Search Through Arts Grants for Nonprofits in Kansas in the U.S.

Background

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation is focused on giving back to the people of greater Kansas City.

Through responsive and strategic philanthropy, the Foundation supports a variety of organizations working to improve the quality of life in local communities.

The Foundation is committed to assisting the city’s most vulnerable neighbors and striving to achieve lasting and meaningful change.

Learn more.

Grant Opportunities

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation’s grantmaking strategy emphasizes creating excellence and transformational change.

The Foundation’s unique approach combines proactive support that strengthens area nonprofits and responsive community assistance to achieve greater results, with a focus on underserved populations.

Community Impact

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation seeks to make strategic and responsive grants that help organizations achieve one or more of the following:

• Support nonprofit excellence and transformational change
• Meaningfully impact systemic issues
• Improve outcomes for low-income, underserved communities
• Expand organizational services

Since inception, the Foundation has invested over $175 million in greater Kansas City nonprofit organizations. Marion and Henry’s legacy of serving others continues to enhance our beloved city.What areas of focus (or cause areas) does the Foundation support? The Foundation’s areas of focus are:

• Education for Poor, Disadvantaged, and Underserved Youth
• Healthcare
• Jewish Community Organizations
• Post-Secondary Business and Entrepreneurship Education
• Social Services
• Visual and Performing Arts

What activities does the Foundation support?

The Foundation supports special programs, capacity building, and capital projects through strategic and responsive grants that help organizations achieve one or more of the following:

• support nonprofit excellence and transformational change;
• strengthen organizations;
• improve services for clients; and/or
• help underserved, low-income individuals.

What is the typical amount and duration of grant awards?

The Foundation does not have fixed minimum or maximum award limits, though grant awards typically fall in the range of $100,000 to $250,000. The Foundation makes both one-year and multi-year grant awards. 

Making community possible

At U.S. Bank, we are dedicated to supporting our communities through responsive and humbled actions focused on addressing racial and economic inequities and creating lasting change in our communities. Through our Community Possible Grant Program, we are partnering with organizations that focus on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing and communities connected through arts and culture.

The U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making Community Possible through Work, Home and Play. We advance this work through collaborative grant making to bring equitable and lasting change through our focus on sustainable, high-impact funding with 501c3 nonprofit partners.

How we partner with nonprofits

We focus on collaborative grantmaking and sustainable, high-impact funding with 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners. We partner with organizations that support:

• Economic and workforce advancement
• Safe and affordable housing
• Community arts and culture

Our strategy

Our community affairs and foundation team work closely with U.S. Bank regional leadership, business resource groups and our National Community Advisory Committee to ensure that prevailing needs are addressed in all the communities we serve.

To make the most meaningful impact, we prioritize organizations that:

• Focus on economic development issues related to work, home and play
• Address more than one of the grant pillars (work, home and play)
• Are based in and serve designated U.S. Bank communities
• Advance diversity, equity and inclusion

Funding Priorities

We focus our grantmaking in a way that honors our founders’ intent and operates in alignment with our mission, vision, and values – to center our work on ensuring all people experience what is possible.

We understand that improving life for all requires an interconnected approach. Therefore, through our grantmaking we seek to increase economic opportunities of all, with an intentional focus on communities of color, those not earning a livable wage, and families experiencing poverty. Kansas City’s community needs will guide us as we work together to create stronger partnerships with communities, nonprofit partners, and foundation colleagues, in order to increase opportunities for all to succeed.

We believe that as we expand our reach and increase our impact through new, strengthened, and reimagined partnerships within our three impact areas, we will help build a community where an improved quality of life is equitable and enjoyable by all.

What we fund and the impact we seek

To achieve our vision of enabling all people in our community to experience what is possible; to achieve their greatest potential, and to create a bigger impact, our grantmaking will focus on three interconnected impact areas:

KC Spirit: Elevating Kansas City

• To ensure that greater Kansas City’s regional assets, cultural organizations, and sense of community make it a thriving and inclusive place to live.
• Make Kansas City stronger by embracing all in our stories & vision for the city through investments in regional assets, arts & culture, and community wide initiatives.

