Leading initiatives to create a region of the healthiest people by building the fundraising and service success of charities, investing in health improvement ideas, and connecting people and resources to improve health and quality of life in the region.
Dakota Medical Foundation’s recent grantmaking is anchored by recurring support for medical-crisis relief through Lend A Hand Up, which received $343,355 in 2024 and $340,435 in 2025 for grocery and gas gift cards plus boost grants. That pattern sits alongside a broader health-focused portfolio that includes dental access in rural North Dakota, addiction recovery advocacy, children’s health, and services for people facing medical hardship. The foundation also backs health-related infrastructure and training, such as school renovation, scholarships for therapy and communication-sciences students, and nonprofit capacity building through its High Impact Institute. The grants show a mix of direct aid and system support. Some awards meet immediate needs for individuals and families in crisis, while others fund organizations delivering care, education, or recovery services. In 2025, Dakota Medical Foundation also supported the North Dakota Dental Foundation, the North Dakota Office of the Governor’s addiction-recovery platform, and several child and family health providers, showing how its portfolio reaches both emergency response and longer-term health improvement. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor practical, program-specific support rather than broad unrestricted giving. Its work is closely tied to health access, community wellness, and nonprofit effectiveness in North Dakota.
Medical-crisis assistance is a clear theme. Dakota Medical Foundation gave $343,355 in 2024 and $340,435 in 2025 to Lend A Hand Up for grocery and gas gift cards and boost grants for people experiencing a medical crisis. Dental access is another recurring area. In 2025, the foundation awarded $264,567 to the North Dakota Dental Foundation for dental treatment in rural North Dakota and the Mission of Mercy, following similar support in 2024 and 2023. The foundation also funds addiction recovery work. It gave $165,000 in 2025 to the North Dakota Office of the Governor for the First Lady’s platform to reduce shame and stigma around addiction and promote recovery through education and advocacy. Children’s health shows up through multiple channels, including $73,279 in 2025 to the Optometric Foundation of North Dakota for free eye exams for children and elimination of vision problems.
$2.3M
$65.6M
$10.6M
$7.2M
Most grants fall between $8K and $25K, with a median of $12K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$12K
75th Percentile
$25K
J Patrick Traynor
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Typical grants cluster in the low five figures: the 25th percentile is $8,000, median grant size is $12,226, and the 75th percentile is $25,125. That distribution sits below a smaller set of larger program awards, including six-figure support for health and crisis-response initiatives. Recent grantmaking is recurring rather than one-off in several cases, with the same organizations appearing across 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation is a private operating-style funder with local geographic scope and does not fund individuals directly or make program-related investments. Unsolicited applications are accepted for some active programs, including High Impact Institute and Lend A Hand Up.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in North Dakota: 88% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state, and North Dakota is also the top state by grant count. Fargo appears often in the recipient list, alongside Bismarck, West Fargo, Jamestown, Grand Forks, Hankinson, Washburn, and other North Dakota communities. Outside North Dakota, recent recipients include Minneapolis-area Minnetonka, New York, and Pensacola, but every grant in the recipient-country distribution went to the US.
The foundation supports health and wellbeing work, including access to medical and dental care, addiction prevention and recovery support, emergency financial assistance for families in medical crisis, nonprofit capacity building, workforce development for health professions, and community philanthropy programs such as giving days and donor funds.
Typical grant size is relatively modest: the 25th percentile is $8,000, the median is $12,226, and the 75th percentile is $25,125. Recent grants also include larger program awards above $100,000 for selected health and crisis-response efforts.
Some active programs do. High Impact Institute accepts unsolicited requests, and several Lend A Hand Up-related programs also accept unsolicited participation. Other programs, such as the Breakthrough Idea Challenge, do not accept unsolicited applications.
Very concentrated. 88% of grants went to recipients in North Dakota, which is also the top state by grant count. The recipient list is entirely US-based in the data provided.
Recurring support appears in several areas. Lend A Hand Up received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and the North Dakota Dental Foundation also appears across those same years, indicating repeated support for the same organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Dakota Medical Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligibility limited to approved/eligible fundraisers started through the Lend A Hand Up platform (families or community fundraisers for medical crises).
