Marion And Henry Bloch Family Foundation

The Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation is a relationship-driven, proactive funder built on an explicit philosophy of reciprocity. Henry Bloch, co-founder of H&R Block, framed the foundation's purpose directly: 'If it weren't for the taxpayers who embraced Dick's and my tax preparation experiment, H&R Block wouldn't have become what it is today. We owe a debt to Kansas City.' This moral logic shapes everything about how the foundation gives — it is not passive, not transactional, and not interested in simply sustaining programs.

The foundation does not wait for ideas to arrive in the mail. Staff actively identify organizations with the potential to 'pilot new ideas and support solutions to systemic community issues.' First-time applicants must clear a staffed questionnaire screen before being invited to submit a full application — and many organizations that meet some criteria are still not invited. This pre-application funnel is both a quality filter and a relationship indicator: getting through it signals meaningful alignment.

Three legacy organizations — Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City — receive sustained, multi-year commitments that appear to operate outside the competitive grant cycle. The UMKC Foundation has received 32 separate grants totaling $2.9 million; Saint Luke's Foundation has received 11 grants totaling $4.6 million. The 2026 Nelson-Atkins Bloch Building renovation grant of $20 million reflects a lifelong institutional partnership. Organizations adjacent to these flagship partners — or those whose work strengthens these institutions' constituencies — carry structural advantages.

Board decisions are made quarterly (March, June, September, December), with notifications issued within days of each meeting. President David P. Miles, who has led the foundation for at least five years at a compensation of $273,251 in FY2024, leads staff operations. Chairman Thomas M. Bloch and other family board members maintain direct influence over strategic direction. Given the family's continued presence and the foundation's identity as a legacy institution, alignment with the founders' values — Kansas City community investment, educational opportunity, healthcare access, and the arts — is not optional framing; it is the central screening criterion.

The foundation's asset base expanded dramatically from $421.8 million in FY2019 to $650.5 million in FY2024 — a 54% increase driven by substantial contributions received in FY2019–2020 ($120–$239 million in contributions, likely tied to the Henry Bloch estate following his death in August 2019). Annual giving tracked this growth: from $16.0 million in FY2019, peaking at $40.3 million in FY2022, then settling back to $28.0 million in FY2024. The foundation remains well-capitalized with $56.5 million in net investment income in FY2024.

From the grantee database, the average grant across 271 awards is $349,303. The foundation's stated range is $150,000–$500,000, but specific grants diverge meaningfully. The largest single award on record is $4 million to the Henry W. Bloch School of Management (FY2022); the $20 million Nelson-Atkins gift (2026) sets a new high-water mark for capital commitments. At the lower end, matching gifts and board program contributions occasionally appear in the $10,000–$75,000 range. For competitive applicants, $150,000–$350,000 represents the realistic center of gravity.

By program area, education dominates grant count: UMKC Foundation (32 grants, $2.9M), Bloch School of Management ($5M across two grants), Donnelly College ($500K), Literacy Kansas City ($400K), Kansas City Public Schools ($349K combined), and City Year Kansas City ($200K) are all active recipients. Healthcare follows by dollar value: Saint Luke's entities account for approximately $6.4M cumulatively, with Children's Mercy ($385K) and Truman Medical Center ($425K combined) adding depth. Social services and housing — United Way ($1.09M), Community Capital Fund ($817K), Mid-America Regional Council ($650K) — represent a third major cluster. Arts grants tend to be larger individual checks: Nelson-Atkins ($2.85M across 17 grants), Kansas City Symphony ($200K).

Geography is strict: 75% of grants by count go to Missouri recipients, 24% to Kansas, and 1% to New York (likely a one-time national organization connection). Multi-year pledge structures are common — several recipients received installment payments across 2–10 payment periods.

The following table compares the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation to four peer foundations of similar asset size, all classified under NTEE code T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking):

The Bloch Foundation's most distinctive characteristic relative to its peers is geographic concentration. While Freedom Forum and Kenan operate nationally and Dow and Rainin serve multi-county or statewide regions, Bloch is restricted to five specific counties in two states. This makes it a dominant capital source for KC-area nonprofits in its focus areas — but also means that any organization serving even a slightly broader footprint may be disqualified. Its FY2024 giving-to-assets ratio of approximately 4.3% falls within normal private foundation payout norms. The $150K–$500K grant range is competitive with peer funders, none of which are dramatically more or less generous per award.

The most significant recent development is a $20 million grant to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, announced for early 2026. The award funds comprehensive renovations to the Bloch Building — the landmark Steven Holl–designed glass addition completed in 2007 that bears the family name — including replacement of the green roof, repair of interior walls, and complete resurfacing of floors. Renovations began in January 2026 with staggered gallery closings expected throughout the year. At $20 million, this commitment is roughly 70% of the foundation's entire FY2024 grantmaking budget and underscores the category difference between competitive applicants and the three legacy institutions.

In FY2024, the foundation paid $27,979,990 in grants across what appears to be a similar portfolio of recurring Kansas City organizations. Total assets reached $650.5 million — the highest on record — supported by $56.5 million in net investment income on a growing endowment. Annual giving declined from the FY2022 peak of $32.0 million in grants paid, consistent with a normalization period following the extraordinary post-endowment-transfer years.

Board and leadership are stable. Thomas M. Bloch serves as Chairman; Robert L. Bloch as Vice Chairman and Treasurer; David P. Miles continues as President ($273,251 compensation, FY2024). No leadership transitions were identified in recent public filings. No new program areas, pilot initiatives, or geographic expansions have been announced for 2025–2026.

Start with the questionnaire, not a phone call. Foundation staff explicitly will not meet with organizations before a questionnaire is received. The questionnaire at blochfamilyfoundation.org/grants is the only legitimate entry point. Keep it concise and outcomes-focused — this is a screening tool, not a narrative essay.

Confirm five-county eligibility before writing anything. The most common disqualifier is geography. Your organization must be based in and serve residents of Jackson, Clay, or Platte county (Missouri) or Wyandotte or Johnson county (Kansas). Regional organizations serving broader Missouri or Kansas footprints are not eligible, even if they have Kansas City programming.

Use the foundation's exact program language. The five focus areas are named precisely: 'post-secondary business and entrepreneurship education,' 'visual and performing arts,' 'education for poor, disadvantaged, and underserved youth,' 'healthcare,' and 'Jewish community organizations.' Mirror these terms in your questionnaire and proposal. Generic language about 'community impact' without mapping to a specific program area reads as a mismatch.

Frame work as systemic change, not service delivery. The foundation explicitly seeks organizations that 'pilot new ideas and address systemic community issues.' Describe your theory of change — what structural barrier you are addressing and why your approach creates durable outcomes — rather than counting service units.

Time submissions strategically. Board meetings occur in March, June, September, and December. Staff review takes approximately two weeks after questionnaire submission. Submit questionnaires in mid-to-late January (for March cycle), mid-April (June), mid-July (September), or mid-October (December) to allow sufficient runway.

Budget in the $150K–$500K range. Requests well below $150K are likely to raise questions about organizational scale or capacity to absorb a Bloch-sized grant. Requests above $500K are achievable but require prior relationship history with the foundation.

Show leveraged capital. The foundation runs a board matching gift program and has funded matching grants for organizations like the Community Capital Fund. Demonstrating that a Bloch grant will catalyze other investment signals to staff that their dollars multiply.

Expect a longer runway as a first-time applicant. Many organizations meet some criteria but are still not invited to apply. If declined, request brief feedback, recalibrate, and reapply in a future cycle with tighter programmatic alignment.