The Daniel Keating Foundation provides grants to organizations that lift up and light up the lives of young people facing financial, emotional and physical changes in the Kansas City and Manhattan, KS community.
Since inception, the Foundation has distributed over $660,909 during the past 7 years in Daniel’s name in grants to worthy organizations. Congratulations to all DKF Grantees!
For more information about our grant process, please contact us at info@danielkeatingfoundation.com
WONDER WORKSHOP – The DKF Grant provided 72 scholarships for youth to attend Wonder Workshop’s “Think Big” 6-week Summer Enrichment Camp. The Wonder Workshop’s Mission is to promote education in the arts, sciences and humanities through programs and exhibits. Campers received educational opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) during the summer camp. The goal was to develop self-reliant children, families, and community members. The hands-on activities and exhibits instilled a desire for lifelong learning, leadership opportunities, recognizing cultural diversity, and fostering creative potential. The Camp expanded this year to include opportunities for younger campers to participate along with their older siblings. ($19,782 in 2024, $5,435 in 2023, $5250 in 2022; $5250 in 2020).
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF MANHATTAN’S YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – Before school, after school, during in-service days and over the summer, BGC provides daily out-of-school programs for Manhattan youth. During these critical times when children are not in school, BGC provides caring, adult professionals and a safe place for youth to learn and grow while engaged in life-enhancing programs centered on academic success, healthy lifestyles, character development and leadership. The Youth Scholarship Program provides full and partial scholarships to foster, low-income and crisis children so every child in Manhattan can attend these out-of-school programs, regardless of income or hardship. ($20,000 in 2024)
FIRST TEE – MANHATTAN SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAMS – First Tee is a youth development organization that integrates the game of golf with a life skills curriculum to build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do. The First Tee – Manhattan Special Needs Program partners with the Flint Hills Summer Fun Camp to bring the students to Colbert Hills weekly to deliver golf and life skills lessons. By providing scholarships to these families in need, First Tee – Manhattan can offer a fun, impactful experience. ($2,500 in 2024)
FLINT HILLS SUMMER FUN CAMP GOLF PROGRAM – This was started in 2010 by parents to provide a structured, fun summer experience for children with autism-spectrum disorders and peer models. Many of the students have “severe and profound” disabilities with very limited engagement opportunities with their peers during the school days. Partnering with First Tee, the campers are brought to the golf course as a safe and adaptive opportunity to learn a new sport, develop new friendships, and foster an environment of inclusion. ($5,000 in 2024)
KANSAS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF RILEY COUNTY – Creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The BBBS DKF grant request is for Match Events, Recruitment of Bigs and Operational Support. Match Events would be 7 match activities impacting up to 115 matches providing life skills for mentors and parents/guardians quarterly. Bigs pay for activities when spending time with their Littles and Match events would not cost the Bigs or Littles anything. Match events are a fun way to get to know each other, deepen their relationship and enjoy time together. It is truly priceless for a youth to have a Big/Mentor as their friend and champion. The DKF grant request is to help market the need for Bigs in Riley County. 78 youth are on the waiting list for a Big. ($5,000 in 2024)
MINDDRIVE – Their mission is to explore, inspire and expand possibilities through equitable access to support, education, collaboration and mentoring so all students recognize, believe in and pursue their greatest potential. MINDDRIVE offers highly engaging, innovative, project-based programming to under-resourced teens through both after-school and in-school programming. The project request is for Collaborative STEM programming for urban youth. The majority of MINDDRIVE students are from low-income families in under-resourced neighborhoods serving 250 students annually. Students work in teams on projects focused on metal fabrication, electric vehicle systems, automotive design, drones and robotics, all supported by adult volunteer mentors and staff facilitators. MINDDRIVE partners with other organizations including Operation Breakthrough. Leadership and growth opportunities are offered through the student leadership group, the Black Jackets, who serve as volunteer student program facilitators/peer mentors. MINDDRIVE creates employment opportunities for former students by hiring them as staff Program Facilitators. ($5,000 in 2024)
