Improve the quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing charitable giving, educating and connecting donors to community needs they care about, and leading on critical community issues.
One defining feature of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is the scale of its donor-advised and community grantmaking: in the latest year on file, it gave more than $1 billion in grants, with recent awards reaching from multimillion-dollar university, health, and human services gifts to smaller local community awards. The foundation’s portfolio includes education, human services, affordable housing, workforce development, violence prevention, scholarships, and nonprofit capacity-building, alongside support for faith-based, cultural, public benefit, environmental, and international work. Recent grants show a broad civic role in Greater Kansas City and beyond. Kansas City Scholars Inc. received $8,195,050 for education, while The Stanley H Durwood Foundation received $6,145,954 for public, societal benefit work. The foundation also backed Synergy Services Inc. with $5,958,584 for human services and Cornerstones of Care with $5,526,579, also for human services. Alongside these programmatic gifts, it administers competitive grant opportunities and scholarship funds, indicating a grantmaking model that blends donor-directed support with foundation-run programs.
Education is a major thread in the foundation’s giving. Kansas University Endowment Association received $24,830,665 for education, and the Curators of the University of Missouri received $6,036,730 for education. The foundation also supported UMKC Foundation with $5,291,259 and Benedictine College with $3,626,100, both for education-related work. Human services is another visible area. Rethink Food NYC Inc. received $10,500,000 for human services, and Sky High Farm Inc. received $9,220,000 for the same category. In Kansas City, the foundation awarded $5,958,584 to Synergy Services Inc. and $5,526,579 to Cornerstones of Care for human services. It also funds environment and animals, public benefit, and faith-related work. Food and Water Watch received $6,450,000 for environment and animals, while Jewish Communal Fund received $4,200,000 for public, societal benefit. St John Paul II Parish received $5,003,000 for religion-related work.
The typical grant profile is very large: p25 is $335,061,259, median is $348,033,662, and p75 is $361,006,066. That distribution reflects a model centered on major grants rather than small awards. The grant list also shows recurring support for the Kansas City area across years, including very large grants in both 2023 and 2024 labeled “See Attached,” followed by a dense 2025 slate. The foundation is a mixed community foundation, not a private operating funder or DAF-only vehicle. It also administers competitive grant opportunities and scholarship programs through its own portal, including unsolicited application pathways for some programs. Its broader structure combines donor-advised and community foundation functions with board-directed and program-specific funds.
$1B
$3.4B
$781.8M
$383M
Most grants fall between $335.1M and $361M, with a median of $348M.
25th Percentile
$335.1M
Median
$348M
75th Percentile
$361M
About 100% of grants go to recipients in MO.
DEBORAH WILKERSON
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 100% of grants in the recipient country distribution went to the US, and the top state by grant count is Missouri. Recent awards cluster in Kansas City, MO, including Kansas City Scholars Inc., The Stanley H Durwood Foundation, and Children’s Mercy Hospital. Kansas City, KS also appears through Donnelly College, while other Kansas destinations include Lawrence, Atchison, and Olathe. Outside the core metro, recent grants also reached Columbia and Jefferson City, showing regional coverage within the foundation’s Missouri-Kansas footprint.
Its recent grants and active programs cover education, human services, affordable housing, workforce development, violence prevention, scholarships, nonprofit capacity-building, arts and culture, religion-related work, public benefit, environment and animals, and international affairs. It also administers specialized funds such as the Homelessness Trust Fund, Black Community Fund, and several scholarship programs.
The stated distribution is very large: p25 is $335,061,259, median is $348,033,662, and p75 is $361,006,066. That points to a grantmaking pattern built around major awards rather than small discretionary grants.
Its grantmaking is local, and 100% of grants in the recipient country distribution went to the US. The recent grants list is heavily concentrated in Missouri and Kansas cities such as Kansas City, Lawrence, Columbia, Jefferson City, Atchison, Olathe, and Leawood.
Yes. The Community Foundation administers Competitive Grant Opportunities through its SmartSimple portal, and those opportunities accept unsolicited applications. Scholarship Opportunities also use a Foundation scholarship portal and accept unsolicited applications.
