Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $90.9 million
• Total Assets: $2.6 billion
• Success Rate: ~10% (Project grants: 27 awarded from 250+ applications)
• Decision Time: 5-7 months (varies by grant type)
• Grant Range: $100,000 - $250,000+ (varies by program)
• Geographic Focus: Kansas City region (six counties) with some national entrepreneurship work

Contact Details

Address: 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64110
Phone: (816) 932-1000
Email: info@kauffman.org
Website: https://www.kauffman.org/

For grant-specific questions, the Foundation offers a grantee help desk via their contact form and hosts regular webinars and office hours (both in-person and virtual) throughout the year.

Overview

Founded in the mid-1960s by Kansas City entrepreneur, baseball team owner, and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States with $2.6 billion in assets. The Foundation's mission is to help individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success. Under the leadership of President and CEO Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace (since August 2023), the Foundation launched a refreshed grantmaking strategy in August 2024 focused on building equitable economic mobility in the Kansas City region. The Foundation distributed $90.9 million in grants in 2023 across 404 awards, focusing on entrepreneurship, education, workforce development, and civic engagement in Kansas City while maintaining national reach in entrepreneurship research and programming.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Project Grants: $250,000+ per year, multi-year awards
Application process: Two-stage (Letter of Interest, then full application by invitation)
Next application window: Fall 2026
These grants support time-bound initiatives to pilot new ideas, scale proven models, or adapt successful approaches from peer cities.

Research Grants: $150,000+ per year
Application process: Two-stage (Letter of Interest, then full proposal)
Next application window: Fall 2026
Annual opportunity supporting research on equitable economic mobility with strong dissemination and evaluation plans.

Capacity Building Grants: $100,000 - $250,000
Next application window: April 2025 (second round)
Support for organizational effectiveness including staffing, technology, strategic planning, board development, and evaluation systems. First round awarded $11.2 million to 56 organizations.

Sponsorships: $1,000 - $10,000
Rolling basis for organizations and events aligned with Foundation priorities. Not available to current active grantees except for special anniversary events.

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on three interconnected strategic priorities centered on equitable economic mobility:

College Access & Completion

• Evidence-based strategies to increase credential attainment
• Reducing barriers to degree completion
• Cross-institutional partnerships
• Supporting underserved students

Workforce & Career Development

• Employer-driven initiatives with strong industry partnerships
• Job placement into high-quality, stable employment
• Career advancement and retention programs
• Essential competencies and skills development
• Education-to-employer connections

Entrepreneurship

• Capital access for underrepresented entrepreneurs
• Multi-partner collaborations (especially financial institutions + entrepreneur support organizations)
• Closing knowledge gaps for diverse founders
• Removing systemic barriers to business ownership
• Participation and belonging in entrepreneurship ecosystems

Cross-Cutting Themes

• Equitable economic mobility
• Collaboration and community-driven impact
• Innovation and evidence-based approaches
• Systems-level change
• Kansas City regional focus

What They Don't Fund

• Lobbying activities (though strategic advocacy and policy engagement that doesn't constitute lobbying is supported)
• Multiple concurrent grants to the same organization (with rare exceptions for large institutions)
• Sponsorships to current active grantees (except for special anniversary events like centennials)
• Programs outside the United States
• Retroactive sponsorships
• Activities providing impermissible private benefit

Geographic preference is given to the Kansas City region, though national entrepreneurship initiatives are considered.

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO

Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D. - Assumed role in August 2023

Dr. Burns-Wallace has emphasized aligning the Foundation's work with founder Ewing Kauffman's intent while meeting current community needs: "Mr. K had very distinct philosophies and ideas around how he wanted this work done. One of the things he talks about, though, is that he wanted future leaders to make sure that the work that we were doing still matches the current time."

On the Foundation's approach: "When we get it right, we impact lives. We change lives; we change communities and we change trajectories."

On community engagement: "True community planning is a collaborative effort, where the steps are guided by the rhythm of the community input, ensuring that each detail reflects the shared goals and challenges of the entire community."

Board of Trustees

Chair: Esther George

Recent additions (2024):

• Aimée Eubanks Davis - Founder and CEO of Braven, a national nonprofit dedicated to closing the education-to-employment gap
• Kristen Ludgate - Former Chief People Officer at HP Inc.

Other trustees include: Susan Chambers, Karen Daniel, Miriam Rivera, and Paul Schofer (President and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts)

The board consists of 12 trustees serving three-year terms.