Prospering Communities: Increasing equity for all

• To support families through organizations and initiatives that take a holistic approach to reducing poverty and increasing equity and well-being.
• Communities prosper when there are equitable opportunities to access education, housing, employment, and health care. We prioritize investments that take systemic and comprehensive approaches to increasing opportunities for all to thrive in their neighborhoods of choice.
• Grantmaking focuses on economic inclusion – livable neighborhoods – healthcare – emergency and safety net services.

Growing Minds: Creating strong educational foundation for life

• We prioritize investments that improve outcomes and access to quality programming for children and their families in education.
• Grantmaking focuses on Pre-K, K-12, post-secondary, and wrap-around support services, in addition to out-of-classroom initiatives that address barriers to education and provide additional academic support.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Since its inception, the Foundation, which is still led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. 

 The Foundation prefers to make grants for construction and special interest projects rather than for annual operating expenses. 

Grants for planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs and restoration of facilities are considered. Areas of interest include higher education, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects and energy efficient affordable housing projects sponsored by qualified tax-exempt organizations. 

Funding Areas

In recent grant cycles, the Board of Trustees has awarded the majority of grants in four broadly defined areas:

Higher Education

In 2022, the Foundation awarded $49 million to more than 35 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities.

Human Services

The Foundation awarded $30 million to human service nonprofits in 2022, and many grants in this area went to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including Reconciliation Services, the Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska and the Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation, Washington. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $23 million in 2022, including grants to the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri, the Omaha Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Washington. Health Care and Hospitals.

Health Care and Hospitals

This is a growing area of need in many communities the Foundation serves. In 2022, $65 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation initiated a grant opportunity in March 2015 with Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation as an avenue to financially help support charitable activities in Northwest Kansas. With this funding, county-wide funds have been established throughout Northwest Kansas, allocating grant funds to each to be used for projects benefiting the counties and/or communities within.

Grantmaking Criteria

Grants can address:

• Education: Enhances the learning environment and expands opportunities for students. Provides increased self-reliance on personal life skills and workforce capability.
• Health Care: Ensures access to quality health care services and promotes healthy life practices.
• Community Social Services & Security: Enhance access to social services needed for individuals of special needs and supports systems to provide community disaster relief and general community emergencies.
• Conservation & Environment: Support efforts to improve and maintain high air and water quality, appreciation for our natural environment and enhances economic and social benefits of outdoor resources.
• Arts & Culture: Provide cultural and artistic opportunities to enhance the quality of life for local residents and to encourage tourism and the exchange of ideas.
• Community Beautification: Support efforts to improve and maintain public spaces to enhance community pride and encourage socialization among residents

Generally, there is no maximum or minimum on grant requests. Some community foundations have established a maximum request and should be noted on the grant description when you apply for the application online. It is the intent of the Hansen Foundation that the Grant Funds be used to award multiple grants in each county. Each county foundation, at its discretion may choose to establish maximum or minimum limitations for the respective county.

Dane G Hansen Community Grant for Gove County

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation initiated a grant opportunity in March 2015 with Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation as an avenue to financially help support charitable activities in Northwest Kansas. With this funding, county-wide funds have been established throughout Northwest Kansas, allocating grant funds to each to be used for projects benefiting the counties and/or communities within.

Fund Distribution

Annually, funding is made available for each of these county-wide funds as “pass-through” grants: $25,000 being made available in April, and an additional $25,000 in September. This grant program will sunset at the end of 2025.

County-wide participation in a Strategic Doing initiative supported by the Hansen Foundation is required. Individual Community Foundations may opt to participate in the Ripple Effects Mapping process sponsored by the Hansen Foundation as well.

Grantmaking criteria- Grants can address:

Education

• Enhances the learning environment and expands opportunities for students in Northwest Kansas. Provides increased self-reliance on personal life skills and workforce capability.

Health Care

• Ensure access to quality health care services and promote healthy life practices.

Economic Development

• Development of a robust and sustainable economy includes a diversity of businesses and quality job opportunities.

Community Social Services & Security

• Enhance access to social services needed for individuals of special needs and support systems to provide community disaster relief and general community emergencies.

Conservation & Environment

• Support efforts to improve and maintain high air and water quality, appreciation for our natural environment, and enhance economic and social benefits of outdoor resources.

