Open Foundations · Minnesota

Sauer Family Foundation

Saint Paul, Minnesota · EIN 411859711. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $13.9M across 110 grants in 2025, a median of $90K each.

All Minnesota foundations · All states

$13.9M
paid in 2025
110
grants paid
$90K
median grant
19%
to first-time recipients
$48.7M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
COLLEEN O'KEEFE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Address
952 GRAND AVE, ST PAUL, MN, 55105
Phone
6516336165
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
APPLICANTS MUST BE 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PROGRAMS AND USE FUNDING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Submission deadline
CALL THE FOUNDATION OFFICE BEFORE APPLYING FOR FUNDING.
Restrictions on awards
STATE OF MINNESOTA. CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR CURRENT FUNDING PRIORITIES.

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2025, IRS filing object id 202621199349101457. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2025 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

strong relationshipsbuilding strongbuilding emotionalemotional well-beingeducational successbuilding educationalbuilding diversediverse workforce

Biggest grants in 2025

The 15 largest of the 110 grants paid in 2025, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Lutheran Social ServicesMN$900,000BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
2Amherst H Wilder FoundationMN$774,830BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
3Mobile HopeMN$685,000BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
4Black Men TeachMN$530,000BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
5ServeminnesotaMN$440,000BUILDING EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS
6University of Mn FoundationMN$372,732BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
7Keeping Families Connected MnMN$366,500BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
8Scott County Department of Health and Human Services Child WelfareMN$345,077BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
9Wallin Education PartnersMN$345,000BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE
10BellisMN$300,000BUILDING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
11West Central InitiativeMN$300,000BUILDING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
12Wayside Recovery CenterMN$258,561BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
13The Global Orphan Project (aka Careportal)MO$240,000BUILDING STRONG FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
14The Sanneh FoundationMN$236,250BUILDING EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
15Washburn Center for ChildrenMN$225,000BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
202066$2.7M
202174$5.0M
202280$5.5M
2023114$12.5M
2024125$21.2M
2025 (partial year)110$13.9M

Where the money went

Share of 2025 grant dollars by recipient state
Minnesota96%
Missouri1%
California1%
District of Columbia1%
North Carolina1%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

Colleen O'keefeEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & TRUSTEE · 2025
Corey SauerTRUSTEE · 2025
Gary B SauerFORMER-TREASURER · 2025
Jessica NickelsonTRUSTEE · 2025
Patricia SauerPRESIDENT · 2025
Stephanie SauerTRUSTEE · 2025

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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