Executive Leadership Team

• Susan Klusmeier, Ed.D. - Chief of Staff
• Brandy Johnson - Chief People Officer
• Kristin Bechard - Chief Financial Officer
• Lisa Murray - Chief Investment Officer
• John Tyler - General Counsel
• Allison Greenwood Bajracharya - Chief Impact Officer

The Foundation has restructured its program team, renaming program officers as "impact officers" to reflect a more holistic approach to grantmaking.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Foundation uses different application processes for each grant type:

Project Grants (Two-Stage Process)

1. Submit Letter of Interest (LOI) when application window opens
2. 25% of LOI submissions are invited to submit full applications
3. 40% of full applications receive funding (10% overall success rate from LOI to funding)
4. Kauffman impact officers guide invited applicants through the full application process

Research Grants (Two-Stage Process)

1. Submit Letter of Interest by deadline (typically August)
2. Applicant notifications in September
3. Invited applicants submit full proposals (typically October)
4. Final decisions announced ~5 months later (typically March)

Capacity Building Grants Single-stage application process through online portal when window opens.

Eligibility Requirements

• Organizations should start with the Foundation's eligibility quiz for each grant type
• Most organizations can only manage one grant at a time from the Foundation
• Current grant must be closed before a new grant begins
• 501(c)(3) status or equivalent typically required

Application Support

• Regular webinars and office hours (in-person and virtual)
• Full application preview documents available
• Grantee help desk accessible via contact form
• Technical assistance for certain grant types

Critical Application Policies

• Applications will not be accepted after deadlines
• Multiple application windows offered throughout the year
• Organizations should focus on a single grant application
• The Foundation emphasizes demystifying the process and transparency

Decision Timeline

Project Grants: Application window to decision approximately 5-7 months

• Fall application window typically announced in advance
• LOI review: ~2 months
• Full application review: ~3-5 months

Research Grants: LOI to final decision approximately 7 months

• Recent timeline example: August LOI deadline → September notifications → October full proposals due → March final decisions

Capacity Building Grants: Timeline varies but typically several months from application to decision

Notification Methods: Direct communication to applicants via email, with funded organizations publicly announced on the Foundation's website and through press releases

Disbursement: Grant funds typically disbursed once annually

Success Rates

Project Grants: Highly competitive with ~10% overall success rate

• 250+ organizations applied for 2025 cycle
• 27 organizations awarded grants
• 25% of LOIs advanced to full applications
• 40% of full applications received funding

Capacity Building Grants (First Round)

• 56 organizations awarded grants from $11.2 million pool
• Specific application numbers not disclosed
• 85% of grantees based in Kansas City area
• Nearly one-third went to organizations that hadn't received Kauffman funding in previous five years

Overall Statistics (2023)

• 404 total awards made
• $90.9 million distributed
• Mix of grant sizes and types

Reapplication Policy

Organizations can reapply if their grant terms don't overlap - the current grant must be closed before a new grant begins. The Foundation offers multiple application windows throughout the year, allowing unsuccessful applicants to reapply in subsequent cycles. No specific waiting period is mentioned for unsuccessful applicants, suggesting they can reapply when the next appropriate grant cycle opens.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

1. Clear Strategic Alignment Successful applications demonstrate strong alignment with the Foundation's three strategic priorities and show how the work advances equitable economic mobility in specific, measurable ways.

2. Collaboration and Community-Driven Impact According to CEO Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, successful projects demonstrate "bold, strategic efforts" and show "relentless commitment to innovation" while "building on the brilliance and resilience already present in our communities."

Chief Impact Officer Allison Greenwood Bajracharya emphasized that successful grantees demonstrate commitment to "building on the brilliance and resilience already present in our communities."

3. Evidence and Innovation Balance The Foundation seeks projects that either:

• Scale proven approaches with documented success
• Pilot promising approaches that have shown success in peer cities
• Test new approaches to systems-level challenges grounded in research

4. Strong Partnerships For entrepreneurship projects especially, multi-partner collaborations are prioritized. Applications including financial institutions and entrepreneur support organizations working together are "especially prioritized."

5. Specific Capacity Needs (for Capacity Building grants) Successful applicants demonstrate "a specific capacity gap" and "an ability to generate impact." The Foundation values organizations that can articulate how addressing internal effectiveness will strengthen long-term impact.

6. Research Quality (for Research grants) Evaluation criteria include:

• Feasible and appropriate methodology
• Plans to translate findings into practical resources
• Strong dissemination strategies
• Relevant expertise and community engagement approaches
• Clear evaluation plans

7. Employer Connections (for Workforce grants) Applications emphasizing job placement, retention, career advancement, and strong industry partnerships are prioritized.

8. Regional Commitment with Broader Vision The Foundation treats Kansas City as a "program incubator where feasible, in which new approaches can be tried and tested before being disseminated nationally." Projects that can demonstrate local impact with potential for broader learning are valued.

Foundation Philosophy

Mr. Kauffman founded the Foundation with the philosophy of "taking down systemic barriers and being a partner in creating solutions so individual communities would have power to control their economic future." Applications should reflect this systems-change orientation and community empowerment approach.

