The Sauer Family Foundation
The Sauer Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota that funds work to strengthen the well-being of children and families (early childhood, K–12, resilience, family relationships, diverse workforce). The site is actively maintained, includes program/funding priorities and an Apply page, and notes the foundation will sunset operations by December 31, 2028.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A registered 501(c)(3) operating programs for children and families—especially Minnesota-based organizations—with demonstrated outcomes, capacity to manage larger multi-year grants, and willingness to follow the foundation’s invitation/initial-call application steps.
Good Fit
- • Programs serving disadvantaged children and families (early childhood, K–12, foster care, family resilience).
- • Located in Minnesota or able to demonstrate significant local partnership in MN.
- • Capacity for multi-year projects and clear performance metrics.
- • Willingness to initiate contact by phone and follow an invited-application workflow.
Geography
Most grant dollars and the majority of grantees are Minnesota-focused, but the latest year shows funding across nine states and a large out-of-state payment that increased out-of-state share to 45% that year.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded many distinct independent recipients (125 in the latest year) across charities, government agencies, and university foundations, with dozens of new grantees observed each year.
New Applicants
Direct evidence of new entrants exists (47 new recipients in 2024 and 63 in 2023), and a public Apply page plus named grants staff and contact instructions make it plausible that unfamiliar applicants can be considered, though initial outreach is framed around calling or an invitation step.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
