Best Kansas City Grants for Nonprofits in Kansas

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation 

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is a nationally respected leader in charitable giving, dedicated to improving quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing philanthropy, educating and connecting donors to community needs, and leading on critical local issues. Founded in 1978 with a simple belief that charitable giving should be accessible to all, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest and most innovative public charities in the country, offering donor advised funds and other giving vehicles that make philanthropy convenient, efficient, and impactful. Today, it manages more than $7 billion in assets, administers over 7,000 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $8 billion in grants, consistently ranking among the top community foundations nationwide.

Monica Abbott Softball Scholarship Fund

Monica Abbott Softball Scholarship Fund awards scholarship support to female high school seniors who have played softball and demonstrated leadership. Eligible applicants must be graduating from a high school in the Greater Kansas City area, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7, and provide a letter of recommendation that speaks to their leadership qualities. Applicants are also required to submit a photo, preferably a senior photo, headshot, or softball team photo, for potential use on the Abbott Athletics social media page if selected. The scholarship provides an award of $1,500 to support the recipient’s postsecondary education.

The Walser Foundation

Every car you buy or service at Walser fuels something bigger.

A portion of every sale supports the Walser Foundation, funding post-secondary education, career training, and workforce development initiatives. These programs help shape the next generation of innovators and change-makers in the communities we serve.

The Walser Foundation invests in brighter futures through grants, scholarships, and select sponsorships that empower generations with the stability and mobility to shape their own futures and the community around them.

Community Partners Grant

The Walser Foundation accepts grant applications from designated 501(c)3 organizations based in Minnesota and Kansas that focus on post-secondary education and workforce development.

Funding Priorities

The Walser Foundation is focused on existing grant partners in 2026. We are unable to accept new applicant inquiries until 2027. As we shift our giving focus to post-secondary education and workforce development, 2026 is a transition year dedicated to exiting and returning partners. Our giving will be directly aligned with the following areas:

• Career and technical education
• Career-connected learning opportunities
• College and career readiness
• Internships
• Job placement programs
• Scholarships
• Secondary and post-secondary education
• Technical apprenticeships

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation 

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is a nationally respected leader in charitable giving, dedicated to improving quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing philanthropy, educating and connecting donors to community needs, and leading on critical local issues. Founded in 1978 with a simple belief that charitable giving should be accessible to all, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest and most innovative public charities in the country, offering donor advised funds and other giving vehicles that make philanthropy convenient, efficient, and impactful. Today, it manages more than $7 billion in assets, administers over 7,000 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $8 billion in grants, consistently ranking among the top community foundations nationwide.

Kansas City Securities Association Educational Endowment Scholarship

Kansas City Securities Association Educational Endowment Scholarship provides scholarship support to graduating high school seniors from the greater Kansas City area who plan to attend an accredited college, university, or trade school. Eligible applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, be permanent residents of the greater Kansas City area, and be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. Applicants must also be active or former members of one or more specified youth or educational organizations, including Marching Cobras, Cristo Rey Kansas City, Community Baseball Academy of Kansas City, Boys and Girls Clubs of Kansas City, University Academy, HALO Learning Center, Boys Grow, or Alta Vista Charter School. The scholarship supports students continuing their education in the upcoming academic year.

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation 

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is a nationally respected leader in charitable giving, dedicated to improving quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing philanthropy, educating and connecting donors to community needs, and leading on critical local issues. Founded in 1978 with a simple belief that charitable giving should be accessible to all, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest and most innovative public charities in the country, offering donor advised funds and other giving vehicles that make philanthropy convenient, efficient, and impactful. Today, it manages more than $7 billion in assets, administers over 7,000 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $8 billion in grants, consistently ranking among the top community foundations nationwide.

Kansas City, Missouri Opportunities Scholarship

Kansas City, Missouri Opportunities Scholarship provides financial assistance to Kansas City, Missouri residents pursuing education at accredited or certified colleges, universities, or vocational and technical schools. Funded through ten year commitments from casino gaming operators under development agreements with the Port Authority, the scholarship supports students ages 17 to 25 who are high school graduates or GED recipients and who live in households earning 80 percent or less of the area median income as determined by U.S. HUD. Awards are issued annually in two equal installments prior to each semester, with recipients required to maintain full time enrollment, remain in academic good standing, and submit a fall semester transcript to receive the second installment. Scholarship recipients may reapply annually by May 1 to be considered for renewal.

The Rapid Equity Fund is back! For the second year, REACH Healthcare Foundation, in partnership with Wyandotte Health Foundation, will provide flexible funding to meet urgent needs of grassroots, nonprofit organizations.

This grantmaking initiative provides eligible Black, Brown, Immigrant, Refugee, and rural-serving nonprofit organizations up to $10,000 of unrestricted funds. The Rapid Equity Fund is aimed at accelerating the grant award process, thereby creating more funding avenues for grassroots organizations that serve highly vulnerable populations.

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation 

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation is a nationally respected leader in charitable giving, dedicated to improving quality of life in Greater Kansas City by increasing philanthropy, educating and connecting donors to community needs, and leading on critical local issues. Founded in 1978 with a simple belief that charitable giving should be accessible to all, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest and most innovative public charities in the country, offering donor advised funds and other giving vehicles that make philanthropy convenient, efficient, and impactful. Today, it manages more than $7 billion in assets, administers over 7,000 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $8 billion in grants, consistently ranking among the top community foundations nationwide.

Joseph J. LeMark Memorial Scholarship Fund

Joseph J. LeMark Memorial Scholarship Fund honors the character, integrity, and love for the game of golf exemplified by Joseph J. LeMark by providing scholarship support to students who share a passion for golf. Eligible applicants must be high school seniors or current college students in the Kansas City area who play golf and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. The application requires a video submission addressing specific questions, with assistance available through Grow Your Giving. The scholarship provides an award of $5,000 to support the recipient’s educational pursuits.

Charlotte Street

What We Do

• Provide annual cash awards, project based grants, special commissions and specific travel opportunities to visual and generative performing artists
• Provide free studios and performance and exhibition spaces to theater, dance, music, film/video and visual artists for the creation and presentation of new work
• Facilitate venues and opportunities for public exposure to these exhibitions and performances, and facilitate artistic collaboration and exchange
• Plan and collaborate on behalf of Kansas City artists and the arts community with philanthropic, business and civic leaders
• Engage national philanthropic and cultural leaders with Kansas City artists and the arts community

Creative Confluence Fund: Strengthening Arts-Engaged Organizations

ArtsKC, Charlotte Street, and the Hall Family Foundation are requesting proposals for capacity-building support for art-focused, small organizations (annual budget at or below $500,000) located or serving key geographic areas that represent a broad swath of art forms, offering accessible programming to our community. 

Selected organizations will represent diverse artistic disciplines and forms of social engagement and must provide accessible programming for communities in the geographic areas of the Historic Northeast, Eastside Kansas City, and Northeast Wyandotte County.

• Fifteen arts-engaged organizations will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funding per year for two years.
• ArtsKC will provide capacity-building assessments, subject matter experts, and project implementation support (value of up to $10,000 per year per organization).
• Grantees will be expected to work with ArtsKC to carry out their capacity-building initiatives as well as share learnings with other awardees in a cohort model, which may include artist awardees as well.
• Documentation, evaluation, and/or presentations on projects will be required.

This project seeks to build organizations’ long-term viability, including growing community engagement, stabilizing finances and personnel, identifying and resolving organizational needs, strategic planning, developing evaluation metrics and competencies, or other identified priorities.