UMKC nonprofit center lands $396K Kauffman Foundation grant

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced Wednesday it will renew its support in University of Missouri-Kansas City organization that helps area nonprofits thrive.

The foundation has gifted $396,800 to the UMKC-based Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, whose mission aims to expand the capacity of nonprofit organizations across the greater metropolitan region.

The grant will be used to expand the center’s portfolio of nonprofit leadership development programs and services. To do so, the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership will create a new curriculum known as a Learning Circle.

Learning Circle programs will evaluate a nonprofit’s current market analysis, customer and employee satisfaction and current performance overall. In addition to a new course structure, the grant will increase the center’s capacity for social entrepreneurship research, alongside the Henry W. Bloch School of Management.

Scott Helm, associate director of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, said that the foundation first approached the center two years ago, with the desire to develop the nonprofit sector of the Greater Kansas City metro area.

Since then, the organization has continued to connect nonprofits with one another. The center serves as an entry point for those looking to continue their education in nonprofit management and fundraising and creates a cross-pollination of ideas and resources in the community.