Arts & Culture

• Provide cultural and artistic opportunities to enhance the quality of life for local residents and to encourage tourism and the exchange of ideas.

Community Beautification

• Support efforts to improve and maintain public spaces to enhance community pride and encourage socialization among residents.

Georgia-Pacific Foundation

Established in 1958, the Georgia-Pacific Foundation sets aside resources to improve life in the communities where we operate. We’ve worked with thousands of outstanding community-based programs, service projects and disaster relief efforts, focusing our investment in four areas we believe make the most impact:

• education
• entrepreneurship
• enrichment of community
• environment

Investment Priorities

• Aligns with GP’s mission and values
• Aligns with GP’s Four Focus Areas of giving: Education, Environment, Enrichment of Community and Entrepreneurship
• Serves communities where GP has manufacturing facilities
• Creates value by contributing to and positively impacting long term well-being and sustainability of GP communities

Dane G Hansen Community Grant for Decatur County

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation initiated a grant opportunity in March 2015 with Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation as an avenue to financially help support charitable activities in Northwest Kansas. With this funding, county-wide funds have been established throughout Northwest Kansas, allocating grant funds to each to be used for projects benefiting the counties and/or communities within.

Fund Distribution

Annually, funding is made available for each of these county-wide funds as “pass-through” grants: $25,000 being made available in April, and an additional $25,000 in September. This grant program will sunset at the end of 2025.

County-wide participation in a Strategic Doing initiative supported by the Hansen Foundation is required. Individual Community Foundations may opt to participate in the Ripple Effects Mapping process sponsored by the Hansen Foundation as well.

Grantmaking criteria

Grants can address:

• Education: Enhances the learning environment and expands opportunities for students in Northwest Kansas. Provides increased self-reliance on personal life skills and workforce capability.
• Health Care: Ensure access to quality health care services and promote healthy life practices.
• Economic Development: Development of a robust and sustainable economy includes a diversity of businesses and quality job opportunities.
• Community Social Services & Security: Enhance access to social services needed for individuals of special needs and support systems to provide community disaster relief and general community emergencies.
• Conservation & Environment: Support efforts to improve and maintain high air and water quality, appreciation for our natural environment, and enhance economic and social benefits of outdoor resources.
• Arts & Culture: Provide cultural and artistic opportunities to enhance the quality of life for local residents and to encourage tourism and the exchange of ideas.
• Community Beautification: Support efforts to improve and maintain public spaces to enhance community pride and encourage socialization among residents.

Centene Charitable Foundation

Successful corporate citizenship happens when companies invest in the local organizations that know their communities best. The Centene Foundation works with our local partners on initiatives that focus on inclusion, the whole person and community development.

Vision

Centene’s purpose is transforming the health of the community, one person at a time. The Centene Foundation is an essential part of how we pursue this purpose. We achieve measurable impact for the communities we serve through partnerships and philanthropy efforts that invest in initiatives with holistic approaches to dismantling barriers to health.

Areas of Focus

Reflecting Centene’s commitment to the needs of those who rely on government-sponsored health care and to addressing social determinants of health and health equity, preference will be given to initiatives in three distinct areas of focus.

• Healthcare Access
• Social Services
• Education

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

The Helen S Boylan Foundation

The mission of the Helen S. Boylan Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in our communities of Carthage, Missouri, the Greater Kansas City Area, and Lindale, Texas. We actively distribute quarterly grants to local non-profit organizations serving arts & education, women & children, health & wellness and the beautification of our communities.

Grant Guidelines

The Helen S. Boylan Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1982 to continue the family tradition of commitment to enhancing the quality of life of the community through grants to qualified charitable organizations. In carrying out its mission, the Foundation considers a wide range of proposals within the following areas: arts, education, health, human services, environment, and public interest.

Our Mission

The Kerr Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit charitable and educational Oklahoma corporation, established to identify and support 501(c)3 organizations, programs and institutions that provide new or enhanced opportunities for those within the granting areas, particularly the young.

