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Marion And Henry Bloch Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$29.7M
Grant Range
$150K - $0.5M
Decision Time
3mo

Marion And Henry Bloch Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $29,718,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Quarterly (March, June, September, December)
  • Grant Range: $150,000 - $500,000
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Kansas City area (Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri; Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas)

Contact Details

Website: blochfamilyfoundation.org

Grant Application Portal: Available on website

Staff Contact: Foundation staff available for questions through website contact form

Key Staff:

  • David Miles, President
  • Jean-Paul Chaurand, Executive Vice President
  • Valerie Salazar, Grantmaking Principal
  • Rachel Carlton, Grant Operations Principal

Overview

Established in 2011 by Henry and Marion Bloch (Henry co-founded H&R Block with his brother), the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation has invested over $200 million in greater Kansas City nonprofit organizations since inception. The foundation's mission is to advance Kansas City through thoughtful, responsible philanthropy, guided by the founders' belief: "When you have three meals a day, it's time to help the next person." The foundation's grant strategy focuses on helping underserved individuals attain financial security through college completion, income growth, and homeownership, while enhancing community vibrancy by strengthening major institutions, promoting safety, and improving quality of life. The foundation emphasizes creating excellence and transformational change through both proactive support that strengthens area nonprofits and responsive community assistance, with a particular focus on underserved populations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation awards both single-year and multi-year grants. Most grants fall in the range of $150,000 to $500,000. Grants under $150,000 are typically directed through the sister organization, H & R Block Foundation. Applications are accepted year-round through an initial inquiry questionnaire, with award decisions made at quarterly board meetings.

Priority Areas

The foundation supports six key focus areas:

  • Post-secondary Business and Entrepreneurship Education: Promoting access to quality education and building human capital, with focus on closing achievement gaps in the urban core
  • Healthcare: Supporting centers of excellence, healthcare education, and access to quality care
  • Social Services: Expanding access and opportunities for vulnerable, disadvantaged, and low-income individuals and families by meeting basic human needs and supporting pathways out of poverty
  • Education for Underserved Youth: Supporting birth-to-12th grade education programs focused on disadvantaged youth
  • Visual and Performing Arts: Strengthening high-quality arts organizations
  • Jewish Community Organizations: Advancing social and economic justice issues in the Jewish community

Legacy Organizations receiving special emphasis:

  • Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
  • Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
  • Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does not support:

  • Existing or ongoing programs and general organizational operating expenses
  • Event sponsorships (galas, conferences, performances)
  • Debt reduction or past deficits
  • Single-disease causes
  • Animal-related causes
  • Sports causes
  • Political activities
  • Publications
  • Historic preservation
  • Non-Jewish religious organizations promoting specific doctrine
  • Organizations that discriminate based on protected characteristics

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors: Thomas Bloch (Chairman), Mary Jo Brown, Elizabeth Uhlmann, Bruce Davison, William Hall, Leo Morton, John Phillips, Joseph Reardon, and Debbie Sosland-Edelman

The foundation has five trustees who elect the directors; three trustees are family members, ensuring community perspectives alongside family legacy.

Leadership Team:

  • David Miles, President (also serves as president of H & R Block Foundation)
  • Jean-Paul Chaurand, Executive Vice President
  • Kris Wilcoxson, Vice President of Finance and Administration
  • Valerie Salazar, Grantmaking Principal
  • Rachel Carlton, Grant Operations Principal

Foundation Philosophy: The foundation strives to strengthen Kansas City through "sound, strategic philanthropy" inspired by the founders' determination and humanitarianism, as reflected in their guiding principle: "When you have three meals a day, it's time to help the next person."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation uses a two-stage inquiry and invitation process:

Stage 1: Initial Inquiry Questionnaire

  • Organizations complete a short questionnaire (not a formal application) available on the foundation's website
  • The questionnaire allows organizations to express interest and provide basic information
  • Staff typically respond within two weeks
  • Due to high volume, foundation staff are unable to meet with organizations prior to submitting the questionnaire

Stage 2: Invitation to Apply

  • If the funding inquiry aligns with the foundation's strategy, the organization may be invited to meet with foundation staff or submit a full grant application
  • Organizations invited to apply receive further instructions and access to the online grant portal
  • An invitation to apply is not a guarantee of approval

Important Note: Due to high volume of questionnaires submitted, many organizations that meet some criteria are not invited to apply for a grant. Determination is based on assessment of fit with the foundation's grant strategy and available resources.

