The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, parks and wildlife, human services, and support for veterans and military families.
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation at a glance
In short: The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation gave $844K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), mostly in South Dakota. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $844,000
- +1.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- +5.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $40,190
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $10,666,346
- +17.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (6 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (92% 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 James and Eloise Elmen Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2603 Ridgeview Way, Sioux Falls, SD 57105
Phone: (605) 338-1800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Avera ($350K). Together the top 10 received $772K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 115 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Dakota. Iowa and Indiana each received 2%, while Maryland and New York each received 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 21 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $71K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $599K (2021) to $844K (2024). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $844K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Avera Sioux Falls, SD | Building Fund | $350,000 |
| South Dakoata Parks Wildlife Fdn Pierre, SD | Custer State Park Bison Center | $90,000 |
| Zoological Society of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, SD | Special Project | $90,000 |
| Augustana College Sioux Falls, SD | Building Fund | $66,000 |
| South Dakota Parks Wildlife Fdn Pierre, SD | Good Earthstate Park | $66,000 |
| SFPS Education Fdn Sioux Falls, SD | Operations | $30,000 |
| Sioux Falls Cares Sioux Falls, SD | Operations | $20,000 |
| Midwest Honor Flight Sioux Center, IA | Operating | $20,000 |
| Children's Home Society Sioux Falls, SD | Operations | $20,000 |
| American Legion Charities Indianapolis, IN | Operations | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The James and Eloise Elmen 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 | $10,666,346 | $2,487,941 | $940,302 | $844,000 | 21 | $929,600 | $2,040,200 | $1,118,292 |
| 2023 | $9,118,707 | $737,882 | $894,174 | $828,200 | 20 | $890,710 | $428,123 | $929,497 |
| 2022 | $9,274,999 | $886,799 | $938,070 | $741,805 | 20 | $869,815 | $383,196 | $890,737 |
| 2021 | $9,326,270 | $617,349 | $758,585 | $598,500 | 25 | $729,782 | $2,057,991 | $869,785 |
| 2020 | $7,771,312 | $377,185 | $804,370 | $649,400 | 29 | — | $338,775 | $729,809 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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 show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Sioux Falls Cares says its mission is to provide food, clothing, toys, and other items to families in need. American Legion Charities says it raises money for patriotic programs and services for veterans, youth, military personnel, and communities. Fisher House Foundation describes work that includes providing financial assistance to service members, veterans, and their families, as well as constructing facilities for families visiting military personnel. The Family Visitation Center describes its mission as “protecting childhood today for stronger families tomorrow.”
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $844,000. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $350,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Its largest awards included $350,000 to Avera for a building fund; $90,000 to the South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation for the Custer State Park Bison Center; $90,000 to the Zoological Society of Sioux Falls for a special project; and $66,000 to Augustana College for a building fund.
Other reported grants included $66,000 to the South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation for Good Earth State Park, $30,000 to the SFPS Education Foundation for operations, and $20,000 each to Sioux Falls Cares, Midwest Honor Flight, Children’s Home Society, and American Legion Charities. The foundation also gave $10,000 to Make-A-Wish of South Dakota.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard Elmen as president, Eloise N. Elmen as vice president, Connie Renee Elmen as secretary, and Rebecca Sue Elmen Lam as director.
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation is led by Richard Elmen, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard Elmen
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$148K (2020) → $77K (2024)
Rebecca Sue Elmen Lam
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Connie Renee Elmen
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eloise N. Elmen
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $77K, to Richard Elmen (President).
Frequently asked questions about The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation
How much does The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation give each year?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation gave $844K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $828K across 20 grants.
What is The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's typical grant size?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $40,190, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation that year got $71K on average.
Where does The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation give grants?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation gives mostly in South Dakota: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sioux Falls, SD (13 grants) and Pierre, SD (2 grants).
Does The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (13 grants).
Who are The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's largest grantees?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Avera ($350,000), South Dakoata Parks Wildlife Fdn ($90,000) and Zoological Society of Sioux Falls ($90,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation reported $10.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $930K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Sioux Falls Cares says its mission is to provide food, clothing, toys, and other items to families in need. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's EIN?
The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5767706. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The James and Eloise Elmen 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). The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-and-eloise-elmen-foundation-morg_9391c9639d9d4690bdb3465a145f561f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205767706_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The James and Eloise Elmen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-and-eloise-elmen-foundation-morg_9391c9639d9d4690bdb3465a145f561f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 James and Eloise Elmen 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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