UFM YOUTHBUILD: BOUNTIFUL BRIDGES PROGRAM – Provides academic and vocational prep for economically challenged students not enrolled in high school. This personalized program builds bridges to a brighter future for students struggling in traditional education systems. Participants design from beginning to end “Leadership and Legacy Projects” as they engage in the leadership process. The first project will be designing a Basketball Tournament for underprivileged youth. DKF Grant funds a UFM fee and all the intricate parts of developing teams and putting on a basketball tournament. ($1,000 in 2024)
WYANDOTTE HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION TECH PROGRAM (Bulldog Builders) – Designed to give young men and women in the urban core an introduction to the techniques and processes that occur at a construction site and to the construction trades as a career path. The Wyandotte High school collaborates with CoBuild and a carpenter’s union to provide underserved youth with construction techniques, responsibility, the importance of preparation, planning, measurement and accuracy. Bulldog Builders invites young people to envision and build with their own hands. Funding goes towards training, social impact and materials. ($25,000 in 2024)
THE HOUSE CAFE – The DKF Grant provided funding for The House Café’s multiple projects to expand and continue their work with young people through their Teen Center, Coffee Shop and Early Learning Center. The Mission of The House Café is to mentor, influence, challenge, and confront behaviors and thought processes that contribute to a life of poverty and equip youth with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to break the generational cycle of poverty in Ogden, Kansas. They influence roughly 100 kids and teens in a year. ($10,000 in 2023, $24,000 in 2022; $20,000 in 2021; $15,000 in 2019; $24,500 in 2018).
HALO – The DKF Grant was for HALO’s HALO Maker program to cover supply costs of serving ten, primarily homeless youth in the program. The HALO mission is: “Help one more child spend one less day alone.” The DKF grant allowed ten youth to learn new life skills and set themselves on the path to a positive financial future through their Future Fund. Money raised from the trays and cutting boards they created are used for down payments on an apartment, a vehicle, tuition, or anything else they need to jump start their lives as a young adult. ($5,000 in 2023).
OPERATION BREAKTHROUGH – The DKF Grant provided funds for the Ignition Lab high school students to participate in client-connected projects so students can build industry-recognized skills. The youth learn through hands-on learning experiences which provide a springboard for students economically depressed, helping to prepare them for post-high school training programs, additional entrepreneurial ventures or college. The mission of this program is to assist at-risk high school students in acquiring Market Value Assets, specifically through engaging in client-connected projects. DKF Grant funds support stipends for the youth, staff to supervise the client-connected projects and material/supplies required to complete the projects. ($26,000 in 2024, $30,000 in 2023 $20,000 in 2021; $30,000 in 2019).
BAGS OF FUN, KC– The DKF Grant helped provide a Bag of Fun to children fighting a long term or life-threatening condition. Bags of Fun “fosters genuine care and respect while bringing the power of therapeutic play to children Fighting life…conditions.” Youth are totally involved in creating, giving and receiving the Bags making the goodies age appropriate and fun. Contents consist of backpacks, educational toys, manipulative toys, electronics and are customized for age, gender and diagnosis as advised by medical providers. ($5,000 in 2024, $20,000 in 2023, $20,000 in 2022).
RILEY COUNTY COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS – The DKF Grant provided for the Protective Home Project, which is Juvenile Intake & Assessment Services to children-in-need-of-care (victims of abuse & neglect) to include assessing the family’s risk and needs and providing resources. Children taken into protective custody are provided with food, hygiene items, and an immediate place to stay. The program maintains at least 15 homes. During a 6-month period 106 youth were processed, 9 children placed in 4 homes for a total of 47 days. ($5,000 in 2023, $5,000 in 2022; $8,000 in 2020; $7,000 in 2019).
THE YEARS KANSAS CITY BALLET– The DKF Grant was for Kansas City Ballet’s Mobility Assistance Equipment for the Kansas City Ballet’s Adaptive Dance Program. The Adaptive Dance program, was developed in partnership with the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City, Brain Balance, and Children’s Therapy Group, Inc., and includes two weekly, 30-minute classes for a total of 10 weeks per semester, specifically designed for students, age 3-11, with a variety of disabilities. Within the Adaptive Dance class setting itself, teachers give older Adaptive Dance students the opportunity to demonstrate or lead the group in a dance move or a dance around the room, providing early experiences in leadership and self-confidence. With the DKF grant the KCB can purchase mobility equipment, and enroll a total of 40 children in the coming year. ($10,000 in 2023).
