Goppert Foundation

The Goppert Foundation is a family-rooted private foundation established in 1958 by the late Clarence H. Goppert in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Now in its second and third generation of family stewardship — with Thomas Goppert serving as Chairman and a tight six-member volunteer board — this is a relationship-first institution that funds through community trust rather than competitive solicitation cycles.

The governing philosophy is legible in its portfolio: the foundation builds lasting community infrastructure. Where comparable regional funders spread small discretionary awards across many causes, Goppert concentrates on institutions that shape communities over decades — nursing training facilities, university academic buildings, workforce pipelines, civic centers. President Autumn Markley articulated this directly in April 2024, calling the foundation "a steadfast advocate for nursing education" — language that signals a long-term partnership orientation rather than transactional grantmaking.

First-time applicants face a genuine geographic gate: the foundation funds only 501(c)(3) organizations serving eastern Kansas or western Missouri. This is non-negotiable and stated uniformly across all available records. Within that geography, the types of organizations that succeed share several characteristics: higher education institutions (universities, community colleges), healthcare-adjacent nonprofits with defined capital needs, and human services providers with strong regional credibility. Applications for general operating support have no documented track record with this funder.

The application pathway is deliberately low-tech: a formal written request accompanied by 501(c)(3) verification is the stated entry requirement. There is no online portal, no publicly announced deadline cycle, and no formal LOI stage described in any available source. This implies rolling consideration and direct relationship management. Organizations without an existing board connection should prioritize outreach to Corey Strider — foundation secretary and a prominent Kansas City-area banking executive — whose civic network spans the region's education, financial, and philanthropic communities.

The typical progression appears to involve an introductory award in the $50,000–$150,000 range that tests the relationship and the organization's stewardship, before larger capital campaign gifts are considered. ESU's experience — receiving a nursing scholarship grant before a larger simulation facility award — illustrates this pattern clearly. Plan for a multi-year relationship arc, not a single-cycle transaction.

The Goppert Foundation's financial profile reflects a mature family foundation in stable, not aggressive, growth mode. Total assets have ranged from $34.2 million (FY2012) to $40.3 million (FY2021), settling at $37.1 million as of the most recent FY2025 filing — a range that reflects investment market swings rather than structural change. The primary income source is investment returns: in FY2025, the foundation generated $2.04 million in dividends and $188,100 in interest, totaling $2.23 million in net investment income.

Annual grantmaking has increased steadily over 15+ years: FY2010 $1.66M → FY2013 $1.83M → FY2018 $2.08M → FY2020 $2.61M → FY2021 $2.76M → FY2022 $2.49M → FY2025 ~$3.39M. The FY2025 figure is notable — total charitable disbursements exceeded investment income by approximately $1.15 million, representing a deliberate draw-down of principal to sustain an elevated grantmaking level. This signals the foundation is in an active distribution phase, not a capital-preservation phase.

IRS 990 filings document 32–36 grantee organizations per annual cycle, with all recipients consolidated into attachment schedules rather than itemized on Schedule I. Dividing known annual totals by grantee count yields an estimated average individual grant of $70,000–$105,000. Verified awards from web sources confirm the realistic range: $100,000 to Emporia State for nursing simulation infrastructure (2024), $100,000 to Emporia State for nursing scholarships (prior year), $200,000 to Northwest Missouri State for Martindale Hall renovation (2022). Scholarship programs at community colleges likely represent the lower end ($5,000–$25,000 per cycle); capital campaign gifts to universities represent the upper end, with multi-year pledges possible.

Sectoral concentration — inferred from documented awards and stated mission — clusters in three areas: (1) higher education and workforce development, including nursing programs, behavioral health labs, and clinical training facilities; (2) healthcare infrastructure, including hospital-affiliated clinical spaces and simulation centers; and (3) civic and community betterment projects. All verified grantees fall within a geographic corridor running from the Kansas City metro area northwest to Lathrop, Missouri, east to Sedalia and Maryville, and southwest into the Emporia, Kansas corridor. Prospective applicants should treat $75,000–$150,000 as the most likely range for a first award.

