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The Dehaemers Family Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$7.0M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.7M

The Dehaemers Family Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,000,000 - $8,035,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $700,000
  • Geographic Focus: Kansas City metropolitan area (Kansas and Missouri)

Contact Details

Location: Overland Park, Kansas

Note: The foundation does not publicly list contact information and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Dehaemers Family Charitable Trust was established in 2006 as a Kansas private foundation supported by David G. Jr. and Barbara C. Dehaemers. The foundation has total assets of approximately $122.9 million and distributes between $6 million and $8 million annually through 65-101 grants. The median grant size is $38,000, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $700,000. The foundation's philanthropic focus centers primarily on Catholic educational institutions and charitable organizations serving the Kansas City metropolitan area, with a particular emphasis on scholarship programs, general operating support, and capital campaigns for Catholic schools and social service agencies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs but makes discretionary grants to preselected organizations. Recent grant activity shows:

  • Large Educational Grants: $225,000 - $700,000 (primarily to Catholic high schools for scholarships and programs)
  • Social Services Grants: $150,000 - $375,000 (for capital campaigns and operating support)
  • General Operating Support: $1,000 - $300,000 (varies by organization and need)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation actively funds:

  • Catholic Education: High schools, elementary schools, and educational foundations in the Kansas City area (including Rockhurst High School, Holy Family School of Faith, Bishop Ward High School)
  • Catholic Social Services: Organizations providing direct services to vulnerable populations (including Amethyst Place, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas)
  • Scholarship Programs: Named scholarship funds such as the Dehaemers Scholarship and Hurtado Scholars programs
  • Mission Work: Support for international mission activities through Catholic parishes
  • Catholic Educational Foundations: Organizations that provide scholarships and support Catholic schools (Catholic Education Foundation)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made to preselected charitable organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees: David G. Jr. and Barbara C. Dehaemers

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with minimal public-facing governance structure. Decision-making authority rests with the trustees, who select grantees based on their philanthropic priorities and relationships with organizations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Dehaemers Family Charitable Trust explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships. There is no application portal, no application deadlines, and no formal application process available to the public.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's approach to identifying grant recipients appears to be relationship-based, with a clear focus on Catholic institutions in the Kansas City area. Organizations that have received funding are typically:

  • Catholic schools and educational institutions in the Kansas City metropolitan area where the trustees have personal connections
  • Organizations where the Dehaemers family has demonstrated long-term commitment (evidenced by named scholarship programs like the "Dehaemers Scholarship" at Rockhurst High School)
  • Participants in Catholic Education Foundation events (the foundation is listed as a sponsor of the Gaudeamus gala, the Catholic Education Foundation's signature fundraising event)

Organizations seeking to connect with this foundation would benefit from involvement in the broader Catholic philanthropic community in Kansas City, particularly events and initiatives related to Catholic education.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, decision timelines are not standardized or published.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. However, grant data shows that the foundation maintains ongoing relationships with recipient organizations, providing repeat funding over multiple years.

Application Success Factors

This section is not applicable as the foundation does not accept applications. However, examining their grantmaking patterns reveals:

  • Long-term relationships matter: Organizations like Rockhurst High School have received substantial, multi-year support including named scholarship programs
  • Catholic mission alignment is essential: All identified grant recipients are Catholic institutions or organizations serving the Catholic community
  • Geographic focus: Nearly all grants support organizations in the Kansas City metropolitan area (Kansas and Missouri)
  • Multiple forms of support: The foundation provides various types of funding including scholarships, general operating support, capital campaigns, and program-specific grants
  • Substantial commitment: When the foundation supports an organization, grants can be quite large ($150,000 - $700,000 for major recipients)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests
  • Catholic education is the primary focus - the vast majority of funding supports Catholic schools, scholarship programs, and educational foundations
  • Kansas City geographic concentration - grants are concentrated in the Kansas City metropolitan area spanning Kansas and Missouri
  • Relationship-driven grantmaking - evidence of named scholarships and repeat funding suggests deep, long-term relationships with recipient organizations
  • Significant funding capacity - with $6-8 million in annual giving and grants up to $700,000, this foundation is a major player in Kansas City Catholic philanthropy
  • Multi-faceted support - the foundation provides various types of funding including scholarships, operating support, capital campaigns, and mission work
  • Community engagement through sponsorships - the foundation supports Catholic Education Foundation events, indicating involvement in the broader Catholic philanthropic ecosystem

References

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