The Buettner Family Foundation
The Buettner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including an aquarium, performing arts groups, schools, and charitable organizations.
The Buettner Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Buettner Family Foundation gave $130K across 35 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Colorado. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $129,700
- -7.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 35
- +9.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,706
- -15.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $107,343
- -45.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (53% 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 The Buettner Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 401 E 8Th Street Suite 303, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
Phone: (877) 829-5500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Buettner Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Shedd Aquarium ($55K). Together the top 10 received $106K.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 165 grants of 169 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado and 43% to recipients in Illinois. Recipients in New York and Washington, D.C., each received 2% of grant dollars, and Wisconsin recipients received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Buettner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 35 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $800; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 646% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $64K (2020) to $142K (2022). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $130K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shedd Aquarium Chicago, IL | General Operating | $55,000 |
| Colorado Springs Philharmonic Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $15,000 |
| Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Epic Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $6,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of the Rocky MTNS Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Pikes Peak United Way Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $4,000 |
| Gazette El Pomar Empty Stocking Fund Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $4,000 |
| Care and Share Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating | $3,000 |
| Graland Country Day School Denver, CO | General Operating | $2,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Operating | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Buettner Family 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 | $107,343 | $50,852 | $140,296 | $129,700 | 35 | $133,925 | $44,643 | $20,738 |
| 2023 | $196,787 | $39,038 | $151,460 | $140,900 | 32 | $144,298 | $31,876 | $24,260 |
| 2022 | $309,209 | $17,662 | $155,018 | $141,900 | 31 | $144,536 | $8,354 | $31,111 |
| 2021 | $446,641 | $73,094 | $143,252 | $129,000 | 37 | $131,396 | $61,578 | $38,837 |
| 2020 | $743,615 | $53,478 | $76,813 | $64,100 | 34 | — | $38,741 | $36,286 |
| 2019 | $723,517 | $47,906 | $112,330 | $100,600 | 40 | — | $37,774 | $37,799 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Buettner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose stated missions span different areas. For example, Care and Share Inc. says it works to relieve hunger and improve nutrition in Southern Colorado, while the Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale says it inspires youth through music and artistic expression. Grantees also include educational institutions such as Graland Country Day School, whose mission includes academic excellence, character development, and preparing students to be engaged citizens.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 35 grants totaling $129,700. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $55,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants included $55,000 to Shedd Aquarium, $15,000 to Colorado Springs Philharmonic, $10,000 to Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, $6,000 to Epic, and $5,000 to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Each was listed for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alfred P Buettner, Leigh S Buettner, and Corundum Trust Company LLC as trustees.
The Buettner Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alfred P. Buettner
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Corundum Trust Company LLC
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Leigh S. Buettner
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 The Buettner Family Foundation
How much does The Buettner Family Foundation give each year?
The Buettner Family Foundation gave $130K across 35 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $141K across 32 grants.
What is The Buettner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Buettner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,706, across 35 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Buettner Family Foundation that year got $800 on average.
Where does The Buettner Family Foundation give grants?
The Buettner Family Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (43%). The most frequent recipient cities were Colorado Springs, CO (19 grants), Aspen, CO (4 grants) and Denver, CO (2 grants).
Does The Buettner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Buettner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Buettner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Buettner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Shedd Aquarium ($55,000), Colorado Springs Philharmonic ($15,000) and Colorado Springs Youth Symphony ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Buettner Family Foundation?
The Buettner Family Foundation reported $107K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $134K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Buettner Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose stated missions span different areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Buettner Family Foundation?
The foundation makes 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 The Buettner Family Foundation's EIN?
The Buettner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6795148. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does The Buettner 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 4, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work The Buettner Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Buettner Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Buettner Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-buettner-family-foundation-morg_5053d4b8313a4a6f994a029c6ee1d36d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276795148_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Buettner Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-buettner-family-foundation-morg_5053d4b8313a4a6f994a029c6ee1d36d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 The Buettner Family 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.
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