The Sanders Family Foundation
The Sanders Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Greenville, South Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports 11 grants totaling $465,000, all to recipients in South Carolina. Listed grant purposes include education, religious, and charitable purposes.
The Sanders Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sanders Family Foundation gave $465K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in South Carolina. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $465,000
- +43.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,273
- +43.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $1,583,633
- -5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Sanders Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 210 Crescent Avenue, Greenville, SC 29605
Phone: (864) 235-0999
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Sanders Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Christ Church Episcopal School ($170K). Together the top 10 received $455K.
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 53 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in South Carolina. The listed recipients were in Greenville, Columbia, or Verdae, South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Sanders Family Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $100K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 54% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $280K (2021) to $465K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $465K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Christ Church Episcopal School Greenville, SC | Educational purpose - annual fund, daniel s. Sanders scholarship and celebration of reading program | $170,000 |
| Community Foundation of Greenville Greenville, SC | Charitable Purpose - Heller Heritage on the Green | $100,000 |
| Prisma Health-Upstateuniv of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville Greenville, SC | Educational purpose - sanders family scholarship (formerly paladin scholarship) | $50,000 |
| Caine Halter Family YMCA Greenville, SC | Educational Purpose - Building a Brighter Tomorrow Campaign | $40,000 |
| Furman University Greenville, SC | Educational purpose - marian strobel endowment fund for history | $25,000 |
| South Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities Inc Columbia, SC | General Educational Purpose | $20,000 |
| United Ministries Greenville, SC | General Religious Purpose | $20,000 |
| Humane Society of Greenville Greenville, SC | General Charitable Purpose | $10,000 |
| University of South Carolina Engineering College Columbia, SC | Educational Purpose - Professor Herty Scholarship | $10,000 |
| Upcountry History Museum Greenville, SC | General Educational Purpose | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 11 grants in 2025, 11 in 2024, and 13 in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,583,633 | $401,247 | $488,506 | $465,000 | 11 | $478,980 | $396,689 | $477,336 |
| 2024 | $1,670,892 | $349,033 | $355,461 | $324,760 | 11 | $347,104 | $328,602 | $485,305 |
| 2023 | $1,677,322 | $314,398 | $294,376 | $280,649 | 13 | $287,184 | $311,112 | $461,207 |
| 2022 | $1,657,279 | $305,520 | $310,894 | $301,577 | 9 | $307,569 | $299,203 | $387,161 |
| 2021 | $1,662,653 | $294,477 | $289,405 | $279,550 | 9 | $286,176 | $291,248 | $249,230 |
| 2020 | $1,657,581 | $293,962 | $327,028 | $290,000 | 9 | — | $291,393 | $198,697 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sanders Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $477K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants supported schools and universities, a family YMCA, a community foundation, religious and charitable organizations, and a history museum. The grant descriptions include scholarships, school and university funds, annual campaigns, and general educational, religious, and charitable purposes.
Among its grantees, Christ Church Episcopal School describes its mission as nurturing students’ intellectual and spiritual development, personal integrity, and sense of community through academic programs, athletics, and other activities. Furman University says its primary mission is to provide a distinctive liberal arts education. United Ministries says it provides life-changing opportunities for people in Greenville County who lack education or employment skills, are in financial crisis, or are homeless. The Upcountry History Museum says it connects people, history, and culture.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $465,000 through 11 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $170,000, with a median of $20,000.
The largest grants were $170,000 to Christ Church Episcopal School for educational purposes, including its annual fund, the Daniel S. Sanders Scholarship, and the Celebration of Reading Program; $100,000 to the Community Foundation of Greenville for Heller Heritage on the Green; and $50,000 to Prisma Health–Upstate/University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville for the Sanders Family Scholarship, formerly the Paladin Scholarship. Other grants included $40,000 to Caine Halter Family YMCA for the Building a Brighter Tomorrow campaign, $25,000 to Furman University for the Marian Strobel Endowment Fund for History, and $20,000 each to South Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities and United Ministries.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Emilyn C. Sanders, Daniel Sanders Jr., and John Sanders as co-trustees, and Lesley R. Moore, Esq., as executive director.
The Sanders Family Foundation is led by Lesley R. Moore Esq., Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lesley R. Moore Esq.
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Sanders Jr.
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emilyn C. Sanders
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Sanders
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Daniel S. Sanders Sr Dec'd (2024) — Co-Trustee
- Former: Daniel S. Sanders Sr. (2020–2023) — Co-Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Sanders Family Foundation
How much does The Sanders Family Foundation give each year?
The Sanders Family Foundation gave $465K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $325K across 11 grants.
What is The Sanders Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sanders Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $42,273, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sanders Family Foundation that year got $100K on average.
Where does The Sanders Family Foundation give grants?
The Sanders Family Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Greenville, SC (9 grants) and Columbia, SC (2 grants).
Does The Sanders Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 45% of The Sanders Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Sanders Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sanders Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Christ Church Episcopal School ($170,000), Community Foundation of Greenville ($100,000) and Prisma Health-Upstateuniv of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sanders Family Foundation?
The Sanders Family Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $479K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $477K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sanders Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported schools and universities, a family YMCA, a community foundation, religious and charitable organizations, and a history museum. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sanders Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Sanders Family Foundation's EIN?
The Sanders Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-6227833. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Sanders 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 24, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work The Sanders Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sanders Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sanders-family-foundation-morg_03a9943eea814f20a70b2b4e2f605253
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_766227833_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sanders Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sanders-family-foundation-morg_03a9943eea814f20a70b2b4e2f605253},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Sanders 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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