The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri at 4801 Rockhill Road. Established in 1966 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on expanding access to opportunity through grantmaking and direct operating programs. The foundation's work is grounded in the founder's commitment to Kansas City and his aspirations for the community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$95.0M
+4.5% YoY
Grant Count
364
-9.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$261K
+16.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to help individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success. The foundation identifies opportunities where its people, ideas, and capital can benefit society in significant and measurable ways, develops innovative research-based programs leading to practical sustainable solutions, treats the Kansas City region as a program incubator where new approaches can be tested before national dissemination, and partners with others to leverage resources while avoiding dependency.
The foundation's work is grounded in principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Strategic Priorities:
- College access and completion
- Workforce and career development
- Entrepreneurship
Focus Areas:
- Education
- Research & Innovation
- Economic Development
Grantmaking
The foundation's grantmaking philosophy is shaped by research, community-informed feedback, and the founder's legacy. It operates within a four-pillar framework of proximity to community, getting uncomfortable, achieving impact, and creating hope.
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation works in Kansas City, the surrounding states of Missouri and Kansas, and shares learnings nationally. Primary grantmaking focuses on Missouri, Kansas, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $2.45 billion (2024)
- $2.737 billion (2022)
- $1.795 billion (2013)
Annual Giving & Revenue:
- Total revenues: $196.86 million (2024)
- Annual giving: $125.128 million (2022)
- 2024 revenue: $197 million
Expenses:
- Total expenses: $154.53 million (2024)
- 2024 expenses: $155 million
Staffing:
- Approximately 100-103 employees (2024)
| 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
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
Rolling / Open
Kauffman Foundation: Capacity Building Grant
EWING MARION KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION
Amount
US $100,000 - US $250,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Kauffman Foundation: Collective Impact Grant - Planning
EWING MARION KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $500,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace serves as President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.
Kristin Bechard is listed as a key contact for the organization.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRISTIN BECHARD | TREASURER | 40 | $412,700 |
| MARY SUSAN CHAMBERS | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| MATT CONDON | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| KAREN DANIEL | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| ESTHER GEORGE | TRUSTEE, CHAIR | 12 | $100,000 |
| DEANGELA BURNS WALLACE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $729,167 |
| CARLOS RANGEL | TRUSTEE | 8 | — |
| ANITA NEWTON | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| EARL MARTIN PHALEN | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| MIRIAM RIVERA | TRUSTEE | 8 | $15,000 |
| PAUL SCHOFER | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| JOHN E TYLER III | GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY | 40 | $534,434 |
| CARMEN TAPIO | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
| MAURICE WATSON | TRUSTEE | 8 | $60,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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