Muriel Mcbrien Kauffman Family
The Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1987 in Missouri by Muriel Irene Kauffman. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since August 1988. The foundation maintains a dedicated staff and is actively engaged in grantmaking to support arts and cultural organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$12.2M
+20.8% YoY
Grant Count
189
+9.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$65K
+10.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support organizations and programs that enhance the quality and accessibility of the arts in the greater Kansas City community. The foundation was established with a vision toward communities in which the arts flourish.
Primary funding focuses on the visual and performing arts, with particular emphasis on:
- Performing arts organizations
- Visual arts institutions
- Arts education programs
- Community arts access initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation provides significant annual funding to major arts institutions including:
Grant Range
$105 to $3,333,333
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the greater Kansas City community, with a concentration on Kansas City, Missouri and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $277,811,556
- Total revenue: $22,748,672
- Total expenses: $15,800,000 (approximately)
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $270,886,855
- Total revenues: $24,450,047
- Total expenses: $13,441,644
Staffing: The foundation employs approximately 7 staff members.
| 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
201 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Muriel Mcbrien Kauffman Family
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Julia Irene Kauffman (Chairman, President and CEO)
- Amy Clark (Chief Operating Officer)
- David Lady (Chief Investment Officer/Director)
- Sharon Blickensderfer (Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer)
- Peter W Brown (Director)
Board Members:
- Alexandra E Moore (Director)
- Cara Z Newell (Director)
- George P Jandl (Director)
- Julia Power Weld (Director)
- Lauren MM LaPointe (Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDRA E MOORE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| AMY CLARK | COO | 32 | $240,174 |
| CARA Z NEWELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| DAVID LADY | CIO/DIRECTOR | 32 | $272,427 |
| GEORGE P JANDL | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| JULIA IRENE KAUFFMAN | CHAIRMAN/CEO | 30 | $463,199 |
| JULIA POWER WELD | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| LAUREN MM LAPOINTE | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| PETER W BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| SHARON BLICKENSDERFER | CFO/TREASURER | 25 | $179,081 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has maintained active grantmaking throughout recent years with consistent support for major Kansas City arts institutions. The foundation pledged $20 million for the UMKC Downtown Arts Campus, demonstrating continued commitment to arts education and cultural infrastructure development.
Saint Luke's Foundation Spirit of Philanthropy Awards 2025The foundation's most significant capital project was the completion of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2011, a 316,000 square-foot complex that includes an 1,800-seat proscenium theater and a 1,600-seat dedicated concert hall. This project represented the full force of the foundation's commitment to Mrs. Kauffman's vision of a world-class performing arts center for Kansas City.
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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