Kennys Kids
Kenny's Kids is a private family foundation based in Sedona, Arizona that funds programs for children, teens, and young adults. The site lists board leadership (Melissa Pontikes, Vicki Gallegos) and grant guidelines, and matches public 990 filings for EIN 85-3669013.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
An established nonprofit serving children, teens, or young adults (or related community services) with a track record, preferably active in states the foundation has funded (notably California, Illinois, or Arizona) and either already known to the family/board or introduced through a mutual partner.
Good Fit
- • Programs focused on youth or related community services.
- • History of prior funding or a documented relationship or referral to the foundation.
- • Requests for general operating support or broad program funding rather than narrowly restricted pilots.
- • Presence or operations in states the foundation has recently funded (especially CA, IL, AZ).
- • Organizational scale consistent with prior grantees (many awards under six figures, with a few larger grants).
Geography
In the latest year grants were distributed across six states, so the observed footprint is multi-state; the largest share of dollars went to California while Arizona (the foundation's state) received a smaller in-state share.
Recipient Variety
Each observed year shows about 16–17 distinct recipients (17 in 2023) spanning youth services, health foundations, arts, and food-security organizations, indicating a relatively broad recipient set for a small foundation despite dollar concentration among a few top grantees.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly states it funds only preselected organizations and the LOI intake is suspended; although a small number of new grantees appear each year (three in 2023), the public guidance plus a repeat-heavy portfolio suggest unsolicited new applicants are unlikely to be admitted without an invitation or referral.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
