Sunnen Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Sunnen Foundation of St Louis, Missouri, has no stated geographic focus, and its filings show grants mainly in Missouri and Alabama, so a Missouri organisation has a clear basis for asking, while others should not assume they are excluded.
- Its filings classify most of its giving as community support, with some educational support, to youth, food, residential, disability, YMCAs, church and education organisations, so work of those kinds fits best.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $2,600 and $70,500, and half are $15,000 or less, so a request near $15,000 is a realistic starting point; its largest grant was about $620,000, so that typical band is not a ceiling.
- Ask for the policy statement and grant-application guidelines, then send a letter or a complete proposal, since applications are accepted throughout the year and the board generally meets once in the autumn.
- The filing shows that 99% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had already funded, so check whether you have any existing connection, though a first approach remains open to you.
Overview
Sunnen Foundation is a US private foundation based in ST Louis, MO.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its filings classify grants under community support and educational support, with community support accounting for most awards. Recipients include youth-support, food-assistance, residential and disability-support organisations, YMCAs, churches and education-focused organisations. The recorded giving therefore reaches a mix of community-serving charities and educational organisations. Grant records are concentrated in Missouri. The filing says applications are accepted throughout the year, with the board generally meeting once in the autumn; it does not state a more specific field of funding in the application information.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Missouri and Alabama.
How to apply
Applicants can request the policy statement and grant-application guidelines. The initial approach must be by letter or by a copy of the complete proposal.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 79 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 30% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations Sunnen Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 28 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- YMCA of the Ozarks · Community support$622,0002024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood of Saint Louis · Educational support$175,0002024 tax year
- Operation Food Search · Community support$95,0002024 tax year
- Ranken Jordan · Community support$70,1552024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood Southeast · Educational support$60,0002024 tax year
- Planned Parenthood of Southern New England · Educational support$50,0002024 tax year
- Home Sweet Home · Community support$30,0002024 tax year
- Casa Of ST Louis · Community support$30,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kate Dando — Director
- Susan Brasel — Secretary / Treasurer
- Matthew S Kreider — Vice President
- Kurt Kallaus — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,235,286 | $1,000,000 | $18,745,370 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,171,220 | $955,750 | $21,948,060 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,514,627 | $1,318,959 | $24,832,045 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Sunnen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (314) 707-7007
- SUNNENFOUNDATION@GMAIL.COM
- ST Louis, MO
Applying to Sunnen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (314) 707-7007
- SUNNENFOUNDATION@GMAIL.COM
- ST Louis, MO