Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $90,924,548 (2023)
• Total Assets: $2.6 billion
• Success Rate: ~10% (overall from initial application to funding)
• Decision Time: 2-6 months (varies by program)
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $20,000,000
• Geographic Focus: Kansas City region (primary), with some national research initiatives

Contact Details

• Website: https://www.kauffman.org
• Email: info@kauffman.org
• Phone: 816-932-1000
• Address: 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110
• EIN: 13-1962255
• Grantseekers Page: https://www.kauffman.org/grants/grantseekers/
• Grantee Help Desk: Available for application support and guidance

Overview

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation was founded in 1966 by entrepreneur and Kansas City Royals owner Ewing Marion Kauffman, who established Marion Laboratories with just $5,000 in 1950. Today, the Foundation operates as a private, nonpartisan foundation with $2.6 billion in assets, distributing over $90 million annually in grants. Under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace since August 2023, the Foundation underwent a comprehensive strategic overhaul to focus on closing economic mobility gaps in Kansas City over the next decade through 2035. The Foundation's grantmaking operates on four core pillars: proximity to community, getting uncomfortable, achieving impact, and creating hope. The Foundation centers its work on three strategic priorities—college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship—guided by research, community feedback, and the founder's legacy. Dr. Burns-Wallace was inducted into the Kansas City African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2024 and previously served as Kansas Secretary of Administration.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Project Grants: $250,000 or more annually, multi-year funding

• Support organizations to pilot innovative approaches, scale proven models, or implement research-based initiatives
• Highly competitive: 250+ applications in 2025, with 27 organizations awarded totaling $32 million over three years
• Application window: Fall 2026 (next cycle)
• Must demonstrate potential to close economic mobility gaps in Kansas City

Capacity Building Grants: $100,000 - $250,000, one-time investments

• Strengthen nonprofit organizational infrastructure through leadership development, technology, strategic planning, financial systems, HR, communications, data systems, and pilot initiatives
• Disbursed once annually; funds awarded in fall for spring disbursement
• Cannot exceed one-third of organization's overall budget
• Application window: Summer 2026 (next cycle)
• Optional webinars and office hours available for applicants
• 56 organizations awarded in 2024 totaling over $11.2 million

Collective Impact Grants: Two-phase approach

• Planning grants: Up to $500,000 for 9 months
• Implementation grants: $5 - $20 million over 3+ years
• For coalitions of high-capacity organizations driving systems-level change
• 68 applications in 2025; 6 coalitions awarded planning grants
• Planning grant recipients invited to apply for implementation funding after submitting comprehensive systems-change plans

Research Grants: $150,000 or more annually

• Support research advancing understanding of equitable economic mobility
• Two-stage process: Letter of Interest (LOI), then invited full proposals
• Next application window: Fall 2026
• Accepted methodologies: qualitative analysis, econometric analysis, secondary data analysis, policy studies, participatory designs, quasi-experimental designs, modeling, quantitative analysis, program evaluations
• Grantees participate in learning communities with Foundation's Research, Learning, and Evaluation team

Knowledge Challenge: Research RFP (biannual)

• Invites proposals from universities, academic institutions, laboratories, companies, nonprofits, and individuals
• Focus: Understanding entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship mechanisms in the United States
• Recent rounds focused on systems supporting inclusive prosperity and equitable opportunities

Sunset Grants: Up to $10,000, one-year

• For previous grantees no longer aligned with current funding priorities
• Eligibility: Received funding in 3 of last 5 years with grants ending between Jan 1, 2023 and June 30, 2025
• Recipients ineligible for additional Foundation funding until 2027
• Provides transition support for long-term grantees

Priority Areas

The Foundation seeks projects at the intersection of innovation and impact through four focus areas:

College Access and Completion

• Increase postsecondary credential attainment
• Facilitate career-aligned transitions from education to employment
• Reduce structural and financial barriers to degree completion
• Leverage multi-institution partnerships for student success

