Wichita Foundation
The Wichita Foundation is a public charity based in Wichita, Kansas. Founded in 1986, it describes itself as a place-based grantmaker and philanthropic advisor, using charitable contributions to support donor-directed and unrestricted gifts, strategic initiatives, scholarships, loan programs, and other charitable interests, primarily in or for the benefit of Wichita and southcentral Kansas.
Wichita Foundation at a glance
In short: Wichita Foundation gave $6.8M across 151 grants in 2025 (avg $45K), mostly in Kansas. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,772,392
- -10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 151
- -9.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $44,850
- -1.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $112,154,248
- +5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (29 of 150, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Kansas (90% 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 Wichita Foundation
- Review Cycle
- WF Emergency Fund applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The Wichita Wagonmasters Fund application opening date of October 15, 2025, has passed.
- Deadline
- WF Emergency Fund applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Contact
Mailing address: 303 S Broadway Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202
Phone: (316) 264-4880
Website: https://wichitafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Wichita Foundation
Dr. George & Jeanne Tiller Fund Grant
Wichita Foundation
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
George R. Tiller, M.D. Memorial Fund for the Advancement of Women’s Health
Wichita Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
WF Emergency Fund Grant
Wichita Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Wichita Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was USD 259 - Wichita Public Schools - Controller ($661K). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($237,645), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
709 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 557 grants of 709 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated mission prioritizes Wichita and southcentral Kansas. In 2025, 90% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Kansas; the largest awards listed were primarily to Wichita-area organizations. The Foundation also describes its emergency assistance as serving nonprofits in Wichita and Sedgwick County.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 151 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wichita Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 29 of 150 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $23K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.7M (2019) to $7.6M (2024). In 2025 it made 151 grants totaling $6.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| USD 259 - Wichita Public Schools - Controller Wichita, KS | Fy 2025 Education Edge Disbursements | $661,181 |
| Orpheum Performing Arts Centre Ltd Wichita, KS | The Second Century Campaign, General Purposes | $395,000 |
| ICT SOS Wichita, KS | Ict sos support group childcare, support of our place campaign, training for development director. | $361,000 |
| Wichita Art Museum Wichita, KS | General purposes, wam art access fund, lindsay pollock lecture, the wam education department | $325,622 |
| Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation Topeka, KS | The Kind Programthe, Kansas Mission of Mercy | $203,652 |
| Catholic Diocese of Wichita Wichita, KS | One Family Fully Alive in Christ! | $197,500 |
| Kansas Leadership Center Wichita, KS | Lion Sustainability Conferencesecond, FY2024 Documenters | $193,700 |
| 2 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $237,645 |
| Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County Wichita, KS | General purposes, open doors capital campaign, for comfort care closet / buddy bear project | $167,680 |
| Tiny News Collective Inc Philadelphia, PA | Lion sustainability conference, wichita info challenge newsroom support, travel reimbursement - wichita info challenge strategic planning | $142,962 |
Ready to take the next step with Wichita Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 grant total covers 151 grants. Grant dollars by recipient state were reported as 90% Kansas, 2% Pennsylvania, 2% District of Columbia, 1% Missouri, and 1% South Carolina.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $112,154,248 | $12,351,835 | $9,158,281 | $6,772,392 | 151 | $5,854,083 |
| 2024 | $106,224,025 | $8,004,919 | $9,578,805 | $7,577,679 | 167 | $4,738,143 |
| 2023 | $102,240,100 | $10,248,362 | $7,534,035 | $5,406,820 | 131 | $2,727,842 |
| 2022 | $95,625,869 | $13,064,414 | $7,205,725 | $5,495,694 | 145 | $4,008,473 |
| 2021 | $105,813,749 | $9,971,569 | $6,776,376 | $5,070,009 | 115 | $2,822,766 |
| 2020 | $87,206,605 | $9,425,153 | $7,434,276 | $5,270,761 | 142 | $2,070,611 |
| 2019 | $87,158,416 | $12,221,170 | $5,634,638 | $3,709,896 | 95 | $2,250,448 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to receive and administer property exclusively for charitable purposes, primarily in or for the benefit of the Wichita, Kansas, and southcentral Kansas communities, and to distribute it to qualified charitable organizations or for charitable purposes.
Its current Fund for Wichita focus areas are Press Forward Wichita, Upward Mobility, and Nonprofit Elevation. The Foundation also describes its work as helping nonprofits become sustainable, experiment with new ideas, and increase their impact.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate a range of work. Orpheum Performing Arts Centre says its mission is to provide diverse performing arts opportunities in a nationally recognized historic venue. ICT SOS says it works to end human trafficking through prevention and awareness education, survivor advocacy, and connecting service professionals with community members. The Wichita Art Museum describes its mission as caring for and displaying its art collection. The Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County says it works to eliminate the suffering of abused children and coordinate services. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 151 grants totaling $6,772,392. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $661,181, with a median of $20,000. Among the largest awards were $661,181 to USD 259 – Wichita Public Schools for FY 2025 Education Edge disbursements; $395,000 to Orpheum Performing Arts Centre for its Second Century Campaign and general purposes; and $361,000 to ICT SOS for childcare, its Our Place campaign, and development-director training.