Active programs include Competitive Grant Opportunities, Scholarship Opportunities, the Variety KC Ten Parks Project, the AAUW Wagy Fund, the Homelessness Trust Fund, the Black Community Fund, the Board of Directors Discretionary Fund, eitas, and the Unified Government Hollywood Casino Fund.
DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT & CEO
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas University Endowment Association | Lawrence, KS | $24,830,665 | 2025 | Education |
| Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation Inc | Edison, NJ | $12,000,000 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $10,568,707 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Rethink Food NYC Inc | New York, NY | $10,500,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Sky High Farm Inc | Pine Plains, NY | $9,220,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Kansas City Scholars Inc | Kansas City, MO | $8,195,050 | 2025 | Education |
| Food and Water Watch | Washington, DC | $6,450,000 | 2025 | Environment & Animals |
| OASIS | Berkeley, CA | $6,150,000 | 2025 | International, Foreign Affairs |
| The Stanley H Durwood Foundation | Kansas City, MO | $6,145,954 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Curators of the University of Missouri | Columbia, MO | $6,036,730 | 2025 | Education |
| Synergy Services Inc | Parkville, MO | $5,958,584 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Cornerstones of Care | Kansas City, MO | $5,526,579 | 2025 | Human Services |
| UMKC Foundation | Kansas City, MO | $5,291,259 | 2025 | Education |
| Missouri Development Finance Board | Jefferson City, MO | $5,100,000 | 2025 | Arts & Culture |
| St John Paul II Parish | Olathe, KS | $5,003,000 | 2025 | Religion-Related |
| Jewish Communal Fund | New York, NY | $4,200,000 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Berkshire Waldorf High School | Stockbridge, MA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Benedictine College | Atchison, KS | $3,626,100 | 2025 | Education |
| Children's Mercy Hospital | Kansas City, MO | $3,008,228 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Nelson Gallery Foundation | Kansas City, MO | $2,878,340 | 2025 | Arts & Culture |
| SchoolSmart Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | $2,849,692 | 2025 | Education |
| Donnelly College | Kansas City, KS | $2,782,599 | 2025 | Education |
| Church of the Resurrection United Methodist | Leawood, KS | $2,735,753 | 2025 | Religion-Related |
| KC Core | Kansas City, MO | $2,505,000 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Planned Parenthood Great Plains | Overland Park, KS | $2,277,200 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Greater Horizons Trust | Kansas City, MO | $2,178,616 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| United Way of Greater Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | $2,092,555 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $2,032,000 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Center at West Park | New York, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | Arts & Culture |
| Hakubai Temple | Boulder, CO | $2,000,000 | 2025 | Religion-Related |
| Unified Government of Wyandotte CountyKansas City Kansas | Kansas City, KS | $1,883,030 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Rockhurst University | Kansas City, MO | $1,763,257 | 2025 | Education |
| Children's Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) | Kansas City, MO | $1,721,358 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Kansas City Art Institute KCAI | Kansas City, MO | $1,689,374 | 2025 | Education |
| Socially Responsible Agriculture Project | Claymont, DE | $1,661,250 | 2025 | Human Services |
| The Land Institute | Salina, KS | $1,628,500 | 2025 | Environment & Animals |
| Catholic Education Foundation | Kansas City, KS | $1,550,075 | 2025 | Education |
| St Thomas Aquinas High School | Overland Park, KS | $1,530,689 | 2025 | Education |
| Philadelphia Orchestra Association | Philadelphia, PA | $1,500,000 | 2025 | Arts & Culture |
| Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Northeast Kansas | Overland Park, KS | $1,448,740 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Salvation Army Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | $1,425,605 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Music Associates of Aspen Inc | Aspen, CO | $1,390,000 | 2025 | Arts & Culture |
| Core Influencer Institute Inc | Kansas City, MO | $1,362,600 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
| Kansas State University Foundation | Manhattan, KS | $1,359,132 | 2025 | Education |
