OVERVIEW: The Sunderland Foundation supports higher education, human services, arts and culture, and healthcare and hospitals in Kansas and other places where the family business operates.
FUNDING AREAS: Higher education, human services, arts and culture, healthcare and hospitals
IP TAKE: This is an ideal Kansas-based funder for construction and building renovation needs because these are huge foundation priorities.
PROFILE: Established in 1945, the Sunderland Foundation is a grantmaking foundation based in Overland Park, Kansas. This is the foundation of Lester T. Sunderland, who was the president of the Ash Grove Cement Company. Today, the foundation is led by his descendants. The foundation aims to “improve quality of life through reinvesting in the communities where the Ash Grove Cement Company has historically operated.” It funds local efforts for higher education, human services, arts and culture, and healthcare and hospitals.
The Sunderland Foundation primarily supports brick and mortar and construction projects, including design, renovation, repairs, and building planning. It makes grants annually and prefers these types of needs and special interest projects rather than general operating expenses. The funder also prefers to make grants to larger and well-established nonprofits. Education grants go to private colleges, public universities, and community colleges. Human services grants provide essential services to families and youth. Established arts organizations, such as the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas, receive arts and culture grants, while hospitals and clinics receive health grants to improve their facilities. In 2023, the Foundation gave $100 million to the University of Kansas Cancer Center for a new hospital.
Grants range between about $25,000 and $1 million. Learn more about this funder’s local giving in the foundation’s grant award lists by year. Grantmaking largely focuses on the Kansas City region. The funder also makes grants in other regions where the company operates, including western Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, western Iowa, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Montana. Past local grantees include the Argentine Neighborhood Development Association, Sunset Zoo, and Wichita Parks and Recreation Foundation. Sunderland also committed $30 million to the University of Washington to renovate the Haring Center for Inclusive Education.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits via mail. There are no deadlines to apply for a Sunderland grant. Direct general questions to the staff at 913-451-8900.
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