Francis Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated focus is pulmonary research and arts and culture, with a priority on North America and the greater Kansas City area, so a charity should first check that its work falls within one of these.
- About 8 in 10 of its 544 grants to organisations fall between $2,000 and $75,000, and half were $8,500 or less, so a request near that median is a sensible starting point.
- Small Arts Grants support the greater Kansas City arts scene, take applications by a fixed deadline in early September, and are open only to arts organisations below the programme's revenue threshold and to non-arts organisations running community-based arts programmes that widen access.
- Its latest filing shows 73% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so the foundation leans towards repeat recipients, but that does not stop a new organisation from applying.
- The Parker B. Francis Fellowship only suits institutions that can host post-doctoral fellows or newly appointed faculty in pulmonary research, and its applications must first be approved by the applicant's department.
Overview
Francis Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Kansas City, MO.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on pulmonary research and arts and culture. It supports pulmonary research in North America, including through the Parker B. Francis Fellowship, which awards grants to institutions to provide stipends, fringe benefits and modest travel expenses for qualified post-doctoral fellows or newly appointed faculty members. Fellowship recipients are expected to devote at least 75 per cent of their time to research related to pulmonary disease and lung biology. Through the Small Arts Grants Program, it supports development of the greater Kansas City area as a creative regional hub for excellence in arts and culture, with diverse cultural expression and broad creative participation. Eligible recipients include arts organisations below the programme's revenue threshold and non-arts organisations with community-based arts programmes that widen access to arts and culture.
Themes
- Pulmonary research
- Arts and culture
Geographic Focus
Priority: North America; greater Kansas City area.
How to apply
PBF Fellowship applications are made via a link provided at the fellowship website.
Deadlines: Small Arts Grants applications are due in early September.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 73% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 544 grants to organisations were $8,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- PBF Fellowship applicants must be approved by their department before applying.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 15%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 11%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to organisations Francis Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 173 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $8,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- KCPBS - Public Television 19 Inc · General operating support$300,0002024 tax year
- UNRWA USA · General operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- United Palestinian Appeal · General operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Stanford University · Fellowship$207,5002024 tax year
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Fellowship$170,0002024 tax year
- University of Washington · Fellowship$150,0002024 tax year
- Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art · General operating support$141,5002024 tax year
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine · Fellowship$112,5002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- J Michael Sigler — Treasurer (Non-Voting)
- James Bernard JR — Assistant Secretary (Non-Voting)
- Ann F Barhoum — Board Member
- J Scott Francis — Board Member / Vice Chair
- David V Francis — Board Member / Chair
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,916,475 | $5,830,004 | $111,712,027 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,603,106 | $4,343,998 | $119,932,900 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $6,122,620 | $4,781,502 | $127,279,010 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Francis Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
Applying to Francis Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required