NO STONE UNTURNED – The DKF Grant provided for the No Stone Unturned Summer Reading Program Camp. Their Mission is driven by the belief that children with all types of disabilities and their families deserve access to the services they need. The No Stone Unturned Therapeutic Learning Center has served 1,400 children from 25 counties in Kansas. The majority of the youth come from Riley and Geary counties. The Grant provided youth scholarships, to secure a therapist and a Special Ed Teacher. Each group has 4-8 children, and spend one hour with a Speech Language Pathologist and Occupational Therapist and the other with the special education teacher. ($22,950 in 2023, $19,242 in 2021).
PAWNEE MENTAL HEALTH – The DKF Grant was awarded to Pawnee Mental Health S.T.A.R.S Camp (Strength, Teamwork, Attitude, Relationships, Self-Esteem). The mission of Pawnee Mental Health Services is to provide comprehensive quality mental health and substance use treatment and recovery services to strengthen the wellness of our communities. The project serves at least 100 youth with a maximum of 150. Scholarship funding allows youth (needing financial assistance) with serious emotional disorders (SED) from the Manhattan area to attend S.T.A.R.S. Camp. ($20,000 in 2024, $16,500 in 2023).
MATTIE RHODES CENTER – The DKF Grant was awarded to the MRC Youth Leadership Program. MRC meets the needs of the greater Kansas City community in five programmatic areas: community behavioral health, community economic development, emergency assistance, cultural arts, and youth development. MRC’s youth development programs promote civic engagement and leadership through activities that foster peer mentorship, increase self-confidence, and build leadership skills. Specifically, MRC HOPE KIDS – The DKF grant was for Hope Kids to provide on-going fun family events, and activities away from the hospital setting. The grant helped provide a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition. Hope Kids surrounds these remarkable children and their families with the message that hope is a powerful medicine. ($5,000 in 2024, $20,000 in 2022).
KANSAS 4-H FOUNDATION – The DKF Grant was for Kansas 4-H Foundation to provide 50 youth to attend 4-H Camp in Rock Springs. The youth were from Urban Core in partnership with Operation Breakthrough. The Mission is to provide leadership opportunities for youth at risk. This grant was to help market the camp to Kansas City inner city youth. ($6,000 in 2022) offers youth leadership programming as an investment in youth that reside in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood. MRC’s youth leadership program serves a total of 40 youth over the course of a school year. ($10,000 in 2023) BE ABLE – The DKF Grant was for Be Able to hire a mentor in Manhattan helping young people to create and execute a 2-year life plan including Educational, Housing, Employment and Health Goals. ($17,500 in 2022).
EMMANUEL FAMILY & CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER – The DKF Grant was for Emmanuel Family & Child Development Center – Youth 4 Change program. The Mission is to ensure all children living in poverty have access to a high quality early educational learning environment which stimulates the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of children and ensures school readiness, in addition to providing supportive services to families. The DKF Grant supports the effort to serve more youth through the socio-emotional and mental wellness supports that Emmanuel provides in the Youth 4 Change Program. ($10,000 in 2024, $20,000 in 2021, $15,000 in 2020; $30,000 in 2019).
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL SYSTEM – The DKF Grant was for the medical staff at the University of Kansas Medical System to provide meals (locally sourced) during Covid-19. This provided relief and support to a very overworked at-risk medical staff during the pandemic. ($5,000 in 2020).
MANHATTAN HIGH SCHOOL – The DKF Grant was for the creation of a Compassion Project at Manhattan High School. This Project provides a courtyard where students could go feeling a need for a quiet, no judgment space when feeling bullied or ostracized. Curriculum was created and taught to students at MHS to teach inclusiveness and tolerance for others differences. ($25,000 in 2020).
JOHNSON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER – The DKF Grant was for the Johnson County Mental Health Center, Sources of Strength Program for Suicide Prevention/Awareness for youth. The #ZeroReasonsWhy is a community-wide mobilization effort to target and prevent teen suicide through education and awareness efforts incorporating a teen-led story campaign. ($30,000 in 2018).
THE DREAM FACTORY – The DKF Grant was for a critically or chronically ill child’s dream to come true. The child and family recipient of The Dream Factory wish was to attend a Royals Baseball game; which they did with the help of the DKF grant. ($5,000 in 2018).