Program Categories

Education - Institutions of elementary, junior high, pre-collegiate, along with institutions of higher learning to include health science centers and medical research done by educational institutions

Arts and Culture - Organizations in the visual arts and performing arts areas, museums and libraries

Health - Institutions providing health care, doing medical research, or outreach organizations employing primarily professionals from the allied health area

Human Services - Organizations providing services in diverse areas to the public, and specifically to the disadvantaged, people with special needs and the elderly

Project Categories

Capital - Bricks and mortar projects, including equipment

Program - Programs having an objective and specified time span

Operating - Funds to be used to cover basic ongoing administrative and personnel expenses

Background

Realizing the need to rehabilitate downtown buildings with funding that can be disbursed quickly and efficiently, the Kansas Department of Commerce has partnered with the Patterson Family Foundation to create the Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) program. HEAL focuses on projects that show potential as economic drivers in Kansas communities.

The HEAL program is designed to bring downtown buildings back into productive use as spaces for:

• New or expanding businesses
• Housing
• Arts and culture
• Civic engagement
• Childcare
• Entrepreneurship

Purpose

The HEAL program was created to preserve and bring new economic activity to underutilized, vacant, or dilapidated downtown buildings in rural Kansas. Building grants are intended to bring buildings back into productive use as spaces for new or expanding businesses, childcare, housing, arts and culture, civic engagement, or entrepreneurship. Façade grants are intended to rehabilitate the façade or street view of downtown buildings in need of repair to stimulate economic growth and reinvestment in the downtown district. The building in need of façade rehabilitation should either have a tenant or be tenant-ready.

Funding

• Building Grant Amount Award
  • $30 per square foot of the building area, not to exceed $100,000.
• Facade Grant Amount Award
  • $30 per square foot of the building area, not to exceed $40,000.

Humanities For All Mini Grant

Humanities For All grants support projects that draw on history, literature, and culture to engage the public with stories that spark conversations. 

Goals:

• Share stories that explore the human experience
• Engage people in public discussions
• Generate insights that cultivate a thriving democracy
• Create projects that are grounded by current scholarship and lived experiences

Types of Projects We Support

Humanities projects should draw on our diverse history, literature, and cultures to explore a defined topic.

Formats include, but are not limited to, interpretive exhibitions, community conversations, town halls, panel discussions, presentations, book discussions, short films, full-length films, or podcasts. Creativity and innovation are encouraged. 

The humanities must be central to the proposal.

Humanities include the following disciplines:

• history
• literature
• ethnic studies
• languages, linguistics
• law
• folklore
• gender studies
• religious studies
• philosophy
• art history
• archeology
• cultural anthropology
• ethics
• Social sciences, such as political science and sociology, are also considered humanities. 

* A note regarding the arts: Humanities Kansas does not support arts projects, defined as creation and display of visual art, creative writing workshops, or performance (drama, dance, music, etc.). However, as noted above, projects that focus on the analysis and contextualization of art, such as a panel discussion moderated by an art historian, are eligible. The difference between humanities and art can be a fine line. If your project includes arts components, contact HK staff for guidance. The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission is also a resource for arts grant funding.

What types of projects do we support?

Humanities programs can take many forms. Formats include but are not limited to new interpretive exhibits, community conversations, panel discussions, presentations, book discussions, short documentary films, or podcasts.

Projects can be planned for in-person events, online platforms, or some other creative format. Engagement with the general public, which primarily refers to an adult, out-of-school audience, is key.

Our Community Grants support a wide range of local projects in the areas of arts and culture, children and youth, community development, education, health, housing and human services.

Community Grant Guidelines

The goal of the DCCF Community Grants program is to improve the lives of Douglas County, Kansas residents. We support a wide variety of activities in the following areas:

• Arts and Culture 
• Children and Youth
• Community Development
• Education
• Environment
• Health
• Housing
• Human Services

Favored activities are those that:

• Provide a substantial benefit 
• Produce meaningful, measurable results
• Include a plan to measure results
• Build self-sufficiency and help attract additional funds and resources for the participants or organization
• Assist with or promote collaboration among nonprofits to minimize duplication

In addition, the foundation is more likely to fund requests that:

• Are clearly and concisely described 
• Are based on complete and clear income and expense projections
• Do not require recurring DCCF funding for the same project or purpose
• Reasonably ensure continued support after foundation funding is no longer available
• Are proposed by organizations that demonstrate sound financial practices and strong staff and volunteer support

Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy Grant

The Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy Grant continues a decades-long commitment to enhancing healthcare in Southeast Kansas. Established in 1983 by a group of local residents, the Mount Carmel Foundation was created to support Mount Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg and ensure the community had access to high-quality medical care. For over 30 years, the Mount Carmel Foundation raised funds that stayed in our community, significantly impacting healthcare service through philanthropy.

