About Douglas County Community Foundation
The Douglas County Community Foundation concentrates its giving on Lawrence-area education and cultural institutions, local safety-net social services, and community health. Major recipients include the University of Kansas and the Lawrence Arts Center, but the foundation also consistently funds food security, early childhood initiatives, mental health and family shelter services, and a mix of civic and faith-based local organizations. Their grants tend to support operating/general purposes, capital/education programs, and neighborhood nonprofits that serve Douglas County residents directly.
Focus Areas
Higher education and university support in Lawrence (University of Kansas / KU Endowment)Local arts & cultural institutions (Lawrence Arts Center, Van Go, Douglas County Historical Society)Food security and community food systems (Just Food of Douglas County)Early childhood and family supports (Success By Six, Early Childhood Collective, Family Promise, O'Connell Children's Shelter)Behavioral health and community health services (Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, LMH Health Foundation, Heartland Community Health Center)Neighborhood social services & safety-net organizations (Cottonwood Inc, Ballard Community Services, CASA, Boys & Girls Club, Lawrence Humane Society)
About Douglas County Community Foundation
Douglas County Community Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by large support for Lawrence-area education and cultural institutions, led by repeated seven-figure grants to KU Endowment and Lawrence Arts Center. Those awards sit alongside steady funding for local food access, family stability, mental health, and neighborhood services, showing a portfolio built around Douglas County residents and the organizations that serve them directly. The foundation’s grantmaking also includes civic and faith-based groups, with several awards structured as general support or general purpose funding. In the latest grants list, Lawrence-based organizations appear again and again. Just Food of Douglas County received major support for food security work, while Cottonwood Inc, Family Promise of Lawrence, Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Heartland Community Health Center, Lawrence Humane Society, and Lawrence Public Library Friends & F were all among the recipients. The pattern suggests a community foundation that funds both core operating needs and program delivery across education, arts, health, and safety-net services.
What Douglas County Community Foundation Funds
Education is one of the clearest priorities. The foundation gave $1,772,709 to Ku Endowment for general support and $1,769,621 to Ku Endowment for education support, placing higher education at the center of its grantmaking. Arts and culture are another consistent theme. Lawrence Arts Center received $1,165,572 for general support in 2024 and $678,657 in 2025, while Van Go also appeared among recent grantees. Community health and safety-net services receive sustained attention. Just Food of Douglas County received $349,368 for general purpose support, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center received $200,191 for general support, and Heartland Community Health Center received $191,425 for general purpose support. Early childhood and family support also shows up through grants to Early Childhood Collective of Douglas County and Success By Six Coalition of DC.
How Douglas County Community Foundation Gives
Typical grant size sits at $8,500 at the 25th percentile, $12,000 at the median, and $30,130 at the 75th percentile, which suggests a core of modest awards alongside larger institutional grants. The recent list shows repeat recipients across multiple years, including KU Endowment, Lawrence Arts Center, Just Food of Douglas County, Cottonwood Inc, Douglas County Historical Society, Success By Six Coalition of DC, and Lawrence Schools Foundation. The foundation is classified as a mixed community foundation, and the active program list shows several grant vehicles, including Winter Family Fund Grants, Momentum Grants, DCCF Community Grants, DCCF Health and Wellness Grants, and donor-advised fund grants. Unsolicited applications are accepted for the named active programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9.4M
Total Assets
$117.3M
Total Revenue
$21.1M
Total Expenses
$11.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $9K and $30K, with a median of $12K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$12K
75th Percentile
$30K
Geographic Reach
Local24 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
CHIP BLASER
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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