ABOUT US
We research carefully, invest wisely, and support the strategies proven to make a real difference. Instead of reading about best practices, we lead them.
In 2010, a group of local citizens and business leaders decided to do something about the gap between what keeps a city safe and what a city budget can fund.
A strong police department needs strong community support. While the city budget provides essential funding, some of the technology, training, equipment, and programs that help KCPD lead with best practices require additional investment.
That is why business and community leaders came together to create the Police Foundation of Kansas City.
Today, we are the only local organization dedicated to funding the Kansas City Missouri Police Department beyond its city budget. We help close that gap thoughtfully and transparently by investing in the resources that strengthen public safety and help officers serve Kansas City at their best.
Our purpose remains the same as it was on day one: to make Kansas City safer for everyone.
Our Mission
The Police Foundation of Kansas City, Missouri, formed by citizens, focuses on engaging communities and assisting in reducing crime. We do so by generating funds for Kansas City, Missouri Police Department initiatives not fully supported by existing public funding.
Our vision is to make Kansas City one of the safest cities in America — at home, at work, and everywhere in between. We believe that is a goal worth coming together for, and we believe this community is more than capable of reaching it.
Every investment we make falls into one of four key initiatives.
Funding programs and strategies designed to enhance safety across the Kansas City community.
Strengthening the relationships and trust between residents and the officers who serve them.
Providing the training needed to prepare and keep a best-in-class police department.
Investing in the innovative tools that help protect officers and the community alike, including the department’s very first body cameras.
Our Leadership & Board
Led by people who love this city. Meet our Foundation leaders.
Our work is guided by a dedicated team and a volunteer board of Kansas City’s most committed civic and business leaders.
The Foundation is led by President & CEO Tye Grant, and our board is chaired by Carolyn Watley, a longtime civic leader devoted to the future of Kansas City.
Behind them stands a volunteer board of the Kansas City region’s business owners, executives, and community leaders, people who give their time and expertise because they believe in a safer Kansas City.
PRESIDENT & CEO
CHAIRPERSON
CHIEF'S ROUNDTABLE COMMITTEE
The Chief's Roundtable Committee is a quarterly program that brings together law enforcement and emerging business leaders for meaningful conversations about public safety, shared challenges, and opportunities to collaborate.
By creating space for stronger relationships and open dialogue, the Chief's Roundtable Committee helps connect the people serving Kansas City with the people investing in its future. These conversations build understanding, strengthen partnerships, and create new opportunities to advance our shared goal: making Kansas City safer for everyone.
Whether you give, attend our annual A Call for BackUp benefit, or simply stay informed, you become part of the story we are writing together: a safer city for everyone.