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lend A Hand Up | Fargo, ND | $475,657 | 2026 | Financial and community support for individuals experiencing a medical crisis |
| North Dakota Dental Foundation | Fargo, ND | $449,812 | 2026 | Support to attract dentists to ND and support Mission of Mercy free dental care event |
| Peace Academy Inc | Fargo, ND | $358,392 | 2026 | Support of new facility to be used in nurturing children and enriching parents |
| Cullen Children's Foundation | West Fargo, ND | $124,605 | 2026 | Support children's healthcare needs with an emphasis on cancer |
| Optometric Foundation of North Dakota | Fargo, ND | $75,146 | 2026 | Program support to free eye exams to children and eliminate vision problems. |
| HIA Health | Fargo, ND | $54,170 | 2026 | Help people live comfortably and with a sense of normalcy, regardless of terminal illness and provide support to care givers |
| Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center | Fargo, ND | $50,465 | 2026 | Support cancer research |
| American Lung Association ND Chapter | Osceola, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | Support lung research |
| Trinity Lutheran Church of Moorhead | Moorhead, MN | $45,000 | 2026 | Scholarships for children attending Trinity Preschool and general support |
| Churches United for the Homeless | Moorhead, MN | $35,030 | 2026 | Support shelter and food for homeless |
| New Life Center | Fargo, ND | $31,811 | 2026 | New oven for shelter ($13,335) and general support to bring men out of homelessness |
| Fargo Moorhead Area Foundation | Fargo, ND | $29,093 | 2026 | Funding for Folkways FSP and Red River Market food cart demonstration stand |
| YWCA Cass Clay | Fargo, ND | $27,659 | 2026 | Provide emergency shelter services for women and children and other health related services. |
| Women's Care Center | Fargo, ND | $26,235 | 2026 | Support for women facing unplanned pregnancies |
| Alzheimer's Association | Minnetonka, MN | $26,135 | 2026 | Provide support services, care options and education regarding Alzheimer's and dementia |
| American Cancer Society | Fargo, ND | $25,930 | 2026 | Support cancer research |
| Soul Solutions Recovery Center Inc | Fargo, ND | $25,095 | 2026 | Support for people suffering from substance use disorders including sponsoring certification costs |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley | Fargo, ND | $20,516 | 2026 | Provide housing for family members of critically ill children |
| Patriot Assistance Dogs | Detroit Lakes, MN | $19,000 | 2026 | Trains rescued dogs as service dogs for Veterans free of charge |
| St Gianna and Pietro Molla Maternity Home Inc | Minto, ND | $18,735 | 2026 | Provide unwed pregnant mothers with a safe haven home, social service, shelter & maternity care |
| Great Plains Food Bank | Fargo, ND | $17,683 | 2026 | Provide health-related services by distributing food to the hungry instead of it going to waste |
| Valley Christian Counseling | Fargo, ND | $16,120 | 2026 | Improve access for physical, mental and spiritual wellness |
| Legacy Children's Foundation | Fargo, ND | $15,685 | 2026 | Support and bring hope, encouragement and sense of community to young people |
| Fraser Ltd | Fargo, ND | $15,450 | 2026 | Support youth and capital campaign for expansion of transitional youth services programs |
| Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation | Fargo, ND | $14,410 | 2026 | Support for necessary health and wellness items and clothing |
| Gigi's Playhouse | Fargo, ND | $13,290 | 2026 | Down syndrome awareness and acceptance for all |
| United Way of Cass-Clay | Fargo, ND | $11,515 | 2026 | Improving lives by activating resources to create lasting social change |
| Moorhead Youth Hockey Association | Moorhead, MN | $10,605 | 2026 | Provide Moorhead area youth with educational and athletic aspects of skating and hockey |
| The Perry Center | West Fargo, ND | $10,495 | 2026 | Provide support for women facing unexpected pregnancy |
| UND Alumni Association And Foundation | Grand Forks, ND | $10,035 | 2026 | Program support for Parkinson's related education and research for students and staff at UND |
| Patient Access Network Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | Support Multiple Sclerosis patients in North Dakota |
| National Multiple Sclerosis Society | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2026 | Support MS research and provide assistance to families affected by MS |
| North Dakota Office of the Governor | Bismarck, ND | $9,650 | 2026 | Program support for the First Lady's platform to eliminate the shame and stigma of addiction and promote recovery though education and advocacy. |
| Down Home | Fargo, ND | $9,602 | 2026 | Furnish homes and strengthen connections for those emerging from homelessness |
| Hope Blooms | Fargo, ND | $8,890 | 2026 | Provide social and emotional well being by repurposing, rearranging and redistributing donated flowers |
| Anne Carlsen Center | Jamestown, ND | $8,839 | 2026 | Support for kids with disabilities and special education needs |
| Emergency Food Pantry | Fargo, ND | $8,752 | 2026 | Help feed the citizens of Cass and Clay counties |
| 4 Luv of Dog Rescue | Fargo, ND | $8,719 | 2026 | Rescue and rehome homeless dogs |
| ND Academy of Family Physicians Foundation | Hazen, ND | $8,500 | 2026 | Sponsor recognition event and general programming |
| Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre | Fargo, ND | $8,320 | 2026 | Develop year-round education programs for all ages |
| Farm in the Dell of the Red River Valley | Moorhead, MN | $7,840 | 2026 | Serve people with developmental disabilities through inclusion by working on the farm together |
