Kemper Foundation Grants Program

Some Kemper Scholars of the Class of 2008 and Kemper Foundation Associate Executive Director E. B. Smith pose in front of Anish Kapoor’s sculpture Cloud Gate (popularly referred to as “The Bean”) in Chicago’s Millennium Park in June, 2006. Nineteen Kemper Scholars spent May 30 – August 11 as interns in leading Chicago not-for-profit organizations.
• College and University Guidelines
• Kemper Scholars Program
• Cultural Organization Guidelines

College and University Guidelines

(Revised May, 2010)

Given the reduction in the Foundation’s assets in the wake of the 2008-2009 economic recession, the Board of the James S. Kemper Foundation has determined that beginning with the 2011 cycle and for the foreseeable future, the Foundation will no longer accept letters-of-interest or proposals for funding from colleges and universities. Henceforth, the Foundation will fund only its operational program, the Kemper Scholars Program; grants in support of arts management internships to Chicago-area arts and culture organizations; and occasional other projects at the Foundation’s initiation.

The Board has made this decision with regret but felt it unfair to encourage colleges and universities to spend the considerable effort necessary to prepare proposals which the Foundation could not fund. Should circumstances make future grants to colleges and universities possible, an announcement will be made at the Foundation’s website.

Kemper Scholar Program

The Kemper Scholar Program, approaching its 60th anniversary year, has always combined financial aid and summer internships. It is sponsored at fifteen partner colleges. Colleges may participate only by invitation from the Foundation.

Chicago Cultural Organization Guidelines

(Revised Summer, 2009)

NOTE: The grant program and guidelines may change during the fiscal year because of economic conditions.

The mission of The James S. Kemper Foundation is to promote liberal arts education as an ideal preparation for life and work, especially in organizational leadership and administration and in business.

The Foundation focuses its support primarily on small, private liberal arts colleges, though it maintains a secondary commitment to undergraduate opportunities at Chicago’s cultural organizations. The Foundation partners with fifteen private colleges in a special scholarship/internship program, the “Kemper Scholars Program.” Annually, it also makes project grants to small private colleges and to some of Chicago’s cultural organizations to support projects and programs which further its mission.

The complete guidelines for the 2010 grant programs are available in the 2009 Annual Report which is accessible by means of the navigation bar on the left of this page by clicking on “Annual Report.”