Kauffman Foundation dishing $2M to programs for entrepreneurs

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.