Five finalists named for the Uncommon Leader Impact Award November 12, 2025 The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has announced five finalists for the Uncommon Leader Impact Award, celebrating individuals who demonstrate bold, creative, and inclusive leadership across the Kansas City region. Selected from a distinguished group of twelve semifinalists, these leaders embody the spirit of Ewing Kauffman’s uncommon leadership through their innovation, courage, and impact in their communities. Each of […]
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announces Ben Clouse as chief financial officer November 3, 2025 Clouse will serve as a key member of the Foundation’s leadership cabinet, guiding financial strategy, stewardship, and operational excellence to advance the Foundation’s mission of fostering equitable, inclusive, and sustainable prosperity.
Semifinalists announced for inaugural Kauffman Uncommon Leader Impact Award October 22, 2025 Twelve semifinalists have been named for the inaugural Kauffman Uncommon Leader Impact Award, presented by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The 12 semifinalists will be narrowed to a top 5 next month in preparation for a Dec. 11 celebration, where the winner will be announced and awarded $50,000 personally and $100,000 for their nonprofit organization. […]
Tess Hart Tess Hart is an evaluation and learning officer in Research, Learning, and Evaluation for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she supports grantmaking program evaluation and leverages evaluation and learning platforms and tools to inform program assessment. Prior to joining the Kauffman Foundation, Hart worked at Social Solutions International, where she coordinated the monitoring, evaluation, […]
New role for Foundation leader Dr. Susan Klusmeier September 18, 2025 Dr. Klusmeier will serve the Kauffman Foundation as strategic partner and operational leader.
Stephanie Deck Stephanie Deck is an investment operations director for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she focuses on operational excellence and the execution, oversight, and strategic evolution of the organization’s operational platform, including operational data management, investment performance reporting, risk measurement and analysis, and systems development. Prior to joining the Kauffman Foundation, Deck was head of […]
A year of grantmaking: data, themes, and what’s next In August 2024, we launched our refreshed grantmaking strategy, opening five rounds of grant application opportunities designed to build equitable economic mobility for people across the region. The “why” behind our priorities remains simple yet powerful – we are committed to closing gaps for the most underserved communities. In our internal reflections after completing five […]
A year of grantmaking: Reflecting on what we’ve learned August 13, 2025 Our commitment to continuous improvement is rooted in our long-term goal to advance equitable economic mobility in Kansas City and beyond.
KaYing Vang KaYing Vang is a senior evaluation and learning officer in Research, Learning, and Evaluation for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Prior to joining the Kauffman Foundation, Vang was the chief executive officer and principal consultant with Innovation Data + Design Studio in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where she collaborated with project partners using developmental, culturally responsive, […]