The mission of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City is to promote the practice of tzedakah (charity) and the pursuit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) by serving as the advocate for planned giving and the central resource for personalized charitable funds for individuals, families, and organizations in the community.
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City combines large-scale community giving with a clear Jewish mission: promoting tzedakah and tikkun olam while serving as a central resource for personalized charitable funds. In the recent grants list, one pattern stands out immediately: seven-figure support for Kansas City institutions, led by repeated $2,500,000 awards to Kansas City Zoo Foundation and $900,000 to Kansas City Symphony. Those grants sit alongside substantial support for Jewish communal infrastructure, including repeated funding for Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City and The Temple Congregation B'nai Jehudah. The result is a profile that blends broad civic philanthropy with a strong Jewish community orientation. The foundation also uses a mix of general support and program-specific funds, including scholarships, cultural grants, and community-benefit grants tied to local institutions. Its latest 990 year on file is 2025, and annual grants total $45,765,393 against $318,349,058 in assets, showing a significant grantmaking platform rather than a narrow family fund or single-program vehicle.
Jewish community support is a consistent thread. The foundation gave $400,000 in 2024 and $350,000 in 2025 to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City for general support, and its Community Legacy Fund is designed to enhance and maintain the quality of Jewish life in Greater Kansas City through core support and innovative or emergency programs. Cultural and performing arts also appear prominently: Kansas City Symphony received $900,000 in 2023 and $200,000 in both 2024 and 2025 for general support, while the Mark Edelman Theater Fund and White Theatre Grantor Fund point to theater-related and facility-cost support. Education is another recurring area, with $200,000 grants to University Academy Foundation in 2023 and 2024 and a scholarship fund for Johnson County Community College students. The foundation also supports special needs programming through the Jay Grant Memorial Fund.
Typical grant size is modest relative to the foundation’s biggest awards: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $10,188, and the 75th percentile is $25,000. At the same time, the recent-grants list shows a long tail of much larger institutional grants, so the distribution is highly mixed. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Kansas City Zoo Foundation, Kansas City Symphony, Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Harry S Truman Library Institute, Village Shalom Inc, and The Temple Congregation B'nai Jehudah, which points to recurring support rather than one-off giving only. The foundation also operates a named fund structure with both unrestricted and purpose-specific vehicles, and at least one program, J-LEAD Grants, explicitly accepts unsolicited applications.
$15.4M
$318.3M
$34.3M
$22.7M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
JOSHUA STEIN
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Giving is regional and heavily concentrated in the Kansas City area. The HQ state, Kansas, accounts for 63% of grants, while Missouri is the top state by grant count overall. Recent grants land in both Kansas City, MO and Overland Park, KS, with recurring support to organizations in each city. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, at 100% of grants. The pattern suggests a local metro focus rather than a multi-country portfolio.
The foundation supports Jewish community organizations, cultural arts and performing arts groups, education, and special needs programming. Recent grants include general support to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Zoo Foundation, and University Academy Foundation, alongside scholarship and theatre-related funds.
Yes. The Community Legacy Fund is designed to enhance and maintain Jewish life in Greater Kansas City, and recent grants include $400,000 in 2024 and $350,000 in 2025 to Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City for general support. Other programs also support Jewish summer experiences, Israel study, and theatre use by Jewish organizations.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,188 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. That sits below the foundation’s largest recent grants, which include multi-million-dollar awards to major regional institutions.
Yes, the foundation’s giving is strongly regional. Kansas accounts for 63% of grants, Missouri is the top state by grant count, and recent recipients are concentrated in Kansas City, MO and Overland Park, KS. All recorded recipient grants in the dataset are in the U.S.
Some programs do. J-LEAD Grants accepts unsolicited applications, as do the Community Legacy Fund, the Ben and Martin Jabenis Memorial Endowment Fund scholarship, the Jewish Summer Experiences scholarships, the Jay Grant Memorial Fund, the E. David Soltz Israel Scholarship Fund, the Earl J. and Leona K. Tranin Special Fund, and the White Theatre Grantor Fund.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KANSAS CITY ZOO FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $2,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $350,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VILLAGE SHALOM INC | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARRY S TRUMAN LIBRARY INSTITUTE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ELLIS FOUNDATION | FORT SCOTT, KS | $190,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $185,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY ACADEMY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $143,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| B'NAI B'RITH YOUTH ORGANIZATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VILLAGE SHALOM INC | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $123,996 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HYMAN BRAND HEBREW ACADEMY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $123,995 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE | LIBERTY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHABAD AT KU INC | LAWRENCE, KS | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY ACADEMY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UMKC FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FLORENCE MELTON ADULT SCHOOL CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH EDUCATION IN MEDIA DBA JBS | STAMFORD, CT | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSIC ASSOCIATES OF ASPEN INC | ASPEN, CO | $55,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PACE UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HELZBERG ENTREPRENEURIAL MENTORING PROGRAM | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARRY S TRUMAN LIBRARY INSTITUTE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ADVENTHEALTH FOUNDATION SHAWNEE MISSION | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HELZBERG ENTREPRENEURIAL MENTORING PROGRAM | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES (JFS) | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PACE UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HYMAN BRAND HEBREW ACADEMY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHABAD OF MIDTOWN | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE ZOO | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
KANSAS CITY ZOO FOUNDATION
$2,500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM
$143,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHABAD AT KU INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HELZBERG ENTREPRENEURIAL MENTORING PROGRAM
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HELZBERG ENTREPRENEURIAL MENTORING PROGRAM
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NELSON GALLERY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHABAD OF MIDTOWN
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
Current and upcoming funding from Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applications must be for programs with a positive impact on the Jewish community and must be limited to the Greater Kansas City area. General community grant applications are not accepted.
Deadline: September 1
Who can apply: General community grants benefiting children and safety-net programs are accepted. Applications are restricted to the Greater Kansas City area unless otherwise stated by the fund.
Deadline: September 1
Who can apply: Priority is given to cultural arts in both Jewish and general communities, though trustees may consider other programs outside the arts.
Deadline: September 1; grant decisions are made by December 31.
Who can apply: Grants are restricted to the Greater Kansas City area. Priority areas include cultural arts, community relations, and education, predominantly but not exclusively within the Jewish community.
Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Who can apply: Applicants must be nonprofit organizations serving the local Jewish special needs community.
Deadline: December 16
Who can apply: Applications must support Jewish art or art education and be limited to the Kansas City area.
Deadline: February 28
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