The Debruce Foundation
The DeBruce Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Established in 1988 by Kansas City business and civic leader Paul DeBruce, the foundation operates as a philanthropy organization focused on expanding economic opportunity and career pathways. The foundation is supported by DeBruce Companies, a private investment firm managing a diverse portfolio of private equity and other asset-class investments across biotechnology, energy, manufacturing, technology, and real estate.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$225K
-20.7% YoY
Grant Count
22
-31.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+15.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The DeBruce Foundation's mission is to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity. The foundation pursues this mission by:
- Changing how people pursue careers through the Agilities.org Resource Center, which helps individuals unlock their potential to find new career pathways
- Working with employers and agencies to identify workforce gaps and highlight industries and fields in need of talented individuals for high-demand, well-paying jobs
- Providing career literacy resources that help individuals understand and apply their strengths
- Addressing workforce gap solutions through tools and strategies to improve career pursuit
The foundation is not currently accepting grant requests or solicitations, instead working strategically with partners to broaden career exposure and experiences for youth and individuals across the lifespan.
Grantmaking
Recent grants made by the foundation include:
Grant Range
of $5,000 and an average grant size of $22,200.
Average Grant
of $22,200.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Missouri, Kansas, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 Financial Data (Form 990-PF):
- Total Assets: $13,984,910
- Total Revenue: $4,774,245
- Total Expenses: $6,201,811
- Net Income: -$1,427,566
- Total Liabilities: $145,000
The foundation employs 28 people, with staff distributed across departments including marketing, consulting, education, design, research, and administration.
| 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
164 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Umkc ($100,000), Kansas City Repertory Theatre ($20,000), Friends of Boca Grande ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AWESOME AMBITIONS KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE BOCA GRANDE, FL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| GICIA BOCA GRANDE, FL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $4,000 |
| JAZZOO - KANSAS CITY ZOO KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS BUREAUAJC FAIRWAY, KS | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| KANSAS CITY BALLET GUILD KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $500 |
| KANSAS CITY FRIENDS OF ALVIN AILEY KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATRE KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $20,000 |
| KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| KEMPER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul DeBruce — Founder and Trustee
- Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight — Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer
- Robin Smith — Senior Research Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL E DEBRUCE | PRESIDENT & CEO | 1 | — |
| LEO MORTON | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DAVID FRANTZE | SECRETARY & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| LEIGH ANNE TAYLOR KNIGHT | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COO | 1 | $268,601 |
| LINDA WOODSMALL-DEBRUCE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LOU SMITH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In January 2026, the foundation highlighted National Mentorship Month and the importance of strong networks in expanding career pathways. The foundation released new videos on "Building Strong Networks to Launch Your Career" and "Advancing Your Career with Strong Networks."
Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Awards $8.4 Million Grant to the CommunityThe foundation's Empowering Careers Podcast has returned with host Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, featuring conversations about career empowerment and economic mobility.
Grant to help students identify majors, careers - The DeBruce FoundationThe foundation maintains the Mission Momentum Dashboard, an interactive tool highlighting current progress and reach, and released a 2023 Mission Report documenting initiatives and partnerships that advanced economic mobility and career exploration from 2018-2022.
Grant to help students identify majors, careers - The DeBruce FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Debruce Foundation fund?
The DeBruce Foundation's mission is to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity. The foundation pursues this mission by: • **Changing how people pursue careers** through the Agilities.org Resource Center, which helps individuals unlock their potential to find new career pathways • **Working with employers and agencies** to identify workforce gaps and highlight industries and fields in need of talented individuals for high-demand, well-paying jobs • **Providing career literacy resource…
How do I apply for a grant from The Debruce Foundation?
Recent grants made by the foundation include: • Kansas City Repertory Theatre: $20,000 (General Charitable Purposes, 2024) • Friends of Boca Grande Community Center: $10,000 (General Charitable Purposes, 2024) • UMKC Trustees: $10,000 (General Charitable Purposes, 2024) Based on 2024 financial data, the foundation made total grants of $225,000. Historical giving patterns show typical awards in the $200–$250,000 range, with a median grant size of $5,000 and an average grant size of $22,200.
Where does The Debruce Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Missouri, Kansas, and Florida.
What size grants does The Debruce Foundation award?
In 2024, The Debruce Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $225K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Debruce Foundation's EIN?
The Debruce Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1484142. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Debruce Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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