Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education (FIRE Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 1997, the foundation provides funding and resources to Catholic schools to support inclusive learning environments where students with special needs are educated alongside their typically developing peers.
Key facts about Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
- EIN
- 43-1771385
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,092,251
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- Average grant
- $39,009
- Median grant
- $35,240
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (7 of 28, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,667,871
- Primary geography
- Missouri (77% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Next open deadline
- January 1, 2027 (FIRE Grants - Catholic School and Parish Leadership)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc's 28 itemized 2025 grants were Missouri (77%) and Indiana (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (12 grants) and Lees Summit, MO (3 grants). None of its 28 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Is Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 28 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $40K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.7M
-14.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+44.9% YoY
Grant Count
28
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
+8.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation guides the development of affiliates and provides funding and resources to Catholic schools to support inclusive learning. FIRE works with individuals and groups across the country, sharing its model of inclusion support and advocacy.
Primary funding areas include:
- Hiring paraprofessionals and special educators
- Acquiring essential learning technology
- Offering professional development for educators
- Making Catholic schools accessible to students with disabilities
Grantmaking
FIRE provided financial grants totaling over $735,000 for the 2023-24 academic year to assist 14 Catholic schools within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Grants assist with the costs of salaries for special education teachers, para-educators, resources, technology, and professional development for educators.
Ready to take the next step with Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding focus is on Catholic schools within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The foundation is expanding nationally through the development of affiliate foundations in multiple states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 28 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Revenue: $1,303,583
- Total Expenses: $1,431,186
- Total Assets: $1,945,379
- Net Income: -$127,603
- Number of Employees: 5
Revenue Breakdown (FY2024):
- Contributions: 81.8% of total revenue
- Program Services: 9.5%
- Investment Income: 3.9%
- Sales of Assets: 0.4%
Notable Expenses:
- Executive Compensation: 7.2% of total expenses
- Other Salaries and Wages: 11.9%
- Professional Fundraising Fees: 0.9%
Tax-Exempt Status: July 1997
Address: 20 W 9th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,667,871 | $1,945,379 | $1,963,761 |
| Revenue | $1,382,514 | $1,303,583 | $2,297,196 |
| Expenses | $1,684,936 | $1,431,186 | $1,234,203 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $59,054 | $55,429 | $15,516 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
FIRE Grants - Catholic School and Parish Leadership
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
January 1, 2027
Heart of FIRE Scholarship - Student Scholarships
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
Amount
$10,000 (total awarded annually)
Deadline
March 23, 2027
Teacher Scholarships
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Speech & Language Solutions LLC ($103,415), St Elizabeth Elementary School ($72,000), St Michael the Archangel ($70,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Speech & Language Solutions LLC Lees Summit, MO | Covering Speech and Occupational therapy for students with special needs in participating schools | $103,415 |
| St Elizabeth Elementary School Kansas City, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $72,000 |
| St Michael the Archangel Lees Summit, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $70,000 |
| St Peter's School Kansas City, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $67,000 |
| St Therese School Kansas City, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $67,000 |
| Visitation Grade School Kansas City, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $61,000 |
| Our Lady of the Presentation Lees Summit, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $59,000 |
| University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $58,600 |
| Nativity of Mary School Independence, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $45,000 |
| Our Lady of Hope Kansas City, MO | To support inclusive education for children with special needs | $45,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Maura Nulton is listed as a contact person for the organization. Peggy VanDyke served as board president as of 2012.
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc is led by Lynn Hire, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 23 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynn Hire
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$69K (2019) → $89K (2025)
Erin Neuburger
President
Board Member → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Molly Fisher
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Buffy Gunter
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gretchen Vosburgh
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2019
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Stasi
Vice President
Board Member → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katheigh Degen
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marie Kissick
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Ungashick
Board Member
Board Member → President, 2020
President → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Madden
Board Member
Vice President → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Switzer
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Rieger
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Gaughan
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Still
Vice President
Board Member → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Madden
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Courtney Root
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peggy Van Dyke
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Kroh
Board Member - Executive Officio
Board Member → Board Member - Executive Officio, 2024
On filings since 2023
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Kammerer
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Van Dyke
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karl Barron
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maribeth Joyce
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Whittaker
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: John Joyce (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Ryan Underwood (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Francie Knackendoffel (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica James (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Stuckey (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Clare McClaren (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Parrish (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Todd DeMint (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Carol Caron (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Adriana Martinez (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Erin Duba (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Lindsey Anderson (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Pat Fanning (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Peggy VanDyke (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Dan Peters (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Debbie Whittaker (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: John Tyner (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Michele Markey (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Caitlin Kaczmarczyk (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
As of the 2023-24 academic year, FIRE Foundation supports 14 Catholic schools within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, including 12 grade schools (St. Elizabeth, St. Peter's, St. Therese, St. Regis Academy, St. Patrick, Visitation, Our Lady of Hope, Holy Cross, Nativity of Mary, Our Lady of the Presentation, St. Thomas More, and Borromeo Academy) and two high schools (St. Pius X and St. Michael the Archangel).
The foundation continues to expand its model nationally through the development of affiliate foundations across multiple states.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc fund?
The foundation guides the development of affiliates and provides funding and resources to Catholic schools to support inclusive learning. FIRE works with individuals and groups across the country, sharing its model of inclusion support and advocacy. Primary funding areas include: • Hiring paraprofessionals and special educators • Acquiring essential learning technology • Offering professional development for educators • Making Catholic schools accessible to students with disabilities
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc?
FIRE provided financial grants totaling over $735,000 for the 2023-24 academic year to assist 14 Catholic schools within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Grants assist with the costs of salaries for special education teachers, para-educators, resources, technology, and professional development for educators. The foundation is guiding the development and growth of affiliate organizations including FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa, FIRE Foundation of New Hampshire, FIRE Foundation of Centr…
Where does Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc make grants?
Primary funding focus is on Catholic schools within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The foundation is expanding nationally through the development of affiliate foundations in multiple states.
What size grants does Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc award?
In 2025, Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc awarded 28 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc's EIN?
Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1771385. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Foundation for Inclusive Religious Education Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.