Commerce Bancshares Foundation

KANSAS CITY, MO EIN: 44-6012453

The Commerce Bancshares Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 1952 and incorporated in Missouri. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, it operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation affiliated with Commerce Bancshares, a Missouri-based bank with approximately 340 locations across multiple states. The foundation supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations that benefit residents and communities served by Commerce Bank.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$2.0M

+6.6% YoY

Grant Count

645

-3.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3K

+10.3% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports organizations involved with:

Arts and culture
Education
Health
Human services
Civic affairs

The foundation's grantmaking reflects a broad social responsibility agenda that involves building strong communities, investing in a sustainable future, and supporting diverse perspectives.

Grantmaking

Applicants must provide documentation of charitable status under IRC 501(c)(3). The foundation does not appear to maintain a formal website for grant applications, though interested organizations are encouraged to contact the foundation or a local Commerce Bank branch to discuss potential fit.

Grant Range

s:**

Average Grant

$2,700–$3,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations in states where Commerce Bank operates, with emphasis on the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. Primary funding regions include:

Missouri
Kansas
Illinois
Oklahoma
Colorado
Florida
California
Maryland
South Dakota
Texas
Washington

Approximately 91% of grants support organizations in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, though grantmaking reaches organizations across 20 states.

Grant Distribution by State

Missouri $430K (63%)

Illinois $97K (14%)

Kansas $85K (12%)

Texas $30K (4%)

Colorado $18K (3%)

Oklahoma $14K (2%)

Ohio $8K (1%)

Oregon $3K (0%)

+13 more states

States

Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Iowa Illinois Indiana Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan Missouri North Carolina New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Tennessee Texas Virginia

Cities

ADRIANALEXANDRIAALTONANKENYARNOLDATLANTAAURORABALLWINBASEHORBATON ROUGEBAXTER SPRINGSBELLEVILLEBELTONBENTONVILLEBLOOMINGTONBLOWING ROCKBLUE SPRINGSBOLIVARBOULDERBRENTWOOD

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total assets: $30.3 million
Total revenues: $1.24 million
Total expenses: $2.07 million
Total liabilities: $165,000

Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $1.1 million in 2011 to approximately $35 million by 2024.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Artists Reenvisioning Tomorrow Dba Art Inc ($25,000), Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills Association ($25,000), Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-normal ($6,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
A RED CIRCLE ST LOUIS, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$2,000
A TURNING POINT MINISTRY INC GLADSTONE, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$1,000
A PLUS FOR MEXICO EDUCATION INC MEXICO, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$500
ABILITY RESOURCES TULSA, OK	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$2,500
ACCESS ACADEMIES ST LOUIS, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$1,000
AFTER THE HARVEST KANSAS CITY, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$500
ALLIANCE AGAINST FAMILY VIOLENCE INCORPORATED LEAVENWORTH, KS	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$500
ALLIED ARTS OF OKLAHOMA INC OKLAHOMA CITY, OK	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$2,500
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC (HIGH PLAINS DIVISION - ST LOUIS MO OFFICE) ST LOUIS, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$5,000
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INC ST LOUIS, MO	USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR TRUSTEES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR OPERATING THEIR ORGANIZATION	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Jonathan M. Kemper – President
Charles G. Kim – Vice President/Treasurer/Director
Carrie A. Stewart – Trustee
Charlotte L. Kemper Black – Vice President/COO/Director
Thomas J. Noack – Secretary
Elizabeth Radtke – Contact person

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
CHARLES G KIM	VP/TREAS/DIR	0.2	—
CHARLOTTE L KEMPER BLACK	VP/COO/DIR	0.2	—
DANIEL J ADAMS	ASSISTANT SECRETARY	0.2	—
MARGARET M ROWE	SECRETARY	0.2	—
JOHN W KEMPER	PRESIDENT/DIR	0.2	—
KEVIN BARTH	DIRECTOR	0.2	—
ROBERT S HOLMES	DIRECTOR	0.2	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

Commerce Bank announced a $200,000 donation to area libraries in celebration of National Library Week, demonstrating the foundation's ongoing commitment to community institutions and public access to resources.

Commerce Bank Celebrates National Library Week With a $200,000 Donation\

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Commerce Bancshares Foundation fund?

The foundation supports organizations involved with: • Arts and culture • Education • Health • Human services • Civic affairs The foundation's grantmaking reflects a broad social responsibility agenda that involves building strong communities, investing in a sustainable future, and supporting diverse perspectives.

How do I apply for a grant from Commerce Bancshares Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 718 grants in 2023 • Historical grantmaking totals approximately 2,285 grants • Total giving in recent years: approximately $1.6 million to $2.3 million annually **Grant Sizes:** • Smallest grant: $100 • Median grant: $1,000 • Average grant: $2,700–$3,000 • Largest grant: $59,000 **Application Process:** Applicants must provide documentation of charitable status under IRC 501(c)(3). The foundation does not appear to maintain a formal website for grant applications, th…

Where does Commerce Bancshares Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports organizations in states where Commerce Bank operates, with emphasis on the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. Primary funding regions include: • Missouri • Kansas • Illinois • Oklahoma • Colorado • Florida • California • Maryland • South Dakota • Texas • Washington Approximately 91% of grants support organizations in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois, though grantmaking reaches organizations across 20 states.

What size grants does Commerce Bancshares Foundation award?

In 2024, Commerce Bancshares Foundation awarded 645 grants totaling $2.0M — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Commerce Bancshares Foundation's EIN?

Commerce Bancshares Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 44-6012453. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.