The Goppert Foundation occupies a mid-tier position among Kansas City-area private foundations — meaningful in size at $37.1M in assets and $3M+ in annual giving, yet accessible in ways that larger invitation-only regional funders are not. The table below compares it to three comparable regional funders based on available IRS 990 data (figures approximate from public filings).

The Goppert Foundation's most distinguishing feature relative to regional peers is its accessible, non-invitation application model — a written request suffices, unlike the Sunderland and Hall foundations, which are relationship-exclusive and rarely consider unsolicited applications. For organizations new to regional Kansas City philanthropy, Goppert represents a viable entry point that larger invitation-only funders do not. Its geographic restriction (eastern KS / western MO only) is stricter than many peers, which typically fund metro-wide or statewide. The Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, administered through the Community Foundation of Greater KC, offers a more open competitive process for human services work, but with lower award ceilings and narrower sector focus than Goppert.

The most recent documented grant activity confirms the Goppert Foundation actively investing in regional higher education and healthcare workforce infrastructure. In April 2024, the foundation awarded $100,000 to Emporia State University for the Pediatric Care Simulation Room in the new Nursing + Student Wellness Center — a 32,000-square-foot facility that opened in fall 2025. This followed an earlier award of $100,000 to ESU specifically for nursing scholarships, establishing ESU as a confirmed multi-award institutional partner. The simulation room was named in the foundation's honor, suggesting capital naming rights are available and welcomed.

In August 2022, the foundation awarded $200,000 to Northwest Missouri State University for the third-floor renovation of Martindale Hall, creating academic laboratory spaces for human services and school counseling programs and faculty offices. Foundation secretary Corey Strider was quoted in the announcement, citing both the regional workforce need and the university's responsible stewardship as key award factors. Northwest Missouri State had also previously received Goppert awards for scholarships and an Agricultural Learning Center.

State Fair Community College in Sedalia, MO maintains an active Goppert Foundation Scholarship program, with $1,500 per-student awards and a reported cycle deadline of July 31, 2026 — confirming ongoing community college engagement.

The FY2025 IRS 990 (filed February 28, 2025) shows $37.14M in assets and an estimated $3.39M in charitable disbursements — the highest grantmaking level in the foundation's documented history. No leadership changes were identified: Thomas Goppert remains Chairman, Autumn Markley serves as President, and Corey Strider serves as Secretary. Four board members (Strider, Kellogg, Kellogg, and Campbell) each received $6,000 in annual compensation in the most recent filing.

The Goppert Foundation's application process is deliberately analog and relationship-mediated — not designed for cold online submissions. The following guidance is specific to this funder's documented practices.

Verify geographic eligibility before anything else. Every available source confirms that funding is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations serving eastern Kansas or western Missouri. Documented grantees cluster in Lee's Summit, Maryville, Sedalia (MO), and Emporia (KS) — the I-70 corridor and Kansas City metro region. If your primary service area falls outside this corridor, do not apply.

Frame your ask as a capital or project investment, not operating support. All verified Goppert grants are for buildings, equipment, renovations, or scholarship funds. Structure your request around a specific, nameable project with a defined total budget, funds secured to date, and the gap Goppert is being asked to fill. Named spaces — the ESU simulation room bears the foundation's name — indicate that recognition opportunities for capital gifts are welcomed and should be offered proactively.

Lead with healthcare workforce alignment if applicable. Nursing education, clinical simulation, and behavioral health training have received at least four documented Goppert awards across two institutions. Any organization with a plausible connection to healthcare workforce development should surface that alignment explicitly in the opening paragraph.

Reference fiscal responsibility. Corey Strider has been publicly quoted on this point as a deciding factor. Use language such as "responsible stewardship," "demonstrated accountability," and "transparent financial management" — these map directly to stated board values. Attach your most recent audited financials or Form 990 without being asked.

Pursue a board introduction before submitting. Strider's dual role at Goppert Financial Bank of Lathrop, M. Charles Kellogg's vice presidential position, and the Kellogg family's board representation suggest regional banking and civic networks are effective introduction pathways. A warm introduction to any board member meaningfully distinguishes your application from an unsolicited written request.

Timing: No public deadline exists. Applications appear reviewed on a rolling basis, with award cycles likely aligned to the foundation's October fiscal year-end. Submitting in the spring (April–June) gives ample time before year-end review.