Sanford Health Foundation North is a public charity based in Sioux Falls, an individual recipient Its stated mission is to inspire philanthropy advancing Sanford Health and related exempt entities, with donor dollars supporting local priorities for care, comfort and cure.
Key facts about Sanford Health Foundation North
In short: Sanford Health Foundation North gave $4.6M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $416K), mostly in South Dakota. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 45-0398104
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,577,935
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $416,176
- Median grant
- $21,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $107,320,973
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$107.3M
+3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.6M
-24.6% YoY
Grant Count
11
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$416K
-38.3% YoY
Is Sanford Health Foundation North open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2024 filing says donations help provide patient care and family support, equipment and facility improvements, employee benefits, community benefits, and other support. It also describes support for healthcare education and research, including continuing training and education for Sanford Health employees. Its endowment funds are used to meet donor intent for healthcare, medical, or educational services to Sanford North.
The Sanford Health Foundation website describes giving priorities that include children’s care, cancer, breast health, behavioral health, research and innovation, senior services, and other areas such as orthopedics, heart and women’s health. It says gifts can support equipment, technology, research, nurse navigation, spiritual care, and other services.
The 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. An individual recipient State University Foundation describes its mission as building relationships to support an individual recipient State University through advocacy and philanthropy. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan describes its mission as inspiring philanthropic investment in the health and well-being of seniors served by the society and exempt entities. Minnesota State University Moorhead describes its mission as creating opportunities for generations of students by connecting, engaging and giving. F-M Ambulance Service, which identifies itself as doing business as Sanford Ambulance Fargo, describes its mission as caring for, comforting and curing patients, people and communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $4,577,935. Grant amounts ranged from $5,990 to $2,989,585, with a median of $21,500. The largest grants were $2,989,585 to Sanford Medical Center Fargo, $1,007,928 to Sanford Research North, $204,270 to Sanford Medical Center, and $201,162 to Sanford Health Network North. Other notable grants included $100,100 to Sanford Health of Northern Minnesota and $21,500 to an individual recipient State University for nursing scholarships. The filing lists the purposes of most of these grants as “See Form 990, Page 2, Part III.”
The foundation also lists the Mimi Diffley Memorial Employee Scholarship for Sanford Health employees seeking to further a healthcare career. This is an employee scholarship rather than a grant program for outside applicants.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Sanford Health Foundation North
Ready to take the next step with Sanford Health Foundation North?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in an individual recipient; shares for an individual recipient and Minnesota were each reported as 0%. The listed grants also include $21,500 to an individual recipient State University for nursing scholarships and $7,500 to Minnesota State University Moorhead for Moorhead nursing scholarships.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.6M (2024) to $6.7M (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $4.6M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Sanford Medical Center Fargo ($3.0M). Together the top 9 received $4.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($29,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 51 (49%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sanford Medical Center Fargo Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $2,989,585 |
| Sanford Research North Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $1,007,928 |
| Sanford Medical Center Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $204,270 |
| Sanford Health Network North Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $201,162 |
| Sanford Health of Northern Minnesota Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $100,100 |
| 2 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $29,000 |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $19,452 |
| Sanford Home Health Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $13,850 |
| F-M Ambulance Service Inc Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $6,598 |
| Sanford Research Sioux Falls, SD | See Form 990, Page 2, Part III | $5,990 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $107,320,973 | $10,926,083 | $4,581,686 | $4,577,935 |
| 2023 | $104,004,869 | $8,837,846 | $6,077,003 | $6,070,244 |
| 2022 | $89,361,279 | $5,587,822 | $5,164,792 | $5,155,414 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $107,320,973 | $104,004,869 | $89,361,279 |
| Revenue | $10,926,083 | $8,837,846 | $5,587,822 |
| Expenses | $4,581,686 | $6,077,003 | $5,164,792 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,372,081 | $2,499,951 | $3,009,448 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Bill Gassen as trustee, president and CEO; Andy North as trustee and secretary; Lauris Molbert as trustee and chairperson; Brent Teiken as trustee; James Cain as trustee and treasurer; Marnie Hermann as trustee and vice chair; Neil Gulsvig as trustee and past chair; and Mark Lundeen MD, David Shulkin, and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin as trustees.
