Philanthropy

Priming Kansas City for Growth

Nearly 30 leaders from the philanthropic community convened on Tuesday, November 25 for a highly productive and progressive assembly on the relationship between philanthropy and the economic vitality of the Kansas City area.

Hosting the forum were Jan Kreamer of the Greater Kansas Community Foundation and Carl Schramm and Bob Litan of the Kauffman Foundation. Held at the Kauffman Foundation, this forum was part of Ingram's Magazine ongoing effort to highlight economic and community development issues in the Kansas City metro area.

For much of this past year, Ingram's focus has been on the issue of economic development. We at Ingram's believe that this issue is as central to the mission of the philanthropic community as it is to any other.

The timing of the event and the location were propitious. As is well known, the Kauffman Foundation has engendered a good deal of controversy for refocusing its mission along the entrepreneurial lines that Ewing Kauffman envisioned. ("Controversy," joked Kauffman CEO Carl Schramm, "I have no idea what you're talking about.") So "mission" seemed like an appropriate place to begin the discussion, and if controversy followed, so be it.

Mission

The question was raised whether a conscious concern for the economic vitality of the area was within the scope of the organizations assembled.

For the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, there was no doubt. "Our mission is Mr. Kauffman's mission," declared Bob Litan of the Kauffman Foundation. Litan defined that mission thusly: "To promote the economic independence of individuals and to help them become engaged citizens by promoting entrepreneurship and youth education development."

Participants Include:

Carl Schramm
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (Host)
Bob Litan
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (Host)
Jan Kreamer,
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation (Host)
Lauren Mattleman Hoopes
Jewish Community Foundation
Henry Bloch
H&R Block Foundation
Sheila Kemper Dietrich
UMB Trust & Wealth Management
Jan Leonard
UMB Charitable Trusts & Foundations
Bill Epperheimer
Wyandotte Health Foundation
Marie McCarther
Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership
Denny Barnett
Kansas City’s Promise
Janice Ellis
Partnership for Children
Gene Dooley
YMCA
Richard Potter
American Humanics
Karen Wulfkuhle
United Community Services
Sandi Hackman
YouthFriends
Rick Viar
Bi County United Way of Cass and Jackson County
Jim White
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Cris Medina
Guadalupe Center
John Harvey
City Vision Ministries
Jennifer Kennally
United Way of Johnson County
Mike Snodgrass
Catholic Housing of Wyandotte County
Abby Thorman
Metropolitan Council For Early Learning
Mary Pat Beals
Catholic Charities
John O’Connell
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
Ralph Ried
Sprint Foundation
Tom Dugard
Heart of America United Way
Jack Cashill
Ingram’s Magazine (Moderator)
Michelle Sweeney
Ingram’s Magazine (Program Host)
Joe Sweeney
Ingram’s Magazine (Program Host)