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Denny Sanford Foundation

Annual Giving
$10.0M
Grant Range
$10000K - $350.0M

Denny Sanford Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $10,000,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Variable - direct review by founder
  • Grant Range: Typically multi-million dollar transformational gifts
  • Geographic Focus: National, with emphasis on South Dakota and children's health initiatives
  • Total Assets: $26.8 million (2024)

Contact Details

Denny Sanford Foundation
206 W 14th St.
P.O. Box 1030
Sioux Falls, SD 57101
Phone: (480) 922-8998

Foundation Officers:

  • T. Denny Sanford - Chairperson/President/Treasurer
  • David L. Knudson - Vice Chairperson/Vice President (former South Dakota Senate majority leader)
  • William C. Sanford - Secretary

Overview

The Denny Sanford Foundation was established in 2006 by T. Denny Sanford, Chairman and CEO of United National Corporation, a bank holding company that owns First Premier Bank. Sanford is a Giving Pledge signatory who has committed to giving away his entire fortune during his lifetime. To date, he has donated nearly $2 billion to charitable causes, with the vast majority supporting children's health initiatives. The foundation operates with minimal bureaucracy—no traditional board of trustees or permanent staff—allowing Sanford to personally review proposals and make direct funding decisions. His personal motto is "aspire to inspire before you expire," and he approaches philanthropy as an investment, asking "What will give me or my community the best return?" Sanford lost his mother to breast cancer at age four, a formative experience that drives his passion for creating "a healthier, more hopeful future for children."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Denny Sanford Foundation does not operate traditional grant programs with fixed application cycles or published guidelines. Instead, it makes large, strategic gifts primarily through direct engagement. Recent examples include:

  • Healthcare Infrastructure: $300 million (2024) to establish Sanford Black Hills Medical Center
  • Virtual Care: $350 million (2021) for rural healthcare access
  • Medical Research: $150 million (2022) for stem cell research at UC San Diego
  • Graduate Medical Education: $300 million (2021) to Sanford Health
  • Scholarships: $50 million to South Dakota Community Foundation for need-based college scholarships

Priority Areas

Children's Health & Wellbeing (Primary Focus)

  • Pediatric hospital care and children's emergency departments
  • Medical research benefiting children
  • Programs for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses
  • Social-emotional development programs for children

Medical Research

  • Stem cell research and regenerative medicine
  • Cancer research
  • Neurodegenerative disease research
  • Genetics and genomics (Imagenetics program)
  • Type 1 diabetes research

Education

  • Need-based college scholarships
  • Technical and vocational education (Build Dakota Scholarship)
  • University programs in health sciences

Healthcare Access

  • Rural healthcare delivery systems
  • Telemedicine and virtual care initiatives
  • Hospital infrastructure

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Arts and culture (unless connected to children's welfare)
  • Environmental initiatives
  • Animal welfare (except one major gift to San Diego Zoo for children's zoo)
  • Religious organizations (unless focused on children's health/welfare)
  • International development (focus is primarily U.S.-based)
  • Small operational grants or general operating support

Governance and Leadership

T. Denny Sanford (Founder, Chairperson/President/Treasurer)

T. Denny Sanford made his fortune in banking, owning First Premier Bank and Premier Bankcard. He is known for his hands-on approach to philanthropy, personally reviewing proposals without the traditional foundation bureaucracy.

Key Quotes:

  • "I love children. That's my passion."
  • "I see my giving as investments rather than donations."
  • "Very plainly, very succinctly, I look at life as an investor. What will give me or my community the best return?"
  • "The most difficult part about doing research philanthropy is that the payoff on your investments can be decades away."
  • "I like to put together organizations working on a common problem. Why not share information and get to solutions faster? It saves a lot of money and a lot of time."

David L. Knudson (Vice Chairperson/Vice President)

Former majority leader in the South Dakota Senate, Knudson works as an attorney for Sanford and serves as vice chairman of the foundation.

William C. Sanford (Secretary)

Family member serving in administrative capacity.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Denny Sanford Foundation does not have a formal public application process. There is no online portal, standardized application form, or fixed deadline schedule. According to published reports, "Sanford's inbox is always open for proposals, especially from children's organizations and hospitals, which he reads himself."

Proposals can be sent directly to the foundation's address. Sanford personally reviews proposals and, if interested, will engage directly with the organization. According to Inside Philanthropy, "if he likes you, he'll write you a check—likely, a very big check—from his personal checking account."