Workforce and Career Development

• Root proposals in employer demand and industry partnerships
• Support career retention and advancement in stable employment
• Address critical sector labor shortages and worker mobility
• Explore AI's role in workforce development and emerging fields

Entrepreneurship

• Strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems for underrepresented entrepreneurs
• Expand capital access and close knowledge gaps
• Address systemic barriers to entrepreneurship
• Require collaboration with financial institutions and entrepreneur support organizations

Cross-Cutting Themes

• Essential competencies and skills development
• Education and employer connections
• Participation and belonging for underrepresented communities
• Equitable access to opportunities

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not explicitly listed on the Foundation's website, the following can be inferred from their strategic focus:

• Organizations outside the Kansas City region (for most grant programs)
• Projects not aligned with the three strategic priorities (college access/completion, workforce development, entrepreneurship)
• Direct service programs without organizational capacity-building components (for Capacity Building grants)
• Sunset Grant recipients cannot receive additional funding until 2027
• Organizations with existing open Capacity Building grants must close them before receiving new funding
• Capacity Building grants for more than one-third of an organization's budget

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO

DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D. (Appointed August 7, 2023)

• First African American to serve as Kansas Secretary of Administration and Chief Information Technology Officer under Governor Laura Kelly
• 15-year higher education career at University of Kansas, University of Missouri, and Stanford University
• Former U.S. Department of State diplomat, serving in China, South Africa, and Washington, D.C.
• Education: Dual bachelor's degree in International Relations and African American Studies (Stanford), Master in Public Affairs (Princeton), Doctorate in Education (University of Pennsylvania)
• Recognition: 2024 Kansas African American Museum Trailblazers Hall of Fame, 2022 Kansas City CIO of the Year – Public Sector, 2018 White House Champions of Change for College Opportunity

Key Quote: "Project grants allow organizations to pilot new ideas, scale proven models, and create momentum around programs that support long-term community transformation."

Board of Trustees

Chair: Esther L. George

Board Members: Susan Chambers, Matt Condon, Karen Daniel, Anita Newton, Carlos Rangel, Paul Schofer, Carmen Tapio, Maurice Alvin Watson, Aimée Eubanks Davis (founder and CEO of Braven)

Executive Leadership Team

• Allison Greenwood Bajracharya, Chief Impact & Strategy Officer: "These grantees are defining what is possible – building on brilliance and resilience already present in our communities."
• Kristin Bechard, Chief Financial Officer
• Lisa Murray, Chief Investment Officer
• John Tyler, General Counsel
• Yvonne Owens Ferguson, Ph.D., Chief Research, Learning, and Evaluation Officer
• Susan Klusmeier, Ed.D., Chief of Staff
• Brandy Johnson, Chief People Officer
• Gloria Jackson-Leathers, Senior Advisor to the President, Community Engagement

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

General Process:

1. Review the Foundation's strategic priorities and grant program descriptions
2. Sign up for updates and notifications about application windows
3. Attend optional webinars or office hours (when offered for Capacity Building grants)
4. Submit applications through the Foundation's online portal during open windows
5. Review Indirect Cost Rate Policy before submitting (up to 10% may be allowed depending on circumstances)

Application Cycles:

• Rolling ideas submission: The Foundation accepts "ideas" at any time throughout the year through a brief questionnaire on the grantseekers page
• Project Grants: Fall 2026 (once annually)
• Capacity Building Grants: Summer 2026 (once annually)
• Research Grants: Fall 2026 (once annually)
• Collective Impact: By invitation after planning grant phase
• Knowledge Challenge: Biannual RFPs

Two-Stage Process (Project Grants, Research Grants):

1. Letter of Interest (LOI): Initial brief submission
2. Full Proposal: Invited applicants advance to detailed application (25% of LOI submissions typically advance)

Review Process:

• LOIs reviewed by Research, Learning, and Evaluation team and impact officers
• Full proposals undergo panel review including external content experts for peer review
• Impact officers guide applicants individually through the process

