The William T. Kemper Foundation (Commerce Bank Trustee) makes a small number of large, locally focused capital and campaign grants emphasizing green public spaces and civic cultural institutions in the Kansas City area, with occasional support for local higher education initiatives. Their giving prioritizes transformational capital projects — new facilities and major campaigns — and they show willingness to fund multi-year commitments and repeat grantees doing place-based work.
William T Kemper Foundation Commerce Bank Trustee stands out for funding large capital and campaign projects in Kansas City and St. Louis, often at the seven-figure level. In recent grants, that pattern appears in support for Forest Park Forever Inc across a three-year campaign for The Glade, a new visitor center at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and The Link Project at William Jewell College. The foundation also backs civic and cultural institutions that shape public life, including Symphony Hall renovation, museum gallery refresh work, and park connector infrastructure. Its giving is place-based and concentrated in Missouri, with most recent awards going to organizations in Kansas City, St. Louis, and nearby Liberty. The mix extends beyond parks and arts into higher education, research infrastructure, and health facilities, which shows a preference for projects tied to buildings, campuses, and long-term institutional capacity. Repeat support is part of the pattern: some organizations appear in multiple years, and several grants are written as multi-year commitments rather than one-time awards. The overall profile points to a funder that supports visible, fixed-asset projects and campaign-style fundraising efforts for regional nonprofits.
In parks and public realm work, the foundation gave $900,000 to The Tower Grove Park Foundation for Campaign for Tower Grove Park - Complete Core Enhancements and $600,000 to Greater St Louis Inc Foundation for the Tower Grove Connector Infrastructure Project over two years. These grants align with a focus on urban landscapes and public connections. In health and human services, it awarded $1,000,000 to Childrens Mercy Hospital for an Acute Mental Health Crisis Center and $750,000 to Samuel U Rodgers Health Center Inc for a Pediatric Wing Capital Campaign. It also supported Amethyst Place Inc with $750,000 for expansion at 2770 Tracy. Education and research appear through $1,000,000 to Kansas University Endowment Assoc for building a destination cancer center facility over three years and $500,000 to Saint Lukes Foundation for digital infrastructure for research. The foundation also funded Washington University with a professorship award and UMKC with an anechoic chamber and related facility renovation.
$15.9M
$288.5M
$34.3M
$18.3M
Most grants fall between $13K and $100K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Very concentrated: few large grants (multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollars), focused on capital and campaign support, repeat funding to established local institutions in the Kansas City region rather than many small general operating grants.
Notable grantees: Forest Park Forever Inc, Missouri Botanical Garden Board of Trustees, William Jewell College
Typical grants cluster around a sizable capital-gift profile: p25 is $12,500, median is $40,000, and p75 is $100,000. The recent list also shows many much larger awards, including repeated campaign commitments spread across multiple years. Several recipients appear more than once, such as Forest Park Forever Inc, The Opportunity Trust, Kansas City Art Institute, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Washington University, indicating repeat support rather than isolated one-off gifts. The foundation makes program-related investments: False. It also funds individuals: True. The grants shown are predominantly restricted to projects, facilities, campaigns, or endowed positions rather than unrestricted operating support.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Missouri-centered: 84% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state, and the top state by grant count is MO. Recent awards are concentrated in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Liberty, with examples in Saint Louis, St Louis, and Kansas City also appearing repeatedly across the list. A smaller share reaches neighboring Kansas through Kansas University Endowment Assoc in Kansas City, KS. The recipient country distribution is entirely US, with 428 grants in the United States.
The recent grants show a strong preference for capital campaigns, facility renovations, and infrastructure projects. Examples include a new visitor center, park enhancements, a pediatric wing capital campaign, a cancer center facility, and museum and campus renovations.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Forest Park Forever Inc, The Opportunity Trust, Kansas City Art Institute, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Washington University. Some of those awards are also structured as multi-year commitments.
The distribution provided shows a p25 of $12,500, a median grant of $40,000, and a p75 of $100,000. The recent list also includes much larger campaign grants in the $500,000 to $2,500,000 range.
