The Christine and Paul Branstad Family Foundation concentrates its giving in a small number of sizable awards to elite higher‑education institutions and a regional cultural museum. Major gifts go to universities (notably Stanford and Stanford GSB) and to Johns Hopkins, alongside repeated support for the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, indicating interest in both academic/medical advancement and preservation of western regional heritage.
Concentrated, high‑value grants with repetition to a few preferred institutions — few total grants but several large awards and multiple payments to the same grantees.
A recurring pattern in the Christine and Paul Branstad Family Foundation’s recent grants is concentrated unrestricted support for a small set of institutions over multiple years. Stanford University received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2024, while Stanford University - Graduate School of Business received $25,000 in 2023 and 2024. Johns Hopkins University also appears among the larger awards, along with the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, which has been supported in three consecutive years. That mix points to a foundation that backs higher education and medical or biomedical work alongside western cultural preservation. The grant list shows a preference for flexible funding rather than restricted project support. Awards often land at higher-education institutions, museums, performing arts organizations, and select civic or faith-based groups. Santa Fe Opera, Goodman Theatre, and Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation each received repeated support, and the foundation also gave to groups such as Direct Relief International and Friends of Arizona Public Radio. The overall picture is of a family foundation making a limited number of grants, but returning to certain institutions with multi-year support.
Higher education is a clear anchor. The foundation gave $50,000 to Stanford University in 2023 and again in 2024, then made repeated $25,000 grants to Stanford University - Graduate School of Business in those same years. Johns Hopkins University received $50,000 in 2023, placing medical and research-oriented giving alongside academic support. Cultural institutions are another visible theme. Desert Caballeros Western Museum received $18,000 in 2023, $19,000 in 2024, and $20,000 in 2025, showing a three-year pattern of support for western history. Performing arts funding also appears in multiple places: Santa Fe Opera received $10,000 in 2023, $10,000 in 2024, and $15,000 in 2025, while Goodman Theatre was funded in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also makes smaller grants to community and public-interest organizations, including Direct Relief International, Friends of Arizona Public Radio, and Friends of the Santa Fe River.
Typical grants are modest relative to the largest awards: the p25 size is $1,000, the median is $3,000, and the p75 is $10,500. At the same time, the recent record includes several grants far above that range, which suggests a split between small recurring gifts and a narrower set of major institutional awards. The foundation’s grants are unrestricted, and the pattern is repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years rather than one-off giving only. It is a family foundation, not one that funds individuals or makes program-related investments.
$63K
$3.1M
$94K
$517K
Most grants fall between $1K and $11K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NM.
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Notable grantees: Stanford University, Stanford University — Graduate School of Business, Johns Hopkins University, Desert Caballeros Western Museum
The foundation gives nationally, but the recipient map is heavily weighted toward a few U.S. hubs. Santa Fe, NM appears repeatedly, including grants to Santa Fe Opera, First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation, and Friends of the Santa Fe River. Other recurring locations include Stanford, CA; Wickenburg, AZ; Chicago, IL; and Tempe, AZ. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 49 grants going to U.S. organizations.
Recent grants favor higher education, museums, performing arts, and select public-interest or faith-based organizations. The largest recurring awards go to Stanford University, Stanford University - Graduate School of Business, Johns Hopkins University, and Desert Caballeros Western Museum, with additional support for institutions such as Santa Fe Opera and Goodman Theatre.
Yes. The recent grants list repeatedly labels awards as unrestricted or Unrestricted, including gifts to Stanford University, Stanford University - Graduate School of Business, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, and Santa Fe Opera. The pattern suggests flexible funding is a consistent part of its grantmaking.
The typical grant size is $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $3,000 at the median, and $10,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger institutional grants of $25,000 and $50,000, showing that the foundation makes both small and major gifts.
