Danforth Foundation
Giving Contact
Dr. Bruce J. Anderson, President
211 North Broadway, Suite 2390
St. Louis, MO 63102 USA
Phone: (314)588-1900
Fax: (314)588-0035
Donor Information
Founder: Mr. and Mrs. William H. Danforth established the foundation in 1927 as an extension of their humanitarian activities. Mr. Danforth (1870-1955) was co-founder and chairman of Ralston Purina Company. He was a trustee of Berea College and served as president of the foundation until his death.
"Mr. and Mrs. Danforth, along with daughter and son, Dorothy Danforth Compton and Donald Danforth, maintained active leadership roles in the affairs of the foundation throughout their lives. Family members continue to be involved in foundation activities through participation on the Board of Trustees."
Giving Philosophy
"The Danforth Foundation is a private, independent foundation whose mission is to help St. Louis become the leading region in America. Its goals are to do the follow: help established institutions become world class; help organizations which show great promise of making significant contributions to St. Louis; support creation, renovation, and enhancement of selected facilities; and support other projects which promise long-term contributions to the quality of life in the region."
The Danforth Foundation also supports several of its own initiatives. Foundation and three partners: the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the Education Commission of the States. Its mission is to help state and local government officials improve the well-being of high-risk children and their families. A ten-year initiative launched in 1992, the Policymakers Program has helped more than 300 government executives and legislators from 40 states revise ways in which social services are delivered to their residents.
The Danforth Program for Successful Schools supported the work of 20 school teams in the states of Missouri, California, Ohio, and Florida in developing
The Danforth Program for Teachers supported two initiatives designed to improve teaching and learning in the St. Louis metropolitan area: the Action Research Collaborative and the Professional Development Schools Collaborative. Funds for these initiatives were transferred to the St. Louis Regional Professional Development Center as of June 1, 1997.
Financial Summary
TOTAL GIVING: $20,000,000 (fiscal year ending May 31, 2003 approx); $41,903,138 (fiscal 2002); $30,100,547 (fiscal 2001)
GIVING ANALYSIS: Giving for fiscal 2001 includes: foundation grants to United Way ($1,215,535); foundation program-related investments ($3,345,544); fiscal 2000: foundation grants to United Way ($10,250); fiscal 1999: foundation matching gifts ($95,638); foundation program-related investments ($2,413,994);
ASSETS: $270,000,000 (fiscal 2003 approx); $307,459,516 (fiscal 2002); $355,804,387 (fiscal 2001)
Typical Recipients
ARTS & HUMANITIES: Arts Associations & Councils, History & Archaeology, Museums/Galleries, Music
CIVIC & PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Botanical Gardens/Parks, Civil Rights, Community Foundations, Economic Development, Employment/Job Training, Civic & Public Affairs-General, Housing, Law & Justice, Municipalities/Towns, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropic Organizations, Professional & Trade Associations, Public Policy, Urban & Community Affairs
EDUCATION: Afterschool/Enrichment Programs, Arts/Humanities Education, Business Education, Business-School Partnerships, Colleges & Universities, Community & Junior Colleges, Continuing Education, Economic Education, Education Associations, Education Funds, Education Reform, Elementary Education (Private), Elementary Education (Public), Engineering/Technological Education, Faculty Development, Education-General, Health & Physical Education, Leadership Training, Literacy, Minority Education, Preschool Education, Private Education (Precollege), Public Education (Precollege), School Volunteerism, Secondary Education (Private), Secondary Education (Public), Social Sciences Education, Special Education, Vocational & Technical Education
ENVIRONMENT: Environment-General, Protection
HEALTH: Children's Health/Hospitals, Clinics/Medical Centers, Health Organizations, Hospitals, Mental Health, Research/Studies Institutes
RELIGION: Dioceses, Jewish Causes
SCIENCE: Observatories & Planetariums, Scientific Centers & Institutes
SOCIAL SERVICES: Child Welfare, Community Centers, Community Service Organizations, Counseling, Crime Prevention, Day Care, Domestic Violence, Emergency Relief, Family Planning, Family Services, United Funds/United Ways, Volunteer Services, YMCA/YWCA/YMHA/YWHA, Youth Organizations
Contributions Analysis
GIVING PRIORITIES: Education, civic and community issues, science and social services.
CIVIC & PUBLIC AFFAIRS: 34%. Supports towns/municipalities, policy making, community and economic development, community foundations, and nonprofit management.