The top state by grant count is Missouri, and 84% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent awards are concentrated in Kansas City, St. Louis, Saint Louis, and Liberty, with a smaller number in Kansas.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, and its profile also shows a pattern of institutional and project-based support alongside that capability.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOREST PARK FOREVER INC | ST LOUIS, MO | $1,500,000 | 2025 | CAMPAIGN FOR THE GLADE OVER 3 YEARS |
| KANSAS UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT ASSOC (UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS CANCER CENTER) | KANSAS CITY, KS | $1,000,000 | 2025 | BUILDING A DESTINATION CANCER CENTER FACILITY OVER 3 YEARS |
| CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $1,000,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING FOR PATH CLINIC AS PART OF ILLUMINATE CAMPAIGN |
| THE TOWER GROVE PARK FOUNDATION | SAINT LOUIS, MO | $900,000 | 2025 | CAMPAIGN FOR TOWER GROVE PARK - COMPLETE CORE ENHANCEMENTS |
| AMETHYST PLACE INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $750,000 | 2025 | EXPANSION AT 2770 TRACY |
| SAMUEL U RODGERS HEALTH CENTER INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $750,000 | 2025 | PEDIATRIC WING CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| NINE NETWORK OF PUBLIC MEDIA DBA NINE PBS | ST LOUIS, MO | $700,000 | 2025 | ENGAGE, CONNECT, STRENGTHEN CAMPAIGN OVER 3 YEARS |
| GREATER ST LOUIS INC FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $600,000 | 2025 | TOWER GROVE CONNECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT OVER 2 YEARS |
| UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND | KANSAS CITY, MO | $500,000 | 2025 | ACQUISITION OF ANECHOIC CHAMBER AND RELATED FACILITY RENOVATION |
| METROPOLITAN ORGANIZATION TO COUNTER SEXUAL ASSAULT DBA MOCSA | KANSAS CITY, MO | $500,000 | 2025 | A PLACE FOR US: SURVIVOR-FOCUSED RAPE CRISIS CENTER RENOVATION |
| THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST | ST LOUIS, MO | $500,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING QUALITY SEATS IN ST. LOUIS OVER 3 YEARS |
| URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN ST LOUIS | ST LOUIS, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | NATURAL BRIDGE RENOVATION |
| GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | FUND CONTRIBUTION |
| KANSAS CITY UNIVERSITY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | CENTER FOR POPULATION HEALTH AND EQUITY FACILITY RENOVATION OVER 2 YEARS |
| KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $250,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL BEQUEST |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | 2023/2024 SEASON SUPPORT |
| JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL | ST LOUIS, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | KEMPER FAMILY NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FUND |
| GRACE AND HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL BEQUEST |
| JACKSON COUNTY CASA | KANSAS CITY, MO | $168,840 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING FOR GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM |
| METROPOLITAN LUTHERAN MINISTRY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | CRITICAL REPAIR AT 3031 HOLMES |
| CORE INFLUENCER INSTITUTE INC DBA UNCORNERED | KANSAS CITY, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | REDUCING VIOLENCE IN KC THROUGH CORE INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT |
| OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING FOR TEEN PROGRAMMING OVER 2 YEARS |
| COMMUNITY SERVICES LEAGUE OF JACKSON COUNTY | INDEPENDENCE, MO | $150,000 | 2025 | BRIDGES TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDED CAPACITY OVER 3 YEARS |
| SAFEHOME INC | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $125,000 | 2025 | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER ADDITION |
| FRIENDS OF CHAMBER MUSIC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $125,000 | 2025 | 2024/2025 SEASON SUPPORT |
| WELLESLEY COLLEGE | WELLESLEY, MA | $118,000 | 2025 | SCIENCE CENTER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: KEMPER HORTICULTURE AND ECOLOGY LABORATORY OVER 5 YEARS |
| UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES | KANSAS CITY, MO | $106,000 | 2025 | WILLIAM T. KEMPER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN DIGITAL HUMANITIES |
| WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MILDRED LANE KEMPER ART MUSEUM | ST LOUIS, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | MILDRED LANE KEMPER ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - ART MUSEUM | PRINCETON, NJ | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE CURATOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING |
| LIBERTY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION DBA NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | DIGITIZATION PROJECT |
| SHELDON ARTS FOUNDATION | ST LOUIS, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | IMAGINE THE FUTURE - CAMPAIGN FOR THE SHELDON |
| GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | FUND CONTRIBUTION |
| OZARKS TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | SPRINGFIELD, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | ROOTED MISSOURI OVER 3 YEARS |
| KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY GARDENS INC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY FUNDING TO SUSTAIN 2024 PROGRAMMING |
| GREATER KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | FUND CONTRIBUTION |
