The Sun Devil Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the primary fundraising arm for Sun Devil Athletics dedicated to providing resources that allow Sun Devil student-athletes to excel in competition, in the classroom and beyond by funding scholarships, facilities, academic programs and holistic development.
Sun Angel Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by multimillion-dollar program support to Arizona State University in Tempe, including a $17,165,467 grant in 2025, a $13,889,135 grant in 2024, and an $8,084,143 grant in 2023. That pattern points to a funder centered on Sun Devil Athletics and the internal units that support student-athletes, rather than a broad external grants portfolio. The foundation’s listed focus areas include collegiate athletics, student-athlete scholarships, athletic facilities, athlete health and well-being, and academic support, with philosophy tags that emphasize program support and unrestricted or flexible funding. Its named program vehicles show how the dollars are organized: Program Support & Named Funds for units such as 942 Crew, Letterwinners, Spirit Squad, Marching Band, and the Office of Student-Athlete Development, along with sport-specific giving through Sun Devil Club and the annual scholarship fund. The recent-grants list also includes support for the Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission and general support for the ASU Foundation and the McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative Foundation, but the grant history is overwhelmingly tied to Arizona State University. The foundation is led by Chris Michaels.
At the core of Sun Angel Foundation’s work is collegiate athletics. The largest recent grants went to Arizona State University for program support, showing a funding model built around athletics operations and student-athlete resources. Student-athlete scholarships are another clear priority. The Sun Devil Club annual scholarship fund is described as supplementing Sun Devil Athletics’ scholarships for ASU student-athletes across varsity sports, with support extending to tuition, academic programs, and resources that enhance the student-athlete experience. The foundation also backs internal athletics units and team-specific needs. Program Support & Named Funds includes giving initiatives for 942 Crew, Letterwinners, Spirit Squad, Marching Band, and the Office of Student-Athlete Development, while sport-specific giving through Sun Devil Club is used for operational budgets, equipment, facilities, and team needs. Academic support and athlete health and well-being appear in the foundation’s stated focus areas, alongside athletic facilities.
$6.9M
$33.1M
$16.7M
$10.2M
Most grants fall between $14K and $12.4M, with a median of $4.1M.
25th Percentile
$14K
Median
$4.1M
75th Percentile
$12.4M
CHRIS MICHAELS
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Sun Angel Foundation’s recent grants are highly skewed toward large awards, with a p25 of $14,467, a median of $4,050,322, and a p75 of $12,437,887. That spread reflects a mix of very large institutional support and a small number of much smaller grants. The foundation is a local funder, with 83% of grants going to recipients in Arizona and all recent-grant recipients located in the United States. The pattern in the available list is heavily one-sided: Arizona State University appears in multiple recent years, indicating recurring support rather than isolated one-off giving. Its grantmaking is organized through named internal giving channels and the Sun Devil Club, and the active programs shown do not accept unsolicited applications.
Sun Angel Foundation gives primarily in Arizona, which accounts for 83% of grants. Tempe is the clearest recipient city in the recent-grants list, with multiple grants to Arizona State University there. Scottsdale also appears through a grant to the Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission. Outside Arizona, the recent list includes Westlake, Ohio, but the overall recipient-country distribution remains entirely U.S.-based.
The foundation mainly funds collegiate athletics at Arizona State University, including student-athlete scholarships, athletic facilities, athlete health and well-being, and academic support. Its active grant programs also direct support to internal athletics units and sport-specific needs through Sun Devil Club and named funds.
Yes. Arizona State University received major program-support grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating repeated support across multiple years rather than a single isolated award.
The listed grant-size distribution is highly uneven: p25 is $14,467, the median is $4,050,322, and p75 is $12,437,887. That points to a portfolio anchored by very large institutional grants, with some much smaller awards in the mix.
Arizona is the top state by grant count, and 83% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. The recent-grants list places most of that activity in Tempe, with additional giving in Scottsdale.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $6,916,155 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | TEMPE, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $17,165,467 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $10,300 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $13,889,135 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $8,084,143 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MCLENDON MINORITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE FOUNDATION | WESTLAKE, OH | $16,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ASU FOUNDATION | TEMPE, AZ | $13,789 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$6,916,155PROGRAM SUPPORT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$17,165,467PROGRAM SUPPORT
ARIZONA SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
$10,300PROGRAM SUPPORT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$13,889,135PROGRAM SUPPORT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$8,084,143PROGRAM SUPPORT
MCLENDON MINORITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE FOUNDATION
$16,500GENERAL SUPPORT