Richard J Stern Foundation for the Arts Commerce Bank Trustee
Historical FunderKansas City, Missouri · EIN 43-6313811 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2024)$2.7M
Organizations funded75
Typical grant$15,000
Total assets$66.8M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $8,500 and $35,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | COMMERCE BANK |
|---|---|
| Address | 1000 WALNUT STE 1560, KANSAS CITY MO 64106 |
| Phone | 8162341768 |
| COMMERCEBANKFOUNDATIONOFFICE@COMMERCEBANK.COM | |
| Form and materials | APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED VIA ONLINE PORTAL |
| Deadlines | NONE |
| Restrictions | QUALIFYING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND ARE ENGAGED IN SUPPORTING THE ARTS IN THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA. |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
5% of grants went outside Missouri.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Symphony | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2024 season support | $300,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $200,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $200,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $200,000 |
| Performing Arts Foundation of Kansas City Dba Folly Theater | Kansas City, MO | Sound system upgrade | $178,677 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | Kansas City, MO | Michael vergason landscape plan over 2 years | $125,000 |
| Nelson Gallery Foundation | Kansas City, MO | Upexplored resonance acquisition support | $100,000 |
| William Jewell College (Harriman-Jewell Series) | Liberty, MO | 2025/2026 season support recognized through season sponsorship | $100,000 |
| Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Kansas City, MO | Replace harlequin liberty latchloc stage in muriel kauffman theater | $80,000 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | Kansas City, MO | Ceramics program | $65,000 |
| Kansas City Ballet Association | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support and partial underwriting of don quixote | $60,000 |
| Kansas City Repertory Theatre Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support and partial underwriting of emma | $50,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025 lyric ball | $50,000 |
| Nelson Gallery Foundation | Kansas City, MO | Featured exhibitions: "we live in painting" | $50,000 |
| Unicorn Theatre | Kansas City, MO | Fund our future (fof) campaign | $50,000 |
| Musical Theater Heritage Inc | Kansas City, MO | Equipment upgrades | $49,000 |
| Kansas City Ballet Association | Kansas City, MO | Family production of "snow white" | $40,000 |
| Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Kansas City, MO | 2025 future stages festival | $40,000 |
| Coterie Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $35,000 |
| Kansas City Symphony | Kansas City, MO | 2024 symphony ball | $35,000 |
| Unicorn Theatre | Kansas City, MO | Season support | $35,000 |
| Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | Kc studio magazine | $30,000 |
| Charlotte Street Foundation | Kansas City, MO | Used at the discretion of the board of directors or trustees as they see fit for operating their organization | $30,000 |
| Friends of Chamber Music | Kansas City, MO | Artistic planning as part of 50th anniversary campaign | $30,000 |
| Kansas City Actors Theatre Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $30,000 |
| Kansas City Chorale | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $30,000 |
| Park University | Parkville, MO | Park icm season support through stanislav & friends | $30,000 |
| Kansas City Chapter of Young Audiences Inc | Kansas City, MO | Used at the discretion of the board of directors or trustees as they see fit for operating their organization | $25,000 |
| Kemper Museum Operating Foundation Dba Kemper Museum of Art | Kansas City, MO | Stan douglas: metronome | $25,000 |
| Music-Arts Institute | Independence, MO | Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Owen-Cox Dance Group | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 performance season and take the stage | $20,000 |
| The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival | Kansas City, MO | 2025 season support | $20,000 |
| William Jewell College (Harriman-Jewell Series) | Liberty, MO | Transition support for new 501(C)(3) entity | $20,000 |
| Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey | Kansas City, MO | Ailey II residency | $18,000 |
| Youth Symphony Association of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | Orchestral education program | $18,000 |
| Friends of Chamber Music | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $15,000 |
| Heartland Men's Chorus | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $15,000 |
| Metropolitan Arts Council of Greater Kansas City Dba Artskc - Regional Arts | Kansas City, MO | Marketing capacity program | $15,000 |
| Mid-America Arts Alliance | Kansas City, MO | Arts programming in the metropolitan kansas city area | $15,000 |
| Moving Arts Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | 2025 season support | $15,000 |
| Teentix Kc | Kansas City, MO | Teentix kc program pilot | $15,000 |
| Harry S Truman Library Institute for National & International Affairs | Kansas City, MO | Art perservation project | $12,600 |
| Bach Aria Soloists | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support with one-time increase for helen sung commission | $12,500 |
| Umkc Foundation (University of Missouri-Kansas City - Conservatory) | Kansas City, MO | Healing & harmony concert series | $11,500 |
| Umkc Foundation (University of Missouri-Kansas City - Conservatory) | Kansas City, MO | Mfa student fellowship in sound design | $10,800 |
| Art As Mentorship Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025 rebel song academy expansion | $10,000 |
| Episcopal Diocese of West Missorui (St Paul's Episcopal Church) | Kansas City, MO | Piano acquisition | $10,000 |
| Johnson County Community College Foundation | Overland Park, KS | New dance partners 2025 | $10,000 |
| Mesner Puppet Theater Dba What If Puppets | Kansas City, MO | Season support | $10,000 |
| Northeast Community Center Inc | Kansas City, MO | Harmony project kc: program support | $10,000 |
| Performing Arts Foundation of Kansas City Dba Folly Theater | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 folly jazz series | $10,000 |
| Spire Chamber Ensemble | Kansas City, MO | Special capacity building grant | $10,000 |
| Umkc Foundation (University of Missouri-Kansas City - Conservatory) | Kansas City, MO | Conservatory bridges | $10,000 |
| Umkc Foundation (University of Missouri-Kansas City - Conservatory) | Kansas City, MO | Voice scholarship in honor of vinson cole | $10,000 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City - Kcur Radio | Kansas City, MO | Matching challenge funds for classical kc | $10,000 |
| Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance | Kansas City, MO | 2024/2025 season support | $10,000 |
| Charlotte Street Foundation | Kansas City, MO | Charlotte street library improvements | $8,500 |
| Kansas City Jazz Orchestra | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $7,500 |
| Musical Theater Heritage Inc | Kansas City, MO | Season support | $7,500 |
| Summerfest Concerts And-Or Recordings Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025 season support | $7,500 |
Showing the 60 largest of 75 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Community Center Inc | Kansas City, MO | Harmony project kc: program support | $250,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $200,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $200,000 |
| Lyric Opera of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | 2025/2026 season support | $200,000 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | Kansas City, MO | Michael vergason landscape plan over 2 years | $100,000 |
| Youth Symphony Association of Kansas City Inc | Kansas City, MO | Orchestral education program | $50,000 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | Kansas City, MO | Ceramics program | $25,000 |
| Spinning Tree Theatre | Kansas City, MO | Season support | $5,000 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,732,077 | 83 |
| 2023 | $2,575,740 | 84 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 13, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202533179349102758
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 43-6313811
- Profile updated Nov 4, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.