Foundations & Grantmakers in Missouri
5,697 grantmakers in Missouri reported grants on their latest 990s. The 1,779 that made at least 5 grants gave $2.6B. The largest by giving are Greater Horizons, Washington University and Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Missouri grants
Foundation giving in Missouri at a glance
Active grantmakers
5,697
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$2.6B
from the 1,779 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$19K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$53K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Missouri by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater Horizons | Kansas City | $212.2M | 3,282 |
| 2 | Washington University | Saint Louis | $120.7M | 359 |
| 3 | Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation | Kansas City | $95.0M | 364 |
| 4 | Stanley M Herzog Charitable Foundation | Smithville | $68.3M | 71 |
| 5 | St Louis Community Foundation Inc | St Louis | $63.9M | 839 |
| 6 | The Patterson Family Foundation | Kansas City | $57.4M | 262 |
| 7 | The Crawford Taylor Foundation | St Louis | $53.6M | 49 |
| 8 | The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish | St Louis | $53.4M | 35 |
| 9 | Saint Lukes East Hospital | Lees Summit | $49.4M | 6 |
| 10 | United Way of Greater St Louis Inc | Saint Louis | $47.8M | 294 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 5 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 270 · 34%
- Human Services 105 · 13%
- Health 88 · 11%
- Religion Related 54 · 7%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 50 · 6%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 37 · 5%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (35% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Missouri
- St Louis Community Foundation Inc $63.9M · 839 grants
- Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc $21.4M · 477 grants
- Youthbridge Community Foundation $19.7M · 135 grants
- St Louis Community Foundation $6.6M · 228 grants
- Truman Heartland Community Foundation $4.3M · 116 grants
- A J Schwartze Community Foundation $2.5M · 72 grants
- Boone Electric Community Trust $246K · 24 grants
- Livingston County Community Foundation $122K · 21 grants
Showing the largest 8 of 9 with at least 10 grants.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Missouri
Foundations based in Missouri whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frank C and Georgia M Bentley | 90% (108) | 120 in 2025 | $2K |
| 2 | Entrepreneur Startup Business | 79% (19) | 24 in 2024 | $82K |
| 3 | Magellan Cares Foundation Inc | 74% (29) | 39 in 2024 | $4K |
| 4 | McInnes S and J Char Tr | 74% (17) | 23 in 2025 | $21K |
| 5 | Forvis Mazars Foundation | 73% (132) | 182 in 2025 | $11K |
| 6 | Bass Pro Shops & Cabelas Outdoor Fund | 70% (85) | 122 in 2024 | $50K |
| 7 | Paz Family Foundation | 70% (32) | 46 in 2024 | $10K |
| 8 | Larry P O'Reilly and Family Foundation | 67% (53) | 79 in 2025 | $7K |
| 9 | The E Walter Hausstette Charitable | 66% (21) | 32 in 2024 | $5K |
| 10 | MHM Support Services | 65% (32) | 49 in 2025 | $24K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 1,779 grantmakers in Missouri with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Greater Horizons
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
3,282
Total Given
$212.2M
Washington University
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$22.3B
Grants
359
Total Given
$120.7M
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City, MO
Assets
—
Grants
364
Total Given
$95.0M
Stanley M Herzog Charitable Foundation
Smithville, MO
Assets
$285.0M
Grants
71
Total Given
$68.3M
St Louis Community Foundation Inc
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$494.4M
Grants
839
Total Given
$63.9M
The Patterson Family Foundation
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
262
Total Given
$57.4M
The Crawford Taylor Foundation
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$772.2M
Grants
49
Total Given
$53.6M
The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$927.6M
Grants
35
Total Given
$53.4M
Saint Lukes East Hospital
Lees Summit, MO
Assets
$623.3M
Grants
6
Total Given
$49.4M
United Way of Greater St Louis Inc
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$122.5M
Grants
294
Total Given
$47.8M
Presence Central and Suburban Hospitals Network
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$161.2M
Grants
10
Total Given
$42.7M
Ozarks Food Harvest Inc
Springfield, MO
Assets
$18.0M
Grants
141
Total Given
$40.0M
Centene Foundation
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$195.0M
Grants
155
Total Given
$39.4M
St Vincent Hospital Foundation Inc
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$191.4M
Grants
10
Total Given
$38.2M
Louis L & Adelaide C Ward Foundation
Kansas City, MO
Assets
—
Grants
7
Total Given
$33.2M
St Louis Children's Hospital Foundation
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$631.7M
Grants
6
Total Given
$32.8M
Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$55.6M
Grants
14
Total Given
$32.7M
James S McDonnell Foundation
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$457.5M
Grants
82
Total Given
$30.1M
Area Resources for Community
St. Louis, MO
Assets
$11.7M
Grants
47
Total Given
$28.0M
Alvin Goldfarb Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$290.8M
Grants
11
Total Given
$27.9M
Jackson County Community Children's
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$30.5M
Grants
252
Total Given
$27.4M
Leonard & Beryl Buck Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
57
Total Given
$27.1M
Health Forward Foundation
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$944.7M
Grants
169
Total Given
$26.4M
Johnson Robert K Foundation-Main
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$70.4M
Grants
7
Total Given
$25.5M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Missouri
What are the largest foundations in Missouri?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Greater Horizons ($212.2M across 3,282 grants), Washington University ($120.7M) and Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation ($95.0M). Together the top 10 account for 32% of the $2.6B given by the 1,779 grantmakers in Missouri that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Missouri?
The typical grant is about $19K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $53K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Missouri?
Yes. We found 9 community foundations in Missouri with grant activity. The largest by giving are St Louis Community Foundation Inc, Community Foundation of the Ozarks Inc and Youthbridge Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Missouri foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Missouri from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.