Scan Design Foundation
Scan Design Foundation, based in Seattle, Washington, is a private foundation dedicated to advancing Danish-American relations and supporting pain research. Founded by Inger and Jens Bruun, it supports charitable organizations and programs, including opportunities at the University of Washington related to study in Denmark and faculty travel.
Scan Design Foundation at a glance
In short: Scan Design Foundation gave $1.3M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Washington. 55% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,261,960
- +2.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- +16.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $43,516
- -11.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $34,521,419
- +14.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (16 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Washington (69% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Scan Design Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. For the UW fellowship, eligible students apply through the UW Study Abroad portal; there is no separate application for foundation fellowship funding. UW faculty travel applications are submitted as a letter proposal with a trip purpose, draft itinerary, itemized budget, and abbreviated CV.
- Review Cycle
- UW faculty travel applications are due April 15 for the following 12 months. Fellowship application timing varies by program; applications for summer, autumn, and full-year exchanges are due in late January.
- Deadline
- UW faculty travel applications are due April 15 for the following 12 months.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 15111, Seattle, WA 98115
Phone: (206) 679-4112
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Scan Design Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Washington Foundation ($519K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 116 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Washington recipients received 69% of grant dollars, followed by Oregon at 11%, Wisconsin at 8%, Iowa at 5%, and Illinois at 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Scan Design Foundation open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 29 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $83K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2021) to $1.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | 2024 Grant Award | $518,983 |
| Center for Sustainable Infrastructure Olympia, WA | 2024 Grant Award | $110,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | 2024 Grant Award | $100,000 |
| Furturewise Courban Seattle, WA | 2024 Grant Award | $79,552 |
| University of Oregon Foundation Eugene, OR | 2024 Grant Award | $62,615 |
| Museum of Danish America Elk Horn, IA | 2024 Grant Award | $59,000 |
| National Nordic Museum Seattle, WA | 2024 Grant Award | $50,000 |
| Nordic Northwest Portland, OR | 2024 Grant Award | $50,000 |
| City of Tacoma Tacoma, WA | 2024 Grant Award | $45,000 |
| American Scandinavian Foundation New York, NY | 2024 Grant Award | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Scan Design Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $34,521,419 | $4,685,730 | $2,390,132 | $1,261,960 | 29 | $1,707,134 | $3,468,857 | $1,689,431 |
| 2023 | $30,214,463 | $1,192,710 | $2,169,840 | $1,232,826 | 25 | $1,701,270 | $617,642 | $1,743,595 |
| 2022 | $28,580,356 | $-49,253 | $2,320,829 | $1,132,174 | 23 | $1,622,723 | $404,071 | $1,873,613 |
| 2021 | $34,290,704 | $3,808,856 | $2,075,697 | $1,112,729 | 14 | $1,637,470 | $3,263,185 | $1,873,433 |
| 2020 | $32,183,542 | $484,660 | $2,538,124 | $1,219,913 | 25 | — | — | $1,770,204 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Scan Design Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes its purpose as advancing Danish-American relations and supporting pain research. Its 2024 grantees included university foundations, cultural organizations, a sustainability-focused organization, and public entities. For example, the National Nordic Museum says it shares Nordic culture, values, and ideas to create connections and inspire new perspectives; Nordic Northwest says it shares Nordic culture with the Pacific Northwest community. The University of Washington Foundation says it facilitates private contributions for the benefit of the University of Washington.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $1,261,960. Grant amounts ranged from $310 to $518,983, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included $518,983 to the University of Washington Foundation, $110,000 to the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure, $100,000 to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, $79,552 to Furturewise Courban, and $62,615 to the University of Oregon Foundation. The listed purposes were “2024 GRANT AWARD.”
The foundation also supports University of Washington programs. Its fellowship program provides need-based funding to eligible UW undergraduate and graduate students studying in Denmark, with awards of $1,000–$16,000 per semester and a maximum of two semesters. Separately, UW faculty may apply for up to $4,000 in travel reimbursement for travel to Denmark or to bring Danish faculty to UW.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Fidelma McGinn as president; Robert Thompson as secretary, treasurer, and director; and Jan Beck, Paul Charles Suzman, Katrine Thor Andersen, and Bodil Stevns as directors.
Scan Design Foundation is led by Fidelma McGinn, President on every filing since 2020; all 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Fidelma McGinn
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$154K (2020) → $225K (2024)
Bodil Stevns
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$15K (2020) → $15K (2024)
Robert Thompson
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $20K (2024)
Katrine Thor Andersen
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$15K (2022) → $15K (2024)
Jan Beck
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$15K (2024)
Paul Charles Suzman
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
$23K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Rob Harris (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Mark T. Schleck (2020) — President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $225K, to Fidelma McGinn (President). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Scan Design Foundation
How much does Scan Design Foundation give each year?
Scan Design Foundation gave $1.3M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 25 grants.
What is Scan Design Foundation's typical grant size?
Scan Design Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $43,516, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Scan Design Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does Scan Design Foundation give grants?
Scan Design Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Oregon (11%) and Wisconsin (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (13 grants), Elk Horn, IA (2 grants), Hoffman Estates, IL (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Scan Design Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Scan Design Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2024 Grant Award" (29 grants).
Who are Scan Design Foundation's largest grantees?
Scan Design Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Washington Foundation ($518,983), Center for Sustainable Infrastructure ($110,000) and University of Wisconsin Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Scan Design Foundation?
Scan Design Foundation reported $34.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Scan Design Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its purpose as advancing Danish-American relations and supporting pain research. Its 2024 grantees included university foundations, cultural organizations, a sustainability-focused organization, and public entities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Scan Design Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Scan Design Foundation's EIN?
Scan Design Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0537904. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Scan Design 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 years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Scan Design Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/scan-design-foundation-morg_abcca5879c394df1a0d3f9bf6adace81
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_680537904_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Scan Design Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/scan-design-foundation-morg_abcca5879c394df1a0d3f9bf6adace81},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Scan Design Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Scan Design Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?