Rusinow Family Charitable Foundation
The founder’s website (jeffrusinow.com) hosts a page titled “RUSINOW FAMILY FOUNDATION” that describes the private family foundation, its focus (bird conservation), and notes the foundation was closed/put on hiatus in 2024. EIN and filing records for the Rusinow Family Charitable Foundation (EIN 39-2012636) are corroborated by ProPublica and IRS-extracted filings.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-mid local or national organizations focused on bird conservation or ornithology, typically seeking modest project grants (hundreds to a few thousand dollars), with either a Wisconsin connection or a direct relationship to the founder’s network.
Good Fit
- • Clear mission alignment with bird conservation or ornithology work
- • Operations or programs in Wisconsin or demonstrable impact in the state
- • Project-scale budget requests in the small grant range historically funded
- • Introductions or referrals from past grantees, partner organizations, or contacts in the founder’s network
- • Ability to show concrete, local project outcomes rather than large multi-year general operating needs
Geography
Grants are regionally concentrated: the foundation is based in Wisconsin and that state consistently receives the largest share, but four states received funding in the latest year, so the footprint is regional rather than strictly local.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded many distinct independent organizations across years (13 recipients in 2022; 6 in 2023; 7 in 2024) and shows substantial turnover, indicating a broad recipient set for a micro-foundation despite dollar concentration among a few grantees.
New Applicants
Behaviorally the funder added many new recipients in the latest year (six of seven), which shows new entrants have been funded, but the foundation explicitly states it funds only preselected grantees and the site notes a 2024 hiatus; therefore unsolicited applicants should not expect a standard open application path and chances depend on identification or introductions.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
