Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The an individual recipient Kauffman Foundation is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, Missouri. It supports work to close economic mobility gaps through research-informed grantmaking, research and evaluation, and operating programs, with a focus on college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship.
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation at a glance
In short: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation gave $95.0M across 364 grants in 2024 (avg $261K), mostly in Missouri. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $95,048,595
- +4.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 364
- -9.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $261,123
- +16.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $2,451,963,935
- +1.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (48 of 294, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing directs applicants to submit requests through its online grants management portal. Applicants are asked to review the foundation’s strategic direction and funding guidelines; grant amounts vary by project scope and organizational size. The filing says that since August 2024 proposals require deadlines, consistent information, and defined funding limits. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Next open deadline
- October 30, 2026 (Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Sponsorship Grant)
- Contact
Application contact: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Mailing address: 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110
Phone: (816) 932-1000
Website: https://kauffman.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Sponsorship Grant
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Amount
US $1,000 - US $10,000
Deadline
Expected ~October
Based on past cycles
Kauffman Foundation: Capacity Building Grant
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Amount
US $100,000 - US $250,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Kauffman Foundation: Collective Impact Grant - Planning
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Amount
Up to US $500,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Great Jobs KC ($30.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $56.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($7,821,956), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,491 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 998 grants of 2,491 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated goal is to close economic mobility gaps in an individual recipient In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri, 6% to Kansas, 3% to the District of Columbia, and 1% each to Illinois and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 364 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 48 of 294 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $843K; repeat grants $222K. How we count
Medians: $80K first-time, $80K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $79.0M (2020) to $124.1M (2021). In 2024 it made 364 grants totaling $95.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Great Jobs KC Kansas City, MO | Support the establishment of the Kansas city talent network to provide more opportunities for adults in the Kansas city metro to obtain credentials and secure related employment in high-demand industries. 202207-12771 | $20,475,583 |
| Great Jobs KC Kansas City, MO | Support for scholarships, financial incentives and services to promote college savings for low- and modest-income students and adults needing support to pursue and complete a postsecondary credential or degree. 201607-0836 | $9,634,064 |
| School Smart KC Inc Kansas City, MO | Provide support to close the academic performance gap between students attending district and charter schools within the boundaries of Kansas city public schools and the performance of all districts in Missouri. 202206-12579 | $5,000,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $7,543,396 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Kansas City, MO | Support for matching funds for 501(c)(3) organizations, universities, and government agencies applying for federal grants to improve economic mobility in our region. 202402-14781 | $3,000,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Kansas City, MO | Support for kauffman foundation match of associate and trustee contributions. 202403-14908 | $3,000,000 |
| Real World Initiatives Kansas City, MO | Support to increase real-world experiences for students facing barriers related to income, and geography, and to increase access to the 2024 prox summer internship program for high school students. 202311-14534 | $2,750,000 |
| The Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia, MO | Support for new and existing entrepreneurship education and resources at the university of Missouri-Kansas city. 202204-12330 | $2,600,000 |
| National League of Cities Institute Washington, DC | Support for the city innovation ecosystems project to implement up to 150 entrepreneurial supportive programs, policies, and practices over two years. 202105-10530 | $2,095,188 |
| Real World Initiatives Kansas City, MO | Support to increase real-world experiences for students facing barriers related to income, and geography, and to increase access to the 2025 prox summer internship program for high school students. 202410-17317 | $2,000,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,451,963,935 | $196,860,585 | $154,533,960 | $95,048,595 | 364 | $136,382,818 | $179,221,345 | $147,531,242 |
| 2023 | $2,409,622,579 | $173,769,242 | $146,022,839 | $90,924,548 | 404 | $129,172,733 | $143,705,938 | $139,857,923 |
| 2022 | $2,382,037,427 | $112,688,316 | $192,849,743 | $120,777,350 | 590 | $181,496,581 | $88,971,777 | $148,518,843 |
| 2021 | $2,462,142,090 | $452,428,747 | $198,109,365 | $124,131,221 | 593 | $172,668,377 | $443,585,197 | $157,910,966 |
| 2020 | $2,207,805,738 | $236,570,819 | $142,970,009 | $78,969,029 | 540 | — | $231,714,982 | $124,767,118 |
| 2018 | $2,009,596,763 | $265,248,883 | $135,057,998 | $79,346,244 | 474 | — | $179,608,442 | $119,492,246 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $147.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to close economic mobility gaps in an individual recipient and advance equitable economic opportunity. Its three strategic priorities are college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship. Its grantmaking approach also emphasizes proximity to community, innovation, impact, and hope.
