The Kao Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2004 by Dr. Min H. Kao, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Garmin Ltd. Based in Olathe, Kansas, the foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization designated for religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary purposes. The foundation operates as a family foundation with a strategic approach to philanthropy focused on creating meaningful impact across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$123.0M
+25.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.0M
+220.0% YoY
Grant Count
25
-40.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$520K
+437.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kao Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports charitable, educational, literary, and scientific purposes. Its primary funding priorities include:
- Health and Medical Research: Medical research and healthcare initiatives
- STEM Education: Secondary and higher education programs, particularly in electrical and computer science
- Environmental Sustainability: Sustainable development programs
- Arts and Culture: Performing arts, orchestral music, and cultural preservation
- Humanitarian Causes: Disaster relief and social welfare activities
- Education: General educational programs and initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation operates exclusively through an invitation-only grant model to preselected organizations.
Grant Range
$10,000 to $1,000,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has a national and international focus, with particular emphasis on Missouri, Kansas, and Oregon. The foundation also supports international initiatives, including grants to organizations in Taiwan.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $123,009,527
- Total Revenue: $27,248,139
- Total Expenses: $13,269,208
- Net Income: $13,978,931
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $13,001,297
Staffing: The foundation operates with minimal staff, including 1 full-time employee as of 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $123,009,527 | $98,045,298 | $83,920,555 |
| Revenue | $27,248,139 | $18,457,445 | $4,898,390 |
| Expenses | $13,269,208 | $4,332,702 | $3,711,657 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,208,845 | $4,277,149 | $3,645,357 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,466,642 | $4,190,124 | $3,449,163 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,003,626 | $4,455,710 | $4,060,982 |
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
130 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include National Taiwan University Academic Development Foundation ($7,915,765), Kao Family Education Foundation ($1,055,000), Children's Mercy (for Nick's Voice) ($943,778).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION TEMPE, AZ | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $89,969 |
| CHILDREN'S MERCY (FOR NICK'S VOICE) KANSAS CITY, MO | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $943,778 |
| EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY DAYTONA BEACH, FL | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $203,318 |
| GIRLS EDUCATIONAL AND MENTORING SERVICES (GEMS) NEW YORK, NY | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $150,000 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION AMES, IA | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $93,964 |
| KANSAS CITY BALLET KANSAS CITY, MO | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $8,425 |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY KANSAS CITY, MO | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $48,900 |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION MANHATTAN, KS | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $212,490 |
| KANSAS UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT ASSOC LAWRENCE, KS | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $170,256 |
| KAO FAMILY EDUCATION FOUNDATION OLATHE, KS | ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,055,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Min H. Kao: President (founder)
- Debra Pollard: Secretary, Executive Administrator, and Assistant Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIN H KAO | PRES, DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KENNETH KAO | VP, DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| YU-FAN C KAO | TREAS, DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| JENNIFER KAO | VP, DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| DEBRA K POLLARD | SECRETARY, ASST. TREASURER | 40 | $108,946 |
| NICOLAS GONDA | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ADAM C LEIBSOHN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| LAURIE A MINARD | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Kao Family Foundation fund?
The foundation supports charitable, educational, literary, and scientific purposes. Its primary funding priorities include: • **Health and Medical Research**: Medical research and healthcare initiatives • **STEM Education**: Secondary and higher education programs, particularly in electrical and computer science • **Environmental Sustainability**: Sustainable development programs • **Arts and Culture**: Performing arts, orchestral music, and cultural preservation • **Humanitarian Causes**: Disa…
How do I apply for a grant from Kao Family Foundation?
The foundation operates exclusively through an invitation-only grant model to preselected organizations. **Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $10,000 to $1,000,000 • Median grant size: $49,000 • Annual giving: Approximately $4.1 million (2023) • Grant activity: Made 42 grants in 2023 and 21 grants in 2024 **Recent Major Grants (2024):** • National Taiwan University Academic Development Foundation: $7,915,765 • Kao Family Education Foundation: $1,055,000 • Scleroderma Research Foundation: $…
Where does Kao Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation has a national and international focus, with particular emphasis on Missouri, Kansas, and Oregon. The foundation also supports international initiatives, including grants to organizations in Taiwan.
What size grants does Kao Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Kao Family Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $13.0M — an average of about $520K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Kao Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Kao Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Kao Family Foundation's EIN?
Kao Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2014620. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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