OVERVIEW: The Tom and Frances Leach Foundation supports the arts and humanities, education, human services, medical sciences, health, and social sciences in North Dakota.
FUNDING AREAS: Arts and humanities, education, human services, medical sciences, health, social sciences
IP TAKE: This is an accessible private foundation that is one of the largest funders in North Dakota and that has a broad statewide focus.
PROFILE: Established in 1955, the Tom and Frances Leach Foundation is a private foundation based in Bismarck, North Dakota. This is the foundation of Thomas Witt and Frances Van Valkenburgh (Land) Leach, who once owned North American Royalties in the oil and gas property investment industry. Mrs. Leach created this foundation after the death of her husband in 1966, and the foundation is governed by a board of directors today, following Mrs. Leach’s death in 1981. The foundation aims to "carry on the business of oil and gas property investments for the development and production in the Williston Basin area.” The Leach Foundation funds local efforts for arts and humanities, education, human services, medical sciences, health, and social sciences.
The Tom and Frances Leach Foundation has awarded the most grants in the field of education over the years. The next-most funded funding category is human services, followed by arts and humanities, medical sciences and health, and other social sciences. The current board of directors honors the founding couple’s regional commitment to Mid-Central America. It awards grants for capital improvements, local events, scholarships, staffing, mentorship programs, and equipment needs. Other grants are for fundraising efforts, leadership development conferences, and general operations.
Grants range between about $5,000 and $100,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on North Dakota and specifically in the Williston Basin area. Past local grantees include the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation, Prairie Learning Center, and the Great Plains Food Bank.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. It provides a fillable form-style grant applicable on its website. Grantseekers should print out the completed form and submit it via mail with the other required documents. In the past, the annual submission deadline has been June 30. Direct general questions to the staff at leachfoundation@midconetwork.com 701-255-0479.
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