EDUCATION: 28%. Funds universities, early childhood development research and facilities, public school systems, and teacher training.
ENVIRONMENT: 5%. Contributes to river preservation, natural resource conservation, and sustainable agriculture programs.
SCIENCE: 19%. Supports the Plant Science Institute.
SOCIAL SERVICES: 14%. Funds youth organizations, child care programs, violence prevention, Young Men's Christian Association, and the United Way.
NOTE: Total contributions made in fiscal 2001, excluding program-related investments.
Application Procedures
INITIAL CONTACT: Send letter outlining purpose of grant and related cost budget.
DEADLINES: None.
Restrictions
The foundation supports projects that have built-in evaluation procedures so that what is learned may be assessed and shared with others.
The foundation does not support political or lobbying activities, or individuals. Proposals for support of higher education, unrelated to pre-collegiate education, are not reviewed.
Foundation Officials
Bruce John Anderson: president, trustee. BORN: Waterbury, CT 1943. EDUCATION: Central Connecticut State University BS (1965); Central Connecticut State University MS (1967); Fairfield University CAGS (1969); University of Virginia EdD (1971). NONPROFIT EMPLOYER: president: The Danforth Foundation. NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: director: Saint Louis Regional Education Partnership; member advisory board: Saint Louis Zoo; member advisory board: Missouri Government Education Panel.
Melvin C. Bahle: treasurer, assistant secretary.
John Herron Biggs: trustee. BORN: Saint Louis, MO 1936. EDUCATION: Harvard University AB (1958); Washington University PhD (1983). CORPORATE EMPLOYER: chairman, chief executive officer, director: Teachers Insurance Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund. CORPORATE AFFILIATION: director: Ralston Purina Co.; director: Boeing Co.; director: American Council of Life Insurance. NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: director: United Way New York City; trustee: Washington University; fellow: Society Actuaries; chairman: National Bureau Economic Affairs; member: New York City Partnership; member: Financial Accounting Foundation; emeritus trustee: Missouri Botanical Gardens; member: Business Higher Education Forum; member: American Academy of Arts & Sciences; member: Association Governing Board Higher Education; member: American Academy of Actuaries. CLUB AFFILIATION: Westchester Country Club; Saint Louis Club; Sky Club; Harvard Club; Log Cabin Club.
Virginia S. Brown: trustee. BORN: Saint Louis, MO 1924. EDUCATION: Stowe Teachers College BA (1947); Washington University MA (1952); Saint Louis University PhD (1979). NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: member: Phi Lambda Theta; member: Pi Delta Kappa; member: National Association Education Young Children; member: ASCD; member: International Reading Association.
James Randolph Compton: trustee. BORN: Montclair, NJ 1921. EDUCATION: Princeton University BA (1943); University of Chicago MBA (1948). CORPORATE EMPLOYER: president: J.R. Compton Development.
Donald C. Danforth, Jr.: trustee. BORN: Saint Louis, MO 1932. CORPORATE EMPLOYER: founder, president: Danforth Agri-Resources. CORPORATE AFFILIATION: chairman: Kennelwood Village Inc.; director: Ralston Purina Co.
John Claggett Danforth: chairman, trustee. BORN: Saint Louis, MO 1936. EDUCATION: Princeton University BA (1958); Yale University BD (1963); Yale University LLB (1963). CORPORATE EMPLOYER: partner: Bryan Cave LLP. CORPORATE AFFILIATION: director: Dow Chemical Co.; director: Time Warner Inc.
William Henry Danforth, MD: vice chairman, trustee. BORN: Saint Louis, MO 1926. EDUCATION: Princeton University AB (1947); Harvard University MD (1951). CORPORATE AFFILIATION: director: Ralston Purina Co.; director: BJC Health System; director: Ralcorp Holdings Inc. NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: chairman: Saint Louis Christmas Carols Association; professor, chairman, trustee: Washington University; member: Institute Medicine; fellow: American Association Advancement Science; co-chairman: Barnes/Jewish Hospital; fellow: American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Bruce C. Davison: counsel.
Kay P. Dusenbery: grants/program manager.
Charles Guggenheim: trustee. BORN: Cincinnati, OH 1924. EDUCATION: University of Iowa BA (1948). CORPORATE EMPLOYER: film producer, president: Guggenheim Productions. NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: member: White House Historical Association; member: Writers Guild America; trustee: Foundation National Archives; member: Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. CLUB AFFILIATION: University Club; Cosmos Club.
