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KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION, EWING MARION

Kauffman Foundation, Ewing Marion

Contact information:

4801 Rockhill Road

Kansas City, MO 64110-2046
Phone: 816-932-1000

Website: http://www.kauffman.org/

Type of foundation: Independent 

Types of grants: Project, planning grants, support for research and conferences, fellowships and scholarships, technical assistance.

Description: The Foundation makes grants in two areas:

  • Education, focusing on advancing student achievement in math, engineering, technology and science; introducing students to entrepreneurship; exploring the future of learning.
  • Entrepreneurship, focusing on understanding the phenomenon of entrepreneurship, advancing entrepreneurship education and training efforts, promoting entrepreneurship-friendly policies and facilitating the commercialization of new technologies by entrepreneurs and others.

The Foundation tries to treat the Kansas City region as a program incubator where feasible, in which new approaches can be tried and tested before being disseminated nationally. The Foundation considers its grants to be investments and looks for a "return on investment."

Sample grants:

  • $546,000 to National Public Radio to support its coverage of small business and entrepreneurship and for a general operating sponsorship (2008).
  • $500,000 to Educational Broadcasting Corporation for The Ascent of Money, a television series on the history of global finance (2008).
  • $425,000 to Minnesota Public Radio for the entrepreneurship desk serving American Public Media's Marketplace suite of programs (2008).
  • $416,000 to National Public Radio to support its coverage of small business and entrepreneurship and for a general operating sponsorship (2009).
  • $352,000 to KCPT-Kansas City Public Television to support science teaching and learning by providing teachers with tools and support to engage students via visual media (2006).
  • $300,000 to Manhattan Institute for Policy Research to support its City Journal magazine (2009).
  • $136,000 to The Washington Monthly to support a special section on Innovative Entrepreneurship (2009).

Fit for public broadcasting: There is a strong fit for public media that specifically covers entrepreneurship and some for support of media addressing education. Most, though not all, media grants are for national-level programs. The Foundation has shown indication of willingness to support broadcast, print and online content. It is essential that projects must closely converge with the Foundation's primary giving areas.

Eligibility: The Foundation supports non-profit organizations nationally. Most education grants go to organizations within the Kansas City metropolitan area. Funding for entrepreneurship efforts is awarded nationally and within the Kansas City area. The Foundation does not fund:

  • Requests from individuals, political, social, or fraternal organizations.
  • Endowments, special events, arts or international programs.
  • Loans, start-up expenses or seed capital funding for private businesses or scholarships requested by individuals.
  • Profit-making enterprises. 

Deadline: None

How to apply: No application forms are required. Interested applicants should carefully review the funding areas and proposal guidelines. The next step is to submit a letter of inquiry of less than three pages, following the instructions in the guidelines. 

Giving range: Varies widely, from a few thousand dollars to several million.

Assets: $1,486,041,461 (2008) 

Total giving: $51,633,985 (2008)

View 2009 Annual Report.