Kauffman Foundation dishing $2M to programs for entrepreneurs
July 29, 2015 | Bobby Burch
With a new CEO and revamped strategic plan, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is bolstering its support of U.S. programs aimed at helping entrepreneurs.
The Kansas City-based foundation is allocating about $2 million in grants to tax-exempt organizations expanding programs that are successful in supporting U.S. entrepreneurs. The grants, which will range between $250,000 and $500,000 each, are aimed at tackling challenges the foundation identified in its new vision.
“We want the best entrepreneur support programs to succeed, and what we learn from the grant recipients will inform future foundation projects,” said Wendy Guillies, who was appointed in early June as president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation. “These grants are an important step toward our goal of providing skills, knowledge and advice to as many entrepreneurs as possible.”
The grant program hopes to address challenges that were identified in the foundation’s new strategic mission. As such, applicants’ programs should help entrepreneurs solve some or all of the following challenges:
- Helping entrepreneurs to gain access to relevant mentors and advisors that provide personalized education.
- Assisting founders with understanding and developing their business model.
- Providing education, training, and/or mentoring for entrepreneurs to help them better understand when and how to finance business creation and growth.
- Providing education for entrepreneurs about critical team building and management decisions founders need to make.
- Helping entrepreneurs learn critical operational skills such as legal, IT, or human resources.
With about $2.1 billion in assets, the foundation is no stranger to supporting bold missions. In 2013, the foundation doled out about $17.66 million in grants to various organizations.
The foundation says its portfolio of grants will be geographically diverse, and “will take into consideration the kind of entrepreneurs served and the depth of impact.” For more information on selection criteria, click here.
The challenge for organizations, however, is that the deadline is rapidly approaching. Applicants must submit the appropriate materials and information by 5 p.m. (CST) July 31. The foundation will announce recipients later in the summer.
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Children’s book tells KC entrepreneurs’ stories; challenging traditional pathways to success
Christle Reed wants Kansas City’s next wave of potential business builders to know they needn’t be bound to a mainstream plot line for wealth and happiness, the entrepreneur-turned-author shared. Her new children’s book about more than a dozen local entrepreneurs could help rewrite that narrative. “College isn’t the only way to success for kids,” she…
Help from above: Why protecting satellites from cyber attacks could hold key to adapting to climate change
Humans must responsibly rise to the occasion as Earth’s climate changes, Charles Beames said, detailing the role well-protected satellites and space systems can play in putting life-preserving solutions into orbit. “Space systems are one of the keys to the future, our future, of dealing with the changing climate and our adaptation,” said Beames, aerospace expert and…
In the field: Industry-specific, hands-free voice tech helps ‘hero up’ data collecting workers
After years of research, Bruce Rasa and his team identified a consistent pain point for field workers: capturing data on-the-go and looping it back to their headquarters. They need a co-pilot, he said, noting the role played by KC-based Dexer (formerly AgVoice), agriculture’s first handsfree data capture service to help cross-industry specialists create records —…
New city flag designed for KC’s now (and tomorrow): Here’s where you’ll see it flying first
Kansas City is ushering in an era of growth and development, Jared Horman said, and the unveiling of a new municipal flag is just the way to recognize this new chapter. “The timing feels particularly exciting with the Chiefs headed to the Super Bowl, the opening of the new terminal at the airport and the…