Robert Hess Koff: vice president. BORN: Chicago, IL 1938. EDUCATION: University of Michigan BA (1961); University of Chicago MA (1962); University of Chicago PhD (1966). NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: member: APA; member: National Register Health Service Providers Psychology; member: American Education Research Association.
Walter L. Metcalfe, Jr.: trustee.
Diane M. Moleski: secretary, office manager.
Dr. George Edward Pake: trustee. BORN: Jeffersonville, OH 1924. EDUCATION: Carnegie Institute of Technology BS (1945); Carnegie Institute of Technology MS (1945); Harvard University PhD (1948). CORPORATE EMPLOYER: vice president: Xerox Corp. NONPROFIT EMPLOYER: director emeritus: Institute Research Learning. NONPROFIT AFFILIATION: trustee: University Rochester; trustee: Washington University; member: Tau Beta Pi; trustee: San Francisco Exploratorium; member: Sigma Xi; member: National Academy Sciences; member: American Association University Professors; fellow: American Physics Society; member: American Association Physics Teachers; member: American Academy of Arts & Sciences; member: American Association Advancement Science.
Wilma M. Wells: senior consult.
Grants Analysis
Disclosure Period: fiscal year ending May 31, 2002
Total Grants: $32,926,757*
Number Of Grants: 33
Average Grant: $716,461*
Highest Grant: $10,000,000
Lowest Grant: $8,000
Typical Range: $50,000 to $100,000 and $500,000 to $5,000,000
Note: Giving excludes program-related investments and United Way. Average grant figure excludes highest grant.
Recent Grants
Note: Grants derived from 2002 Form 990.
Arts & Humanities
5,000,000: Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis, MO
Civic & Public Affairs
3,000,000: Compton Foundation
1,371,186: St. Louis 2004, St. Louis, MO
1,000,000: Downtown Now
862,141: Vashon/Jeff VanderLou Initiative, Inc.
500,000: Policemen and Firemen Fund of St. Louis, Inc., St. Louis, MO
389,016: Danforth Program for Policymakers, St. Louis, MO
238,279: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- Missouri Legislative Forum
191,305: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- Metropolitan St. Louis Projects
173,552: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- strategic planning in the plant and life sciences
145,645: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- outreach activities for religious congregations
142,500: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- Plant and Life Sciences Initiative
140,000: State of St. Louis Foundation, St. Louis, MO
123,530: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- I Dare You Congregational Challenge Grant
112,224: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- matching gifts
100,000: COVAM Community Development Corporation
100,000: St. Louis Police Athletic League, Inc., St. Louis, MO
93,620: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- School Desegregation Committee
90,000: Metropolis Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO
85,000: Jamison Memorial Human Resource and Development Agency
83,535: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- research in neighborhood redevelopment
75,000: St. Louis Community Foundation, St. Louis, MO
57,150: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- Missouri superintendents Forum
49,382: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- research in downtown revitalization
35,410: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- expanded planning of the Vashon Community Redevelopment Initiative
34,940: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- Old Post Office District Improvement
34,600: Council on Foundations, Inc., Washington, DC
30,000: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- professional development and technology
26,700: Danforth Activity, St. Louis, MO -- professional development for state and local government executives
25,000: Robert Allen Powell and Associates
Education
10,000,000: City Academy, Inc, St. Louis, MO
3,500,000: Cardinal Ritter College Prep, St. Louis, MO
974,436: Danforth Program for School Superintendents, St. Louis, MO
600,000: Eads Center, St. Louis, MO
250,000: Teach for America
199,806: St. Louis Public School, St. Louis, MO
125,000: Danforth Program for Teachers, St. Louis, MO
115,125: St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO
30,240: Riverview Gardens, School District of, St. Louis, MO
Environment
250,000: World Agricultural Forum, St. Louis, MO
100,000: Trailnet, Inc., St. Louis, MO
50,000: American Rivers, Inc., Washington, DC
50,000: Trust for Public Land
Health
750,000: Children's Health Foundation, St. Louis, MO
Science
5,000,000: Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO
Social Services
2,208,400: American Youth Foundation, St. Louis, MO
1,500,000: Adams Park Community Center
884,819: Regional Violence Initiative, Inc.
850,000: United Way Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
25,000: Partnership for Youth, St. Louis, MO