The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
The Kansas Rural Communities, also known as the Kansas Rural Communities Foundation, is a public charity based in Wamego, Kansas. It provides a way for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to support community needs, and it funds charitable organizations and scholarship programs.
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation gave $1.1M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $106K), mostly in Kansas. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,062,906
- +32.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $106,291
- +32.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $33,611
- Total assets
- $2,765,986
- +6.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kansas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Scholarship eligibility details are provided for the listed programs.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 396, Wamego, KS 66547
Phone: (785) 456-8444
Website: https://thekrcf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
BP Royalty Scholarship Fund
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Chris Little Award
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Edward Phillips Memorial Scholarship
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
Amount
Approx. $1,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New Boston Creative Group LLC ($706K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 72 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it serves rural communities throughout Kansas. Its 2025 filing shows that all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Kansas. The Walter Byers Scholarship is available to eligible students from Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, Jackson, or Nemaha counties; the Kaw Valley State Bank Employee Scholarship names Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties and Clifton-Clyde High School.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $178K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $49K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $257K (2020) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Boston Creative Group LLC Manhattan, KS | Service Fees & Reimb | $706,048 |
| Hirepaths Wamego, KS | Service Fees | $89,440 |
| City of Waterville Waterville, KS | Improvements | $74,915 |
| City of Eskridge Eskridge, KS | Park Improvements | $48,951 |
| City of Delia Delia, KS | Improvements | $36,324 |
| Backroad Gals Wamego, KS | Medical Expenses | $30,898 |
| Wabaunsee County Historical Society Alma, KS | Maint Expenses | $24,980 |
| Wabunsee County Fair Association Alma, KS | Fairground Maint. | $20,776 |
| Paxico Blues Fest Paxico, KS | Band Talent | $16,003 |
| De Soto Arts Council De Soto, KS | Reimb Expenses | $14,571 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,765,986 | $1,763,879 | $1,604,554 | $1,062,906 | 10 | $240,979 |
| 2024 | $2,609,314 | $1,328,660 | $1,187,154 | $801,609 | 10 | $128,364 |
| 2023 | $2,453,167 | $1,303,156 | $934,558 | $706,866 | 13 | $34,316 |
| 2022 | $1,907,982 | $891,699 | $1,011,982 | $725,410 | 13 | $48,785 |
| 2021 | $2,370,367 | $865,297 | $1,096,685 | $877,262 | 26 | $162,703 |
| 2020 | $2,565,529 | $793,770 | $464,524 | $257,377 | 9 | $39,265 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to enrich the quality of life in Kansas communities, build awareness of community needs and opportunities, and provide a vehicle for charitable giving. It also states that it solicits funds, educates potential donors about giving, and seeks professional management of perpetually endowed funds.
Its 2025 filing says grants are made to exempt and charitable organizations in furtherance of their exempt purposes, at the discretion of the board. Recent grant purposes include city improvements and park improvements, medical expenses, historical-society maintenance, fairground maintenance, and band talent. The Wabaunsee County Historical Society, a 2025 recipient, describes its own mission as preserving the history of Wabaunsee County for county residents and museum visitors.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $1,062,906. The median grant was $33,611; awards ranged from $14,571 to $706,048. The largest grants included $706,048 to New Boston Creative Group LLC for service fees and reimbursement, $89,440 to HirePaths for service fees, and $74,915 to the City of Waterville for improvements. Other recipients included the City of Eskridge ($48,951 for park improvements), the City of Delia ($36,324 for improvements), and the Wabaunsee County Historical Society ($24,980 for maintenance expenses).
The foundation also lists scholarship programs, including the Walter Byers Scholarship, the Edward Phillips Memorial Scholarship, and the Kaw Valley State Bank Employee Scholarship. The Walter Byers Scholarship is for eligible high school seniors from specified Kansas counties and may be renewed if the recipient maintains the required GPA. The Edward Phillips scholarship is intended for non-traditional students facing challenges, while the Kaw Valley State Bank Employee Scholarship is for eligible seniors from named schools. These are scholarships for individuals, not grants to outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Devin Weis as president and Kayla Savage as vice president; Nicole Vestal as treasurer; Brenda Meseke, Sarah Keatley, Mary Alice Phillips, and Kristen Brighton as directors; and Courtney Kramer, Audrey Williams, and Tegan Kreider as executive directors during specified portions of the year. The foundation’s website identifies Tegan Kreider as executive director.
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation is led by Audrey Williams, Executive Director April Thr since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 3 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Audrey Williams
Executive Director April Thr
Executive Director → Executive Director April Thr, 2025
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$4K (2021) → $7K (2025)
Courtney Kramer
Executive Director Jan
New on the 2025 filing
20 hrs/week
$7K (2025)
Tegan Kreider
Executive Director July
New on the 2025 filing
25 hrs/week
$13K (2025)
Devin Weis
President
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Alice Phillips
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Brighton
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Meseke
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Keatley
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kayla Savage
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Vestal
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Chantel Routh (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Kenzie Olejnik (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Robin Dolby (2024) — Director
- Former: Julie Roller (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Robin Blume (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Viven Olsen (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Joe Thomas (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Chantel Routh-Engstrom (2020) — Treasuer
- Former: Doug Hiegert (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $13K, to Tegan Kreider (Ed July Thru). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation
How much does The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation give each year?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation gave $1.1M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $802K across 10 grants.
What is The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $33,611, and its average grant was $106,291, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation give grants?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation gives mostly in Kansas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wamego, KS (2 grants) and Alma, KS (2 grants).
Does The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include New Boston Creative Group LLC ($706,048), Hirepaths ($89,440) and City of Waterville ($74,915), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What does The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to enrich the quality of life in Kansas communities, build awareness of community needs and opportunities, and provide a vehicle for charitable giving. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation?
Scholarship eligibility details are provided for the listed programs. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's EIN?
The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3579294. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kansas-rural-communities-foundation-morg_30430d6f6aea43f18ba5b4bd7b4eb754
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203579294_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kansas Rural Communities Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kansas-rural-communities-foundation-morg_30430d6f6aea43f18ba5b4bd7b4eb754},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Kansas Rural Communities 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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