Sally Ann Firestone Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Kansas City, MO EIN: 43-1330037

The Sally Ann Firestone Foundation is a private foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in community services, education, health care, religion, legal assistance, and the arts.

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation at a glance

In short: Sally Ann Firestone Foundation gave $3.6M across 45 grants in 2025 (avg $79K), mostly in Missouri. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$3,572,965
-45.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
45
+21.6% vs 2024
Average grant
$79,399
-55.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$52,500
Total assets
$2,807,599
+57.1% vs 2024
Primary geography
Missouri (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Sally Ann Firestone Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing lists Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP as the contact and gives the form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as N/A.

Contact

Application contact: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Llp
Mailing address: One Kansas City Place 1200 Main, Street Suite 3800, Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 374-3200

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Sally Ann Firestone Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation: $832KGreater Kansas City CommunityFoundation$832KCrosslines Community Outreach: $263KCrosslines Community Outreach$263KKansas City Academy: $263KKansas City Academy$263KHarvesters: $201KHarvesters$201KRestart: $184KRestart$184KUnited Methodist Committee on Relief of Global Ministries: $118KUnited Methodist Committee onRelief of Global Ministries$118KCraig Hospital: $105KCraig Hospital$105KInspiration Ministries - Walworth: $105KInspiration Ministries -Walworth$105KKansas City PBS: $105KKansas City PBS$105KGarrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary: $79KGarrett-EvangelicalTheological Seminary$79K

The largest 2025 recipient was Greater Kansas City Community Foundation ($832K). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.

Grant Size Distribution

99 grants across all recorded years

48<$50K21$50–100K21$100–250K4$250–500K4$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 99 (48%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri, 12% to Kansas, and 4% each to Illinois, Colorado, and Michigan. The largest grant went to an organization in Kansas City, Missouri.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.

Cities

Kansas CityAtlantaLees SummitOlatheBloomingtonColumbiaDetroitEnglewoodEspanolaEvanstonGreenwood VillageKingsvilleLeawoodPhiladelphiaPittsburgRosevilleTopekaWalworthWashingtonWestlake

How Sally Ann Firestone Foundation gives

  • 71% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 4231% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2M$4M$6M$8M6 grants2020 6 grants2021 6 grants2022 5 grants2023 37 grants2024 45 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $70K (2023) to $6.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 45 grants totaling $3.6M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Kansas City, MOOperations$831,715
Crosslines Community Outreach Kansas City, KSOperations$262,500
Kansas City Academy Kansas City, MOFinancial Aid/Operations$262,500
Harvesters Kansas City, MOOperations$201,250
Restart Kansas City, MOOperations$183,750
United Methodist Committee on Relief of Global Ministries Atlanta, GAOperations$118,125
Craig Hospital Englewood, COOperations$105,000
Inspiration Ministries - Walworth Walworth, WIOperations$105,000
Kansas City PBS Kansas City, MOOperations$105,000
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Evanston, ILOperations$78,750
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$2,807,599$4,605,368$3,602,048$3,572,96545$3,579,247$1,279,864$158,235
2024$1,786,863$7,472,904$6,563,008$6,560,77637$6,561,875$615,354$107,311
2023$876,967$59,834$76,657$70,0005$72,849$56,026$98,639
2022$893,790$68,014$91,528$82,5006$85,965$62,451$98,028
2021$916,500$75,119$93,254$85,0006$87,529$69,394$98,833
2020$934,635$23,862$100,606$95,0006—$44,195$84,624

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sally Ann Firestone Foundation reported a distributable amount of $158K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Cross-Lines Community Outreach says it serves people affected by poverty in the Kansas City area, while RESTART says it provides housing and services to people facing or experiencing homelessness. Legal Aid of Western Missouri describes its mission as improving the lives of people in need through legal assistance. Other recipients include educational institutions, a rehabilitation hospital, and arts organizations.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 45 grants totaling $3,572,965. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $831,715, with a median of $52,500. The largest awards included $831,715 to Greater Kansas City Community Foundation for operations; $262,500 to Cross-Lines Community Outreach for operations; $262,500 to Kansas City Academy for financial aid and operations; $201,250 to Harvesters for operations; and $183,750 to RESTART for operations.

Other reported grants included $70,000 to Legal Aid of Western Missouri, $60,000 to Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, and $52,500 to the American Jazz Museum. The American Jazz Museum describes its mission as celebrating and exhibiting jazz through research, exhibition, education, and performance.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Cathleen Burnett as president; B John Readey as secretary/treasurer; and Wendy Mejia and Betty Tracewell as directors.

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation is led by Cathleen Burnett, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Cathleen Burnett

    President

    Vice President & Director → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Betty Tracewell

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • Wendy Mejia

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • B. John Readey

    Secretary & Treasurer

    Secretary & Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Sally A. Firestone (2020–2022) — President & Director

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.

Frequently asked questions about Sally Ann Firestone Foundation

How much does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation give each year?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation gave $3.6M across 45 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.6M across 37 grants.

What is Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's typical grant size?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $52,500, and its average grant was $79,399, across 45 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation give grants?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kansas (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (20 grants), Kansas City, KS (2 grants) and Olathe, KS (2 grants).

Does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 45 grants with a stated purpose on Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (43 grants).

Who are Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's largest grantees?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Greater Kansas City Community Foundation ($831,715), Crosslines Community Outreach ($262,500) and Kansas City Academy ($262,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Sally Ann Firestone Foundation?

Sally Ann Firestone Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $158K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

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

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

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 2020–2025.

Does Sally Ann Firestone Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Sally Ann Firestone Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sally-ann-firestone-foundation-morg_d00f16b7790c40b69d20442fbdf99c1f

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_431330037_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Sally Ann Firestone Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/sally-ann-firestone-foundation-morg_d00f16b7790c40b69d20442fbdf99c1f},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Sally Ann Firestone Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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