Prevent teen suicide and support those affected by suicide by funding school- and community-based mental health and suicide-prevention programs, providing scholarships and survivor support, and honoring the legacy of Chad Nathan Harrell.
Keep The Spark Alive Inc centers its giving on preventing teen suicide and supporting people affected by suicide through school- and community-based mental health programs, scholarships, and survivor support. The foundation’s work is tied to the legacy of Chad Nathan Harrell, and its active programs show a consistent emphasis on youth-facing prevention and education. A large share of the foundation’s recent support has gone to Kansas City-area intermediaries and school partners that help deliver suicide-prevention programming. In 2024, it gave $200,000 to Greater KC Community Found in Kansas City, MO, and $48,875 to Friends of JCMHC in Shawnee, KS. It also funds school-based initiatives in Blue Valley and Johnson County, including peer-leadership, resiliency, and staff-training efforts. Scholarship support is part of the model as well, with annual awards tied to Blue Valley lacrosse players. Across these activities, the foundation works through direct grants to organizations rather than individual aid, with a focus on programs that can be implemented in schools and local communities.
In school-based prevention, the foundation backs Sources of Strength implementation in Blue Valley and Johnson County middle and high schools. That work is described as funding peer-leader and adult advisor training to support suicide prevention. It also supports broader school mental health efforts through the Blue Valley School District partnership. Those grants fund social and emotional learning initiatives, Youth Mental Health First Aid training for staff, and other resiliency and coping-skills programming across grade levels. Scholarships are another recurring topic. The annual Blue Valley lacrosse scholarship program provides awards to graduating players, including Blue Valley Timberwolves and Blue Valley Eastside lacrosse players, and the program is presented as part of Chad Harrell’s legacy. The foundation also supports crisis-prevention resources through #GiveMe20, a KTSA-developed program built around resilience and coping during crises.
Typical grant sizes are substantial: the 25th percentile is $46,712, the median is $124,438, and the 75th percentile is $205,000. Recent activity shows both large anchor grants and smaller program awards. The grant history also suggests repeated support for school and mental-health partners rather than one-off experiments, with multiple active programs tied to the same local districts and organizations. Keep The Spark Alive Inc does not fund individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. The grantmaking pattern is direct, program-specific support through organizations.
$509K
$20K
$303K
$320K
Most grants fall between $47K and $205K, with a median of $124K.
25th Percentile
$47K
Median
$124K
75th Percentile
$205K
About 50% of grants go to recipients in KS.
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Grantmaking is regional, with the most frequent recipient state being Kansas. Recipients in Missouri account for 50% of grants, and the recent grant list is entirely U.S.-based. Named recipients include Kansas City, MO; Shawnee, KS; and Overland Park, KS, showing a strong Kansas City metro footprint. The foundation’s active school and community programs are also concentrated in Blue Valley and Johnson County, Kansas.
It funds suicide prevention and mental health work, especially school- and community-based programs. The active program list includes Sources of Strength implementation, Youth Mental Health First Aid training, social and emotional learning initiatives, resiliency programming, scholarships, and survivor support tied to Chad Nathan Harrell’s legacy.
The grant-size distribution is fairly high for a small foundation: the 25th percentile is $46,712, the median is $124,438, and the 75th percentile is $205,000. Recent awards include both six-figure grants and smaller support grants.
The program descriptions provided do not indicate a public application process, and several listed programs are marked as not accepting unsolicited requests. The support appears to be driven by direct partnerships with school districts and local organizations.
Kansas is the top state by grant count. The recent grant list also shows Missouri recipients, and 50% of grants go to organizations in the foundation’s HQ state of Missouri, so its giving is split across the Kansas City metro region.
The foundation gives to nonprofit organizations and service providers focused on suicide prevention, along with school partners and community intermediaries. Recent recipients include a community foundation, a mental health-related organization in Shawnee, and a Blue Valley education foundation.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater KC Community Found | Kansas City, MO | $200,000 | 2024 | — |
| Friends of JCMHC | Shawnee, KS | $48,875 | 2024 | — |
| Blue Valley Ed Foundation | Overland Park, KS | $40,225 | 2024 | — |
| Greater KC Community Foundati | Kansas City, MO | $220,000 | 2023 | — |
Greater KC Community Found
$200,000Friends of JCMHC
$48,875Blue Valley Ed Foundation
$40,225Greater KC Community Foundati
$220,000