FAQs

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation was created in the early 1990s by renowned investor and philanthropist Richard E. Rainwater. The foundation supports a range of different programs in K-12 education, medical research, and other worthy causes. As part of these efforts, the Rainwater Foundation launched the Tau Consortium in 2010.   Since that time other funders have contributed to the effort, but the Rainwater Foundation manages the program and continues to provide the vast majority of its funding. Click here to learn more about the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.

Tau is a protein found in neurons, where it is thought to stabilize the shape and function of the cell. As part of normal function, proteins in the body fold, unfold and refold into different shapes in order to perform specific functions.  When these proteins are no longer needed, they are broken down and recycled by the cell. In many neurodegenerative diseases, the normal folding and unfolding stop, and the misfolded protein begins to accumulate in the neuron.  This tau accumulation is thought to disrupt normal cellular function and possibly lead to neuronal death.

Misfolded tau is detected in several neurodegenerative diseases referred to as tauopathies.  Over 25 tauopathies have been identified including: progressive supranuclear palsy, frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism, and Alzheimer’s disease.   Tauopathies tend to affect individuals in the prime years of their life with an average onset between 45 and 55 years old.

We believe more research is needed to understand mechanisms of tau dysfunction in tauopathies in order to develop effective treatments to help patients.

Generally, our grant making is done by invitation only. When searching for applicants, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation relies on the advice of a team of leading scientists, clinicians and patient advocates who help us to identify talented researchers whose research focus, commitment to collaboration, and desire to make an impact match our own.

Occasionally, we launch grant making partnerships with other funding organizations that enable us to consider incoming grant applications. To receive the latest announcements about these grant programs, please sign up to join our email list by clicking here.

Please click here to fill out the newsletter sign-up form on the News & Events page.

Some of our events are open to anyone, but many are by invitation only.

Our next open event is the Tau2020 Global Conference on February 12-13 in Washington, DC.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on our public conferences.

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation is funded through the estate of Richard E. Rainwater and does not actively seek outside donations. However, we are able to accept donations if they are offered.  Donations can be made to our medical research program via the Rainwater Neurological Research Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation.  

To make an online gift, please follow this link: https://northtexascf.org/donate/  There’s a dropdown box near the middle of the page where you can select the Rainwater Neurological Fund.

To make a gift by check, please make it out to North Texas Community Foundation, noting Rainwater Neurological Research Fund in the memo section.

Checks may be mailed to:

North Texas Community Foundation

306 West 7^th Street, Suite 1045

Fort Worth, TX 76102

We are always eager to explore new partnerships.   To get started, please click here.

Unfortunately, the Rainwater Foundation does not provide counseling or other services for families who have been diagnosed. Our mission focuses entirely on working with scientists to do the research needed to find a treatment for these diseases as quickly as possible.

The following resources might be of interest to you. Please note that they are listed for information purposes only. This is not meant to serve as an endorsement of any kind.

General Brain Health and Education

• NIH / NINDS educational resources related to brain health and function for parents, students, and teachers.

Living with Tauopathies

• Resources to help patients and caregivers understand and manage the challenges of a tauopathy diagnosis:
  • The AFTD
  • CurePSP

FTD Disorders Registry

• An online community for those affected by frontotemporal dementias and their loved ones, with the goal of advancing science and accelerating treatment development. Registrants can participate in research studies and be contacted about clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

• Information about clinical trials in tauopathies, including studies currently recruiting participants.
  • https://foxtrialfinder.michaeljfox.org/?navid=footer-ftf
  • https://ftdregistry.org/find-a-study
  • https://www.psp.org/ineedsupport/clinical-trials/
  • https://ftdregistry.org/
  • https://trialmatch.alz.org/find-clinical-trials#createaccount

Brain Donation

• Information about volunteering to donate brain tissue to help advance the scientific understanding of tauopathies and aid in the search for a cure.
  • The AFTD
  • CurePSP
  • Concussion Legacy Foundation
  • Alzheimer’s Association

We are happy to connect you to our strategic partners and other resources to help you find all the information you need on current clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

• Information about clinical trials in tauopathies, including studies currently recruiting participants.
  • https://foxtrialfinder.michaeljfox.org/?navid=footer-ftf
  • https://ftdregistry.org/find-a-study
  • https://www.psp.org/ineedsupport/clinical-trials/

The Rainwater Prize has just opened for nominations. Please check here for updates, and join our email list to learn more.

The Rainwater Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, and CurePSP are co-sponsoring an open, international conference called the Tau2020 Global Conference. It will take place February 12-13, 2020 in Washington, DC. Public registration is now open. Representatives from academia, industry, government, and the philanthropic sector are encouraged to attend. Public registration and related information is available here: https://alz.org/tau2020/overview.asp .

We welcome inquiries from potential partners and co-sponsors for our conference. Please click here to contact us.