Decision Timeline

• General guidance: Approximately 60 days from submission to decision (varies by program)
• Project Grants 2025: Applications reviewed over several months; awards announced May 2025
• Capacity Building Grants: Applications open in summer, close early fall, funds disbursed by late fall
• Collective Impact: Multi-month review process for planning grants; implementation grants awarded after 9-month planning period
• Research Grants: Two-stage process with decisions typically announced several months after full proposal deadline

Notification Methods: Direct communication to applicants; public announcements of funded organizations on Foundation website and through press releases

Success Rates

• Overall Project Grants: ~10% (from initial LOI to funding)
• LOI to Full Application: 25% of LOI submissions advance
• Full Application to Funding: 40% of full applications receive funding (10% of original LOI pool)
• 2025 Project Grants: 250+ organizations applied; 27 awarded (approximately 10.8% success rate)
• Collective Impact 2025: 68 applications; 6 coalitions awarded planning grants (8.8% success rate)

The Foundation's grant programs are highly competitive, reflecting their significant strategic realignment and increased focus on Kansas City regional impact.

Reapplication Policy

• Unsuccessful applicants: May reapply in subsequent funding cycles; no explicit waiting period mentioned
• Capacity Building grantees: May reapply for different capacity-building focus after closing existing grant
• Sunset Grant recipients: Ineligible for any additional Foundation funding until 2027
• Multi-year grantees: Project and Implementation grants are multi-year commitments
• The Foundation encourages ongoing dialogue with impact officers to strengthen future applications

Application Success Factors

Foundation Guidance

What the Foundation Seeks:

• "Projects that ignite potential and drive uncommon results through bold innovation, collective impact, transparency, and accountability"
• "Strong articulation of how the research could inform efforts to close economic mobility gaps in the Kansas City region"
• Proposals demonstrating "relevant and appropriate subject matter expertise or transferrable experience to manage a grant of this scope"
• Evidence of "building on brilliance and resilience already present in our communities"

Capacity Building Specific Advice: Successful proposals must explain:

1. Why this capacity investment matters now for your organization
2. Why it functions as an appropriate one-time intervention
3. How it enables long-term impact and sustainability

Research Grants Criteria:

• Clarity and strategic alignment with Foundation priorities
• Feasibility with appropriate budget and timeline
• Community impact potential and dissemination plans
• Relevant expertise and equitable research approaches
• Emphasis on research translation and impact (applicants with these skillsets encouraged to highlight this experience)

Recently Funded Projects

2025 Project Grant Recipients (Examples):

• KC STEM Alliance: College access project supporting career preparation for 360,000 students, 550 educators, 40 parents
• El Centro, Inc.: Workforce development expanding Economic Empowerment program with digital literacy, GED classes, business support
• Hispanic Development Fund: College access supporting Family College Prep Program and bilingual college advising
• Per Scholas: Technology workforce training
• Kansas State University: Education and workforce initiatives
• Metropolitan Community College: College access and completion programs

2025 Collective Impact Coalitions:

• Coalition for Equity and Opportunity (Phoenix Family): Multi-partner coalition including United Way, Goodwill, Great Jobs KC
• Entrepreneurship Education Initiative (KC Kansas Community College): Partners with Babson College, UMKC, local schools
• KC Tech Council: Corporate partners (Garmin, H&R Block, Panasonic) with training providers (Per Scholas, WeCodeKC)
• Regional University Research Collective (KC Digital Drive): KU, K-State, UMKC partnership
• Returning Citizen Consortium (Workforce Partnership): Supporting formerly incarcerated individuals
• The Teach KC Collaborative (BLAQUE KC): Education-to-employment pathways for educators

Language and Terminology

The Foundation consistently uses language emphasizing:

• Economic mobility and closing gaps
• Equity and equitable access
• Systems-level change and collective impact
• Innovation paired with proven models
• Community brilliance and resilience
• Sustainable impact and long-term transformation
• Bold approaches and "getting uncomfortable"
• Proximity to community
• Collaboration and partnerships

Common Success Factors

Based on funded projects and Foundation guidance:

