The Sherman Family Foundation
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting educational initiatives and community development. Its mission centers around enhancing educational opportunities, particularly for underserved youth, and promoting literacy and teacher training. The foundation provides funding for a wide range of programs, including early childhood education, youth development, and social services aimed at families in need. Additionally, it supports artistic outreach and community engagement efforts. While its primary focus is on education, the foundation also addresses issues related to homelessness, disability advocacy, and women's empowerment, primarily serving communities in Missouri and Kansas.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A nonprofit serving Kansas City / Missouri-area education or youth needs with an established track record and local credibility, especially programs in K–12, early childhood, teacher training, literacy, or college access.
Good Fit
- • Work located in the Kansas City / Missouri region or serving KC-area students and families.
- • Programs focused on education, youth development, early childhood, teacher training, or literacy.
- • Established nonprofit status with demonstrated program outcomes and local partnerships.
- • Existing relationships or referrals from current grantees, community intermediaries, or local funders.
- • Capacity to manage mid-size grants (many recent awards range from a few thousand up to several hundred thousand dollars).
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in Missouri (about 88% of dollars in the latest year) though a handful of other states received smaller shares; observed footprint is effectively local/regional around Kansas City.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded roughly 115 distinct recipients in the latest year across many education, youth, arts, disability, and social-service purposes, showing a broad and diverse recipient set for its size.
New Applicants
The funder formally states that grants are preselected and only preselected applicants are accepted, there is no public website or clear contact route, and practical application paths are not visible—even though 19 new recipients appeared in the latest year, unsolicited applicants would likely face low likelihood of entry without referral or relationship.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
