The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable is a private foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in arts and culture, education, public safety, health, animal welfare, and community services.
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable at a glance
In short: The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable gave $216K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Missouri. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $215,745
- -11.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +12.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,705
- -20.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,830
- Total assets
- $5,492,542
- +6.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (6 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (84% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1050 W 54Th Street, Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 994-8600
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Kansas City Zoo ($54K). Together the top 10 received $169K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 113 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing shows that 84% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri, 6% to Minnesota, 5% to Kansas, 4% to Texas, and less than 1% to Florida. Kansas City-area recipients include The Kansas City Zoo, the Police Foundation of Kansas City, and Starlight Theater.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 28 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $183K (2020) to $242K (2023). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $216K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Kansas City Zoo Kansas City, MO | Charitable Donation | $54,250 |
| Police Foundation of Kansas City Kansas City, MO | Charitable Donation | $34,500 |
| Starlight Theater Kansas City, MO | Charitable Donation | $22,600 |
| ALS Association Albert Lea, MN | Charitable Donation | $13,500 |
| Pembroke Hill Kansas City, MO | Charitable Donation | $10,000 |
| Truman Library Institute Independence, MO | Charitable Donation | $9,985 |
| Royals Charities Kansas City, MO | Charitable Donation | $7,850 |
| Power for Parkinson's Austin, TX | Charitable Donation | $6,200 |
| Botar Mission, KS | Charitable Donation | $5,000 |
| St Ann Catholic School Prairie Village, KS | Charitable Donation | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,492,542 | $543,872 | $235,333 | $215,745 | 28 | $223,025 | $538,804 | $239,966 |
| 2023 | $5,184,003 | $450,661 | $267,967 | $242,319 | 25 | $242,319 | $427,281 | $232,967 |
| 2022 | $5,003,030 | $366,050 | $264,627 | $234,189 | 22 | $238,554 | $343,385 | $278,388 |
| 2021 | $4,899,888 | $544,637 | $227,000 | $187,350 | 22 | $191,435 | $523,408 | $230,229 |
| 2020 | $4,582,251 | $827,908 | $202,991 | $183,090 | 16 | — | $827,908 | $205,873 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable reported a distributable amount of $240K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants include support for educational institutions, a theater, a zoo, a police foundation, health organizations, and social-service organizations.
Grantees describe their work in a range of ways. The Police Foundation of Kansas City says it supports the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department by providing money, property, and services. Power for Parkinson’s says it provides free fitness classes, social opportunities, education, and support groups for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners. Wayside Waifs describes its work as caring for pets, supporting the community, and advocating for the benefits of pets. The UMKC Foundation says it supports academic programs and educational opportunities at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Operation Breakthrough describes its work as providing a safe, loving, educational environment for children in poverty and empowering their families.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $215,745. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $54,250, with a median of $4,830. The largest grants included $54,250 to The Kansas City Zoo, $34,500 to the Police Foundation of Kansas City, $22,600 to Starlight Theater, $13,500 to the ALS Association, and $10,000 to Pembroke Hill. The foundation also gave $9,985 to the Truman Library Institute, $7,850 to Royals Charities, and $6,200 to Power for Parkinson’s.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jean D. Wagner and William D. Wagner as trustees.
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jean D. Wagner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William D. Wagner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable
How much does The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable give each year?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable gave $216K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $242K across 25 grants.
What is The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's typical grant size?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $4,830, and its average grant was $7,705, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable give grants?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable gives mostly in Missouri: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (6%) and Kansas (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (18 grants).
Does The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Donation" (28 grants).
Who are The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's largest grantees?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include The Kansas City Zoo ($54,250), Police Foundation of Kansas City ($34,500) and Starlight Theater ($22,600), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable reported $5.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $223K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $240K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for educational institutions, a theater, a zoo, a police foundation, health organizations, and social-service organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's EIN?
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-6125236. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Greater Horizons
Kansas City, MO
Greater Horizons distributes donor-advised fund grants to eligible U.S. charities and institutions across a wide range of causes; international organizations may also be supported after additional due diligence. In 2024, its grants had a median of $15,000, though amounts varied widely. Grants are requested by fund holders, and no general application process for organizations seeking funding is described.
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
3,282
Total Given
$212.2M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Buttonwood Foundation Charitable Tr
Kansas City, MO
Assets
$57K
Grants
169
Total Given
$38K
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Kansas City, MO
The foundation funds college access and completion, workforce and career development, entrepreneurship, and related efforts to improve economic mobility, with a primary focus on Kansas City and support for regional and national work. Its 2024 grants had a median of $75,000; it accepts requests through its online portal and says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$2.5B
Grants
364
Total Given
$95.0M
The Francis Family Foundation
Kansas City, MO
The Francis Family Foundation funds pulmonary, critical care, and sleep-medicine research fellowships at institutions in the U.S. and Canada, as well as arts and culture organizations in the greater Kansas City area. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $300,000, with a median of $7,750; fellowships can provide up to $225,000 over three years.
Assets
$93.1M
Grants
174
Total Given
$4.8M
Commerce Bancshares Foundation
Kansas City, MO
The foundation supports a broad range of charitable organizations and community projects, with 2024 grants typically small (median $1,500) but ranging from $200 to $60,500. Most funding went to Missouri, followed by Kansas and Illinois, with smaller amounts elsewhere; it says applicants should contact the program director and provide proof of 501(c)(3) status, and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$35.0M
Grants
645
Total Given
$2.0M
More similar funders
More Funders in Missouri
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-don-and-jean-wagner-charitable-morg_235c451f8fd5443dbe8471b3dfd7e495
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_266125236_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Don \& Jean Wagner Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-don-and-jean-wagner-charitable-morg_235c451f8fd5443dbe8471b3dfd7e495},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable'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.
The Don & Jean Wagner Charitable down — hundreds of funders to go?