1. Deep community connections: Projects grounded in Kansas City community needs and assets
2. Collaborative approach: Multi-partner coalitions and cross-sector partnerships (especially for entrepreneurship grants)
3. Evidence-based: Using proven models from peer cities or research-backed approaches
4. Clear impact metrics: Demonstrating how project closes economic mobility gaps
5. Sustainable design: Building capacity for long-term change beyond grant period
6. Strategic alignment: Direct connection to one or more of the three priority areas
7. Systems thinking: Addressing root causes and structural barriers, not just symptoms
8. Inclusive focus: Centering underrepresented communities and addressing equity

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Geographic focus is critical: The Foundation has sharply focused on Kansas City region impact through 2035. National organizations should demonstrate clear KC-specific outcomes or apply through research/knowledge grants with broader geographic scope.

2. Strategic alignment is non-negotiable: Projects must clearly connect to college access/completion, workforce development, and/or entrepreneurship. Vague connections will not succeed in this highly competitive environment (10% success rate).

3. Collaboration matters: Especially for entrepreneurship grants, which require partnerships with financial institutions and entrepreneur support organizations. Collective Impact grants explicitly fund coalitions, not solo organizations.

4. Think systems-level change: The Foundation seeks "bold innovation" and projects that address structural barriers and root causes. Incremental program expansions without transformative potential are unlikely to compete successfully.

5. Engage early and often: Impact officers guide applicants individually through the process. Take advantage of optional webinars, office hours, and direct outreach to strengthen your proposal before submission.

6. Timing matters: Most grants operate on annual cycles with specific windows opening in Summer/Fall 2026. Mark calendars now and prepare well in advance. The Foundation accepts "ideas" year-round for initial feedback.

7. Evidence and expertise: Whether program or research grants, the Foundation prioritizes proven approaches, relevant expertise, and clear dissemination/impact plans. Demonstrate your organization's capacity to deliver and measure results.

References

1. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Official Website. "Grantmaking." https://www.kauffman.org/grants/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

2. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Project grants awarded to advance education, workforce, and entrepreneurship initiatives." May 2025. https://www.kauffman.org/currents/project-grants-advance-education-workforce-entrepreneurship/

3. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Capacity Building Grants." https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/capacity-building/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

4. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Project Grants." https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/project/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

5. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Research Grants." https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/research/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

6. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Six coalitions awarded Collective Impact funding." https://www.kauffman.org/currents/six-coalitions-awarded-collective-impact-funding/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

7. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D., President & CEO." https://www.kauffman.org/people/deangela-burns-wallace/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

8. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "The story of Ewing Marion Kauffman." https://www.kauffman.org/currents/the-story-of-ewing-marion-kauffman-a-common-man-with-an-uncommon-legacy/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

9. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Sunset Grants." https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/sunset/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

10. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Governance & Financials." https://www.kauffman.org/governance-financials/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

11. Startland News. "Kauffman earmarks $32M in grants to boost entrepreneurship, workforce, education efforts." May 2025. https://www.startlandnews.com/2025/05/kauffman-project-grants/

12. Startland News. "$11.2M+ awarded: 53 orgs tapped for first-ever tranche of Kauffman capacity building grants." November 2024. https://www.startlandnews.com/2024/11/kauffman-capacity-building-grants/

13. Startland News. "Meet six coalitions earning grants through Kauffman Foundation's new 'Collective Impact' funding pathway." January 2025. https://www.startlandnews.com/2025/01/kauffman-foundation-collective-impact/

14. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Board of Trustees." https://www.kauffman.org/our-people/board-of-trustees/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

15. Wikipedia. "Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Marion_Kauffman_Foundation (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

16. Instrumentl. "Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/ewing-marion-kauffman-foundation (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

17. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Kauffman Knowledge Challenge RFP." https://www.kauffman.org/grants/knowledge-challenge/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)

18. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. "Two new trustees join the board to advance 2035 vision for equitable economic mobility." https://www.kauffman.org/currents/new-trustees-join-kauffman-board/ (Accessed: November 13, 2025)