The Sunderland Foundation
The Sunderland Foundation is a private foundation based in Overland Park, Kansas. Founded in 1945 by Lester T. Sunderland, then president of Ash Grove Cement Company, it supports organizations serving an individual recipient and is planning to spend out a significant portion of its remaining assets in the region by 2030.
The Sunderland Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sunderland Foundation gave $102.1M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $4.1M), top state Missouri. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $102,117,140
- -42.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- -74.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,084,686
- +121.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000,000
- Total assets
- $927,027,923
- +0.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (38% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Sunderland Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The 2024 filing directs organizations to the Foundation’s website for required materials and information. It states that there are no deadlines and that geographic limitations apply. The Foundation’s current approach is invitation-only, and its program information states that it is not accepting applications or proposals at this time.
- Review Cycle
- None stated on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None stated on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: The Sunderland Foundation
Mailing address: 5700 W 112Th Street Suite 320, Overland Park, KS 66211
Phone: (913) 335-6454
Website: https://sunderland.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Sunderland Foundation
Who The Sunderland Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Kansas Endowment Association ($27.3M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $100.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
964 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 215 grants of 964 (22%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it is focusing its resources on an individual recipient, its founding location, and plans to spend out a significant portion of its remaining assets there by 2030. Historically, it supported organizations across the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Missouri (44%) and Kansas (35%), followed by New York (7%), Washington, D.C. (5%), and Washington (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Sunderland Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $5M; repeat grants $5.4M. How we count
Medians: $5M first-time, $500K repeat.
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 230% 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 $102.1M (2025) to $218.3M (2023). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $102.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KC People's Fund Kansas City, MO | 2025 Donation | $25,000,000 |
| University of Kansas Endowment Association Lawrence, KS | 2025 Donation | $25,000,000 |
| Amalgamated Foundation Washington, DC | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund Albany NY New York City, NY | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund Albany NY New York City, NY | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Kansas City, MO | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Kansas City, MO | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Impact Assets Inc Bethesda, MD | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| National Christian Foundation Alpharetta, GA | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
| Seattle Foundation Seattle, WA | 2025 DAF Funding | $5,000,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sunderland Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing reports grant totals of $177,031,515 in 2024, $218,342,551 in 2023, and $213,771,465 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $927,027,923 | $41,821,619 | $105,400,819 | $102,117,140 | 25 | $103,057,943 | $46,599,489 | $44,774,506 |
| 2024 | $926,086,757 | $68,424,822 | $180,730,647 | $177,031,515 | 96 | $177,971,388 | $77,650,119 | $46,839,685 |
| 2023 | $1,017,130,762 | $57,998,127 | $222,464,168 | $218,342,551 | 228 | $219,256,685 | $59,027,507 | $52,915,624 |
| 2022 | $1,118,590,774 | $43,305,812 | $218,143,931 | $213,771,465 | 278 | $214,657,668 | $48,123,331 | $60,913,866 |
| 2021 | $1,463,745,434 | $90,847,686 | $187,887,754 | $181,981,236 | 337 | $184,025,033 | $88,858,275 | $70,930,378 |
| 2020 | $1,476,541,124 | $49,631,411 | $193,117,655 | $188,527,071 | 346 | — | $46,199,039 | $71,282,086 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sunderland Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44.8M 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
The Foundation’s mission is to support those most in need in an individual recipient Its five strategic focus areas are affordable housing, economic stability, health and behavioral health, youth development, and select legacy relationships previously supported by the Foundation. Its website describes priorities including housing and shelters, access to jobs and entrepreneurship, behavioral health and healthcare equity, and education and family-centered services. Legacy relationships are intended to honor civic, cultural, and educational institutions that have shaped an individual recipient
The Foundation says it values organizations’ expertise and on-the-ground experience, efforts to build just and equitable communities, and work that examines root causes of inequitable outcomes. Although it historically emphasized capital projects, it will consider a broader range of initiatives.
Its 2024 grants included support for universities, hospitals, community funds, and philanthropic organizations. For example, the University of Kansas Endowment Association received two $25 million grants for cancer-center purposes; Children’s Mercy Hospital received $20 million for a behavioral health hospital; and the an individual recipient Community Foundation received $4 million. The Endowment Association describes its mission as partnering with donors to provide philanthropic support for the University of Kansas. Children’s Mercy describes its work as providing children’s health care, research, innovation, and education. The an individual recipient Community Foundation says its mission is to improve quality of life in the region through charitable giving, donor education and connection, and leadership on community issues.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reported 96 grants totaling $177,031,515 in 2024. Grant amounts ranged from $2,750 to $25 million, with a median of $375,000. Its reported grant totals and counts were: Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 25 grants totaling $102 million.
Other large 2024 grants included $24.75 million to KC People’s Fund for initial capitalization and $10 million to the University of Missouri Kansas City Foundation for a health-building construction payment. The Foundation also reported several $4 million grants for donor-advised fund funding.
The Foundation has moved to an invitation-only grantmaking process. Its program information states that it is not accepting grant applications or proposals during a strategic review; it says updated application guidelines and program areas of interest were expected in the second half of 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kent Sunderland as chairman and trustee; Charles Sunderland as secretary and treasurer and trustee; Randy Vance as president and chief operating officer; and William Sunderland, Thomas Sunderland, Jennifer Mayhew, Leigh Foster, Emery Golson, Michelle Buckner, and Grant Sunderland as trustees.
The Sunderland Foundation is led by Randy Vance, President & COO on every filing since 2020; 8 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Randy Vance
President & COO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$400K (2020) → $477K (2025)
Kent Sunderland
Chairman & Trustee
Chariman & Trustee → Chairman & Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Charles Sunderland
Secretary, Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Jennifer Mayhew
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Leigh Foster
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Michelle Buckner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Thomas Sunderland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
William Sunderland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $12K (2025)
Grant Sunderland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Emery Golson (2020–2024) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $477K, to Randy Vance (President, COO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Sunderland Foundation
How much does The Sunderland Foundation give each year?
The Sunderland Foundation gave $102.1M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $177.0M across 96 grants.
What is The Sunderland Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sunderland Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000,000, and its average grant was $4,084,686, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sunderland Foundation that year got $5M on average.
Where does The Sunderland Foundation give grants?
The Sunderland Foundation's top state is Missouri, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kansas (27%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (9 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Lawrence, KS (2 grants) and New York City, NY (2 grants).
Does The Sunderland Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of The Sunderland Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "2025 DAF Funding" (11 grants) and "2025 Donation" (5 grants).
Who are The Sunderland Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sunderland Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Kansas Endowment Association ($27,321,057 across 2 grants), KC People's Fund ($25,000,000) and Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund Albany NY ($10,000,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sunderland Foundation?
The Sunderland Foundation reported $927.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $103.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $44.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sunderland Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support those most in need in an individual recipient Its five strategic focus areas are affordable housing, economic stability, health and behavioral health, youth development, and select legacy relationships previously supported by the Foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sunderland Foundation?
The 2024 filing directs organizations to the Foundation’s website for required materials and information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Sunderland Foundation's EIN?
The Sunderland Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 44-6011082. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 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 August 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 5, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sunderland Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sunderland Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sunderland-foundation-morg_3788ac52cacd4c1d8ba51ead52ce7bf4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_446011082_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sunderland Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sunderland-foundation-morg_3788ac52cacd4c1d8ba51ead52ce7bf4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Sunderland 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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