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The Sharon D Lund Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.8M
Grant Range
$40K - $5.0M

The Sharon D Lund Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,758,989 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $130,162,426 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 54 (2023)
  • Average Grant Size: ~$125,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Orange County, California, with some national arts funding
  • Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Location: Orange, CA

Note: The foundation does not publicly list contact information and does not accept unsolicited grant applications.

Overview

The Sharon D Lund Foundation was established in 1973 by Sharon Disney Lund, the youngest daughter of Walt Disney. With total assets of approximately $130 million and annual giving of nearly $7 million, the foundation supports initiatives in the arts, health and wellness, human services, and higher education focused on children and youth. The foundation has made transformational gifts including a $5 million pledge in 2013 to establish the Sharon Disney Lund Medical Intelligence, Information, Investigation and Innovation Institute (Mi4) at CHOC Children's Hospital, and an $11 million gift to CalArts in 2015 that resulted in the naming of The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance. The foundation is led by Sharon's twin children, Michelle Lund (Chairman) and Bradford Lund (Trustee), who continue their mother's legacy of supporting vulnerable children and families, particularly through pediatric healthcare innovation and mental health services.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with no public grant programs. Notable examples of their funding include:

  • Major Multi-Year Commitments: The foundation has made substantial long-term investments, such as nearly $10 million to CHOC Children's Hospital over more than a decade
  • Structured Multi-Year Grants: Three-year, $120,000 grant to Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire ($40,000 annually)
  • Transformational Capital Gifts: $5 million pledge to establish the Mi4 Institute at CHOC; $11 million to CalArts School of Dance

Based on 2023 data with 54 grants totaling $6.76 million, grants range significantly in size with an average of approximately $125,000.

Priority Areas

Children and Youth Services:

  • Children's hospitals and pediatric healthcare innovation
  • Mental health services for children and youth (ages 3-18)
  • School-based mental health resource centers (WellSpaces)
  • Make-A-Wish programs
  • Services supporting vulnerable children and families

Health and Wellness:

  • Pediatric medical innovation including AI, genomic medicine, and robotic surgery
  • Mental health crisis intervention services
  • Community-based health programs for youth

Arts:

  • Dance education and performance (CalArts School of Dance)
  • Arts organizations (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
  • Arts programs benefiting children and youth

Higher Education:

  • Educational institutions, particularly those focused on arts and child development

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Michelle Lund, Chairman: Twin daughter of Sharon Disney Lund; also serves on the Board of Trustees for California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), Earthfire Institute Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center, and The Walt Disney Family Museum
  • Bradford Lund, Trustee: Twin son of Sharon Disney Lund
  • Karen Presley, Trustee

The foundation emphasizes in its communications: "Children's hospitals fall right in the heart of our foundation's mission of supporting vulnerable children and families" and "SDLF believes it truly takes a village to care for children in our community."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Sharon D Lund Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly stated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified and selected.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grant decisions are made internally by the board of trustees based on organizations they have identified and selected for funding.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining their documented funding patterns reveals what attracts their support:

Demonstrated Impact Areas:

  • Organizations working in Orange County, California, particularly those serving vulnerable children and families
  • Established organizations with proven track records in pediatric healthcare, mental health services for youth, or arts programs
  • Programs that align with innovation in pediatric medicine (AI, genomic medicine, robotic surgery)
  • School-based mental health initiatives and crisis intervention services for youth
  • Organizations that have received their funding demonstrate significant outcomes (e.g., CHOC's Mental Health Crisis Clinic served 360 patients in 2024, a 25% year-over-year increase)

Long-Term Relationship Model:

  • The foundation demonstrates a preference for sustained, multi-year partnerships (e.g., $10 million to CHOC over a decade)
  • They participate in ongoing fundraising events for organizations they support (e.g., CHOC Walk in the Park)
  • Major grants often include naming opportunities that honor founder Sharon Disney Lund's legacy

Organizational Characteristics:

  • Past recipients include well-established organizations: CHOC Children's Hospital, Make-A-Wish, CalArts, California Community Foundation
  • The foundation appears to favor organizations where they can make transformational impact through major gifts

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis and explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Orange County Focus: Primary geographic focus is Orange County, California, particularly for healthcare and social services; arts funding may have broader reach
  • Children and Youth Centrality: All funding centers on children and youth, with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations
  • Significant Grant Sizes: With 54 grants averaging ~$125,000, this foundation makes substantial investments in selected organizations
  • Multi-Year Partnerships: The foundation favors long-term relationships over one-time grants, as evidenced by their decade-long partnership with CHOC and three-year commitment to Make-A-Wish
  • Innovation in Healthcare: Strong interest in cutting-edge pediatric medicine, including mental health services, AI, genomic medicine, and robotic surgery
  • Disney Legacy Connection: The foundation honors the legacy of Sharon Disney Lund; organizations connected to the Disney family's philanthropic interests or that can create naming opportunities honoring Sharon may align with their values
  • Village Approach: The foundation views itself as part of a collaborative community effort to support children, suggesting they value partnerships and collective impact

References

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