Our People As associates at the Kauffman Foundation, we work to provide access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity. Our team is made up of connectors and supporters who believe all people should have the opportunity to thrive.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation does not award grants to individuals and funding for unsolicited requests is very limited. Although not affiliated with the Foundation, the following organizations may provide additional guidance or support for your project: Resources for Individuals If you are an individual looking for funding, please refer to the following resources: United […]

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (“Foundation”) is committed to protecting the personal information you include in your resume submitted using this online resource. We want you to know how we intend to use and protect your personal information should you choose to submit it to us. Please read this carefully. Employment Database System Resumes and […]

Page updated: November 2023 The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s convenings are intended to allow for productive, engaged, and thoughtful exchanges of ideas and respectful interactions among participants. Discrimination and harassment undermine those objectives. As such, the Foundation prohibits such behavior at or in conjunction with its convenings and expects participants and attendees to adhere to […]

Work in Our Backyard By Gloria Jackson-Leathers, Director of Kansas City Civic Engagement, Kauffman Foundation Our communities are the canvases for vivid memories, colorful lives, and bright futures. During his lifetime, Ewing Kauffman saw Kansas City as a place full of possibilities. His passion and commitment to his hometown have enriched the lives of both children […]

By Dane Stangler From the moment Ewing Kauffman established his philanthropic foundation, he wanted to do things differently. He had already pushed out the frontier of innovation within baseball as owner of the Royals, and had innovated his way to a billion-dollar multinational company. His philanthropic work would similarly reflect that innovative spirit. One of his […]

As one of just a handful of private foundations with an emphasis in entrepreneurship, Kauffman has felt called to re-think its program strategies, for two reasons. The field has been changing dramatically, and the need is great. Despite a plethora of new efforts to create and support startups across the United States, startup rates actually […]

By Aaron North, Vice President, Education, Kauffman Foundation Every student should be able to attend a quality public school. Admittedly, that is easier said than done, though I have yet to meet someone who disagrees with that sentiment. Too many students, particularly lower-income students in urban and rural communities, are entering adulthood without the fundamental reading, […]

by Janice Kreamer, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Wendy Guillies, President and CEO, Kauffman Foundation Leo Tolstoy famously said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” At the Kauffman Foundation, we know that if our work is to make any difference, we must start by looking […]

by Chase Public Poets from Cincinnati-based collaborative space Chase Public explored the world of ecosystem building through short order poetry: narrative poems, crafted on the spot, typed on a manual typewriter, and given as a gift. On the last day of the ESHIP Summit, Chase Public delivered a final synthesis poem which depicted the themes and […]