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Kao Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.1M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M

Kao Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4.1 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected organizations)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: National and international

Contact Details

Overview

Established in 2004 by Dr. and Mrs. Min H. Kao, the Kao Family Foundation is a private foundation with approximately $98 million in assets that distributes roughly $4.1 million annually in grants. Dr. Kao, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Garmin, created this foundation to support charitable, educational, literary, and scientific purposes. The foundation expanded its focus areas in 2020 and established a sister organization, the Kao Family Education Foundation, in Taiwan in 2019. Operating exclusively through invitation-only grants to preselected organizations, the foundation made 42 grants in 2023 with a median grant size of $49,000.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides grants ranging from $10,000 to $1,000,000, with recent major grants including:

  • Kao Family Education Foundation: $1,000,000
  • World Central Kitchen: $550,000
  • Kansas University Endowment Association: $214,000
  • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: $177,000

Priority Areas

  • STEM Education: Secondary and higher education programs, particularly in electrical and computer engineering
  • Health and Medical: Medical research and healthcare initiatives
  • Humanitarian: Disaster relief and social welfare activities
  • Arts and Culture: Performing arts, orchestral music, and cultural preservation
  • Environmental Sustainability: Sustainable development programs

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Min H. Kao (President): Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Garmin, holds advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering
  • Jennifer (Jen) Kao: Artist and designer, NYU and Parsons School of Design graduate
  • Christina Kao: Chair of Royal Business Bank Board, degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University and Harvard Business School
  • Ken Kao: Board member
  • Yu-Fan C. Kao: Board member
  • Eric Kau: Fellowship-trained urologist specializing in endourology
  • Laurie Minard: VP of Human Resources at Garmin International
  • Adam Leibsohn: Board member
  • Nicolas Gonda: Board member

Dr. Kao has stated: "I am fortunate to be in a position to give back... I hope this will allow other young minds to pursue their dreams, and will further position institutions as gateways for great achievements in engineering and innovation."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made on an invitation-only basis.

Getting on Their Radar

As the foundation operates exclusively through preselected organizations, potential grantees must establish relationships through:

  • Board member connections, particularly through Garmin-affiliated networks
  • Demonstrated excellence in the foundation's priority areas
  • Existing relationships with current grant recipients
  • Recognition within STEM education, medical research, or arts communities in Kansas

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded at the board's discretion to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only funding model.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's grant history and stated criteria, organizations selected for funding typically demonstrate:

Key Success Measurement Criteria:

  • Sustainability: Programs with capacity to succeed beyond the funding period
  • Transparency: Open communication between funder and grantee
  • Direct Impact: Funding directly addresses the proposed program's need
  • Novel Approach: Innovative or unconventional solutions to problems
  • Participatory Ethos: Stakeholder-led participation in program design and implementation

The foundation shows preference for:

  • Programs with lasting community impact
  • Organizations fostering "mutually beneficial relationships"
  • Initiatives that align with Dr. Kao's vision of "enriching people's lives" through innovation
  • Projects that demonstrate diversity and inclusion, as reflected in Dr. Kao's statement that "diversity is an integral part of who we are"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only funding: Do not submit unsolicited proposals; focus on building relationships with board members or existing grantees
  • Kansas connection advantage: Organizations with ties to Kansas institutions or Garmin may have better access
  • Innovation matters: The foundation values novel approaches and entrepreneurial thinking in line with Dr. Kao's business philosophy
  • Demonstrate sustainability: Show how programs will continue beyond the grant period
  • Focus on measurable impact: Align proposals with the foundation's five success measurement criteria
  • Consider scale: With grants ranging from $10,000 to $1,000,000, the foundation supports both small and large initiatives
  • International scope: Through its Taiwan sister foundation and diverse grantees, the foundation has global reach

References

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