| Essentia Health Foundation Fargo | Fargo, ND | $7,095 | 2026 | Program support for health-related services |
| Jail Chaplains | Fargo, ND | $6,555 | 2026 | Provide chaplaincy ministry of presence and support for peace officers and inmates |
| Calvary Lutheran Church | Grand Forks, ND | $6,553 | 2026 | Funding for bikes and helmets for kids in need |
| YMCA of The Northern Sky | Fargo, ND | $6,385 | 2026 | Support programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body through Christian principles |
| Bio Girls | Fargo, ND | $6,363 | 2026 | Promote self-esteem and mental well being in adolescent girls |
| Oak Grove Lutheran School | Fargo, ND | $6,277 | 2026 | Program support for education of youth |
| Memory Cafe of the Red River Valley | Fargo, ND | $6,155 | 2026 | Provide a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for those affected by memory loss |
| American Red Cross | Fargo, ND | $5,960 | 2026 | Provide assistance to communities in Eastern ND and NW Minnesota |
| Unity Medical Center Foundation | Grafton, ND | $5,540 | 2026 | Financial support to Unity Medical Cener to ensure quality health care close to home |
Lend A Hand Up
$475,657Financial and community support for individuals experiencing a medical crisis
North Dakota Dental Foundation
$449,812Support to attract dentists to ND and support Mission of Mercy free dental care event
Peace Academy Inc
$358,392Support of new facility to be used in nurturing children and enriching parents
Cullen Children's Foundation
$124,605Support children's healthcare needs with an emphasis on cancer
Optometric Foundation of North Dakota
$75,146Program support to free eye exams to children and eliminate vision problems.
Help people live comfortably and with a sense of normalcy, regardless of terminal illness and provide support to care givers
Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center
$50,465Support cancer research
Trinity Lutheran Church of Moorhead
$45,000Scholarships for children attending Trinity Preschool and general support
New Life Center
$31,811New oven for shelter ($13,335) and general support to bring men out of homelessness
Fargo Moorhead Area Foundation
$29,093Funding for Folkways FSP and Red River Market food cart demonstration stand
Provide emergency shelter services for women and children and other health related services.
Women's Care Center
$26,235Support for women facing unplanned pregnancies
Provide support services, care options and education regarding Alzheimer's and dementia
Soul Solutions Recovery Center Inc
$25,095Support for people suffering from substance use disorders including sponsoring certification costs
Provide housing for family members of critically ill children
Patriot Assistance Dogs
$19,000Trains rescued dogs as service dogs for Veterans free of charge
St Gianna and Pietro Molla Maternity Home Inc
$18,735Provide unwed pregnant mothers with a safe haven home, social service, shelter & maternity care
Great Plains Food Bank
$17,683Provide health-related services by distributing food to the hungry instead of it going to waste
Valley Christian Counseling
$16,120Improve access for physical, mental and spiritual wellness
Legacy Children's Foundation
$15,685Support and bring hope, encouragement and sense of community to young people
Fraser Ltd
$15,450Support youth and capital campaign for expansion of transitional youth services programs
Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation
$14,410Support for necessary health and wellness items and clothing
Gigi's Playhouse
$13,290Down syndrome awareness and acceptance for all
Improving lives by activating resources to create lasting social change
Moorhead Youth Hockey Association
$10,605Provide Moorhead area youth with educational and athletic aspects of skating and hockey
The Perry Center
$10,495Provide support for women facing unexpected pregnancy
Program support for Parkinson's related education and research for students and staff at UND
Patient Access Network Foundation
$10,000Support Multiple Sclerosis patients in North Dakota
Support MS research and provide assistance to families affected by MS
North Dakota Office of the Governor
$9,650Program support for the First Lady's platform to eliminate the shame and stigma of addiction and promote recovery though education and advocacy.
Down Home
$9,602Furnish homes and strengthen connections for those emerging from homelessness
Hope Blooms
$8,890Provide social and emotional well being by repurposing, rearranging and redistributing donated flowers
Support for kids with disabilities and special education needs
Emergency Food Pantry
$8,752Help feed the citizens of Cass and Clay counties
4 Luv of Dog Rescue
$8,719Rescue and rehome homeless dogs
ND Academy of Family Physicians Foundation
$8,500Sponsor recognition event and general programming
Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre
$8,320Develop year-round education programs for all ages
Farm in the Dell of the Red River Valley
$7,840Serve people with developmental disabilities through inclusion by working on the farm together
Jail Chaplains
$6,555Provide chaplaincy ministry of presence and support for peace officers and inmates
Calvary Lutheran Church
$6,553Funding for bikes and helmets for kids in need
Support programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body through Christian principles
Oak Grove Lutheran School
$6,277Program support for education of youth
Provide a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for those affected by memory loss
Provide assistance to communities in Eastern ND and NW Minnesota
Unity Medical Center Foundation
$5,540Financial support to Unity Medical Cener to ensure quality health care close to home