Decision Timeline

  • Award decisions are made at quarterly board meetings held in March, June, September, and December
  • Notifications are sent within a few days following each board meeting
  • Confirmation emails for submitted applications typically arrive within 3-5 business days

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose specific success rate percentages. However, grant activity statistics show:

  • 2023: 1 award totaling $29,718,000
  • 2022: 125 awards
  • 2021: 133 awards
  • 2020: 124 awards
  • 2019: 107 awards

The two-stage process (questionnaire then invitation) serves as a pre-screening mechanism, with many organizations not advancing past the initial inquiry stage.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation accepts inquiries year-round, but specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented. Organizations are encouraged to contact foundation staff directly for guidance on reapplication timing.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented priorities and approach, the following factors contribute to successful applications:

Alignment with Grant Strategy: The foundation emphasizes that determination is based on "assessment of the funding inquiry's fit with the Foundation's grant strategy and available resources." Applications must clearly demonstrate alignment with one or more of the six priority areas and show how the project serves underserved populations in greater Kansas City.

Focus on Transformational Change: The foundation's grantmaking strategy emphasizes "creating excellence and transformational change." Successful applications should articulate how the project will create meaningful, lasting impact rather than simply maintain existing operations.

Programs That Improve or Expand Services: The foundation states that grants "support programs and projects that help organizations improve or expand services, gain operational efficiency, and achieve greater outcomes for underserved individuals, families, and communities." Applications should focus on innovation, expansion, or significant enhancement rather than ongoing operations.

Geographic Focus: Organizations must be based in and serve residents within the greater Kansas City area (Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri; Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas). Clear documentation of this geographic alignment is essential.

Financial Security Pathway: The foundation's overall grant strategy "helps underserved individuals attain financial security through college completion, income growth, and homeownership." Applications that can connect their work to these outcomes are particularly aligned with foundation priorities.

Use of Foundation Budget Template: The foundation specifically prefers applicants use their project budget template, available for download from the application site, indicating attention to their preferred formats and processes matters.

Recent Grant Examples:

  • Children's Mercy Kansas City: $4 million two-year grant for health care equity programs (Connected Experience, The Berry Institute, and Patient Progression)
  • UMKC: $15 million for the Henry W. Bloch School of Management ($11.8 million for programming enhancements, $8 million for infrastructure improvements)
  • UMKC Scholarship Program: $20 million partnership with H & R Block Foundation and UM System to benefit 800 students over nine years

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Two-stage process is competitive: Many organizations that submit initial questionnaires are not invited to apply, so the inquiry must clearly demonstrate strong alignment with foundation priorities and strategy from the outset
  • Focus on new initiatives, not operations: The foundation explicitly does not fund ongoing programs or general operating expenses; applications must present programs that improve, expand, or transform services
  • Emphasize impact on underserved populations: The foundation's strategy centers on helping underserved individuals and families achieve financial security—applications should clearly articulate who benefits and how
  • Geographic requirements are strict: Only organizations based in and serving the five-county greater Kansas City area are eligible
  • Think transformation, not maintenance: The foundation seeks to create "excellence and transformational change"—applications should be ambitious and outcome-focused
  • Quarterly decision cycle allows planning: With board meetings in March, June, September, and December, organizations can time their inquiries strategically
  • Grant range indicates significant commitments: At $150,000-$500,000 per grant, the foundation makes substantial investments in fewer organizations rather than many small grants

References

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