Sally Ann Firestone Foundation

KANSAS CITY, MO EIN: 43-1330037

The Sally Ann Firestone Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1985 and located in Kansas City, Missouri. The foundation was named after Sally Ann Firestone (1947-2024), a prominent Kansas City philanthropist and disability rights advocate who survived the 1981 Hyatt Regency skywalk collapse as a quadriplegic. The foundation operates as a traditional private family foundation with grants awarded through trustee discretion.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$6.6M

+9272.5% YoY

Grant Count

+640.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$177K

+1166.6% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Sally Ann Firestone Foundation focuses on three core funding areas:

Religion: Support for religious institutions and faith-based organizations
Education: Educational initiatives and institutions
Accessibility for Physically Challenged People: Programs and organizations serving individuals with physical disabilities, reflecting Sally Firestone's personal experiences and commitment

Grantmaking

Grant Types

**: The foundation primarily funds operations and financial aid/operations for various grantees

How to Apply

**: The foundation operates with no public application process. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than competitive solicitation.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Kansas City, Missouri area

Grant Distribution by State

Missouri $4.7M (68%)

Kansas $789K (11%)

Illinois $304K (4%)

Colorado $278K (4%)

Georgia $273K (4%)

Wisconsin $203K (3%)

Michigan $121K (2%)

Pennsylvania $101K (1%)

+4 more states

States

Colorado District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Kansas Michigan Missouri New Mexico New York Ohio Pennsylvania Wisconsin

Cities

ATLANTABLOOMINGTONCOLUMBIADETROITENGLEWOODESPANOLAEVANSTONGREENWOOD VILLAGEKANSAS CITYKINGSVILLELEAWOODLEES SUMMITNEW YORKOLATHEOVERLAND PARKPHILADELPHIAPITTSBURGROSEVILLETOPEKAWALWORTH

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total Assets: $876,967
Total Revenues: $59,834
Total Expenses: $76,657
Investment Income and Dividends: $51,756
Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $8,014
Annual Giving: $70,000

Staffing: 0 employees (2023)

IRS Classification: 501(c)(3) private foundation (EIN: 43-1330037)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

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

60 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Greater Kansas City Community Foundation ($1,811,199), Kansas City Academy ($506,250), Crosslines Community Outreach ($506,250).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
FOLLY THEATRE KANSAS CITY, MO	OPERATIONS	$101,250
KANSAS CITY ACADEMY KANSAS CITY, MO	FINANCIAL AID/OPERATIONS	$506,250
AMERICAN JAZZ MUSEUM KANSAS CITY, MO	FINANCIAL AID/OPERATIONS	$101,250
KANSAS CITY PBS KANSAS CITY, MO	OPERATIONS	$101,250
KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO KANSAS CITY, MO	OPERATIONS	$50,625
POWELL GARDENS KINGSVILLE, MO	OPERATIONS	$101,250
UMKC FOUNDATIONJAZZ LEGACY KANSAS CITY, MO	OPERATIONS	$101,250
ABILITY KC KANSAS CITY, MO	OPERATIONS	$50,625
BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF MO TOPEKA, KS	OPERATIONS	$50,625
CRAIG HOSPITAL ENGLEWOOD, CO	OPERATIONS	$202,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Contact: C/o B John Readey, 1200 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-2100

Phone: 816-374-3200 (managed through UMB Bank)

The foundation does not maintain a public website or email contact information.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
CATHLEEN BURNETT	PRESIDENT	—	—
B JOHN READEY	SECRETARY/TREASURER	—	—
WENDY MEJIA	DIRECTOR	—	—
BETTY TRACEWELL	DIRECTOR	—	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation fund?

The Sally Ann Firestone Foundation focuses on three core funding areas: • **Religion**: Support for religious institutions and faith-based organizations • **Education**: Educational initiatives and institutions • **Accessibility for Physically Challenged People**: Programs and organizations serving individuals with physical disabilities, reflecting Sally Firestone's personal experiences and commitment

How do I apply for a grant from Sally Ann Firestone Foundation?

**Application Process**: The foundation operates with no public application process. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than competitive solicitation. **Recent Grant Activity**: • 2023: 5 grants totaling approximately $70,000 • 2022: 6 grants made **Recent Grants (2023)**: • Kansas City Academy: $40,000 (Financial Aid/operations) • Folly Theater: $10,000 (Operations) • Developing Potential (DPI): $7,500 (Operations) **Grant Types**: The foundation primarily funds operations an…

Where does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation make grants?

Kansas City, Missouri area

What size grants does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation award?

In 2024, Sally Ann Firestone Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $6.6M — an average of about $177K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's EIN?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1330037. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.