The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation awarded Project grants to 27 organizations that have the potential to close economic mobility gaps in the Kansas City region. Project grants represent more than $32 million in total funding being dispersed during the next three years.
Project grants allow organizations to pilot new ideas, scale proven models, and create momentum around programs that support long-term community transformation.
— Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace
President & CEO
The inaugural round of funding is part of the new grantmaking strategy rolled out by the Foundation last spring. This funding was highly competitive with more than 250 organizations applying for the funding and 25% advancing from the Letter of Interest (LOI) stage to the full application stage; ultimately, 10% of those were selected for funding. Those that advanced are especially focused on unique approaches to advancing economic mobility in Kansas City.
“This funding acknowledges the importance of bold, strategic efforts,” said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. “Project grants allow organizations to pilot new ideas, scale proven models, and create momentum around programs that support long-term community transformation. They serve as catalytic investments – fueling innovation, fostering collaboration, and amplifying the impact of initiatives that are deeply rooted in the needs and strengths of the communities they serve.”
Project grant opportunities are designed to drive impact around equitable economic mobility. Funded organizations are expected to design and implement or scale a multiyear project in alignment with the Foundation’s strategic priorities, focusing on scaling existing approaches in the Kansas City region or launching new approaches that have a strong research basis or success in peer cities.
“What inspires me most about these organizations is their relentless commitment to innovation and equity,” said Allison Greenwood Bajracharya, chief impact and strategy officer of the Kauffman Foundation. “Rather than being defined by the challenges Kansas City faces, they’re defining what is possible – building on the brilliance and resilience already present in our communities to create lasting, transformative change.”
Rather than being defined by the challenges Kansas City faces, [these grantees] are defining what is possible – building on the brilliance and resilience already present in our communities to create lasting, transformative change.
— Allison Greenwood Bajracharya
Chief Impact and Strategy Officer
Meet all of the Project grantees
Organizations & Descriptions
Support for a workforce and career development project to establish mechanisms and forums to connect workforce and training providers in the skilled trades industry in the KC region.
A workforce and career development project, funding for the Civil Society Fellowship helps emerging KC leaders build civil discourse skills through connection and cultural exchange and includes a 2026 convening in Kansas City.
Support for workforce and career development project to create and maintain a hub on Documenters.org, automated uploads of public meeting data, and training for local editorial staff across newsrooms to use the data collected.
Support for an entrepreneurship project to create a Small Contractor Loan Program for small contracting companies in Wyandotte County to access for KC fellows.
Support for an intermediary to strengthen nonprofits driving economic mobility in the KC region by providing grants, technical assistance, and/or fiscal sponsorship.
ConnectED: National Center for College and Career
Support for a college access and completion project to design, pilot, codify, and scale programmatic best practices in partnership with North KC Schools, ensuring equitable access to high-quality college and career learning.
Credit & Homeownership Empowerment Services
Support for an entrepreneurship project to expand Porterhouse KC’s 811 retail incubator program by providing wraparound accounting, legal, and mentorship services to participants to reach unmet demand.
Support for a workforce and career development project supporting expansion of the Economic Empowerment program serving digital literacy, GED classes, and business support.
Generating Income for Tomorrow
Support for an entrepreneurship project to expand and provide technical assistance to support 33% more east side Kansas City business owners than currently served.
Support for a workforce and career development project to sustain and expand Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) programs.
Support for a college access and completion project to expand the Kansas State College Advising Corps program to 12 KC area schools.
Keystone Community Corporation
Support for an entrepreneurship project to implement and scale programming based on national best-practices that removes barriers for underrepresented groups and works to reduce fragmentation within the innovation-led startup ecosystem.
The Metropolitan Community College Foundation
Support for a workforce and career development project to launch a Diesel Technology Degree in the Fall of 2026 and ensure the ability to anticipate and respond to the needs of all automotive programs.
Support for an entrepreneurship project to support expansion of the existing Excel Adult High School program, focused on library patrons interested in starting businesses and those interested in pursuing better career options.
Support for a workforce and career development project for scaling and expanding youth career and entrepreneurship programs for young people coming from underprivileged backgrounds.
Support for an entrepreneurship project to expand a new national model that will increase the number of employee-owned businesses and create wealth for employees across the nation with potential for impact in KC.
Support for a workforce and career development project to provide nationally recognized IT skills training, professional development, and employment support to students in the KC region.
Support for a college access and completion project to expand its youth global education, international travel, entrepreneurship, and STEM learning to the Kansas City Public Schools.
Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity
Support for an entrepreneurship project that will give construction entrepreneurs a pathway to economic mobility by improving access to work on public construction contracts.
Support for a college access and completion project seeking to increase the post-secondary readiness of a focus cohort of approximately 1,000 students entering four KCKPS middle schools next year through their eleventh-grade year.
University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc.
Support for a workforce and career development project to elevate a university-community partnership model providing career readiness technology education for justice-impacted women in the greater Kansas City area.
Support for a college access and completion project to support the development of community-led nursing pathways through a unique 1-year bachelor of nursing program for RNs who do not currently hold bachelor of nursing degrees.
Support for a college access and completion project to prepare youth ages 14-18 with career skills through ACT WorkKeys Assessments and programming.
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