Sander Family Foundation
The Sander Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Brookings, South Dakota. Its 2020 filing reports grants for scholarships and donations to charitable organizations, with recipients in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Illinois. The filing is marked as the foundation’s final return and says it was to be dissolved effective December 31, 2020; it therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
Sander Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sander Family Foundation gave $140K across 14 grants in 2020 (avg $10K), mostly in Minnesota. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $139,657
- Grants made (2020)
- 14
- Average grant
- $9,976
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (55% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Sander Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This policy was stated on its final 2020 filing and is not presented as a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 660 Faculty Dr, Brookings, SD 57006
Phone: (605) 692-6979
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sander Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was Luther Seminary ($78K). Together the top 10 received $138K.
Grant Size Distribution
14 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 13 grants of 14 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2020, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 37% to South Dakota, and 7% to Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2020 it made 14 grants totaling $140K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Luther Seminary Saint Paul, MN | Scholarship Fund | $77,500 |
| SD Mines Center for Alumni Relations and Advancement (Cara) Rapid City, SD | Scholarship Fund | $35,000 |
| Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association Chicago, IL | Donation | $10,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Plains Brookings, SD | Donation | $5,000 |
| First Lutheran Church Brookings, SD | Donation | $4,732 |
| Enterprise Institute Brookings, SD | Donation | $2,500 |
| Children's Home Society Sioux Falls, SD | Donation | $1,000 |
| South Dakota Hall of Fame Chamberlain, SD | Donation | $1,000 |
| St John Lutheran Church Madison, SD | Donation | $1,000 |
| Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting Sioux Falls, SD | Donation | $700 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $82 | $143,547 | $139,657 | 14 | $82 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants included scholarship funds and donations to charitable organizations. Among the grantees, the Enterprise Institute describes its mission as supporting educational, research, commercialization, and business-development opportunities in South Dakota, and assisting the state’s economic development and entrepreneurs. The South Dakota Hall of Fame describes its mission as championing a culture of excellence by honoring, inspiring, preserving, and educating about excellence in South Dakota. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2020, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $139,657. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $77,500, with a median grant of $1,000.
The largest reported grants included $77,500 to Luther Seminary for a scholarship fund and $35,000 to SD Mines Center for Alumni Relations and Advancement (CARA) for a scholarship fund. Other notable grants included $10,000 to the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association; $5,000 to Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Plains; $4,732 to First Lutheran Church; and $2,500 to the Enterprise Institute. The foundation also gave $1,000 to the Children’s Home Society and $1,000 to the South Dakota Hall of Fame.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2020 filing were Duane E Sander, President; Phyllis A Sander, VP/SEC/TR; and directors Jeffrey Sander, Melanie Sander, Alan True, Doreen True, Julie Wharton, Michael Wharton, and Brian Sander.
Sander Family Foundation is led by Duane E. Sander, President on the 2020 filing; none of the 9 officers listed in 2020 report compensation.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Duane E. Sander
President
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan True
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Sander
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Doreen True
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Sander
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Wharton
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Sander
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Wharton
Director
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis A. Sander
Vice President & Secretary
New on the 2020 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Sander Family Foundation
How much does Sander Family Foundation give each year?
Sander Family Foundation gave $140K across 14 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is Sander Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sander Family Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $1,000, and its average grant was $9,976, across 14 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sander Family Foundation give grants?
Sander Family Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Dakota (37%) and Illinois (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brookings, SD (5 grants) and Sioux Falls, SD (3 grants).
Does Sander Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2020: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Sander Family Foundation's 2020 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (12 grants).
Who are Sander Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sander Family Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include Luther Seminary ($77,500), SD Mines Center for Alumni Relations and Advancement (Cara) ($35,000) and Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association ($10,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
What does Sander Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants included scholarship funds and donations to charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sander Family Foundation?
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sander Family Foundation's EIN?
Sander Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3565155. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020.
Does Sander Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
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Sander Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?