University of North Dakota Foundation

The foundation is led by CEO DeAnna Carlson Zink, who oversees the combined UND Alumni Association and Foundation. The board includes Vice Chair Troy Bader, President and CEO of International Dairy Queen, and Jodi Rolland, President of Affluent Wealth Management at U.S. Bank. Investment decisions are governed by this board, which skews toward operating executives rather than traditional endowment allocators.

The foundation maintains direct holdings in campus-adjacent commercial real estate including the Gorecki Alumni Center and Robin Hall, agricultural land gifts across North Dakota, and the Dakota Venture Group — a student-run fund making direct equity investments. Public filings do not disclose commitments to external fund managers, but the direct-holding posture is unusual among university endowments of comparable size.

The Dakota Venture Group is a student-run venture capital fund operating under the UND Center for Innovation Foundation. It deploys actual capital into early-stage companies, with undergraduate and graduate students making investment decisions alongside professional oversight. The fund sources deal flow in part from the university's entrepreneurially minded alumni network and is a rare example of a university endowment granting real fiduciary responsibility to students.

The UND Aerospace Foundation is a separate philanthropic entity focused on the university's aviation and unmanned systems programs, which are among the largest and most prominent in the United States. While both foundations support the university and share overlapping alumni donor bases, they operate as distinct organizations with separate governance structures and investment mandates.

The foundation holds a concentrated portfolio of campus-adjacent commercial properties in Grand Forks, North Dakota, including the Gorecki Alumni Center and Robin Hall. It also manages agricultural land gifts received across the state. This direct real asset exposure distinguishes the foundation from peer endowments that typically access real estate through fund commitments or separate accounts.

The foundation's endowment is built from philanthropic gifts contributed by alumni, corporate partners, and friends of the University of North Dakota. Agricultural land gifts are one disclosed source of in-kind contributions, along with cash donations directed toward scholarships, capital projects, and specific academic programs. The university's aerospace and engineering alumni base is a significant donor constituency.

Yes. The foundation operates in tandem with the UND Alumni Association under unified leadership, running fundraising campaigns, donor relations, and stewardship programs alongside its investment activity. The UND Aerospace Foundation functions as a separate but connected philanthropic vehicle supporting aviation programs. Campus physical assets like the UND Art Collections represent additional cultural holdings under the foundation's oversight.