The Andrew David Sit Foundation concentrates its limited but meaningful giving on medical research and higher-education innovation, with a clear emphasis on pediatric cardiac surgery research and a named innovators fund at the University of Minnesota. Most grants are directed to a very small set of repeat recipients, suggesting targeted, program-specific philanthropy rather than broad community giving.
The Andrew David Sit Foundation’s clearest pattern is sustained support for pediatric cardiac surgery research. Its largest recent grant was $30,000 in 2025 to the Lucile Packard Foundation for the Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and the same recipient appears repeatedly in prior years with purpose-specific awards. That repeat relationship is reinforced by a 2023 grant describing the Sit Family Endowed Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery as year 5 of a 5-year $100,000 pledge, showing a long-running commitment rather than one-off support. Alongside that medical focus, the foundation backs innovation at the University of Minnesota through the Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund. Those grants sit next to a small number of other program-specific awards, including support for cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania through the Foundation for Cardiovascular Care. The overall picture is a compact grantmaker using targeted gifts to sustain named funds, research, and specialized clinical capacity rather than broad-based philanthropy.
Pediatric cardiac surgery research is the foundation’s central theme. The Lucile Packard Foundation received $25,000 in 2024 for the Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and another $20,000 in 2023 supported the Sit Family Endowed Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. Higher-education innovation is another clear lane. The University of Minnesota Foundation received $10,000 in 2025 for the Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund, after similar $10,000 grants in 2024 and 2023. The foundation also makes a smaller, internationally oriented health systems grant. In 2025, it gave $2,000 to the Foundation for Cardiovascular Care for cardiovascular center and cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania. That grant points to support for clinical capacity building rather than general operating aid.
Typical awards cluster at $10,000, with a median and 25th percentile of $10,000 and a 75th percentile of $25,000. The recent record shows both recurring support and multi-year commitment: the Lucile Packard Foundation appears in multiple years, and one award is explicitly labeled year 5 of a 5-year $100,000 pledge. The foundation’s giving is targeted and program-specific, with named funds rather than broad unrestricted grants. It is not structured as an individual-giving funder and does not make program-related investments.
$43K
$621K
$44K
$43K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated and repeat-focused: a small number of relatively large grants (four grants each to two organizations) with the majority of dollars going to a single health research grantee. Gifts appear program-restricted (research fund, innovators fund) and favor established institutions rather than many small/new grantees.
Notable grantees: Lucile Packard Foundation, University of Minnesota Foundation
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in the United States, with all recent grants shown going to US organizations. Minnesota receives the most grants, at 56% of awards, reflecting repeated support to Minneapolis and Edina recipients. California also appears through Palo Alto-based grantees. The recent list includes both Minneapolis and Edina in Minnesota, plus Palo Alto in California. The only nonlocal international theme in the data is a Tanzania-focused grant, but the recipient itself is a US-based foundation.
Its recent grants center on pediatric cardiac surgery research, University of Minnesota innovation funding, and a targeted cardiovascular care systems grant for Northern Zone of Tanzania. The named purposes point to research support, innovation funds, and clinical capacity building rather than broad community giving.
Yes. The Lucile Packard Foundation appears multiple times across 2023, 2024, and 2025, and the University of Minnesota Foundation received annual $10,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The pattern is strongly recurring and purpose-specific.
Typical grants are $10,000, with a median of $10,000 and a 25th percentile of $10,000. The 75th percentile is $25,000, and the largest recent grant listed is $30,000.
Minnesota receives the most grants, accounting for 56% of awards in the recent data. Recipient cities shown include Minneapolis and Edina in Minnesota, along with Palo Alto, California. All recent grants listed are to US organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucile Packard Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund |
| Foundation for Cardiovascular Care | Edina, MN | $2,000 | 2026 | Cardiovascular center and cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $500 | 2026 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Cardiac Research Fund in CSE to fund the work of Dr. Robert Tranquillo in the areas of cell behavior and cardiovascular and neural tissue engineering |
| Lucile Packard Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund |
| Foundation for Cardiovascular Care | Edina, MN | $2,000 | 2025 | Cardiovascular center and cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania |
| Lucile Packard Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery |
| Lucile Packard Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund |
| Lucile Packard Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | Sit Family Endowed Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery; Year 5 of 5-year $100,000 total pledge |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund |
Lucile Packard Foundation
$30,000Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
University of Minnesota Foundation
$10,000Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund
Foundation for Cardiovascular Care
$2,000Cardiovascular center and cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania
University of Minnesota Foundation
$500Andrew David Sit Foundation Cardiac Research Fund in CSE to fund the work of Dr. Robert Tranquillo in the areas of cell behavior and cardiovascular and neural tissue engineering
Lucile Packard Foundation
$30,000Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
University of Minnesota Foundation
$10,000Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund
Foundation for Cardiovascular Care
$2,000Cardiovascular center and cardiovascular care systems in Northern Zone of Tanzania
Lucile Packard Foundation
$25,000Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Lucile Packard Foundation
$25,000Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
University of Minnesota Foundation
$10,000Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund
University of Minnesota Foundation
$10,000Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund
Lucile Packard Foundation
$20,000Sit Family Endowed Research Fund for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery; Year 5 of 5-year $100,000 total pledge
University of Minnesota Foundation
$10,000Andrew David Sit Foundation Innovators Fund