In its core granting cycle, the Jewish Community Foundation’s Community Legacy Fund has awarded $527,228 to 19 unique Jewish community organizations. These grants are intended to help enhance and maintain the quality of Jewish life in the Greater Kansas City area.
Core grants support the general operating expenses (core expenses) central to the accomplishment of an organization’s mission. The Community Legacy Fund also makes core grants for unique services not otherwise available within the Jewish community that are essential to Jewish life.
In an effort to have the greatest impact upon the Jewish community, the Community Legacy Fund maintains the following objectives: to provide financial support for safety net services; to nurture a strong Jewish community by providing underwriting for Jewish education, community relations, and cultural arts; to provide financial support for seed programs which meet an identified community need; to purchase equipment which enhances an organization’s general operations or programs; to provide core support for Jewish community agencies; and, to provide support for programs which are essential to Jewish life in Kansas City.
"We’re so grateful for continued support from the Community Legacy Fund" said Melanie Hayden, Jewish Family Services chief advancement officer. "This funding will help ensure that thousands of people in our community have access to spiritual care through our Jewish Community Chaplain program and to nutritious food through our Food Access programs."
The Community Legacy Fund is comprised of permanent endowments from which grants are awarded to agencies whose applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Foundation’s Grants Committee and Board of Trustees. The Foundation’s Grants Committee is a dedicated group of lay leaders who thoroughly review each application and engage in thoughtful dialogue about how to best allocate resources to make the most meaningful impact.
In addition to its core granting cycle, the fund has an innovation/emergency cycle that supports high-quality, new programs that provide an innovative approach or solution to an existing or emerging community need, or respond to financial or humanitarian emergencies.
Community Legacy Fund grants were awarded for the following programs:
- BBYO: Engagement with Jewish teens across the community
- Chabad at KU: Bookkeeping services
- Chabad of Leawood: Expand the Leawood Eruv for young families, seniors, and mobility needs
- Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy: Financial aid and liability insurance
- The J: General liability, property, and casualty insurance
- Jewish Community Campus: Utilities
- JCRB|AJC: Antisemitism education, advocacy, and community relations
- Jewish Family Services: Jewish Life Programs – Chaplaincy; Rent for the JFS Food Pantry
- Jewish Federation of Greater KC: Financial aid for Jewish immersive experiences; Sasone Jewish Disability Inclusion; Community security
- Jewish Vocational Service: Employment, social services, and legal assistance for refugees and immigrants
- Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care: NIJH accreditation requirements and compliance
- Kosher Meals on Wheels: 2026 audit fees
- KU Hillel: Technology, accounting services, furniture repair, exterior signage
- Midwest Center for Holocaust Education: Rent, annual financial audit, software subscriptions
- Mizzou Hillel: Staffing and space for new student-led campus engagement
- Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City: Daily operations and Director of Admin. and Operations salary
- Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America: Salary support for the Kansas City JSU Director
- Vaad Hakashruth of Kansas City: Administrative assistance and health care benefits
- Village Shalom: Integrated door access controls for upgraded security
For more information about the Community Legacy Fund, please contact Beatrice Fine at or 913-327-4618.
