About Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Kauffman Foundation concentrates its giving on strengthening postsecondary access and completion for Kansas City residents and building regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. Grants repeatedly fund scholarship programs and college-success services, K-12 charter operations and youth work/ internship pathways, and organizations that expand capital, training, and policy supports for underrepresented entrepreneurs in the Heartland. The foundation pairs large, multi-year investments in core local partners with capacity-building and research grants to national intermediary organizations that can scale proven models.
Focus Areas
College access, scholarships, and college-completion supports for low- and moderate-income students in Kansas City (e.g., Great Jobs KC, Kansas City Scholars)Building the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem and entrepreneur education (youth entrepreneurship curriculum, competitions, internships — e.g., Kansas City Startup Foundation, PROX)Access to capital and small business development for BIPOC and low-to-moderate‑income entrepreneurs (loan funds, technical assistance — e.g., ALTCAP, Holy Rosary Credit Union, Pipeline)K-12 charter school operations and workforce-aligned school models preparing students for postsecondary pathways (Ewing Marion Kauffman School, SchoolSmart KC)
About Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
A $20.5 million grant to Great Jobs KC anchors the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s recent giving and shows how closely it ties philanthropy to economic mobility in the Kansas City region. The grant supported the Kansas City Talent Network, designed to help adults in the metro earn credentials and move into related employment in high-demand industries. That same pattern appears in the foundation’s other large commitments: Kansas City Scholars received multimillion-dollar support for scholarships, financial incentives, college savings, and services that help low- and modest-income students and adults pursue postsecondary credentials, while SchoolSmart KC and the Ewing Marion Kauffman School were funded to strengthen charter and district-aligned schooling pathways. The foundation also backs entrepreneurship at multiple levels, from university-based education and regional ecosystem-building to loan funds and technical assistance for entrepreneurs facing barriers tied to race, income, and geography. Its recent grants show a mix of direct student supports, operating support for local institutions, and systems-oriented work intended to expand access to education, careers, and capital across the Heartland.
What Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Funds
College access is a central theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $9.6 million to Great Jobs KC for scholarships, financial incentives, and services that promote college savings for low- and modest-income students and adults seeking a postsecondary credential. Postsecondary completion also appears in support for Kauffman Scholars Inc., which received $2 million in 2023 to increase college access and graduation rates for students facing barriers related to race, income, and geography. Entrepreneurship is another major focus. The Curators of the University of Missouri received $2.75 million in 2023 and another $2.6 million in 2025 for entrepreneurship education and resources at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The foundation also funded Real World Initiatives twice, including $2.75 million in 2025, to increase real-world experiences and access to the PROX summer internship program for high school students.
How Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Gives
The foundation’s typical grant size sits at $22,320 at the 25th percentile, $81,644 at the median, and $151,454 at the 75th percentile, while its recent portfolio also includes a small number of very large multi-year awards. Recipients often reappear across years: Great Jobs KC, Kansas City Scholars, the Ewing Marion Kauffman School, and SchoolSmart KC each show repeat support. The foundation operates as a regular funder and also makes program-related investments. It accepts unsolicited applications for some active programs, including Capacity Building Grants, Collective Impact Grants, and Project Grants, while awards such as the Uncommon Leader Impact Award are not open to unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$95M
Total Assets
$2.5B
Total Revenue
$196.9M
Total Expenses
$154.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $22K and $151K, with a median of $82K.
25th Percentile
$22K
Median
$82K
75th Percentile
$151K
Geographic Reach
Regional35 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
DEANGELA BURNS WALLACE
PRESIDENT & CEO
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