Funding

We fund in the state of Minnesota with priority given to the seven-county metro area. We work in settings that serve children who are at-risk or experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to toxic stress/trauma, or have challenges developing reading, writing and math skills. This includes schools and early childhood settings, non-profit and research organizations, government agencies, collaboratives, and networks.

Due to the planned sunset in 2027, the Sauer Family Foundation will be using the majority of our funds to complete the work we've started with our grantee partners. We will be accepting inquiries for our Strong Family Relationships and Emotional Wellbeing funding areas, but our Educational Success and Diverse Workforce funding areas are invitation-only.

There will be two grant rounds in 2026 with due dates of February 27th and September 25th.

Our Funding Priorities

We fund direct service, research, field building, and systems change efforts in the following areas:

Building Strong Family Relationships: Prevention and Intervention in Child Welfare - Accepting Grant Inquiries
The staff contact is Sheri Hixon, Sheri@sauerff.org

- Supporting children and families with a whole family approach network of community-based initiatives towards preventing child abuse and neglect.
- Keeping children safe at home through parent support and family treatment services. When this is not possible, building connections through family-finding and natural support towards achieving relational permanence.
- Meeting the social emotional needs of foster children & youth and decreasing time to permanency, interrupting the exit to homeless youth services.
- Increasing public awareness of the foster care experience through the elevation of experienced and informed foster youth voice.

Building Supportive Environments that Promote Emotional Safety for Children & Youth - Accepting Grant Inquiries
The staff contact is Emma Mogendorff, Emma@sauerff.org

Please note: we do not make grants to support individual mental health treatment or counseling.

- Programs for preK-12 schools that promote the emotional safety of children and youth.
- School-based small group interventions for children facing shared adverse experiences, e.g.; grief, separation from caregiver.
- Programs that offer children and families tools to talk about emotional and mental health.
- Professional development in trauma-responsive practices for professionals working with children; including resiliency to secondary trauma.

Building Educational Success for Children: Literacy Skills and Specific Learning Disabilities in Reading PreK – 12^th Grade - Invitation-Only

As the Sauer Family Foundation approaches its planned sunset in 2027, we will continue to partner with current grantees on this important work.
To ensure substantial investment in what has shown successful outcomes in this funding area, we will no longer accept unsolicited inquiries or applications for Educational Success funding.

Building a Workforce that Reflects the Diversity of Minnesota’s Children: Racially Equitable Career Pathways in our Funding Areas - Invitation-Only

As the Sauer Family Foundation approaches its planned sunset in 2027, we will continue to partner with current grantees on this important work.
To ensure substantial investment in what has shown successful outcomes in this funding area, we will no longer accept unsolicited inquiries or applications for Diverse Workforce funding.

The first deadline in 2026 is Friday, February 27th. The second grant deadline is Friday, September 25th. If you feel your organization or project fits into our funding priorities, please send an email to the appropriate staff contact to discuss the potential fit. If you are invited to apply, you will be given a username and password for our online grant system. For more information about applying for a grant please visit the Apply Page.

All applicants must comply with all Federal, State and local non-discrimination laws. The Sauer Family Foundation does not make grants to individuals, political and lobbying activities, endowments, deficit or debt reduction, fundraising activities or advertising.

Our Vision

Children experience well-being. They grow up and develop in environments where they are

- - - - Supported and nurtured;
      - Safe from abuse and neglect;
      - Resilient in the face of trauma;
      - Successful in school;
      - Thriving in their families and communities.