The Foundation’s efforts resulted in millions of dollars to fund cutting-edge technology, purchase critical equipment, and enhance healthcare programs for area residents. Notable contributions included $700,000 for the Dr. M.K. Parsi Women’s Center, advanced patient lift systems for the cardiac step-down unit, and start-of-the-art cardiology ultrasound equipment. Additionally, the Foundation equipped the intensive-care unit, emergency room, and imaging center for women with new technology, refurbished patient rooms, and facilitated emergency-room renovations and the implementation of 3D mammography.

Today, the Mount Carmel Foundation’s legacy of impacting local healthcare lives on through the Mount Carmel Foundation Legacy Grant at CFSEK. 

The Artistic Innovations Grant Program encourages the spirit of experimentation and exploration, exclusively engaging in-region artists and organizations in the creation of new, original works for audiences in the M-AAA six-state region of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

This grant program offers up to $15,000 in support of expenses incurred in the art-making process and premiere of these endeavors. Through generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, M-AAA supports individual artists and arts-based nonprofit 501c3 organizations in our region for projects that meet the eligibility requirements listed below.

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation initiated a grant opportunity in March 2015 with Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation as an avenue to financially help support charitable activities in Northwest Kansas. With this funding, county-wide funds have been established, allocating grant funds to each to be used for projects benefiting the counties and/or communities within.

Fund Distribution

Annually, funding is made available for each of these county-wide funds as “pass-through” grants: $25,000 being made available in April, and an additional $25,000 in September. This grant program will sunset at the end of 2025.

Generally, there is no maximum or minimum on grant requests. Some community foundations have established a maximum request and should be noted on the grant description when you apply for the application online. It is the intent of the Hansen Foundation that the Grant Funds be used to award multiple grants in each county. Each county foundation, at its discretion may choose to establish maximum or minimum limitations for the respective county.

If the request is for significant dollars (more than $10,000), covers multiple counties within the service area, is a multi-year request, or for a project that was previously funded directly by the Hansen Foundation, it is suggested the applicant apply directly to the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

Grants can address:

Education: Enhances the learning environment and expands opportunities for students in Northwest Kansas. Provides increased self-reliance on personal life skills and workforce capability.

Health Care: Ensure access to quality health care services and promotes healthy life practices.

Economic Development: Development of a robust and sustainable economy includes a diversity of businesses and quality job opportunities.

Community Social Services & Security: Enhance access to social services needed for individuals of special needs and supports systems to provide community disaster relief and general community emergencies.

Conservation & Environment: Support efforts to improve and maintain high air and water quality, appreciation for our natural environment and enhance economic and social benefits of outdoor resources.

Arts & Culture: Provide cultural and artistic opportunities to enhance the quality of life for local residents and to encourage tourism and the exchange of ideas.

Community Beautification: Support efforts to improve and maintain public spaces to enhance community pride and encourage socialization among residents.

The Golden Belt Spring Community Building Grant supports a wide-variety of needs and Barton, Pawnee, Rush, and Stafford Counties and serve the community at large including but not limited to: quality of life improvement; arts and culture; enhancing community destinations points; charitable economic opportunity; planning and development. 

We support projects that are:

• Collaborative: leverages resources and builds partnerships
• Measurable: research driven with reliable data
• Sustainable: creates a lasting impact

Mission

The Manhattan Fund - Caroline Peine Charitable Foundation exists to improve the quality of life in the City of Manhattan, Kansas, to benefit the KONZA Prairie and to provide for recreational development in the town of Keats, Kansas. Caroline Peine had a strong and long lasting attachment to the community of Manhattan, Kansas. She remained a resident of Manhattan after she retired and until her death at age 78.