The foundation directly supports Real World Learning, a Kansas City-area effort to help high school students graduate with a diploma and a “market value asset,” such as an internship, college credit, or industry credential. It also supports entrepreneurship education through 1 Million Cups and Kauffman FastTrac.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for a range of organizations. Great Jobs KC describes its mission as providing college scholarships, tuition-free job training, and job placement assistance for low- to modest-income people in the an individual recipient area. School Smart KC says its mission is to eliminate the achievement gap for an individual recipient students. The Kauffman School describes its mission as preparing students for academic success, college graduation, and economically independent lives. The an individual recipient Community Foundation says it works to improve quality of life in the region through charitable giving, donor education, and leadership on community issues. These are the grantees’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 364 grants totaling $95,048,595. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $20,475,583, with a median of $75,000. Among the largest awards were $20,475,583 and $9,634,064 to Great Jobs KC for a talent network and support for postsecondary credentials; $5 million to School Smart KC to address academic performance gaps; and $4,646,698 to the Kauffman School for continued operations and its lease. Other large awards included $3 million to the an individual recipient Community Foundation for matching funds for regional applicants for federal grants, and $2.75 million to Real World Initiatives to expand students’ access to real-world experiences and summer internships.
The foundation describes Project Grants as multiyear funding of $250,000 or more per year for projects advancing economic mobility in the an individual recipient region. Research grants support projects aligned with its priorities and focus areas; the research opportunity describes an initial letter-of-interest stage, with selected applicants invited to submit a full proposal. Sponsorships support Kansas City-area events that connect people and raise funds for vital programs. The sponsorship information lists awards of $1,000 to $10,000, one request per year, and says current grantees are ineligible; sponsorships are not retroactive or recurring. Its stated 2025 event-application deadline was October 31, 2025, which has passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists DeAngela Burns Wallace as president and CEO; Kristin Bechard as treasurer; and Esther George as trustee and chair. The other trustees listed are Mary Susan Chambers, Matt Condon, Karen Daniel, Carlos Rangel, Anita Newton, Earl Martin Phalen, and Miriam Rivera.
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is led by Deangela Burns Wallace, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 13 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deangela Burns Wallace
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$331K (2023) → $729K (2024)
Esther George
Trustee & Chair
Trustee → Trustee & Chair, 2023
On filings since 2018
12 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $100K (2024)
Earl Martin Phalen
Trustee
On filings since 2018
8 hrs/week
$60K (2018) → $60K (2024)
Mary Susan Chambers
Trustee
Trustee → Trustee & Interim CEO, 2022
Trustee & Interim CEO → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2018
8 hrs/week
$35K (2018) → $60K (2024)
Miriam Rivera
Trustee
On filings since 2018
8 hrs/week
$35K (2018) → $15K (2024)
Matt Condon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$60K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Anita Newton
Trustee
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $60K (2024)
Karen Daniel
Trustee
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $60K (2024)
Paul Schofer
Trustee
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$60K (2021) → $60K (2024)
Carmen Tapio
Trustee
On filings since 2023
8 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $60K (2024)
Maurice Watson
Trustee
On filings since 2023
8 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $60K (2024)
Carlos Rangel
Trustee
On filings since 2023
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John E. Tyler III
General Counsel & Secretary
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$439K (2018) → $534K (2024)
Kristin Bechard
Treasurer
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$316K (2018) → $413K (2024)
Former officers (8)
- Former: Wendy Guillies (2018–2023) — Former President & Former CEO
- Former: Barbara Mowry (2018–2022) — Trustee
- Former: John Sherman (2018–2022) — Trustee & Chair
- Former: Jeannine Strandjord (2018–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Julia Kauffman (2018–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Michael Schultz (2018–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Janice Kreamer (2018–2020) — Trustee & Former Chair
- Former: Michael Stolper (2018) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $729K, to Deangela Burns Wallace (President & CEO). 13 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
How much does Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation give each year?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation gave $95.0M across 364 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $90.9M across 404 grants.
What is Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's typical grant size?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $75,000, and its average grant was $261,123, across 364 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation that year got $843K on average.
Where does Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation give grants?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kansas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (194 grants), Kansas City, KS (19 grants), Washington, DC (18 grants) and Columbia, MO (11 grants).
Does Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 26% of Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (93 of 364) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's largest grantees?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Great Jobs KC ($30,109,647 across 2 grants), Greater Kansas City Community Foundation ($6,029,700 across 4 grants) and Real World Initiatives ($5,124,138 across 4 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($7,821,956), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation reported $2.5B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $136.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $147.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to close economic mobility gaps in an individual recipient and advance equitable economic opportunity. Its three strategic priorities are college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation?
The foundation’s filing directs applicants to submit requests through its online grants management portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's EIN?
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-6064859. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS November 15, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2018–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ewing-marion-kauffman-foundation-morg_05c2afcffdb64c2cb034abeb53e9ba37
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_436064859_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ewing-marion-kauffman-foundation-morg_05c2afcffdb64c2cb034abeb53e9ba37},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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