tau protein in the brain. Primary tauopathies include conditions like PSP, Pick’s disease, and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), which cause the formation of tau tangles—or clumps—that damage brain cells and can lead to cognitive and physical decline.
The RCF Medical Research Team supports this focus by managing the Tau Consortium, the Rainwater Prize Program, and the Tauopathy Challenge Workshop. With over $140 million invested in medical research to date, the RCF continues to drive progress in advancing innovative solutions for tauopathies.
The Medical Research Program funds and facilitates several initiatives:
Tau ConsortiumTM
The Tau Consortium is an invitation-only professional group dedicated to commissioning world-class research to treat and prevent primary tauopathies. Funded by the RCF, the program supports high-impact neurodegenerative research across disciplines to develop effective solutions.
Rainwater PrizeTM
Created in 2018 to increase awareness of the pressing gaps in neurodegenerative research, the Rainwater Prize program is designed to recognize and award scientific achievements that lead to novel neurodegenerative disease treatments. The prize is funded in totality by the RCF.
Tauopathy Challenge WorkshopTM
The Tauopathy Challenge Workshop promotes collaboration amongst researchers and stakeholders across academia, government, and philanthropic organizations in search of cures for neurodegenerative conditions. The RCF partners with several nonprofit organizations to fund the workshop and its selected grantees.
Learn more about our other programs and read our annual reports.
Media Contact
For all press or media resource inquiries, including logo usage, please contact information@rainwatercf.org.
Social Media
Check out the RCF on social media for up-to-date news and information.
