Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas

What Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas does

The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) foundation established in February 1989 by Archbishop Ignatius Strecker (originally as the Archdiocesan Foundation, renamed in 1998) to serve as the designated philanthropic fund management platform for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Headquartered at 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, with a core staff of approximately 9 professionals led by Executive Director Derek Lyssy, the foundation manages 250+ funds totaling $158.1M in assets as of March 31, 2026, including 170 endowment funds, 47 donor advised funds, 26 scholarship funds, and 7 charitable gift annuities.

CFNEK's product portfolio encompasses endowment funds (perpetual income for parishes, schools, cemeteries, and ministries), scholarship funds, donor advised funds (minimum $5,000 to open), charitable gift annuities (administered via the National Gift Annuity Foundation, minimum $20,000, donor age 55+), IRA charitable distributions (up to $108,000/year for donors 70½+), and appreciated stock gifts. The operating technology stack consists of the FC Suite (fcsuite.com) enterprise fund administration platform for donor portal access, fund accounting, and grant administration; Country Club Trust Company for investment management with USCCB-aligned socially responsible investment guidelines; and Google Forms for grant application intake. Revenue is generated through recurring administrative fees — $100 plus 1.0% of DAF value billed quarterly, plus endowment administrative fees on fund balances — with investment management fees netted against returns.

The go-to-market model is field-sales and consultative: foundation staff (Executive Director, Gift Planning Consultant, Director of Development) conduct one-on-one meetings with prospective donors, attend parish events, and host 25+ educational workshops annually (724 attendees in FY2023-2024) in partnership with the Catholic Advisors Network of estate attorneys, accountants, financial planners, and insurance advisors. Customer segments are Catholic parishes, schools, cemeteries, and ministries (vertical primary), individual Catholic donors and families (persona primary), and professional advisors in the Catholic Advisors Network (horizontal secondary). An annual grant program (max $5,000 per grant, up to 50% of project cost) serves parishes, schools, and ministries across the archdiocese, with 16 recipients in 2024, 17 in 2025, and 23 in the Fall 2025 cycle. The foundation operates exclusively within Northeast Kansas under an archdiocesan mandate.

Name

Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas

Legal name

The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas

Website

https://cfnek.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in 1989 that manages $158.1M across 250+ endowment, donor advised, scholarship, and gift annuity funds for parishes, schools, ministries, and Catholic donors within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Endowment Fund Management

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Endowment fund management
• Donor advised funds
• Charitable gift annuities
• Planned giving services
• Catholic philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Administrative Fees: CFNEK charges an annual administrative fee of $100 plus 1.0% of the total DAF value, billed quarterly. Fees cover fund accounting, grant administration, compliance oversight, quarterly reporting to donors, and investment management coordination. Additional revenue derives from the investment management fees charged by Country Club Trust Company, which are netted against returns.
2. Endowment Fund Management: CFNEK manages endowment funds for parishes, schools, cemeteries, and other Catholic entities. Revenue is generated through administrative fees assessed on fund balances. Endowments generate annual distributions to designated beneficiaries while the principal is preserved in perpetuity.
3. Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) Administration: CGAs are offered through the National Gift Annuity Foundation (NGAF), a charitable subsidiary of Dechomai Foundation. CGAs provide donors aged 55+ with guaranteed lifetime income; the minimum gift is $20,000. CFNEK earns administration and distribution fees on these contracts. Proceeds can benefit any Catholic parish, school, or ministry within the archdiocese.
4. Grant Program Administration: CFNEK runs annual grant programs (maximum $5,000 per grant, up to 50% of project cost) for Catholic entities within the archdiocese. While grants are awarded from the foundation's charitable resources, the program strengthens relationships, drives new fund creation, and expands assets under management by demonstrating value to existing and prospective fund holders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that manages pooled endowment funds, donor advised funds, scholarships, and charitable gift annuities on behalf of Catholic parishes, schools, and ministries in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. It also administers a grant program, accepts IRA charitable distributions and stock gifts, and provides planned-giving education to individual Catholic donors.

