Mission & Vision

What Guides Our Work

We invest in people and organizations in order to build an effective social impact sector in Nevada that meets the needs of, and provides expanded opportunities for all Nevadans.

Kris Engelstad
Trustee, CEO

Trusted Partnership

We build trust through our actions.

Collective Achievement

We believe that working together is the how to achieve impact.

Community-Grounded Investment

We believe we should listen to and amplify voices from within the community.

Stewardship

We strive to be caring and thoughtful stewards of these resources.

Impact

We know the ultimate measure of our success is systemic change over time.

Core Values

Because the challenges facing our communities are complex, our grantmaking is guided by four core principles.

It started with an idea...

Founded in 2002

Founded in 2002 by Ralph and Betty Engelstad, the Engelstad Foundation was created to support medical research, expand opportunities for people with disabilities, and improve quality of life for individuals and communities facing significant challenges.

illustrated scene of the Las Vegas skyline

Ralph Engelstad's most enduring partnership

In 1953, he married Betty Stocker, and together they built a life rooted in hard work, optimism, and generosity. After welcoming their daughter, Kris, the family relocated from North Dakota to Las Vegas in 1962, where Ralph’s construction background and business instincts helped him become one of the nation’s largest private landholders.

"Never fall in love with a piece of dirt"

Known for his practical wisdom: “Never fall in love with a piece of dirt,” Ralph bought, improved, and developed land with a long-term vision. His entrepreneurial journey
included ownership of Thunderbird Airport and a pivotal transaction with Howard Hughes, which helped fuel his dream of creating a new kind of hospitality experience.

illustration of the Ralph Engelstad Arena

Partners in compassion

That vision became reality in 1979 with the opening of the Imperial Palace, one of the largest privately owned hotels in the world, followed by a second property in Biloxi, Mississippi. While Ralph focused on business, Betty anchored the family and community life, forming a partnership defined by shared values and purpose.

As their success grew, so did their commitment to giving back.The Engelstads’ philanthropy expanded quietly but steadily, guided by curiosity, compassion and a belief that everyone deserves opportunity and dignity.

Illustrated image of 8 members of the Engelstad foundation posing for a group photo

A generational legacy

Over time, Ralph and Betty’s daughter Kris was integrated more into the day-to-day, when her father began sending her out and about to meet with people whom he had read about. Always as an incognito representative, Kris began to truly understand what her parents had been doing so quietly for so many years.

Today, Kris Engelstad continues to lead the Foundation as CEO, along with her children (and Ralph and Betty’s grandchildren) Sean Engelstad as Director of Investments and Erin McGarry as Chief Granting Officer.

fireworks bursting over the kerkorian medical education building

Continuing the work

Ralph set the bar high and even though he passed more than two decades ago, the family continues their work through the Engelstad Foundation: investing in people, innovation, and possibility to create meaningful, lasting change.