Other substantial 2025 grants included $325,622 to Wichita Art Museum, $203,652 to Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation, and $193,700 to Kansas Leadership Center. The Foundation’s website describes four grant types: competitive rounds for fund holders upon request, monthly fund-holder grants based on donor recommendations, emergency grants, and Fund for Wichita grants tied to strategic initiatives.
The WF Emergency Fund provides immediate relief to nonprofit organizations in Wichita and Sedgwick County. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and assessed weekly; funding sources are limited. The website says applicants for the listed grants must be in good standing with the Kansas Secretary of State and generally be qualifying 501(c)(3) public charities or eligible emerging nonprofits. Emergency funding is not available for basic operations, payroll, lost revenue from planned fundraisers, or capital improvements. A separate George R. Tiller, M.D. Memorial Fund seeks requests from nonprofits serving Kansas for reproductive health and services for women in need.
Applications are submitted through the Foundation’s grant portal. Organizations that received a Foundation grant are eligible to reapply annually unless otherwise notified. Review and disbursement timelines are provided in the relevant opportunity’s portal summary. For grants from the discretionary grant pool, the Foundation requires a written progress report within 12 months of the award; its filing says formal reports are not generally required for grants made outside that pool.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Foundation’s 2025 filing lists Amy Williams as board chair, Cindy McSwain as chair elect, Mike Ramsey as treasurer, LaShonda Garnes as secretary, and Debbie Gann as past chair. It also lists Antoine Agnew, Tammy Allen, Bree Cox, Margaret DeChant, and Pat Gearhart as board members.
Wichita Foundation is led by Shelly Prichard, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 2 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shelly Prichard
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$174K (2019) → $240K (2025)
Amy Williams
Board Chair
Board Member → Chair Elect, 2024
Chair Elect → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Courtney Bengtson
Chief Strategy Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$103K (2023) → $132K (2025)
Debbie Gann
Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2022
Chair → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Nastars
Board Member
Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Dechant
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Ramsey
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Lavender
Board Member
Board Member → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Allen
Board Member
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy McSwain
Chair Elect
Board Member → Chair Elect, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronn McMahon
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Antoine Agnew
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lashonda Garnes
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Swedlund
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Lovelady
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bree Cox
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Hill
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pat Gearhart
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Harder
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Gloria Farha-Flentje (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Cox (2019–2024) — Past Chair
- Former: Todd Ramsey (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Dan Peare (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Don Sherman (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Hector Cortez (2019–2023) — Former Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Bill Pickert (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Taben Azad (2023) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Clark Bastian (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Paul Allen (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Suzie Ahlstrand (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Sylvia Orozco-Do (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Wayne Chambers (2019–2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Yolanda Camarena (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Hale Ritchie (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Fluhr (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Tom Triplett (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Gary Gamm (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Lynn Oliver (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Tami Bradley (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $240K, to Shelly Prichard (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wichita Foundation
How much does Wichita Foundation give each year?
Wichita Foundation gave $6.8M across 151 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $7.6M across 167 grants.
What is Wichita Foundation's typical grant size?
Wichita Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $44,850, across 151 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wichita Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Wichita Foundation give grants?
Wichita Foundation gives mostly in Kansas: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wichita, KS (108 grants), Topeka, KS (5 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Wickenburg, AZ (2 grants).
Does Wichita Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 56% of Wichita Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (84 of 151) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Wichita Foundation's largest grantees?
Wichita Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include USD 259 - Wichita Public Schools - Controller ($661,181), Orpheum Performing Arts Centre Ltd ($395,000) and ICT SOS ($361,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($237,645), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wichita Foundation?
Wichita Foundation reported $112.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $12.4M.
What does Wichita Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to receive and administer property exclusively for charitable purposes, primarily in or for the benefit of the Wichita, Kansas, and southcentral Kansas communities, and to distribute it to qualified charitable organizations or for charitable purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wichita Foundation?
Wichita Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wichitafoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Wichita Foundation's EIN?
Wichita Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 48-1022361. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 2, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wichita Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wichita Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wichita-foundation-morg_2b612f4ce4b547afa8fde00140afdbaa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_481022361_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wichita Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wichita-foundation-morg_2b612f4ce4b547afa8fde00140afdbaa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Wichita 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.
Wichita Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?