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McKean Fam Foundation Tr

Annual Giving
$0.1M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $63,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $50,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily St. Louis area with some international pediatric healthcare focus

Contact Details

  • Address: 65 Fair Oaks, St. Louis, MO
  • EIN: 43-6935629
  • Phone: Not publicly available
  • Email: Not publicly available
  • Website: None

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

The McKean Fam Foundation Tr (also known as The McKean Family Foundation) is a private family foundation established in 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. With total assets of approximately $1.7 million and annual distributions of $63,000 (as of 2023), the foundation focuses on supporting publicly-supported IRS Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes, with a particular emphasis on children's welfare and healthcare. The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and has a notable focus on pediatric healthcare organizations both locally in St. Louis and internationally. The foundation is managed by trustees Nathan G. McKean and Jennifer M. McKean, who serve without compensation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-discretion grantmaking with no formal application process. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant size of $1,000. In 2023, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $63,000.

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Pediatric Healthcare: Major support for children's medical organizations, particularly St. Louis Children's Hospital and international pediatric healthcare initiatives
  • International Child Welfare: Support for global children's health organizations such as World Pediatric Project
  • Child Sponsorship: Support for organizations like Compassion International that provide child sponsorship programs
  • Youth Services: Organizations serving vulnerable children, including Covenant House
  • Education: Catholic Student Center and other educational initiatives
  • Community Development: Local St. Louis organizations such as Forest Park Forever
  • Religious Organizations: Support for faith-based charitable work

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their preselected network
  • Unsolicited applications
  • General operating support for organizations not already in their funding portfolio

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Nathan G. McKean - Trustee

  • Serves approximately 1 hour per week
  • Uncompensated position

Jennifer M. McKean - Trustee

  • Serves approximately 1 hour per week
  • Uncompensated position
  • Connection to St. Louis Children's Hospital and World Pediatric Project as a critical care nurse and board member

The foundation operates with minimal overhead, with no paid employees, reflecting the family's direct involvement in grantmaking decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation states explicitly in its IRS filings that it "only contributes to preselected charitable organizations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified and selected through their personal knowledge and involvement in the St. Louis philanthropic community.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to invitation-only structure. Grant decisions are made by trustees throughout the year based on their assessment of preselected organizations' needs and alignment with the foundation's mission.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from the general nonprofit community.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations do not apply or reapply; trustees proactively identify and support organizations of interest.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received support from the McKean Family Foundation share these characteristics:

  • Direct Connection to Trustees: Grantees typically have direct relationships with the McKean family, particularly through Jennifer McKean's professional work in pediatric healthcare
  • Focus on Children: All identified grantees serve children in some capacity, whether through healthcare, education, or social services
  • Established Organizations: Grantees are well-established 501(c)(3) organizations with proven track records
  • Healthcare Emphasis: Multiple grants support pediatric healthcare, both locally in St. Louis and internationally
  • Values Alignment: Support for organizations reflecting the family's values, including faith-based initiatives

Recent grantees that demonstrate the foundation's priorities include:

  • St. Louis Children's Hospital ($50,000) - largest grant, reflecting commitment to local pediatric care
  • World Pediatric Project ($35,000) - international pediatric healthcare
  • Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation ($5,000) - pediatric cardiac care
  • Children of Peru Foundation ($2,500) - international child welfare
  • Catholic Student Center ($15,000) - faith-based education
  • Compassion International - child sponsorship
  • Covenant House - vulnerable youth services

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation exclusively supports preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests, making it unavailable to most organizations seeking funding
  • Relationship-Driven: Grantmaking is driven by the trustees' personal connections, particularly through Jennifer McKean's involvement in pediatric healthcare in St. Louis
  • Children Focus: All funding supports children's welfare, with strong emphasis on healthcare, both locally and internationally
  • Small but Consistent: While the foundation has substantial assets ($1.7M), annual giving is modest ($63K), suggesting conservative distribution approach
  • Local and Global: Primary focus on St. Louis area organizations but includes international pediatric healthcare initiatives
  • No Staffing Costs: With no paid employees, 100% of distributions go directly to charitable causes
  • Financial Growth: Assets have grown significantly from $199K (2011) to $1.65M (2023), though annual distributions remain relatively modest

References

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