Urban Policy Expert & Philanthropic Leader; President & CEO at The Kresge Foundation; Former Deputy Mayor of Minneapolis; Author
Rip Rapson Biography
Rip Rapson is an attorney, urban policy expert, and philanthropic leader who has served as president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation. The Kresge Foundation is a private, national foundation dedicated to expanding opportunities in America's cities through grantmaking and social investing. Under Rapson's leadership, the foundation shifted its focus from funding building projects to strengthening pathways to opportunity for people with low incomes in urban areas. Rapson has guided the foundation in adopting a range of grantmaking and investing tools to improve economic, social, cultural, and environmental conditions through six programs: arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and community development, with a particular emphasis on Detroit.
Before joining Kresge, Rapson built a career in public service and philanthropy. He served as deputy mayor of Minneapolis, where he was responsible for designing a $400 million neighborhood revitalization program, revamping the municipal budgeting process, and advancing the city's commitment to children and families. Rapson later served as president of the McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based private foundation, where the organization addressed issues such as early childhood development, metropolitan growth, open space protection, and wind energy. At McKnight, he also launched the Itasca Project, a private sector-led initiative to develop a new regional agenda for the Twin Cities. Earlier in his career, Rapson worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Don Fraser, overseeing the development and passage of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act, which provided wilderness protection to northern Minnesota's lake country.
Rapson played a central role in Detroit's revitalization. He and The Kresge Foundation supported the "Grand Bargain," a partnership among the philanthropic community, city pensioners, the State of Michigan, and the Detroit Institute of Arts, which contributed to Detroit's emergence from municipal bankruptcy. Ten local and national foundations contributed $366 million to the $816 million package that resolved the bankruptcy. The foundation also returned its headquarters to Detroit, moving into the Livernois-McNichols corridor and bringing $180 million in new funding for the area.
Rapson is the author of two books: "Troubled Waters," chronicling the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act legislation, and "Ralph Rapson: Sixty Years of Modern Design," a biography of his father, architect Ralph Rapson. His civic engagement includes board service with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Detroit Branch, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and M-1 Rail, as well as chairing ArtPlace America and Living Cities.
Rapson has received recognition across the philanthropic and civic sectors, including the Council on Foundations' Distinguished Service Award, induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and honors from The Detroit News, The NonProfit Times, and Crain's Detroit Business. His approach to place-based philanthropy and cross-sector partnerships has positioned him as a leading voice in urban opportunity and philanthropic leadership.
-
How do I book Rip Rapson to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rip Rapson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Rip Rapson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Rip Rapson or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Rip Rapson
Speaking fees for Rip Rapson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rip Rapson are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rip Rapson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Rip Rapson speak about?
Rip Rapson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Art & Design, Business Leadership, Disruptive Thinking, Executive Leadership, Government, Leadership, Non-Profit, Philanthropy, Social Activism, Strategic Leadership, Thought Leadership -
Where does Rip Rapson travel from?
Rip Rapson generally travels from Michigan, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Rip Rapson’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Rip Rapson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Rip Rapson for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Rip Rapson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Rip Rapson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Rip Rapson for your event is available upon request. Rip Rapson generally travels from MI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Brian Hooks, Dara Richardson-Heron, Frederick J. Riley, Peter Kaldes and Stephanie Cornell. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rip Rapson for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








