Eleanor's Fund
/OVERVIEW: Eleanor's Fund supports education, human services and relief for the poor and underprivileged in South Dakota.
FUNDING AREAS: Education, human services, relief for the poor and underprivileged
IP TAKE: The man behind this foundation is very private and low-profile, but his foundation is open to learning about new ideas through a letter of inquiry process that is very locally focused. Call this foundation at the number below to inquire whether your work aligns with its giving and how to submit an LOI for further consideration.
PROFILE: Established in 2009, Eleanor's Fund is a family foundation based in Pierre, South Dakota. Neal Wanless of Vale, South Dakota is the director of the foundation but there is no professional staff. Wanless is a South Dakota millionaire who won a $232 million Powerball jackpot when he was 23 years old in 2009. He chose a lump-sum payment to take home approximately $89 million after taxes. Wanless is known as a private individual and a rancher who bought ranch property near Vale, South Dakota with his winnings. The foundation funds local efforts for education, human services and relief for the poor and underprivileged.
Eleanor's Fund does not have a website to guide grantseekers. However, past tax records indicate that this funder supports organizations throughout the state and elsewhere in the country to provide relief for low-income and otherwise disadvantaged people. It looks to advance education and promote social welfare, and it provides scholarships for trade school and college and university students on a nondiscretionary basis. Grants are typically for one-year periods; however, the funder does consider requests for multi-year funding for its priority topics of interest. The fund does not support endowments, international organizations, non-501(C)(3) organizations or individuals.
Grants range between about $2,000 and $75,000. The funder typically awards over $100,000 per year in grants. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking mostly focuses on the state of South Dakota. However, the funder occasionally awards grants elsewhere in the U.S. as well. Past local grantees include Vale Fire Department, Rapid City Shrine Club and Make a Wish South Dakota.
This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. However, it does accept letters of inquiry that summarize an organization’s mission, goals, project, and amount requested. The submission deadlines are the first of March, June, September and December of each year. Direct general questions to the staff at 605-224-8851.
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