| ENTREPRENEUR STARTUP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION DBA ARCH GRANTS | ST LOUIS, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION OVER 2 YEARS |
| INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | HVAC UPGRADE |
| FRIENDS OF CHAMBER MUSIC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | 2023/2024 SEASON SUPPORT |
| INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH | KANSAS CITY, MO | $90,000 | 2025 | HVAC UPGRADE |
| WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE (HARRIMAN-JEWELL SERIES) | KANSAS CITY, MO | $90,000 | 2025 | 2023/2024 SEASON SUPPORT AND UNDERWRITING OF EMANUEL AX |
| OPERA THEATRE OF SAINT LOUIS | ST LOUIS, MO | $65,000 | 2025 | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SUPPORT |
| UNCOVER KC | KANSAS CITY, MO | $65,000 | 2025 | KC FIELD TRIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA - MISSOURI SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM | COLUMBIA, MO | $65,000 | 2025 | WATCHDOG WRITERS GROUP WILLIAM T. KEMPER FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH | KANSAS CITY, MO | $60,000 | 2025 | HVAC UPGRADE |
| FOSTER CARE COALITION OF GREATER ST LOUIS INC | ST LOUIS, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | FOREFRONT OF CHANGE: CAMPAIGN FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE |
| INTERNATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM INC | WILDWOOD, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | INTERNATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM OVER 3 YEARS |
| UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - HENRY W BLOCH SCHOOL | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL BEQUEST |
| ORPHEUM PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE LTD | WICHITA, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | ORPHEUM THEATRE: SECOND CENTURY CAMPAIGN |
| CHWC INC DBA COMMUNITY HOUSING OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY INC | KANSAS CITY, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | HOME REPAIR & IMPROVEMENT CAPACITY BUILDING |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY EUROPEAN TOUR |
FOREST PARK FOREVER INC
$1,500,000CAMPAIGN FOR THE GLADE OVER 3 YEARS
KANSAS UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT ASSOC (UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS CANCER CENTER)
$1,000,000BUILDING A DESTINATION CANCER CENTER FACILITY OVER 3 YEARS
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR PATH CLINIC AS PART OF ILLUMINATE CAMPAIGN
THE TOWER GROVE PARK FOUNDATION
$900,000CAMPAIGN FOR TOWER GROVE PARK - COMPLETE CORE ENHANCEMENTS
NINE NETWORK OF PUBLIC MEDIA DBA NINE PBS
$700,000ENGAGE, CONNECT, STRENGTHEN CAMPAIGN OVER 3 YEARS
GREATER ST LOUIS INC FOUNDATION
$600,000TOWER GROVE CONNECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT OVER 2 YEARS
UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND
$500,000ACQUISITION OF ANECHOIC CHAMBER AND RELATED FACILITY RENOVATION
A PLACE FOR US: SURVIVOR-FOCUSED RAPE CRISIS CENTER RENOVATION
CENTER FOR POPULATION HEALTH AND EQUITY FACILITY RENOVATION OVER 2 YEARS
KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE
$250,000ANNUAL BEQUEST
GRACE AND HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL
$200,000ANNUAL BEQUEST
CORE INFLUENCER INSTITUTE INC DBA UNCORNERED
$150,000REDUCING VIOLENCE IN KC THROUGH CORE INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR TEEN PROGRAMMING OVER 2 YEARS
BRIDGES TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDED CAPACITY OVER 3 YEARS
WELLESLEY COLLEGE
$118,000SCIENCE CENTER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: KEMPER HORTICULTURE AND ECOLOGY LABORATORY OVER 5 YEARS
UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
$106,000WILLIAM T. KEMPER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN DIGITAL HUMANITIES
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MILDRED LANE KEMPER ART MUSEUM
$100,000MILDRED LANE KEMPER ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION SUPPORT
TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - ART MUSEUM
$100,000SUPPORT OF THE CURATOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
LIBERTY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION DBA NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL
$100,000DIGITIZATION PROJECT
ROOTED MISSOURI OVER 3 YEARS
KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY GARDENS INC
$100,000EMERGENCY FUNDING TO SUSTAIN 2024 PROGRAMMING
GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION OVER 2 YEARS
INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$100,000HVAC UPGRADE
INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$90,000HVAC UPGRADE
WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE (HARRIMAN-JEWELL SERIES)
$90,0002023/2024 SEASON SUPPORT AND UNDERWRITING OF EMANUEL AX
OPERA THEATRE OF SAINT LOUIS
$65,000ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SUPPORT
UNCOVER KC
$65,000KC FIELD TRIPS
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA - MISSOURI SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
$65,000WATCHDOG WRITERS GROUP WILLIAM T. KEMPER FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP
INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$60,000HVAC UPGRADE
FOREFRONT OF CHANGE: CAMPAIGN FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE
INTERNATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM INC
$50,000INTERNATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAM OVER 3 YEARS
UMKC FOUNDATION (UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY - HENRY W BLOCH SCHOOL
$50,000ANNUAL BEQUEST
CHWC INC DBA COMMUNITY HOUSING OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY INC
$50,000HOME REPAIR & IMPROVEMENT CAPACITY BUILDING