Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation
The Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 1960, it operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving to support community initiatives and institutional development.
Key facts about Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation
- EIN
- 43-1567351
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,144,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- Average grant
- $28,613
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (4 of 37, 2025)
- Total assets
- $24,796,830
- Primary geography
- Missouri (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation's 40 itemized 2025 grants were Missouri (96%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (28 grants), Santa Fe, NM (4 grants), Basalt, CO (2 grants) and Lee Summit, MO (2 grants). None of its 40 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Gift - Operations" (21 grants).
Is Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 37 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 86% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation
- How to evaluate Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.8M
+12.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+0.5% YoY
Grant Count
40
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+5.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Hospitals
- Federated giving programs
- Arts and cultural programs
The foundation primarily funds gift operations, senior center nutrition programs, and education programs.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 60 grants in 2024, totaling $1,138,500 in distributions. Notable recent grants include:
Average Grant
amount varies by year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Missouri, Kansas, and New Mexico, with a particular emphasis on the Kansas City area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 40 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $22,077,062
- Total Giving: $1,138,500
- Total Revenues: $2,128,815
- Total Expenses: $1,336,447
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,796,830 | $22,077,062 | $19,201,362 |
| Revenue | $2,656,082 | $2,128,815 | $1,242,177 |
| Expenses | $1,353,338 | $1,336,447 | $620,630 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,211,801 | $1,205,378 | $508,117 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,882,636 | $1,179,028 | $1,034,661 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,140,743 | $1,015,875 | $869,751 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
234 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Umkc Foundation ($750,000), Boys & Girls Club of Greater KC ($50,000), Operation Breakthrough ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UMKC FOUNDATION Kansas City, MO | GRANT: MILLER NICHOLS LIBRARY 4TH FLOOR RENOVATION | $750,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER KC Kansas City, MO | GIFT - OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH Kansas City, MO | GRANT: IGNITION LAB STUDENTS | $40,000 |
| HIGH ASPIRATIONS Kansas City, MO | GRANT FOR OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY GARDENS Kansas City, MO | GRANT - COMMUNITY PARTNER GARDENS | $30,000 |
| THE SALVATION ARMY Kansas City, MO | GRANT-PATHWAY OF HOPE INITIATIVE | $30,000 |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MIDDLE AMERICA Kansas City, MO | PROGRAMMING & LEARNING EXPERIENCES | $25,000 |
| KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATRE Kansas City, MO | GRANT: 5TH ANNUAL KC REP FOR ALL | $25,000 |
| WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT NETWORK Kansas City, MO | GRANT: 2025-26 PRGM/SERV DELIVERY | $25,000 |
| KANSAS CITY BALLET ASSOCIATION Kansas City, MO | GRANT - 68TH SEASON OPERATIONS | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kay Callison — President/Treasurer (granddaughter of J.C. Nichols)
- Mark Callison — Vice President/Director (grandson of Miller Nichols)
- Terrence Dunn — Director
- Kenneth I Fligg Jr. — Secretary/Counsel
- Deborah White — Board Member
- Jeannette Nichols — Emeritus
Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation is led by Kay Callison, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kay Callison
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
21 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Callison
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terrence Dunn
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deborah White
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth I. Fligg Jr.
Secretary & Council
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David G. Watkins
Secretary & Council
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jeannette Nichols (2020–2024) — Emeritus
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2020, the Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation and the Nichols family publicly endorsed efforts to rename the J.C. Nichols Fountain and Parkway on the Country Club Plaza. Foundation President Kay Callison stated that the family had "a great passion for the Kansas City spirit" and believed the renaming was important "for the greater good of the city we love."
Bobby Nichols-Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation presents more than $1.5 millionFrequently Asked Questions
What does Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Hospitals • Federated giving programs • Arts and cultural programs The foundation primarily funds gift operations, senior center nutrition programs, and education programs.
How do I apply for a grant from Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$750,000 • Median grant amount: $3,800 • Average grant amount varies by year **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 60 grants in 2024, totaling $1,138,500 in distributions. Notable recent grants include: • $750,000 to UMKC Foundation for Miller Nichols Library 4th Floor Renovation (2024) • $40,000 to Operation Breakthrough for Ignition Lab Students (2024) • $25,000 to Kansas City Community Gardens for Community Partner Gardens Sup…
Where does Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Missouri, Kansas, and New Mexico, with a particular emphasis on the Kansas City area.
What size grants does Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation award?
In 2025, Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1567351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.