What Sandia Foundation does

Sandia Foundation is a private nonprofit philanthropic foundation established in 1948 by Hugh and Helen Woodward, headquartered at 6211 San Mateo Blvd NE #100 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The foundation's mission is to prudently manage its assets to fulfill the Woodwards' philanthropic vision in perpetuity, primarily through annual grants to three designated beneficiary categories: Dickinson College (45% of annual distribution), the University of New Mexico (45%), and Albuquerque-based charitable organizations serving children with basic needs and educational advancement (10%). Since inception, the foundation has distributed over $109 million in grants, with $49 million each to Dickinson College and UNM, and $11 million to Albuquerque nonprofits.

The foundation's economic model is endowment-driven rather than revenue-generating. Its asset base, originally built from the Woodward estate (half transferred at Hugh's death in 1968 and the remainder at Helen's death in 1974), is supported today by an investment portfolio and a real estate portfolio of 25 properties in Albuquerque, 22 of which are leased to businesses. Grant administration for Albuquerque nonprofits is delegated to the Albuquerque Community Foundation, which reviews applications and recommends award decisions. The foundation does not sell products or services and does not pursue commercial revenue.

The foundation is governed by a board of directors with committees overseeing investment, audit, governance, real estate, and communications. Current leadership includes Mark Benak as Chair and Riis Gonzales as President & CEO, the latter joining after executive roles at the New Mexico School for the Arts-Art Institute, New Mexico State University, and the New Mexico State Senate Education Committee. The entity is a legacy philanthropic vehicle, not an operating business, and its scale is appropriately assessed in terms of cumulative grantmaking capacity and asset stewardship rather than revenue growth.

Name

Sandia Foundation

Legal name

Sandia Foundation

Website

https://sandiafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sandia Foundation is a private nonprofit philanthropic foundation established in 1948 by Hugh and Helen Woodward in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It manages an endowment and 25-property real estate portfolio to distribute annual grants to Dickinson College (45%), the University of New Mexico (45%), and Albuquerque nonprofits (10%).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Sandia Foundation is a nonprofit philanthropic foundation that prudently manages its endowed assets to distribute annual grants and scholarships to three beneficiary categories: Dickinson College and the University of New Mexico (each receiving 45% of annual distribution as scholarship funding), and Albuquerque-area nonprofit organizations working with children on basic needs and educational advancement (receiving 10% of annual distribution). The foundation also manages a real estate portfolio of 25 properties in Albuquerque, 22 of which are leased to businesses, to support its mission in perpetuity.

Product overview

Sandia Foundation is a philanthropic foundation established in 1948 by Hugh and Helen Woodward. It is not a technology product company. The organization's activities focus on educational scholarships at Dickinson College and the University of New Mexico, community grants to Albuquerque nonprofits, and management of 25 real estate properties in Albuquerque.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dickinson College Scholarships (Woodward Scholars)

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dickinson CollegecoreOthersPrincipal beneficiary receiving 45% of annual distribution; Hugh and Helen Woodward's alma mater in Carlisle, PA where they graduated in 1908
• University of New MexicocoreOthersPrincipal beneficiary receiving 45% of annual distribution; located in Albuquerque, NM where Hugh and Helen Woodward made their home
• Albuquerque Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for reviewing, recommending, and making annual award decisions on grant applications to Albuquerque nonprofits

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: Large-scale private foundation with global education and community development programs. Comparable as a major grantmaking foundation with endowment-driven operations, though at much larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Brindle Foundation: New Mexico foundation supporting education and community initiatives across the state. Comparable as a regional private foundation with education-focused grantmaking and similar geographic footprint.
• LANL Foundation: Northern New Mexico-focused foundation funding education and scholarships, particularly in underserved communities. Overlaps with Sandia Foundation's mission of supporting New Mexico higher education and community-based nonprofit programs.
• Daniels Fund: Large Southwestern private foundation providing scholarships and grants across New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Comparable scale and education-focused grantmaking model, with similar scholarship programs and community grants structure.
• McCune Charitable Foundation: New Mexico-based private foundation making grants across education, economic development, and community enhancement in the state. Comparable as a regional private foundation with similar grantmaking focus and operating approach.
• Albuquerque Community Foundation: Direct regional peer and partner Community foundation serving the Albuquerque metro area; manages charitable funds and distributes grants to local nonprofits, overlapping the Sandia Foundation's community grant program. The two organizations share a formal partnership for grant administration.

Regional players

• ConocoPhillips Foundation: Corporate-affiliated foundation supporting education and community programs with significant presence in New Mexico where ConocoPhillips operates. Comparable through their education scholarship and community grant initiatives, though distributed by a corporate sponsor rather than an independent endowment.

Emerging players

• New Mexico State University Foundation: University-affiliated endowment organization at NMSU, where Sandia Foundation's CEO previously served as VP for Development. Comparable as an institution-focused endowment and scholarship fund, but lacking Sandia Foundation's independent community grant program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandia-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sandia Foundation