Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (“Kauffman Foundation”) was established in the mid-1960s by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is among the thirty largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $2 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org.

 Though all major foundation donors were entrepreneurs, Ewing Kauffman was the first such donor to direct his foundation to support entrepreneurship, recognizing that his path to success could and should be achieved by many more people. The Foundation’s vision is to foster “a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities.”

 In service of this vision, and in keeping with its founder’s wishes, the Foundation focuses its grant making and operations on two areas: advancing entrepreneurship and improving the education of children and youth. The Foundation also conducts and supports research and policy programs aimed at helping to develop effective programs and inform policy that will best advance entrepreneurship and education.

 The Kauffman Foundation’s reach and impact would not be possible without its vast social network of grantees, partners, experts, and practitioners. The Foundation helps cultivate these relationships by playing the role of convener, bringing together local, national, and world leaders to share innovative thinking and engage in dialog related to entrepreneurship and education. Each year, more than 60,000 people visit the Foundation’s Conference Center, which provides 40,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space.