The Francis Family Foundation
The Francis Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1989 through the merger of two earlier foundations dating back to 1951. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the foundation was founded by Parker B. Francis, creator of the Puritan-Bennett Company. With over $93 million in assets, the foundation distributes approximately $5.5 million annually through grants supporting education, arts, culture, and medical research.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.8M
+10.1% YoY
Grant Count
174
+11.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
-1.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation operates three primary grant programs:
- Parker B. Francis Fellowship for Pulmonary Research — National fellowships supporting pulmonary research
- Small Arts Grants Program — Supporting arts and culture in the Kansas City area
- Lifelong Learning Initiatives — Focusing on early childhood education in the Kansas City area
Additional funding priorities include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
Notable 2023 grants included:
Grant Range
$1,000 – $301,000
Review Cycle
October)
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Arts & Education: Kansas City metropolitan area
- Pulmonary Research: National scope
- Primary funding states: Missouri, Kansas, and California
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Annual Giving:
- Total assets: $93,133,097 (2024)
- Total assets: $94,751,446 (2023)
- Total giving: $4,781,502 (2024)
- Annual grants: $5,704,887 (2023)
Revenue (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $2,231,513
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $3,366,032
- Miscellaneous revenues: $911,222
- Total revenues: $6,508,767
Expenses (2023):
- Total expenses: $5,603,106
| 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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Francis Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Friends of the Zoo ($105,000), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ($75,000), Duke University School of Medicine ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADHOC GROUP AGAINST CRIME KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| ALLEGRO CHOIRS OF KANSAS CITY BONNER SPRINGS, KS | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| ALLIANCE FRANCAISE OF KANSAS CITY PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| ANDERSON RANCH ARTS FOUNDATION SNOWMASS VILLAGE, CO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $55,000 |
| ARPAN FOUNDATION INCORPORATED DIAMOND BAR, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ART AS MENTORSHIP KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $8,500 |
| ART IN THE LOOP FOUNDATION KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| ARTS ASYLUM KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $7,000 |
| ARTS ENGAGEMENT FOUNDATION OF KANSAS CITY KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ARTS IN PRISON OVERLAND PARK, KS | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by three Francis family members, each championing distinct focus areas. The foundation transitioned from a community board to a family board in 2022. The foundation employs 2 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID V FRANCIS | BOARD MEMBER / CHAIR | 1 | — |
| J SCOTT FRANCIS | BOARD MEMBER / VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| ANN F BARHOUM | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JAMES BERNARD JR | ASSISTANT SECRETARY (NON-VOTING) | 1 | — |
| J MICHAEL SIGLER | TREASURER (NON-VOTING) | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 800 West 47th Street, Suite 717 Kansas City, Missouri 64112
Website: https://francisfoundation.org/
Phone: (816) 531-0077
Email: shari@francisfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Francis Family Foundation fund?
The foundation operates three primary grant programs: • **Parker B. Francis Fellowship for Pulmonary Research** — National fellowships supporting pulmonary research • **Small Arts Grants Program** — Supporting arts and culture in the Kansas City area • **Lifelong Learning Initiatives** — Focusing on early childhood education in the Kansas City area Additional funding priorities include Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
How do I apply for a grant from The Francis Family Foundation?
**Grant Amounts & Types:** • Grant range: $1,000 – $301,000 • Average annual giving: $5.5 million (2023) • Total grants distributed in 2023: 284 grants **Specific Programs:** • Parker B. Francis Fellowship: $225,000 over 3 years for pulmonary research (national scope, application deadline October) • Small Arts Grants Program: $1,000 – $10,000 for Kansas City area organizations **Application Process:** • Decision time: 2–3 months for Small Arts Grants • Contact: Shari (Grants Program Manager) • …
Where does The Francis Family Foundation make grants?
• **Arts & Education:** Kansas City metropolitan area • **Pulmonary Research:** National scope • Primary funding states: Missouri, Kansas, and California
What size grants does The Francis Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Francis Family Foundation awarded 174 grants totaling $4.8M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Francis Family Foundation's EIN?
The Francis Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1492132. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Francis Family 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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