Important: There are "no strings attached, no bean counters, no application process fraught with red tape."

Getting on Their Radar

Demonstrate Direct Impact on Children: Sanford is motivated by organizations that show a clear, direct line between funding and benefits to children. His personal experience losing his mother at age four drives his passion for helping children "be free from responsibility and worry and pain."

Emphasize Collaboration and Efficiency: Sanford values organizations that collaborate to solve common problems. He has stated he likes to "put together organizations working on a common problem" to get to solutions faster while saving money and time. He seeks "streamlined, efficient organizations that don't beat around the bush."

Show Long-term Research Potential: For medical research proposals, Sanford understands that "the payoff on your investments can be decades away" but looks for projects with transformational potential. His $100 million gift to UC San Diego for stem cell research came after a direct conversation about what could be accomplished if development could be accelerated.

Personal Connections Matter: Several of Sanford's major gifts have resulted from direct conversations with institutional leaders who could articulate clear visions. For example, Larry Goldstein's visit explaining stem cell therapy acceleration led to a $100 million commitment.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary significantly and are not publicly disclosed. Because Sanford personally reviews proposals without a traditional board approval process, decisions can be made relatively quickly compared to conventional foundations. However, major gifts often involve direct meetings and relationship-building before commitments are finalized.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. Given the foundation awarded only 1 grant in 2024 (totaling $10 million) and has limited staff, it appears to be highly selective, focusing on transformational gifts rather than numerous smaller grants.

Reapplication Policy

No formal reapplication policy is published. Given the informal, relationship-based nature of Sanford's philanthropy, unsuccessful applicants could potentially resubmit proposals, particularly if they can demonstrate evolution in their approach or new opportunities aligned with his priorities.

Application Success Factors

Be Direct and Clear

"Don't try to sophisticate your proposal with unnecessary flowery language," according to insights about Sanford's preferences. He wants to see "a clear, direct line between his checkbook and the people who will benefit from it."

Focus on Children

The foundation's primary passion is children's welfare. Sanford has explicitly stated, "I love children. That's my passion." Proposals that demonstrate meaningful impact on children's lives—particularly their health, education, or ability to simply "be kids"—align most closely with his values.

Demonstrate Earnestness

According to philanthropy advisors, "Sanford likes earnestness, and he likes children's initiatives." Authentic commitment to mission resonates more than polished marketing.

Show Investment Potential, Not Just Need

Sanford views his philanthropy as "investments rather than donations." Frame proposals around returns—lives saved, children helped, breakthroughs accelerated—rather than simply funding needs.

Emphasize Collaboration

Sanford has repeatedly funded initiatives that bring multiple organizations together. His $400 million gift transformed Sioux Valley Hospitals into Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in America. His $20 million established the Sanford Children's Health Research Center as a collaboration between Sanford Health and Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

Think Transformationally

The foundation's recent giving pattern shows preference for large, game-changing investments ($100-350 million) over smaller operational grants. Proposals should articulate how funding will create systemic change or breakthrough advances.

Examples of Funded Projects

  • Sanford Health's $350 million Virtual Care Center to expand rural healthcare access
  • $125 million Imagenetics program combining genetics and medical imaging
  • $100 million Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center at UC San Diego
  • $30 million Horatio Alger-Denny Sanford Scholarship Program
  • Build Dakota Scholarship program for technical education ($25 million contribution)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No formal application process exists - proposals must be sent directly to Sanford, who personally reviews them
  • Children's health is the paramount priority - virtually all major gifts support children's wellbeing, healthcare, or medical research benefiting pediatric populations
  • Think in millions, not thousands - recent grants range from $10-350 million; this is not a funder for small operational support
  • Be direct and efficient in proposals - avoid jargon, flowery language, or bureaucratic complexity; show clear lines from funding to impact
  • Frame requests as investments - articulate returns on investment in terms of lives improved, breakthroughs accelerated, or systemic change created
  • Collaboration increases appeal - proposals that unite multiple organizations to tackle common problems align with Sanford's philosophy
  • Personal relationships matter - many major gifts have resulted from direct conversations with institutional leaders; cultivate opportunities for direct engagement
  • Long-term thinking is valued - Sanford understands research payoffs may be "decades away" but looks for transformational potential

References

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