RSS 2.0 FeedJanuary 6, 2010, KCM News
KCM receives a Small Arts Grant Program Award from the Francis Family Foundation
KCMetropolis.org is a recent recipient of a Small Arts Grants Program Award from the Francis Family Foundation. This grant will be used for FY 2009/10 general operation expenses. What a lovely Christmas present for KCM... thank you Francis Family.
About the Francis Family Foundation from their website...
The Francis Family Foundation is actually a combination of two former foundations. Parker B. Francis, founder of the Puritan-Bennett Company, established a foundation bearing his name in 1951. Parker B. Francis III also established a foundation to fund his interests in education, arts, and culture. In 1989, the Parker B. Francis Foundation merged with the Parker B. Francis III Foundation to become the Francis Family Foundation. After retiring from Puritan Bennett as Chairman in 1986, John B. Francis - son of Parker B. Francis and brother of Parker B. Francis III - served as president of the Foundation until 1998. Mr. Francis was the Honorary Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors until his passing in August 2004. His wife, Mary Harris Francis, served on the board as honorary vice chair until her passing in May 2005.
The four children of John B. and Mary Harris Francis (Ann F. Barhoum, David V. Francis, J. Scott Francis and Susan F. Neves) served as the Executive Committee of the Foundation Board from 1998 until 2004, at which time the Board reorganized to better meet the needs of the new strategic plan.
Foundation priorities, such as the funding of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, a national post-doctoral program in pulmonary research, and support of educational and cultural programs geographically located within the greater Kansas City area, still reflect the interests of the donors.
Locally the Foundation supports specific efforts to promote lifelong learning skills in children and specific areas within arts and culture.
The Francis Family Foundation envisions current and future generations of well-rounded individuals who are creative, lifelong learners striving to achieve their fullest potential and are well prepared to contribute to community and society in general. The path to making this vision a reality is built upon strategies that target talented individuals and organizations that strive to provide excellent programs and services within their communities. Specifically, the Foundation will focus its strategies in the areas of pulmonary research, lifelong learning with a particular emphasis on early childhood development, and arts and culture.
This plan serves as a framework by which the Foundation will pursue a set of outcomes within each area over the next five years. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the area of pulmonary research on a national level. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the areas of lifelong learning and arts and culture within the greater Kansas City area. By focusing support in these areas, the Foundation is committed to making a difference in improving the quality of life through our grant making.
Francis Family Foundation funding promotes the principle that arts and culture are fundamentally important for all people and supports development of the greater Kansas City area as a creative community recognized as a regional hub for excellence in arts and culture, rich with expression of diverse cultures and affording access to all levels of creative participation.
For more information and to view the entire list of 2009 Arts and Cultural grant recipients visit www.francisfoundation.org
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