Denny Sanford honored by Research America
March 29, 2019
Philanthropist Denny Sanford was honored by Research America this month for his history of giving to science and research.
It’s one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy groups, which began in the late 1980s and advocates for federal funding and a legislative and regulatory climate that encourages research.
Sanford was given the Gordon and Llura Gund Leadership Award.
“Denny Sanford has built a legacy through his investment in the future of the physical and emotional health of Americans,” said Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society and a member of the Research America board, according to information from Sanford Health.
“Transformational gifts by Denny Sanford have propelled Sanford Research in its goal to becoming a world-class institution.”
Sanford has given almost $1 billion to Sanford Health. Through his philanthropy, the health system has built a children’s hospital, invested in research and, most recently, together gave $50 million to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide pharmacogenetic testing to up to 250,000 veterans by 2022.
“I am humbled to be recognized alongside all of you,” Sanford said when he accepted the award. “Your leadership has made research a priority, and we are all better for it.”
Sanford also was featured as the Power Player of the Week on Fox News with Chris Wallace.
Sanford told Wallace that he plans to “die broke,” with the goal of giving away his fortune. “Everything is committed to different organizations,” he said in the story, which aired March 17.