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Pine Rock Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$6.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $2.0M

Pine Rock Foundation Inc - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,333,500 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $104 million (2023)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $2,000,000
  • Grant Median: $48,000
  • Number of Grants: 42 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Multi-state (Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota primarily)
  • Application Type: Invitation only / Preselected organizations

Contact Details

  • Address: 222 S Main Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104-6310
  • Phone: 605-275-4044
  • Website: pinerockfoundation.org
  • EIN: 41-1698350

Overview

Pine Rock Foundation Inc. is a family foundation originally established in Minnesota in 1992, now headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. With total assets of approximately $104 million as of 2023, the foundation has experienced significant growth in recent years, receiving substantial contributions of $46.2 million in 2023 and $35.2 million in 2022. The foundation distributed $6.3 million across 42 grants in 2023, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $2 million. The foundation's strategic approach focuses on supporting education, environmental conservation, emergency services, arts and culture, military and veterans' initiatives, and community development across multiple states, with particular emphasis on Minnesota and Wisconsin. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. Instead, trustees identify and select organizations to support based on board discretion. Grant sizes vary considerably:

  • Major Grants: Up to $2,000,000 for capital campaigns and significant institutional support
  • Mid-Level Grants: $100,000 - $900,000 for program support and organizational capacity
  • Smaller Grants: $1,000 - $50,000 for community organizations and local initiatives
  • Median Grant: $48,000

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications

Priority Areas

Based on 2023 grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports:

  • Education: K-12 private schools, educational institutions, and educational support organizations (largest funding area)
  • Environmental Conservation: Natural history museums, conservation initiatives, and environmental education
  • Emergency Services: Fire departments, rescue services, and public safety organizations
  • Arts & Culture: Cultural institutions and arts programming
  • Veterans & Military: Programs supporting military personnel and veterans
  • Community Development: Local community organizations and civic infrastructure

Geographic Focus

While headquartered in South Dakota, the foundation's grantmaking shows strong connections to:

  • Minnesota: Primary focus area, particularly Plymouth and Golden Valley regions
  • Wisconsin: Northern Wisconsin communities including Cable and Drummond
  • South Dakota: Local Sioux Falls area organizations

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's preselected approach means they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited applications from unknown organizations
  • Organizations without pre-existing relationships to board members

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a six-member board with family connections, reflecting its status as a family foundation:

  • Jill Stoebe - Chairman/Director (uncompensated)
  • Amy Parish - President/Director (compensated at $150,000 annually)
  • Rob Parish - Secretary/Treasurer/Director (uncompensated)
  • Sharon Hendry - Director (uncompensated)
  • John Stoebe - Director (uncompensated)
  • Mike Frey - Director (uncompensated)

The leadership structure suggests strong family involvement with professional management through the compensated president role. The Hendry and Stoebe family names indicate multi-generational family governance.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

While the foundation maintains a grant registration form on their website (pinerockfoundation.org), this appears to be for organizations that have already been selected by the board rather than a general application portal.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Trustee discretion: Board members identify organizations aligned with foundation priorities
  • Pre-existing relationships: Organizations known to board members through professional or personal connections
  • Invitation: Organizations may be invited to submit information after initial board interest

Getting on Their Radar

Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation, building relationships with board members and their networks is essential. Specific intelligence about this foundation's approach:

  • Major gift example: Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota received a lead gift for their capital campaign Phase Two athletics facility, suggesting the foundation responds to capital campaign opportunities from established relationships
  • Geographic patterns: Board members appear to have strong ties to Minnesota (particularly Plymouth and Golden Valley areas) and northern Wisconsin (Cable and Drummond communities), indicating these connections may drive funding decisions
  • Board connections: With a family foundation structure, organizations should focus on building authentic relationships within the communities where board members live and work rather than cold outreach
  • Grant registration form: While not an open application, the foundation does maintain a grant registration form on their website, suggesting organizations already in conversation with the foundation may be asked to submit formal information

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly documented. As a private foundation with trustee discretion:

  • Decisions likely occur at regular board meetings throughout the year
  • No fixed deadlines or notification schedules
  • Timeline from initial contact to funding could vary significantly based on relationship strength and project readiness

Success Rates

Not applicable given the invitation-only structure. The foundation made 42 awards in 2023 compared to 16 in 2022, showing significant expansion in grantmaking activity.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept standard applications or reapplications. Continued funding relationships appear to be based on ongoing board interest and project success.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining their actual 2023 grantmaking reveals patterns that indicate what attracts foundation support:

Organizations They Actually Funded in 2023:

  • Providence Academy (Plymouth, MN): $2,000,000 - Private K-12 school, largest grant recipient, received lead gift for capital campaign athletics facility
  • Friends of Center of American Experiment (Golden Valley, MN): $900,000 - Public policy organization
  • Friends of Education (Minnetonka, MN): $500,000 - Educational support organization
  • Cable Natural History Museum (Cable, WI): $400,000 - Environmental education and conservation
  • Drummond Fire & Rescue (Drummond, WI): $300,000 - Emergency services in small Wisconsin community

Patterns That May Increase Visibility:

  1. Minnesota connections dominate: Top recipients are Minnesota-based, particularly in western suburbs of Minneapolis
  2. Capital campaigns: Providence Academy's $2 million gift was specifically for capital campaign infrastructure
  3. Community-scale emergency services: Supporting small-town fire and rescue operations suggests interest in essential community services in areas where board members have connections
  4. Educational institutions: Both direct support to schools and organizations that support education
  5. Environmental focus areas: Natural history and conservation organizations, particularly in northern Wisconsin

Foundation's Own Policies:

The foundation states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" - this language comes directly from their tax filings and indicates a deliberate strategy of board-driven grantmaking rather than reactive giving.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - do not submit cold proposals or letters of inquiry
  • Relationship-based grantmaking: All funding flows through board relationships and trustee selection
  • Geographic sweet spots: Minnesota (especially Plymouth, Golden Valley, Minnetonka areas) and northern Wisconsin (Cable, Drummond) show strongest funding patterns
  • Education is the dominant priority: Private schools and educational support organizations receive the largest grants
  • Capital campaigns attract major support: The $2 million Providence Academy gift demonstrates capacity for transformational capital support to established relationships
  • Range flexibility: Grants span from $1,000 to $2 million, showing board willingness to support both major institutions and small community organizations
  • Growth trajectory: Major contributions in 2022-2023 increased assets dramatically and expanded grant count from 16 to 42 awards, suggesting increasing grantmaking capacity

References

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