The Patterson Family Foundation
The Patterson Family Foundation is a private family-led foundation based in Kansas City, Missouri, dedicated to strengthening rural communities. Founded in 2007 by Neal and Jeanne Patterson, the foundation significantly expanded its endowment following the couple's deaths in 2017, transforming it into one of the largest private foundations in the Midwest. The foundation extends the legacy of Neal Patterson, co-founder and longtime CEO of Cerner Corporation, and Jeanne Patterson, an early Cerner employee who also founded First Hand Foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.5B
+9.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$57.4M
+11.9% YoY
Grant Count
262
-13.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$219K
+28.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Patterson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $70.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: "Working together to help rural communities thrive."
The foundation operates through four interconnected strategic priorities:
Economic Opportunity — Rural communities have resilient economies that offer diverse and stable career opportunities for all residents. The foundation supports efforts to grow and retain talent, attract former and new residents, and invest in opportunities that strengthen and diversify local and regional economies.
Education — All students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for future success. The foundation recognizes that a strong education system is foundational to thriving communities.
Healthcare — The foundation supports access to quality healthcare services in rural areas.
Community Development — The foundation works with local leaders, businesses, and organizations to invest in areas that matter most to rural communities.
Grantmaking
The foundation primarily funds 501(c)(3) organizations serving rural communities in its geographic focus area.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
amount varies by funding cycle
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Patterson Family Foundation is geographically focused on assisting Kansas and western Missouri counties with fewer than 50,000 residents. The foundation serves rural or rural-serving organizations within this defined region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving:
- Total assets: $1.4 - $1.527 billion
- Annual giving: $51.3 - $57.4 million
- Total revenue (2023): $211 million
- Total expenses (2023): $63.2 million
- Total liabilities (2023): $970
Tax Status:
- Designated as 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since July 2021
- EIN: 37-6714807
- Latest IRS Form 990-PF filing: Tax Year 2024 (published December 2025)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,527,300,170 | $1,394,530,238 | $1,246,549,158 |
| Revenue | $206,307,740 | $211,204,262 | $14,332,622 |
| Expenses | $73,537,366 | $63,224,152 | $37,755,392 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $120,756,315 | $53,344,144 | $32,655,777 |
| Net Investment Income | $55,786,558 | $26,013,992 | $11,206,471 |
| Distributable Amount | $70,820,126 | $65,608,967 | $63,303,484 |
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
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Eisenhower Foundation ($2,000,000), Avila University ($1,000,000), Dane G Hansen Foundation ($780,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABILENE CHILDCARE LEARNING CENTER INC ABILENE, KS | RURAL CHILD CARE PROGRAM GRANT | $175,000 |
| AGRICULTURE FUTURE OF AMERICA KANSAS CITY, MO | HOME COMMUNITY EVENT SPONSORSHIP | $27,500 |
| ALLEN COUNTY EMS IOLA, KS | RURAL EMS PROGRAM GRANT | $162,430 |
| ALTAMONTMOUNT PLEASANT FIRE DEPARTMENT ALTAMONT, KS | RURAL EMS 2024 PROGRAM GRANT | $4,600 |
| AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE KANSAS CITY, MO | HOME COMMUNITY RESPONSIVE OPERATIONAL GRANT | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN ROYAL ASSOCIATION KANSAS CITY, MO | LEGACY SPONSORSHIP GRANT | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN ROYAL ASSOCIATION KANSAS CITY, MO | 2024 JUNIOR PREMIUM LIVESTOCK AUCTION | $354,500 |
| ANDERSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE GARNETT, KS | RURAL EMS PROGRAM GRANT | $194,450 |
| ANDREW COUNTY AMBULANCE DISTRICT SAVANNAH, MO | RURAL EMS PROGRAM GRANT | $199,052 |
| ATCHISON CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION ATCHISON, KS | RURAL CHILD CARE PROGRAM GRANT | $150,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Executive Leadership:
- Lindsey Patterson Smith — Secretary, Board Chair (32 hours/week)
- Kevin Prine — President, CEO, Secretary (40 hours/week; $233,000 annual compensation)
- Clay Patterson — Director (2 hours/week)
- Cortney Patterson Barton — Secretary (2 hours/week)
- William Patterson — Director (2 hours/week)
- Maureen Evans — Treasurer (1 hour/week)
Staff Leadership:
- Jessica Hunt — Vice President, Chief Impact Officer (40 hours/week; $154,000 annual compensation)
- April Martin — Chief Strategist (40 hours/week; $126,000 annual compensation)
- Maria Flynn — President, CEO (40 hours/week; $92,000 annual compensation)
- Amy — Senior Program Officer, Healthcare
- Emily — Program Officer
- Kelsey McManamie-Stines — Program Officer ($93,000 annual compensation)
- Denise Schuele — Program Officer ($82,000 annual compensation)
- Qadir Fazli — Salesforce Administrator (40 hours/week; $104,000 annual compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDSEY PATTERSON SMITH | SECRETARY, BOARD CHAIR | 32 | — |
| KEVIN PRINE | PRESIDENT, CEO, SECRETARY | 40 | $232,769 |
| CLAY PATTERSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CORTNEY PATTERSON BARTON | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| WILLIAM PATTERSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MAUREEN EVANS | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARIA FLYNN | PRESIDENT, CEO | 40 | $91,851 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**RKAP Rural Workforce Expansion:** The foundation awarded $381,000 to RKAP to expand rural workforce development initiatives.
RKAP awarded $381,000 grant from Patterson Family Foundation to expand rural**Fort Hays Tech Support:** The Patterson Family Foundation awarded $750,000 to Fort Hays Tech to support North Central's new construction programs.
RKAP awarded $381,000 grant from Patterson Family Foundation to expand rural**University of the Virgin Islands Scholarships:** The foundation awarded $75,000 to fund scholarships for University of the Virgin Islands students.
RKAP awarded $381,000 grant from Patterson Family Foundation to expand ruralSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Patterson Family Foundation fund?
**Mission:** "Working together to help rural communities thrive." The foundation operates through four interconnected strategic priorities: **Economic Opportunity** — Rural communities have resilient economies that offer diverse and stable career opportunities for all residents. The foundation supports efforts to grow and retain talent, attract former and new residents, and invest in opportunities that strengthen and diversify local and regional economies. **Education** — All students receive a…
How do I apply for a grant from The Patterson Family Foundation?
**Grant Types:** • Program Grants: Support individual programs with measurable outcomes • Operations Grants: Build organizational capacity for long-term sustainability • Equipment Grants: Provide tools and resources organizations need to operate effectively **Grant Sizes:** • Median grant: $94,000 • Grant range: $25,000 - $7,200,000 • Average grant amount varies by funding cycle **Recent Activity:** • 301 grants awarded in 2023 (record high) • 262 grants in 2024 • Total giving: $51.3 million - …
Where does The Patterson Family Foundation make grants?
The Patterson Family Foundation is geographically focused on assisting **Kansas and western Missouri counties with fewer than 50,000 residents**. The foundation serves rural or rural-serving organizations within this defined region.
What size grants does The Patterson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Patterson Family Foundation awarded 262 grants totaling $57.4M — an average of about $219K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Patterson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Patterson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $70.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Patterson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Patterson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-6714807. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Patterson 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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