Sanford Health Foundation North concentrates almost all of its funding on health-care delivery and biomedical research within the Sanford system and the Upper Midwest. The foundation’s largest awards are multi-figure grants to Sanford hospitals, clinics and affiliated research institutes, with secondary support for home health, ambulance services and regional nursing scholarships. Its giving is regionally focused (North Dakota/Minnesota/South Dakota) and reinforces the Sanford health ecosystem rather than a broad range of independent nonprofits.
Sanford Health Foundation North directs nearly all of its recent funding into Sanford hospitals, the Sanford research enterprise, and related health-system partners. The largest grant on file was $3,510,733 to Sanford Medical Center Fargo in 2023, followed by another $3,161,884 award to the same hospital in 2024 and a $2,989,585 grant in 2025. That pattern shows a foundation built around sustained institutional support rather than scattered philanthropy. The foundation also backs Sanford Health Network North and Sanford Research North with seven-figure grants, while smaller awards extend to home health, ambulance service, and long-term care partners such as The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. Education support appears as well, including nursing scholarships for North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead. Across the recent grants list, recipients are overwhelmingly Sanford-affiliated entities in Sioux Falls, with a smaller set of awards reaching Fargo, Moorhead, and Northern Minnesota. As a public charity with local geographic scope, Sanford Health Foundation North functions as a regional funding arm for the Sanford health ecosystem.
Healthcare delivery is the core of the foundation’s giving. It awarded $3,510,733 in 2023 to Sanford Medical Center Fargo and continued that support with $3,161,884 in 2024 and $2,989,585 in 2025. Sanford Health Network North also received large institutional support, including $1,615,919 in 2024 and $201,162 in 2025. Biomedical and clinical research is another major theme. Sanford Research North received $1,028,623 in 2023, $1,006,298 in 2024, and $1,007,928 in 2025, while Sanford Research received $380,495 in 2023 and $153,410 in 2024. The foundation also supports workforce and care-delivery infrastructure through Sanford Home Health and F-m Ambulance Service Inc, alongside nursing scholarships at North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Typical grant size ranges from $14,363 at the 25th percentile to a median of $44,412 and $536,946 at the 75th percentile, showing a mix of smaller scholarship or service grants and much larger institutional awards. The recent record includes repeated support to the same Sanford entities across 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. Sanford Health Foundation North is a public charity, and the available grants suggest a restricted, institution-centered pattern of giving. No application process is identified in the provided data.
$4.6M
$107.3M
$10.9M
$4.6M
Most grants fall between $14K and $537K, with a median of $44K.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$44K
75th Percentile
$537K
About 95% of grants go to recipients in SD.
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Concentrated, institutional giving: a small number of large, repeat grants predominantly to Sanford-affiliated entities, with occasional modest awards to regional education and community health service organizations.
Notable grantees: Sanford Medical Center Fargo, Sanford Research North / Sanford Research, Sanford Health Network North, Sanford Home Health, North Dakota State University (nursing scholarships)
Giving is highly concentrated in South Dakota: 95% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. The recent grants list is dominated by Sioux Falls recipients, including Sanford Medical Center, Sanford Research, Sanford Home Health, and The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. Outside South Dakota, awards reach Fargo, North Dakota through Sanford Medical Center Fargo and North Dakota State University, and Moorhead, Minnesota through Minnesota State University Moorhead. All recorded recipients are in the United States.
The recent grants are concentrated in Sanford-affiliated hospitals, research units, and care-network organizations. Large awards go to Sanford Medical Center Fargo, Sanford Health Network North, and Sanford Research North, with smaller support for home health, ambulance service, and long-term care partners such as The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.
Yes. The recent grants list includes nursing scholarships at North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead, with awards of $21,500 and $17,700 to NDSU and $7,500 to Minnesota State University Moorhead.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $14,363, a median of $44,412, and a 75th percentile of $536,946. That spread reflects many smaller grants alongside a smaller number of large institutional awards.
The foundation gives most often in South Dakota, and 95% of its grants go to recipients in its headquarters state. Recent recipients are heavily centered in Sioux Falls, with additional grants in Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $2,989,585 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $1,007,928 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $204,270 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $201,162 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD HEALTH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $100,100 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FARGO, ND | $21,500 | 2025 | NDSU NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS |
| THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $19,452 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD HOME HEALTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $13,850 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD | MOORHEAD, MN | $7,500 | 2025 | MOORHEAD NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS |
| F-M AMBULANCE SERVICE INC | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $6,598 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD RESEARCH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $5,990 | 2025 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III |
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $3,161,884 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $1,615,919 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $1,006,298 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD RESEARCH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $153,410 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $72,935 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $24,834 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HOME HEALTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $13,700 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $13,015 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| F-M AMBULANCE SERVICE INC | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $8,249 | 2024 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $3,510,733 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $1,028,623 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD RESEARCH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $380,495 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $56,978 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $51,174 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HOME HEALTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $37,650 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $36,617 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FARGO, ND | $17,700 | 2023 | NDSU NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS |
| SANFORD CLINIC NORTH | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $14,584 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HEALTHCARE ACCESSORIES LLC | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $12,410 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
| SANFORD HEALTH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA | SIOUX FALLS, SD | $8,450 | 2023 | SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II |
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO
$2,989,585SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH
$1,007,928SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
$204,270SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH
$201,162SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD HEALTH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA
$100,100SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
$21,500NDSU NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY
$19,452SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD HOME HEALTH
$13,850SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD
$7,500MOORHEAD NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS
F-M AMBULANCE SERVICE INC
$6,598SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD RESEARCH
$5,990SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART III
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO
$3,161,884SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH
$1,615,919SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH
$1,006,298SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD RESEARCH
$153,410SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
$72,935SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD NORTH
$24,834SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HOME HEALTH
$13,700SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY
$13,015SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
F-M AMBULANCE SERVICE INC
$8,249SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER FARGO
$3,510,733SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD RESEARCH NORTH
$1,028,623SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD RESEARCH
$380,495SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER
$56,978SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HEALTH NETWORK NORTH
$51,174SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HOME HEALTH
$37,650SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY
$36,617SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
$17,700NDSU NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS
SANFORD CLINIC NORTH
$14,584SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HEALTHCARE ACCESSORIES LLC
$12,410SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II
SANFORD HEALTH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA
$8,450SEE FORM 990, PAGE 2, PART II