Kenneth Rainin Foundation

06/05/2026

Check out the trailer for “The Endless Frontier,” which premieres next Friday, June 12, in Washington, DC at DC/DOX. The film is an intimate, urgent portrait of three scientists working to solve some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from disease to climate change, while revealing the growing threat to the American research engine and what is at stake for us all if it falters.

We’re proud to support this film, which was Executive Produced by one of our grantees, Dr. Shruti Naik.

Learn more at endlessfrontierfilm.com.

What if the next breakthrough never comes? From Consequential and t...

06/04/2026

“As housing costs continue to rise, artists, policymakers and nonprofit leaders are testing new models to make sure the people who give the Bay Area its creative identity can afford to stay.”

Artist Space Trust helps artists secure affordable housing through a community land trust model. Check out their feature in KQED Arts, part of a series exploring how people are coping with rising cost of living in the Bay Area and California.

Meg Shiffler, Director of Artist Space Trust, along with BLACspace Cooperative’s Zakiya Harris and California for the Arts’ Julie Baker, recently spoke with us about the new models and systems they’re imagining to help the local arts community be more adaptable and resilient. Read more on our blog: https://krfoundation.org/news/arts/bringing-radical-imagination-to-new-systems-that-support-bay-area-artists/

A community land trust for artists wants to make sure the Bay Area can remain a creative hub.

06/03/2026

We’re thrilled to announce the promotions of two of our team members to newly created positions. Megan De Trane has stepped into the role of Digital Communications Officer and Tavin Jensen has been named Senior Investment Analyst. Read more about their contributions and how they’ll continue to support the Foundation’s mission.

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation is pleased to announce the promotions of Megan De Trane and Tavin Jensen to newly created roles.

06/02/2026

“Jingletown Films was never just a production company. It’s meant to be a home, a fixture in q***r cinema where I’m seen not only as a maker but as a producer creating infrastructure for other people’s work. This fellowship sees that full picture. At this point in my career that means a lot.”

Read more about Cheryl Dunye, the 2026 Rainin Arts Fellow in Film, and her impressive filmmaking career in this great East Bay Express article written by Lou Fancher.

Cheryl Dunye builds space for Black q***r cinema: Rainin fellowship supports filmmaker’s vision for community-centered storytelling.

05/29/2026

Last chance to apply for the Rainin Visionary Scientist Award! Applications close Monday, June 1, at 5 PM PDT. This award will provide grants of $300K each over two years to support three outstanding postdoctoral investigators whose work has the potential to advance the understanding of IBD and related biological systems.

This one-time program supports three exceptional postdoctoral scientists conducting innovative biomedical research relevant to IBD.

05/29/2026

Next week! Celebrate the beginning of Pride Month with a screening of “The Watermelon Woman” written, directed and edited by Cheryl Dunye, the 2026 Rainin Arts Fellow in Film. Visit Brava Theater Center on June 5 at 7:30 PM to catch this romantic drama-comedy which features a young Black le***an woman working in a video store while trying to make a film about Fae Richards.

Brava Presents is proud to announce our very first edition of ‘Scissor Cinema: A Double Feature’! Please join us in celebrating the beginning of Pride Month on June 5th and come back June 6th where Brava will screen two iconic Sapphic films.

05/28/2026

The full agenda has been announced for the 2026 Innovations Symposium. Explore the slate of speakers and activities curated to ignite conversations, spark collaborations and advance Inflammatory Bowel Disease research. Registration is still open to join us in San Francisco this July.

Explore the agenda for the Symposium on July 19-21, 2026.

05/27/2026

Congratulations to the latest Courage Project award recipients! From a pastor leading community-centered support for immigrants and asylum seekers to an organization delivering holistic services to help youth transition from crisis and addiction to self-sufficiency, the awardees’ stories of courage inspire change, strengthen communities and remind us of the power of everyday bravery. We’re proud to support this collaborative initiative.

Submit a Hero in Your Community

05/26/2026

The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation is accepting applications for their Social Impact Theatre Grant Program. It offers production-specific support to nonprofits igniting positive changes in their communities through the programming they bring to life on stage. Learn more and apply by June 10.

Our investments are guided by the fundamental belief in the power of live theatre to spark dialogue, bring different viewpoints together on challenging subjects, and provide a lens to process the critical issues of contemporary society.

05/20/2026

“My intention is to make work for people who look like me. Make them the center of the story.” – Cheryl Dunye, the 2026 Rainin Arts Fellow in Film

Cheryl emerged as part of the “q***r new wave” of filmmakers in the 1990s. Her work explores Black q***r identity, history and cultural memory. She has created numerous independent films and directed episodes for major television series including “Queen Sugar,” “Dear White People,” “Bridgerton,” “Lovecraft Country” and “The Hunting Wives.”

The Rainin Arts Fellowship, which is administered by United States Artists, supports artists who have grounded their practices in the Bay Area, building on and investing in their legacy and leadership to create a vibrant and supportive arts community—one that honors the region’s history as a cultural hub.

This year’s Fellows share a dedication to strengthening the Bay Area’s creative and cultural infrastructure, embedding their work in collaboration and care.

Licensed music: MB01ZO19X6O7HVJ