ABOUT

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Kansas City, Mo.-based foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities.

More Opportunities,
Stronger Communities

The Kauffman Foundation helps unlock opportunity for all so that people can achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography.

Our Work

We believe communities are strengthened with a prepared workforce, and new and growing businesses. We can rebuild systems to achieve equity and build trust for sustained and positive change.

It all starts with access to opportunity for people to improve their lives.

The Kauffman Foundation provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography.

Our grantmaking, research, programs, and initiatives support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities.

We work in Kansas City and the surrounding states of Missouri and Kansas. We champion organizations and communities that test innovative solutions and seek to change conditions. We work nationwide through programs, research, and policy.

Our grantmaking to nonprofit organizations connects students, educators, families, and entrepreneurs with practical solutions and resources to realize their ambitions.

As a result, new businesses and a stronger supply of skilled individuals drive regional economic growth and set us all on a path to greater financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity.

Our Vision

A society of economically empowered individuals contributing to the improvement of their communities.

Our Mission

We seek to prepare people for success in their jobs and careers, so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve economic stability, mobility, and prosperity. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We focus our work on people whose opportunities have been limited. We begin with racial equity because
we believe achieving racial equity benefits everyone:

• Better job and career pathways.
• A stronger and fairer economy.
• More resilient communities.
• A better quality of life for all.

Success in life should not be determined by race, gender, or geography. This transformation demonstrates that when we build supportive systems in place of broken ones, we all win.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is committed to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. We believe all people – regardless of their race, gender, or geography – should have the opportunity to share in America’s prosperity through success in their jobs and careers, as employees or entrepreneurs.

In the spirit of Ewing Marion Kauffman, we seek to build inclusive prosperity through a prepared workforce and entrepreneur-focused economic development by changing the conditions, addressing root causes, and breaking down systemic barriers that create inequities based on race, gender, and geography.

As we have written about previously, we start that imperfect journey internally by examining how our own practices must change to support equity and inclusion. We are committed to continually improving our strategies, processes, and policies to better support the communities in which we work. Together, we will do better.

For more information, please read our REDI frequently asked questions.

---

2021 Demographic Data

We invite you to review our 2021 demographic data. We acknowledge that we are early in this journey. Because of this, we are currently only displaying data including gender and race/ethnicity of the Kauffman Foundation and Kauffman Scholars board of trustees, senior leaders, and associates. The data is based on 2021 self-reporting with 99.1% of associates, 100% of senior leaders, and 78% of trustees completing the reporting. We have plans to continue to update this section with additional data from our grants.

Gender

In 2021, 71.6% of associates identified as female, 27.5% identified as male, and 0% identified as transgender. Our senior leadership team, 60% identified as female, 40% identified as male and 0% identified as transgender. Amongst our board of trustees, 44.5% identified as female, 33.3% identified as male, and 0% identified as transgender. Across the sector, the Council on Foundations study reported a staff gender break down of 75% women and 25% men.

Note: Data includes the Kauffman Foundation and Kauffman Scholars, Inc.