Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell
The Mr and Mrs Sanford N McDonnell Foundation is a private foundation established in 1977 and based in Saint Albans, Missouri. The foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations, with a primary focus on the Saint Louis area and broader Missouri region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$482K
+46.6% YoY
Grant Count
53
+1.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+43.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports general charitable purposes across several key areas:
- Education
- Human services
- Health
- Children and youth
- Arts and culture
- Character education
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts applications from interested organizations.
Grant Range
$2,000-$5,000
Average Grant
approximately $7,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Missouri, with particular emphasis on the Saint Louis area. Grantmaking also extends to New Mexico, New Hampshire, California, Virginia, and organizations across 17 states. Approximately 70% of grants support organizations in Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023-2024:
- Total assets: $9.4-$11 million
- Total revenues (2023): $280,529
- Total expenses (2023): $391,693
- Annual income: approximately $903,000
- Giving rate: 3.4% of assets
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $377,000 in 2011 to over $10 million by 2024. Grantmaking activity was highest in 2022 with $684,000 distributed across 98 grants.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Characterorg ($100,000), Characterplus ($67,500), University of New Mexico Foundation ($55,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION USAFA, CO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION TUPELO, MS | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $1,500 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION-ST LOUIS ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $1,500 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $1,000 |
| ARTS & EDUCATION COUNCIL ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $5,000 |
| BACH SOCIETY OF SAINT LOUIS ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $5,000 |
| CARDIGAN MOUNTAIN SCHOOL CANAAN, NH | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $1,500 |
| CHARACTERORG STERLING, VA | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $100,000 |
| CHARACTERPLUS ST LOUIS, MO | FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION. | $67,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and Trustees:
- Robbin M MacVittie, President
- William S MacVittie, Vice President
- Constance E Oberhaus, Secretary & Treasurer
- Caroline B Blydenburgh, Director
- W Randall McDonnell, Director
- Bank of America N.A., Principal Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBBIN M MACVITTIE | PRESIDENT | 1 | $2,000 |
| WILLIAM S MACVITTIE | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | $2,000 |
| CONSTANCE E OBERHAUS | SECRETARY & TREASURER | 2 | $2,000 |
| CAROLINE B BLYDENBURGH | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
| W RANDALL MCDONNELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | $2,000 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported 70 unique organizations over its history. Recent grantmaking demonstrates continued commitment to character education and educational initiatives, with significant grants to organizations like The Character Education Partnership and CharacterPlus.
James S. McDonnell Foundation Announces New Grants for The 21st Century ScienceFrequently Asked Questions
What does Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell fund?
The foundation supports general charitable purposes across several key areas: • Education • Human services • Health • Children and youth • Arts and culture • Character education • Philanthropy and voluntarism
How do I apply for a grant from Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 49-53 grants in recent years • Total annual giving: approximately $325,000-$481,600 • Median grant size: $2,000-$5,000 • Grant range: $1,000-$200,000 • Average grant: approximately $7,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • The Character Education Partnership: $100,000 • University of New Mexico Foundation: $55,000 • CharacterPlus: $50,000 **Application Process:** The foundation accepts applications from interested organizations.
Where does Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Missouri, with particular emphasis on the Saint Louis area. Grantmaking also extends to New Mexico, New Hampshire, California, Virginia, and organizations across 17 states. Approximately 70% of grants support organizations in Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia.
What size grants does Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell award?
In 2024, Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell awarded 53 grants totaling $482K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell's EIN?
Mr & Mrs Sanford N Mcdonnell's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1104889. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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