Sanders Foundation is a private non-operating foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 2001, the foundation operates as a trust and focuses on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple issue areas.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.4M
+30.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$419K
+19.4% YoY
Grant Count
71
-7.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+29.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
Individual grants have ranged from approximately $4,000 to $23,000
Average Grant
amount: $5,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus in:
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- Michigan
- New York
Maryland, District of Columbia, and New York account for approximately 50% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income:
- Total assets: $5,376,364 (most recent filing)
- Annual income: $3.1 million
- Asset growth: Increased from $1.7 million in 2010 to $4.1 million in 2023
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,376,364 | $4,118,588 | $4,239,671 |
| Revenue | $2,443,258 | $858,870 | $1,808,783 |
| Expenses | $485,567 | $436,880 | $394,765 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $419,442 | $351,424 | $351,512 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,698,093 | $248,378 | $1,297,114 |
| Distributable Amount | $512,454 | $435,066 | $313,047 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Filip S Sanders
The foundation is governed by 7 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FILIP S SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JOSEPHINE E SANDERS - LEVIE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELKAN D SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HANS G SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAULA D KALES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARA E SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ANNELIESKE J SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4990 Sentinel Dr Apt 306, Bethesda, MD 20816-3584
Phone: (301) 656-0795
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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