United Way of Greater Kansas City with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation are honored to award another round of funding to small nonprofits in the Kansas City area to organizations led by or primarily serving historically marginalized communities. This round of grantmaking is the conclusion of a three-year program that launched publicly in early 2023.
With this $675,000 dollar investment, the Nonprofit Catalyst Fund has supported more than 100 nonprofits with total funds awarded exceeding $2M. Individual organizations have received grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to help support their growth and development in the areas of education, human services, entrepreneurship, workforce skill building, economic mobility, and community development.
“The Nonprofit Catalyst Fund set out to be a pivotal infusion of both dollars and voice, elevating the vital work of these smaller organizations that has often gone unnoticed and unrecognized,” said Essence Yancey, United Way Community Impact Director. “We’ve seen tremendous growth as programs have been added, organizations have been able to hire staff, bring in new donors and volunteers, and they’re grateful to have their missions amplified through United Way and the audiences we reach.”
The Nonprofit Catalyst Grant has focused on organizations serving historically marginalized communities, because often, these nonprofits have faced barriers to accessing traditional means of funding, but they are significant contributors in helping build resiliency, with proximity to the communities they serve alongside.
The 20 organizations awarded funding in the final round of grantmaking through the Nonprofit Catalyst Fund are:
- Advocates for Immigrant Rights & Reconciliation of Kansas City | Kansas City, Kan. (Immigrant Legal Support, Advocacy & Education)
- Agape Recovery | Kansas City, Mo. (Healthy Community)
- Black Excellence, Inc. | Kansas City, Mo. (Education, Entrepreneurship, Career Development)
- Black Owned Business Kansas City Foundation | Kansas City, Mo. (Business Mentorship, Education & Support)
- BTC Building Brighter Futures | Kansas City, Mo. (Job Seeker Support, Workforce Development)
- Children of Homicide Victims | Kansas City, Mo. (Mental Health, Violence Prevention)
- Consolidated Social Work Services | Kansas City, Mo. (Supporting Homeless, Seniors, Justice Involved, Youth, and Community)
- Dads Against Crime | Kansas City, Mo. (Violence Prevention, Community Support)
- Downtown Shareholders of Kansas City, Kan. | Kansas City, Kan. (Downtown Community Revitalization)
- Eye of An Immigrant | Kansas City, Mo. (Immigration Legal Support Services, Financial Security)
- Grateful Education Foundation | Kansas City, Mo. (Community Education)
- Greenline Foundation | Kansas City, Mo (Community Support, Business Mentorship, Healthy Community)
- Harris Park Midtown Sports & Activities Center | Kansas City, Mo. (Health, Youth Opportunity)
- Heart of the City Neighborhood Association, Inc. | Kansas City, Mo. (Healthy Community)
- Hella Good Deeds | Kansas City, Mo. (Cultural Education)
- Hoop Nation | Kansas City, Mo. (Youth Opportunity)
- Lee’s Summit CARES | Lee’s Summit, Mo. (Healthy Community)
- Light Under the Sun, Inc. | Kansas City, Mo. (Health Community, Workforce Development)
- The Disabled But Not Really Foundation | Kansas City, Mo. (Healthy Community)
- Walker Foundation | Liberty, Mo. (Youth Opportunity, Healthy Community)