The Foundation emphasizes that "funding the Foundation's strategic priorities is not the same as the Foundation funding its own projects." They seek to support community-driven solutions rather than impose predetermined approaches.

Application Strengthening Strategies

• Attend Foundation webinars and office hours to understand current priorities
• Review recently funded projects to understand what success looks like
• Use the eligibility quiz before investing significant application effort
• Clearly articulate the specific capacity need (for Capacity Building grants) or systems-level change (for Project grants)
• Demonstrate community engagement in project design
• Show evidence of collaboration, especially cross-sector partnerships
• Include clear evaluation and learning plans
• Connect your work explicitly to equitable economic mobility outcomes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly competitive but accessible: With only a 10% success rate for Project grants, applications must be exceptionally strong, but the Foundation provides extensive support through webinars, office hours, and transparent guidance to help applicants succeed.

• Kansas City focus is real: 85% of Capacity Building grantees were KC-based, and the Foundation's refreshed 2024 strategy emphasizes the six-county Kansas City region as the primary geographic focus, though national entrepreneurship work continues.

• Collaboration is currency: Multi-partner applications are explicitly prioritized, especially for entrepreneurship projects. Strong partnerships, particularly between financial institutions and entrepreneur support organizations, significantly strengthen applications.

• One grant at a time: Most organizations should expect to manage only one Kauffman grant concurrently and focus application efforts on a single grant type. Current grants must close before new ones begin.

• New relationships welcome: Nearly one-third of first-round Capacity Building grants went to organizations new to Kauffman funding, indicating openness to expanding relationships beyond established grantees.

• Systems-level thinking required: The Foundation seeks projects addressing systemic barriers and creating sustainable change, not just direct services. Applications should demonstrate how work creates broader community impact and systems transformation.

• Evidence-based innovation balance: Success comes from either scaling proven models or piloting approaches that have worked in peer cities - pure experimentation without evidence is less competitive than innovation grounded in research or demonstrated success elsewhere.

References

1. Kauffman Foundation Official Website - https://www.kauffman.org/ (Accessed December 2025)
2. "Project Grants" - https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/project/ (Accessed December 2025)
3. "Research Grants" - https://www.kauffman.org/funding/grants/research/ (Accessed December 2025)
4. "Grantmaking FAQs" - https://www.kauffman.org/funding/faqs/ (Accessed December 2025)
5. "Grantseekers" - https://www.kauffman.org/grants/grantseekers/ (Accessed December 2025)
6. GuideStar Profile - https://www.guidestar.org/profile/43-6064859 (Accessed December 2025)
7. Candid Foundation Directory - https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=KAUF001 (Accessed December 2025)
8. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/436064859 (Accessed December 2025)
9. "Project grants awarded to advance education, workforce, and entrepreneurship initiatives" - https://www.kauffman.org/currents/project-grants-advance-education-workforce-entrepreneurship/ (Accessed December 2025)
10. "Fifty-six organizations awarded Capacity Building grants" - https://www.kauffman.org/currents/capacity-building-grantees-first-round/ (Accessed December 2025)
11. Startland News: "$11.2M+ awarded: 53 orgs tapped for first-ever tranche of Kauffman capacity building grants" - https://www.startlandnews.com/2024/11/kauffman-capacity-building-grants/ (Accessed December 2025)
12. Startland News: "Kauffman earmarks $32M in grants to boost entrepreneurship, workforce, education efforts" - https://www.startlandnews.com/2025/05/kauffman-project-grants/ (Accessed December 2025)
13. "DeAngela Burns-Wallace, Ed.D., President & CEO" - https://www.kauffman.org/people/deangela-burns-wallace/ (Accessed December 2025)
14. "Board of Trustees" - https://www.kauffman.org/our-people/board-of-trustees/ (Accessed December 2025)
15. "CEO's Cabinet" - https://www.kauffman.org/our-people/ceos-cabinet/ (Accessed December 2025)
16. "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 December 2025)
17. Startland News: "Kauffman CEO: Foundation's reset aligns Mr. K's intent with KC's needs of the moment" - https://www.startlandnews.com/2024/05/deangela-burns-wallace-kauffman-foundation-2/ (Accessed December 2025)
18. Inside Philanthropy: "Inside One Foundation's Quest to Make Itself More Transparent to Grantseekers" - https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/inside-one-foundations-quest-to-make-itself-more-transparent-to-grantseekers (Accessed December 2025)
19. "Governance & Financials" - https://www.kauffman.org/governance-financials/ (Accessed December 2025)
20. Wikipedia: "Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Marion_Kauffman_Foundation (Accessed December 2025)
21. "Contact Kauffman Foundation" - https://www.kauffman.org/contact/ (Accessed December 2025)
22. "Sponsorships" - https://www.kauffman.org/funding/sponsorships/ (Accessed December 2025)