Dane G. Hansen Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Dane G. Hansen Foundation gives priority to Northwest Kansas, covering its 26 most Northwest Kansas counties, and also considers proposals from outside that area when they substantially benefit people or communities within it, so work fitting education, health care, economic development, social services and security, conservation and the environment, arts and culture, or community beautification is a natural match.
- Most grants to organisations fall between $1,500 and $150,000, with a median grant of $20,000, so a request in that range is realistic, though the largest grant made was $4,000,000.
- Applications must be made online, as paper applications are not accepted, and first-time applicants need to set up an account; submissions marked complete by 9:00 a.m. on the 25th of the month go to the following trustee meeting, so plan around that monthly cycle, and proposals should be submitted before a project or programme has started.
- A notable share, 71%, of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations also funded in the two previous filings, suggesting that an ongoing relationship with the foundation can help.
- For major funding requests, trustees look at additional support from other funders, collaboration or partnerships, broad benefit across multiple counties or communities, sustainability, workforce needs and wider potential effects, so larger asks should address these points directly; organisations without 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, those seeking funding for political projects of any kind, normal organisational operating expenses (except possibly when establishing a new organisation), grants to individuals outside its scholarship programme, organisations that practice discrimination by race, ancestry, colour, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or any other protected class specified by Federal, State, or Local Law, and for-profit childcare providers applying for childcare grants should not apply.
Overview
Dane G. Hansen Foundation is a US private foundation based in Logan, KS.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation funds programmes and projects that benefit people and communities in Northwest Kansas. Its primary service area includes the 26 most Northwest Kansas counties; it also considers proposals from outside that area when they substantially benefit people or communities within it. Its stated areas of interest are education, health care and economic development, alongside community social services and security, conservation and the environment, arts and culture, and community beautification. Grants are made to qualifying organisations, including public charities and supporting organisations, governmental bodies and their subdivisions, and organisations covered by a parent body’s blanket exemption. For major funding requests, trustees consider additional support, collaboration, broad community benefit, sustainability, workforce needs and potential wider effects.
Themes
- Education
- Health care
- Economic development
- Social services and security
- Conservation and environment
- Arts and culture
- Community beautification
Geographic Focus
Priority: Northwest Kansas.
What They Don't Fund
- Political projects of any kind
- Normal organizational operating expenses (exceptions may be considered in the establishment of a new organization)
- Organizations without tax exempt 501(c)(3) status
- Grants to individuals (with the exception of the Foundation’s scholarship program)
- Organizations that practice discrimination by race, ancestry, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or any other protected class specified by Federal, State, or Local Law
- Childcare Grants only: for-profit childcare providers
How to apply
Organisations submit the online application; paper applications are not accepted. First-time applicants, or organisations using the online form for the first time, create an account or profile for the applicant organisation.
Deadlines:
- Applications are accepted at any time; those received, reviewed by the grant coordinator and marked complete by 9:00 a.m. on the 25th of each month are reviewed at the following trustee meeting.
- Summer reading applications are accepted monthly through 25 April; applications received by 9:00 a.m. on the 25th of the month are considered the following month.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 71% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 754 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Trustees prioritise applications that best enhance the current and future quality of life in Northwest Kansas.
- Major requests are considered in light of support from additional funders or donors.
- Major requests are considered for leadership, expertise, collaboration or partnerships that support successful completion.
- The foundation values broad benefits, such as benefits to multiple counties or communities.
- It considers sustainability and the long-term benefit of a programme or project.
- It focuses on area needs such as job creation or workforce preparedness.
- It considers the potential for a project to encourage further community benefit or economic development.
- Applicants should submit proposals before a project or programme has started.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 27% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to organisations Dane G. Hansen Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 20% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 346 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Dane G Hansen Scholarship Program · Hansen scholarship$2,079,2282025 tax year
- City of Logan · Funds for the new streets in town$1,606,9102025 tax year
- NCRPC · Funds for year 4 of the housing programs$1,185,0002025 tax year
- GNWKCF · Funds for the childcare endowment year 2$1,000,0002025 tax year
- Fort Hays Tech North Central · Funds to complete the innovation center at the hays campus$1,000,0002025 tax year
- Nwkeici · Funds for the workforce programs$996,8132025 tax year
- Nwkeici · Funds for the 2025 administrative operational expenses$954,9082025 tax year
- Nwkeici · Funds for their business development program$802,5562025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Doug Albin — Trustee And President
- Mike Erhart — Trustee
- Rhonda Goddard — Trustee And Vice President
- Brien Stockman — Trustee And Treasurer
- Robert Hartman — Trustee And Secretary
- Warren Gfeller — Trustee
- Carol Bales — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $44,187,169 | $39,429,794 | $679,986,659 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $8,839,740 | $7,896,243 | $668,792,830 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $32,025,200 | $27,771,949 | $763,192,582 | Filing for 2025 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required