Sanford Health Foundation North is led by Bill Gassen III, Trustee, President & CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 18 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bill Gassen III
Trustee, President & CEO
CAO, President, CEO, See Sch J, Part III & Lines 4a-4b → Trustee, President & CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauris Molbert
Trustee & Chairperson
Trustee- → Trustee & Vice Chair, 2022
Trustee & Vice Chair → Trustee & Chairperson, 2024
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy North
Trustee, Secretary & Indep Contractor
Secretary → Trustee & Secretary, 2021
Trustee & Secretary → Trustee, Secretary & Indep Contractor, 2023
On filings since 2020
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Teiken
Trustee
Trustee & Chairperson → Trustee & Past Chair, 2022
Trustee & Past Chair → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Cain
Trustee & Treasurer
Trustee → Trustee & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Lundeen MD
Trustee
Trustee, Ortho Chair, See Sch J, Part III & Lines 4a-4b → Trustee & Physician, 2021
Trustee & Physician → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neil Gulsvig
Trustee & Past Chair
Trustee & Treasurer → Trustee & Chairperson, 2022
Trustee & Chairperson → Trustee & Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wesley Engbrecht
Trustee
Trustee- → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marnie Hermann
Trustee & Vice Chair
Trustee → Trustee & Treasurer, 2023
Trustee & Treasurer → Trustee & Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dana Dykhouse
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Shulkin
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Marlette
Interim Executive Vice President & CFO
Executive Vice President, CFO, Treasurer-, See Sch J, Part III & Lines 4a-4b → Interim, Executive Vice President & CFO, 2023
Interim, Executive Vice President & CFO → Interim Executive Vice President & CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Jacobs
Former Trustee
Trustee & Vice Chairperson → Trustee, 2022
Trustee → Former Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Deb Koski
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Vice President & Chief Phil Officer → Chief Philanthropic Officer, 2023
Chief Philanthropic Officer → Chief Philanthropy Officer, 2024
On filings since 2021
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Bruhn
Former Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer
Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer- → Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer, 2022
Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer → Former Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Nick Olson
Executive Vice President & CFO
New on the 2024 filing
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Wooten
Executive Vice President & CFO
New on the 2024 filing
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Bobbie Tibbetts (2020–2023) — Former Chief Philanthropic Officer
- Former: Micah Aberson (2020–2023) — Former Executive Vice President
- Former: Robin Smith (2021–2023) — Trustee & Treasurer
- Former: Joann Kunkel (2020–2022) — Former Cfo-Sch J, Part III & Line 4a
- Former: Maria Bell MD (2020–2022) — Trustee & Physician
- Former: Mark Paulson MD (2020–2022) — Trustee & Physician
- Former: Barb Everist (2020–2021) — Trustee-
- Former: David Beito (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Kelby Krabbenhoft (2020) — President, CEO, See Sch J, Part III & Lines 4a-4b
- Former: Patrick Durick (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 5039 Rte 5218, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5039
Phone: (701) 234-2000
Website: https://sanfordhealthfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Sanford Health Foundation North
How much does Sanford Health Foundation North give each year?
Sanford Health Foundation North gave $4.6M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $6.1M across 9 grants.
What is Sanford Health Foundation North's typical grant size?
Sanford Health Foundation North's median grant in 2024 was $21,500, and its average grant was $416,176, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Sanford Health Foundation North give grants?
Sanford Health Foundation North gives mostly in South Dakota: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sioux Falls, SD (9 grants).
Does Sanford Health Foundation North give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Sanford Health Foundation North's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "See Form 990, Page 2, Part III" (9 grants).
Who are Sanford Health Foundation North's largest grantees?
Sanford Health Foundation North's largest 2024 grantees include Sanford Medical Center Fargo ($2,989,585), Sanford Research North ($1,007,928) and Sanford Medical Center ($204,270), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($29,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sanford Health Foundation North?
Sanford Health Foundation North reported $107.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.9M.
What does Sanford Health Foundation North fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says donations help provide patient care and family support, equipment and facility improvements, employee benefits, community benefits, and other support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sanford Health Foundation North?
Sanford Health Foundation North has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check sanfordhealthfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Sanford Health Foundation North's EIN?
Sanford Health Foundation North's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-0398104. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Sanford Health Foundation North by hand.
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