| Harvesters - The Community Food Network | Kansas City, MO | $1,323,758 | 2025 | Human Services |
| YMCA of the Rockies | Estes Park, CO | $1,319,289 | 2025 | Human Services |
| The Global Orphan Project Inc | Kansas City, MO | $1,303,300 | 2025 | International, Foreign Affairs |
| Cure of Ars Church | Leawood, KS | $1,170,632 | 2025 | Religion-Related |
| Welcome House Inc | Kansas City, MO | $1,166,418 | 2025 | Health, Medicine & Science |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | Cincinnati, OH | $1,146,508 | 2025 | Public, Societal Benefit |
Kansas University Endowment Association
$24,830,665Education
Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation Inc
$12,000,000Health, Medicine & Science
Johns Hopkins University
$10,568,707Health, Medicine & Science
Rethink Food NYC Inc
$10,500,000Human Services
Sky High Farm Inc
$9,220,000Human Services
Kansas City Scholars Inc
$8,195,050Education
Food and Water Watch
$6,450,000Environment & Animals
OASIS
$6,150,000International, Foreign Affairs
The Stanley H Durwood Foundation
$6,145,954Public, Societal Benefit
Curators of the University of Missouri
$6,036,730Education
Synergy Services Inc
$5,958,584Human Services
Cornerstones of Care
$5,526,579Human Services
UMKC Foundation
$5,291,259Education
Missouri Development Finance Board
$5,100,000Arts & Culture
St John Paul II Parish
$5,003,000Religion-Related
Jewish Communal Fund
$4,200,000Public, Societal Benefit
Berkshire Waldorf High School
$4,000,000Education
Benedictine College
$3,626,100Education
Children's Mercy Hospital
$3,008,228Health, Medicine & Science
Nelson Gallery Foundation
$2,878,340Arts & Culture
SchoolSmart Kansas City
$2,849,692Education
Donnelly College
$2,782,599Education
Church of the Resurrection United Methodist
$2,735,753Religion-Related
KC Core
$2,505,000Public, Societal Benefit
Planned Parenthood Great Plains
$2,277,200Health, Medicine & Science
Greater Horizons Trust
$2,178,616Public, Societal Benefit
United Way of Greater Kansas City
$2,092,555Public, Societal Benefit
Mayo Clinic
$2,032,000Health, Medicine & Science
Center at West Park
$2,000,000Arts & Culture
Hakubai Temple
$2,000,000Religion-Related
Unified Government of Wyandotte CountyKansas City Kansas
$1,883,030Public, Societal Benefit
Rockhurst University
$1,763,257Education
Children's Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI)
$1,721,358Human Services
Kansas City Art Institute KCAI
$1,689,374Education
Socially Responsible Agriculture Project
$1,661,250Human Services
The Land Institute
$1,628,500Environment & Animals
Catholic Education Foundation
$1,550,075Education
St Thomas Aquinas High School
$1,530,689Education
Philadelphia Orchestra Association
$1,500,000Arts & Culture
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Northeast Kansas
$1,448,740Human Services
Salvation Army Kansas City
$1,425,605Human Services
Music Associates of Aspen Inc
$1,390,000Arts & Culture
Core Influencer Institute Inc
$1,362,600Public, Societal Benefit
Kansas State University Foundation
$1,359,132Education
Harvesters - The Community Food Network
$1,323,758Human Services
YMCA of the Rockies
$1,319,289Human Services
The Global Orphan Project Inc
$1,303,300International, Foreign Affairs
Cure of Ars Church
$1,170,632Religion-Related
Welcome House Inc
$1,166,418Health, Medicine & Science
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund
$1,146,508Public, Societal Benefit
Current and upcoming funding from Greater Kansas City Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations in the Greater Kansas City area that serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The fund is issuing a call for information and invitations are extended through its process.
Who can apply: Eligibility depends on the specific grant opportunity and may include nonprofits serving defined populations or geographies.
Deadline: Varies by opportunity.
Who can apply: Eligible organizations address housing stability by preventing housing loss and stabilizing households in crisis, supporting pathways to quality attainable housing, and providing housing support and workforce preparation.
Deadline: Application deadline: Thursday, July 2, 2026, 5 p.m. Central.
Who can apply: Organizations must have a mission statement focused on assisting individuals experiencing homelessness or those at imminent risk of becoming homeless, distribute assistance to eligible individuals residing in Kansas City, Missouri and/or Jackson County, Missouri, and use a shared data reporting system.
Deadline: Application available Monday, July 13, 2026; application deadline Monday, August 17, 2026.
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