The goal of all distributions made from the Caroline F. Peine Charitable Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the City of Manhattan, Kansas. The Foundation will consider funding projects from local organizations that include, but are not limited to; the KONZA Prairie, the Regional Crisis Center, the Sunset Zoo, the Special Olympics, and the UFM. In general, submissions should reflect an intent to improve the quality of life in the City of Manhattan, Kansas, benefit the KONZA Prairie, or provide recreational development in the town of Keats.

Built on a strong foundation.

The Patterson Family Foundation was established to reinvest in rural communities and cultivate values of education and hard work for current and future generations. Currently, the Foundation is led by the adult children of the Patterson Family.

Youth Engagement

Funding for programs that expand the ability to engage youth and young adults in rural communities.

Project focus areas could include

• Getting youth involved in volunteerism,
• Participating in community service organizations,
• Gaining leadership experience and skills, and
• Enhancing youth voices in the arts and local journalism

Mader Foundation Grant

The Edward G. and Kathryn E. Mader Foundation funds programs that support children in Greater Kansas City.

General Funds

Every year in the summer, the Community Foundation’s Grant Review Committee funds programs focusing on Basic Human Needs, Youth Activities, and Arts & Culture. Since 2004, the funds directly managed by the Community Foundation have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to many Southeast Kansas nonprofit projects. General funds grant applications are typically available during June.

The mission of CFSEK is to serve the SEK region by encouraging charitable giving benefiting the common good and the quality of life. We inspire leadership with programming that is responsive to the interests and needs of those we serve now and in the future.

In 2023, up to $160,000 will be available to fund projects as follows:

• Youth Activities: $90,000
• Basic Human Needs: $67,800
• Arts & Culture: $2,200 

In 2022, the Community Foundation awarded $150,000 to 41 nonprofit recipients out of 64 applications through its General Funds Grant cycle. Awards averaged $3,256 and ranged from $500 to $11,000. Projects in 15 counties serving SEK received funding as well as CFSEK affiliate community foundations.

Herington Community Legacy Grant

The Herington Community Legacy Fund was established in 2019 to assist nonprofits in the Herington area. Nonprofits that meet the required eligibility may simultaneously apply for the Herington Legacy Grant and the Community Foundation's Grant Cycle. 

Areas of Funding

• Arts and Culture
• Civic improvements/affairs
• Community development
• Education
• The environment, health, and human services

Funding Priorities

The Community Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Dickinson County, Kansas. Funding priorities include projects that:

• Develop or test new solutions to community problems
• Address prevention as well as remediation
• Provide assistance to underserved community resources
• Provide leverage for generating other fund and community resources, both financial and volunteer
• Provide a sustained and transforming effect for a substantial number of residents
• Build organizational capacity and improve the effectiveness or efficiency of nonprofit groups
• Provide a favorable ratio between the amount of money requested and the number of people served
• Facilitate cooperation and collaboration among organizations without duplicating services
• Encourage volunteerism, civic engagement, and development

Leadership Transformation Grants

Grant Purpose and Outcomes

A nonprofit organization founded by the Kansas Health Foundation, the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) provides training to foster leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities. Through the Leadership Transformation Grant, KLC partners with organizations to help them create a culture of leadership that embraces change, tackles problems and seizes opportunities. We are looking for partners across the state to saturate their organization with our proven framework in order to make lasting progress on their biggest challenges.

Research findings on the impact of our courses

KLC’s own research center indicates that leadership development at all levels of an organization leads to a more engaged workforce in the non-profit sector, with employees more committed, more hopeful for the future, and more satisfied with their job. Among high-tech employees, it yields an adaptive mindset, collaborative problem-solving, and better listening and communication. And ORS Impact, funded by a third party, interviewed over 50 of KLC’s past grantees to learn the effect of leadership training on an organization. The research indicates a strong link between increasing leadership behaviors among employees, positive change to culture and greater progress on key challenges facing the organization.

Our Process

To deliver these outcomes, we’ve developed a simple yet powerful framework. It starts with the idea that leadership is an activity, not a position, and that anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere. We offer a three-step sequence of dynamic program experiences—The KLC Path—taught by an inspiring and diverse team of teachers and coaches. By speaking to the head, heart and gut, our training shifts perspectives and empowers participants to put what they’ve learned to use immediately. The results drive lasting behavior change, with the power to mobilize an entire organization to own its challenges and seize opportunities to make more progress on what matters the most.