Yes. Santa Fe, NM appears frequently in the recent grants list, and other repeated locations include Stanford, CA, Wickenburg, AZ, Chicago, IL, and Tempe, AZ. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Yes. Stanford University, Stanford University - Graduate School of Business, Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Santa Fe Opera, Goodman Theatre, First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation, and Friends of Arizona Public Radio all appear more than once in the recent grants list.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Caballeros Western Museum | Wickenburg, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Santa Fe Opera | Santa Fe, NM | $15,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe | Santa Fe, NM | $10,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Goodman Theatre | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation | Santa Fe, NM | $2,600 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Habitat for Humanity International | Americus, GA | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Arizona State University Foundation | Tempe, AZ | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| University of New Mexico Foundation Inc | Albuquerque, NM | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Friends of the Santa Fe River | Santa Fe, NM | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of American Inc | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Scottsdale Museum of the West INC | Scottsdale, AZ | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Friends of Arizona Public Radio | Tempe, AZ | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Cancer Connection Inc | Northampton, MA | $750 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc | New York, NY | $500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Stanford University - Graduate School of Business | Stanford, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Desert Caballeros Western Museum | Wickenburg, AZ | $19,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe | Santa Fe, NM | $10,500 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Santa Fe Opera | Santa Fe, NM | $10,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Goodman Theatre | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation | Santa Fe, NM | $5,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Friends of Arizona Public Radio | Tempe, AZ | $2,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Friends of the Santa Fe River | Santa Fe, NM | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Espanola Valley Humane Society | Espanola, NM | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| New Mexico PBS | Albuquerque, NM | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Scottsdale Museum of the West INC | Scottsdale, AZ | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Arizona State University Foundation | Tempe, AZ | $1,000 | 2024 | Unrestricted |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| John Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $50,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Stanford University - Graduate School of Business | Stanford, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Desert Caballeros Western Museum | Wickenburg, AZ | $18,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Presbyterian Church USA | Santa Fe, NM | $10,500 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Santa Fe Opera | Santa Fe, NM | $10,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Going to The Sun Rally | Bozeman, MT | $9,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Goodman Theatre | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Scottsdale Museum of the West | Scottsdale, AZ | $3,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Del E Webb Center for the Performing Arts | Wickenburg, AZ | $3,000 | 2023 | unrestricted |
| Direct Relief International | Santa Barbara, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | unrestricted |
| Friends of Arizona Public Radio | Tempe, AZ | $2,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Espanola Valley Humane Society | Espanola, NM | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| University of New Mexico Foundation Inc | Albuquerque, NM | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Arizona State University Foundation | Tempe, AZ | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Friends of the Santa Fe River | Santa Fe, NM | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA | $1,000 | 2023 | Unrestricted |
Santa Fe Opera
$15,000Unrestricted
First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe
$10,500Unrestricted
Goodman Theatre
$5,000Unrestricted
Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation
$2,600Unrestricted
Habitat for Humanity International
$1,000Unrestricted
Arizona State University Foundation
$1,000Unrestricted
Friends of the Santa Fe River
$1,000Unrestricted
Baldwin Wallace University
$1,000Unrestricted
Friends of Arizona Public Radio
$1,000Unrestricted
Cancer Connection Inc
$750Unrestricted
Stanford University
$50,000Unrestricted
First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe
$10,500Unrestricted
Santa Fe Opera
$10,000Unrestricted
Lensic Performing Arts Center Corporation
$5,000Unrestricted
Friends of Arizona Public Radio
$2,000Unrestricted
Friends of the Santa Fe River
$1,000Unrestricted
Baldwin Wallace University
$1,000Unrestricted
Stanford University
$50,000Unrestricted
John Hopkins University
$50,000Unrestricted
Presbyterian Church USA
$10,500Unrestricted
Santa Fe Opera
$10,000Unrestricted
Going to The Sun Rally
$9,000Unrestricted
Direct Relief International
$2,500unrestricted
Friends of Arizona Public Radio
$2,000Unrestricted
Baldwin Wallace University
$1,000Unrestricted
Friends of the Santa Fe River
$1,000Unrestricted