The Stowers Foundation is a private family foundation based in Leawood, Kansas. Established in 2011, the foundation provides financial support to qualified charitable organizations, with a particular emphasis on the Stowers Institute for Medical Research's public outreach, education, and communication programs.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$204.0M
+129.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.8M
+10.0% YoY
Grant Count
27
+22.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$253K
-10.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Stowers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide financial support to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research for public outreach, education, and communication, as well as to provide support to other qualified charitable organizations. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Health and medical research
- Diseases and conditions
- Community and economic development
- Education and communication programs
- Women's economic development initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is invitation-only, with financial support provided to programs approved in advance by the trustees in their absolute discretion.
Grant Range
$10,000 to $1.25 million
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates primarily in three states:
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Missouri
Funded cities include Denver, Kansas City, Overland Park, Parkville, and Prairie Village.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $88.9 million
- Total revenue: $6.3 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $6.5 million (2024)
- Expense ratio: 103.4%
Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $61.1 million in 2011 to $88.9 million in 2024.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $204,045,463 | $88,857,548 | $81,781,932 |
| Revenue | $122,427,069 | $6,332,848 | $9,290,357 |
| Expenses | $7,640,558 | $6,547,724 | $5,740,130 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,863,831 | $6,231,534 | $5,455,103 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,134,572 | $6,141,658 | $9,139,171 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,281,198 | $4,118,277 | $3,910,340 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Stowers Institute for Medical Research ($1,027,770), Operation Breakthrough ($1,000,000), Vpkjl Fund ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL KANSAS CITY, MO | KIDS FIRST PEDIATRIC GENOMIC PROJECT | $500,000 |
| ELEVATE METRO KANSAS CITY OVERLAND PARK, KS | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $25,000 |
| FIRST CALL KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATIONS-CIVIC. | $175,000 |
| GORDON PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL. | $450,000 |
| HIGGINS BROTHERS SUGICENTER FOR HOPE FUND KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND SECURITY SERVICES FOR CAMPUS | $50,000 |
| HIGGINS BROTHERS SUGICENTER FOR HOPE FUND KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| KANSAS MISSOURI MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH KANSAS CITY, MO | GIFT TO ENDOWMENT IN HONOR OF SISTERS BERTA AND CORITA | $1,000,000 |
| OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR PURCHASE OF NEW BUILDING & FUNDING OF GENERAL OPERATIONS. | $133,103 |
| ROSE BROOKS KANSAS CITY, MO | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATIONS | $300,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by four trustees, all serving without compensation:
- Linda Stowers – Trustee
- Wendy B. Marvin – Trustee (Principal Officer)
- Kathleen Stowers Potter – Trustee
- James E. Stowers III – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDA STOWERS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| WENDY B MARVIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| KATHLEEN STOWERS POTTER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JAMES E STOWERS III | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to support the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, with significant funding directed toward the institute's communication and outreach activities. The foundation maintains active grantmaking focused on health, medical research, and community development initiatives across its geographic service areas.
Five Stowers researchers\u2026 | Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Stowers Foundation fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is to provide financial support to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research for public outreach, education, and communication, as well as to provide support to other qualified charitable organizations. Primary funding focus areas include: • Health and medical research • Diseases and conditions • Community and economic development • Education and communication programs • Women's economic development initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from The Stowers Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: Approximately $6.2 million • Number of grants: 22 grants awarded in 2024 • Grant range: $10,000 to $1.25 million • Median grant size: $225,000 to $250,000 • Giving rate: 7.0-7.3% of assets **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is invitation-only, with financial support provided to programs approved in advance by the trustees in their absolute discretion. **Recent Grants:** Notable grants include $1,233,0…
Where does The Stowers Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates primarily in three states: • Colorado • Kansas • Missouri Funded cities include Denver, Kansas City, Overland Park, Parkville, and Prairie Village.
What size grants does The Stowers Foundation award?
In 2025, The Stowers Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $6.8M — an average of about $253K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Stowers Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Stowers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Stowers Foundation's EIN?
The Stowers Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 32-6176805. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Stowers 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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