The Sanders Family Foundation
The Sanders Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Birmingham, Alabama. Founded by Rance and Angie Sanders, it supports educational opportunities for students with financial need, with the foundation’s website naming Alabama and Florida as its focus.
Key facts about The Sanders Family Foundation
In short: The Sanders Family Foundation gave $280K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Alabama. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-4292119
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $280,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $18,667
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $7,096,942
- Primary geography
- Alabama (71% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.1M
+9.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$280K
+21.7% YoY
Grant Count
15
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+21.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sanders Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $328K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Sanders Family Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 13 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 87% 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 (2019–2025). 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 website says it aims to empower students with financial need through educational opportunities that build character, confidence, and leadership potential. It describes its values as including rigorous, rewarding, inspiring, and joyful learning, and supportive environments that foster character, confidence, and civic leadership.
Its 2025 grants included scholarships, literacy programs, and operating support. Among the recipients, Better Basics says it works to eradicate illiteracy among children in central Alabama through reading and math instruction and resources. Big Oak Ranch says it provides a Christian home for abused, neglected, and abandoned children. Other grantees describe work including education for children with special needs, support for people with intellectual and developmental differences, Christian education, and providing meals to help children with education and development.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $280,000. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $40,000, with a median of $20,000.
Larger 2025 grants included $40,000 to Big Oak Ranch for operating funds; $30,000 to the HICA Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama Scholarship Fund for scholarships; $25,000 each to Alabama Aerospace and Aviation for scholarships and the University of Alabama for the Rance M. Sanders Endowed Scholarship; and $22,000 to Birmingham School of Law Foundation for scholarships. Other grants included $20,000 each to Food for Thought Outreach for operating funds, Gardere Community Christian School for scholarships, Restoration Academy for its general scholarship fund, South Walton Academy for scholarships, and Westonwood Ranch for operating funds. Better Basics received $15,000 for literacy intervention and enrichment programs.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with The Sanders Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies Alabama and Florida as its focus. In 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Alabama, 21% to Florida, and 7% to Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $143K (2019) to $280K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $280K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Big Oak Ranch ($40K). Together the top 10 received $242K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 75 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Big Oak Ranch Gadsden, AL | Operating Funds | $40,000 |
| Hica Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama Scholarship Fund Birmingham, AL | Scholarships | $30,000 |
| Alabama Aerospace and Aviation Bessemer, AL | Scholarships | $25,000 |
| University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Rance M. Sanders Endowed Scholarship | $25,000 |
| Birmingham School of Law Foundation Birmingham, AL | Scholarships | $22,000 |
| Food for Thought Outreach Santa Rosa, FL | Operating Funds | $20,000 |
| Gardere Community Christian School Baton Rouge, LA | Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Restoration Academy Fairfield, AL | General Scholarship Fund | $20,000 |
| South Walton Academy Santa Rosa, FL | Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Westonwood Ranch Freeport, FL | Operating Funds | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,096,942 | $258,267 | $320,426 | $280,000 |
| 2024 | $6,493,796 | $953,657 | $255,678 | $230,100 |
| 2023 | $5,381,942 | $166,220 | $238,344 | $216,500 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,096,942 | $6,493,796 | $5,381,942 |
| Revenue | $258,267 | $953,657 | $166,220 |
| Expenses | $320,426 | $255,678 | $238,344 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $284,663 | $230,365 | $216,590 |
| Net Investment Income | $232,999 | $450,011 | $144,466 |
| Distributable Amount | $327,874 | $279,592 | $245,273 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 30, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rance M. Sanders as president, Angela Smith as vice president, and Angie L. Sanders as executive director and treasurer. The foundation’s website identifies Rance M. Sanders as founder and board member, Angie L. Sanders as founder, executive director, and board member, and Casey Sanders Sandkuhl as a board member.
The Sanders Family Foundation is led by Angie L. Sanders, Executive Director & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Angie L. Sanders
Executive Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rance M. Sanders
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Smith
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 1000 Urban Center Dr 675, Birmingham, AL 35242
Phone: (205) 254-1050
Website: https://www.thesandersfamilyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Sanders Family Foundation
How much does The Sanders Family Foundation give each year?
The Sanders Family Foundation gave $280K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $230K across 15 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 $18,667, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Sanders Family Foundation give grants?
The Sanders Family Foundation gives mostly in Alabama: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (21%) and Louisiana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (4 grants), Oneonta, AL (3 grants) and Santa Rosa, FL (2 grants).
Does The Sanders Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 40% of The Sanders Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (6 grants).
Who are The Sanders Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sanders Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Big Oak Ranch ($40,000), Hica Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama Scholarship Fund ($30,000) and Alabama Aerospace and Aviation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sanders Family Foundation?
The Sanders Family Foundation reported $7.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $285K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $328K (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 Sanders Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website says it aims to empower students with financial need through educational opportunities that build character, confidence, and leadership potential. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sanders Family 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 Sanders Family Foundation's EIN?
The Sanders Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4292119. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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.
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