Overview

Upward Mobility is the opportunity to stabilize, thrive and build a better future over time. It means that hard work leads to real opportunity, and people have the freedom to make choices about their lives without constantly falling behind. Today, too many Kansans are working hard but are still unable to get ahead. While Kansas ranks 11th nationally on income inequality according to America’s Health Rankings – a strength for our state – persistent gaps in opportunity remain for many Kansans. These Kansans – often referred to as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) struggle to afford basic living expenses.

In Kansas:

• Nearly 40% of households fall below the ALICE Survival Budget threshold

• In 84 of 105 counties, the average job pays less than $0.60 for every $1 needed to meet basic costs of living

• 1 in 5 Kansans has debt in collections
• 1 in 5 Black Kansans live in poverty – nearly twice the rate of White Kansans

These are not isolated challenges. They reflect a systemic mismatch between wages, costs, and access to opportunity. Working families are not failing – the math simply does not work. Kansas has the ideas, people and commitment to move this work forward, and Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) is investing in solutions that accelerate progress on Upward Mobility across Kansas.

The Opportunity

KHF will award grants of up to $10,000 each (including cost of travel expenses) to eligible Kansas nonprofit organizations for community-driven solutions that help Kansans facing financial hardship get ahead.

This opportunity is designed to put the Blueprint for Upward Mobility into action. The Blueprint was shaped by ideas, experiences and feedback from approximately 1,000 Kansans and identifies 11 strategies for addressing significant barriers preventing Kansans from achieving greater economic stability.  Funded projects must advance at least one of the 11 strategies identified in the Blueprint for Upward Mobility.

Criteria Alignment

Please describe how the proposed project clearly advances one strategy from the Blueprint for Upward Mobility.  Applicants should identify the specific blueprint strategy their project aligns with and demonstrate how their work will advance that strategy in a meaningful way.

Additional consideration may be given to projects that leverage or catalyze other funding and intentionally benefit populations experiencing significant inequities.

What Applicants Need To Know

KEY DATES

Below is an outline of the most important dates relevant to this grant program:

• August 18, 2026: Grant application period opens.
• Grant Information Webinars:
  • August 25, 2026, from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
  • August 27, 2026, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
  • September 3, 2026, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m.
  • Applicants may attend any of the three webinars to learn more about the grant opportunity and application process. Please register for the webinar HERE.  A recording will be available following the webinars.

• September 29, 2026, at noon: Grant applications are due, and the grant application period closes.
• October 2026: Applicants are notified of final funding decisions by the end of October.
• January 2027: Grant funds awarded in full to selected organizations (*Note: organizations MUST timely submit W9/EFT documentation if KHF has not received W9/EFT documentation within the last year to receive funding).
• January 28, 2027: Required Strategy Lab
• January 29, 2027: Funded projects may begin.

GRANT ADMINISTRATION

Applications must be submitted by noon on September 29, 2026. Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) will administer the application review process and manage the grants awarded through this opportunity. Through this partnership, KLC and KHF will work together to support communities in testing ideas, building collaborative leadership, and making progress on Upward Mobility. Applicants are encouraged to review the scoring rubric before submitting an application.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTED GRANTEES

Selected grantees must designate one primary point of contact to coordinate the project, attend the Required Strategy Lab and submit project updates through Actioneer, KLC’s action-tracking tool.

The one-day Required Strategy Lab will be held on January 28, 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Wichita. Each funded organization may send up to two team members, although attendance by one team member is mandatory.

Organizations do not need to have every project detail finalized before the Required Strategy Lab. The interactive session will provide an opportunity to refine project ideas, receive feedback from peers and use practical tools to strengthen collaboration and implementation.

Because the Required Strategy Lab is intended to help shape each project, grantees must wait until after the training to begin project activities. The official project start date is January 29, 2027.

Throughout the grant period, grantees will be asked to respond to periodic questions in Actioneer about project activities, progress and lessons learned.

ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS

Funding is intended to be flexible so organizations can support the projects and activities most needed in their communities.

Funding must NOT be used for:

• Individuals – KHF does not make grants directly to individuals.
• Capital Campaigns and Endowments – KHF does not fund capital campaigns, general fundraising drives, or the creation or expansion of endowment funds.
• Debt Retirement
• Duplicate Funding – KHF does not fund multiple grants for the same activity.

Applicants should include anticipated travel costs for up to two project team members to attend the Required Strategy Lab within the proposed project budget.

Eligibility

Any eligible 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, or church in Kansas classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, not a “supporting organization” described in Section 509(a)(3), and not a “private foundation” as defined in Section 509(a), may submit an application. Applying organizations must have their independent 501(c)(3).  Fiscal sponsorships are not permitted with this grant opportunity.

All grant-funded activities must take place in Kansas or directly benefit Kansans.

How To Apply

To apply, please scroll down on this page and complete the application form. Before you begin completing the form, please note the following:

• The application cannot be saved once started, so we recommend preparing a Microsoft Word document in advance for offline reference.
• Beware of timing out of the form. Once you begin a form submission, the form “times out” after three (3) hours if not submitted.
• One of the questions on the application form asks which regions of Kansas will be served by the project. For the purpose of this application, please refer to the Economic Development Districts outlined by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Which counties fall into which regions are indicated on this map.
• You will be asked to upload a copy of your IRS determination letter in PDF format. This is a letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service confirming your organization’s non-profit status/tax exemption. Please have this letter ready prior to entering your application information.
• You must have the contact information of a legally authorized signatory for the applying organization. Signing authority is restricted to an organization’s CEO, President, Executive Director or School District Superintendent.  Please have your legally authorized signatory’s name, title, and e-mail address ready and available.

When the application form is complete, please hit the “Submit” button. You will receive confirmation after submission.

Questions and Application Support

For questions about the grant criteria, project expectations or review process, contact Shaun Rojas, Senior Director of Civic Engagement at Kansas Leadership Center, at srojas@kansasleadershipcenter.org.

For questions about organizational or project eligibility, contact the Kansas Health Foundation Grants & Contracts Manager at applications@khf.org.

For assistance accessing, completing or submitting the online application form, contact the Kansas Health Foundation Business Intelligence Manager at help@khf.org.

KHF may share submitted applications with philanthropic, public, private or community partners to help connect promising ideas with additional funding, resources, partnerships or other support opportunities.

Applicants who do not want their application shared outside of KHF must notify Lindsay Wilke at lwilke@khf.org immediately after submitting the application.