Highlighting 2024 Board of Directors Discretionary Fund Grants

As the Community Foundation reflects on 2024, we are proud to share the impact of our board’s discretionary grantmaking efforts, guided by our dedicated staff, board of directors, and the 2023 report, Restoring America’s Promise – A Roadmap for the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

In 2024, our board’s discretionary grants supported nonprofits addressing critical issues in public safety, attainable housing, and workforce development within the education and mental health sectors. We prioritized smaller organizations that may typically be overlooked by funders, but that are often located in, and committed to serving, communities of color.

Here are the remarkable organizations that received funding through our board’s discretionary grants.

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Black Community Fund $50,000
Hispanic Development Fund $50,000

PUBLIC SAFETY

KC Common Good $300,000
Lyrik’s Institution $300,000
Uncornered $300,000
Ad Hoc Group Against Crime $225,000
KC Mothers In Charge $100,000
Giving Hope & Help $20,000

ATTAINABLE HOUSING

Community Builders of Kansas City $200,000
Urban Neighborhood Initiative $200,000
Kansas City Community Land Trust $150,000

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR

The BLOC (Brothers Liberating Our Communities) $100,000
Latinx Education Collaborative $100,000
Teachers Like Me $100,000
Kansas City Black Mental Health Initiative $50,000

Continued Commitment to Restoring America’s Promise in Kansas City

Our commitment extends beyond funding. We will continue to work with these organizations and other organizations in the Kansas City region to learn how we can continue to support their work. We are dedicated to listening to our donors and our community and adapting our strategies to meet evolving needs.

As we move forward, we are committed to closing the wealth gap in communities that have been historically left behind in Kansas City’s economic growth. We are grateful for the opportunity to support these incredible organizations and look forward to seeing the continued positive impact of their work.

How You Can Support

We invite you to join us in our efforts to create a community where everyone can thrive, based on the recommendations outlined in the report, which start on page 111.

Whether through volunteering, donating, or partnering with us by establishing a donor-advised fund, you, your family, or your business support can make a significant difference.

Authored by: LaVon Colhour, Vice President of Community Engagement