The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Research Grants support innovative and high-quality research projects designed to deepen understanding and address systemic barriers related to economic mobility and racial wealth gaps. Grants focus on producing impactful research that aligns with the foundation’s strategic priorities of education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship. This funding opportunity aims to catalyze the field, provide actionable insights, and contribute to equitable economic growth in the Kansas City region.

Research grant funding begins at $250,000 annually, with projects required to demonstrate clear relevance to closing racial wealth gaps. The current Letter of Interest (LOI) window is October 15, 2024, to January 10, 2025, with funds to be disbursed in the second quarter of 2025. The grant cycle occurs twice annually, offering opportunities for researchers to align their proposals with the foundation’s goals.

Proposals should explore critical questions related to systemic inequities and offer solutions to persistent disparities. Topics of interest include understanding wealth gaps through data and infrastructure, assessing the role of housing and business ownership in wealth-building, and leveraging technology to advance economic mobility. Applicants are encouraged to propose diverse methodological approaches, such as modeling, policy analysis, or qualitative and quantitative studies, tailored to the research question.

Strong applications will clearly articulate alignment with the foundation’s strategic priorities, demonstrate expertise in the field, and include thoughtful dissemination plans to share findings with relevant audiences. The foundation also emphasizes equitable research practices, requiring applicants to mitigate bias, disaggregate data, and engage communities in meaningful partnerships.

Grantees will collaborate with the foundation’s Research, Learning, and Evaluation (RLE) team throughout the project to ensure outcomes are effectively communicated and translated into actionable knowledge. This funding opportunity is ideal for researchers committed to dismantling systemic barriers and advancing equitable economic mobility in the Kansas City area and beyond. Applicants are encouraged to review detailed guidelines, participate in webinars, and explore the foundation’s resources for additional support.