Nonprofit Catalyst Fund will increase access to funding for vital community organizations

In March, the United Way of Greater Kansas City (UWGKC), with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, launched a $2 million Nonprofit Catalyst Fund to invest in advancing organizations vital to our communities.

For generations, leaders within historically marginalized communities have confronted the manifestations of racial and ethnic inequality in neighborhoods, communities, and institutions. Work by these leaders to confront such inequity is often accomplished through small nonprofit charitable organizations whose innovation has an outsized impact. 

“We believe that small, nonprofit organizations within communities of color play a key role in addressing a range of economic, human service, and educational challenges, but frequently face a range of barriers in obtaining necessary tools to advance their work, including access to financial resources essential to be successful,” said Essence Yancey, community impact director with UWGKC.

The Nonprofit Catalyst Fund will invest in the work of these organizations within the six-county Kansas City metro area (Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte in Kansas) by providing strategic grants tailored to the unique needs and priorities established by their leaders. These investments are focused on organizations that primarily serve communities of color or are led by Black, Latino, or other people of color.

This initiative is informed by local research conducted in recent years into the capacity-building needs of area nonprofit organizations. The grants are intended to strengthen capacity within specific organizational domains: governance, financial management, technology, communications, program design and evaluation, and fundraising and human capital.

“For several years, the Kauffman Foundation grant investments have been increasingly focused on efforts with system-level influence and impact at a regional scale to help all people succeed,” said Kristin Smithson, Kauffman senior program officer. “Yet, within large scale and long-term change, we also recognize the vital role that leaders and organizations closest to the community play every day. We’re excited to be working with the United Way of Greater Kansas City to increase the access to funding for organizations to ensure our entire community can thrive.”

The focus of these investments will also be driven by what is learned from prospective applicants, ultimately addressing the unique needs of each grantee, and build a knowledge base that will inform future investments. Successful applicants will receive a nonrecurring grant ranging from $5,000 to $50,000; generally, not to exceed 20% of an organization’s operating budget and based upon the specific need outlined in the applicant’s funding application.

To apply for the Nonprofit Catalyst Fund, visit unitedwaygkc.org.