Product overview

The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas operates as a unified platform offering philanthropic fund management services for Catholic entities. The core portfolio consists of three main fund types—Endowment Funds, Scholarship Funds, and Donor Advised Funds—complemented by specialized giving vehicles including Charitable Gift Annuities, IRA Charitable Distributions, and Stock Gifts. Administrative access is provided through the FCSuite Fund Management Portal, while educational support comes via workshops on estate planning and charitable strategies. The Grant Program enables distribution of funds to Catholic organizations across the Archdiocese.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Endowment Funds
• Donor Advised Funds
• Scholarship Funds
• Charitable Gift Annuities
• Grant Program
• IRA Charitable Distributions
• Stock Gifts
• FCSuite Online Portal
• Educational Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• Fund balance grew from $3.4 million (1998) to $158.1 million (March 2026), representing significant long-term asset growth for the archdiocese.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Country Club Trust CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationCFNEK partners with Country Club Trust Company for investment management of all fund assets. The foundation offers professionally managed fixed income and equity portfolios as well as a money market option, all monitored by CFNEK's Board of Directors. Investment management fees are netted against returns. This is the primary investment infrastructure relationship for the foundation.
• National Gift Annuity Foundation (NGAF) / Dechomai FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGAF, a charitable subsidiary of Dechomai Foundation, administers Charitable Gift Annuities for CFNEK. The minimum age to establish a CGA is 55 and the minimum amount is $20,000. Proceeds from CGAs can benefit any Catholic parish, parochial school, high school, or ministry within the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
• Catholic Advisors NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerA network of estate planning attorneys, accountants, financial planners, tax professionals, wealth managers, and insurance advisors who serve Catholic clients and refer them to CFNEK for fund management and planned giving services. CFNEK and the network co-host 25+ workshops annually (724+ attendees in 2023-2024), covering smarter giving, tax strategies, estate planning, and Catholic investing. The network also earns continuing education (CE) credits through CFNEK's St. Thomas More Continuing Education Program.
• Catholic Education Foundation (CEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF is a separate 501(c)(3) that has provided $28 million in tuition assistance over 25 years, supporting 1,800 students annually with $4 million in scholarships across 27 schools. One in three Catholic school students in the archdiocese relies on CEF scholarships. CEF is a beneficiary of Donor Advised Funds held at CFNEK and was honored with the 2022 Deo Gratias Distinguished Catholic Organization Award.
• Gaughn & ConnealymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEstate planning attorney Casey Connealy of Gaughn & Connealy partners with CFNEK to deliver Wills & Trusts Workshops at parishes across the archdiocese. A single workshop at Sacred Heart Parish (Ottawa, KS) generated more than $1 million in future endowment commitments. Casey Connealy received the 2026 Deo Gratias Distinguished Individual Award.
• Archdiocese of Kansas City in KansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNEK serves as the designated foundation for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, established in 1989 by Archbishop Ignatius Strecker. The foundation facilitates Catholic giving across the archdiocese's parishes, schools, ministries, and institutions. Archbishop Shawn McKnight serves as Chairman of the CFNEK Board of Directors. Fr. Anthony Saiki serves as Chancellor Ex Officio.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana: Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana manages endowment and donor advised funds for Catholic entities across the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Diocese of Lafayette — directly comparable in operating model, fund types, and Catholic-territory service area.
• National Catholic Community Foundation: National Catholic Community Foundation is a national community foundation serving Catholic donors and entities across multiple dioceses with DAFs and endowment services — broader geographic scope but same Catholic-aligned fund management model and product set as CFNEK.
• The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia: Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia is a community foundation serving the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, offering donor advised funds, endowment funds, and scholarship funds with Catholic-aligned investing — directly comparable in scope and product offering to CFNEK.
• The Catholic Foundation (Dallas – Fort Worth): The Catholic Foundation is a diocesan community foundation serving the Diocese of Dallas, offering donor advised funds, endowments, scholarship funds, and charitable gift annuities — a near-identical product set to CFNEK within a single Catholic territory. Directly comparable operating model, fee structure, and customer base (parishes, schools, Catholic donors).
• Catholic Community Foundation (Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis): Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota serves the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis with donor advised funds, endowments, and planned giving services — directly parallel to CFNEK in mission, scale, and product mix. Operates as the designated Catholic foundation for a single archdiocese in the Upper Midwest.
• Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Florida: Catholic Community Foundation of Northeast Florida is a regional Catholic community foundation offering donor advised funds and endowment services — a directly comparable operating model to CFNEK in a different geographic territory.
• Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Washington: Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Washington provides endowment, scholarship, and donor-advised fund services for Catholic parishes, schools, and ministries in the Washington, D.C. archdiocese — directly parallel to CFNEK in mission, products, and donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: Fidelity Charitable is the largest national donor-advised fund sponsor, offering DAFs at fee rates well below CFNEK's 1% admin fee. Represents the secular/incumbent alternative Catholic donors can choose for charitable giving — competing on cost rather than faith alignment.

Others

• National Gift Annuity Foundation (Dechomai Foundation): National Gift Annuity Foundation is a direct operating partner of CFNEK, administering its charitable gift annuity contracts. While not a competitor, it is a structurally adjacent entity in the Catholic planned-giving ecosystem and provides a model for CGA administration that other Catholic foundations can emulate.

Regional players

• Catholic Education Foundation (Kansas): Catholic Education Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) operating within the same Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, providing $4M in annual tuition assistance across 27 schools. Not a direct competitor — it is a grant recipient and strategic partner of CFNEK — but operates in the same archdiocesan ecosystem and uses CFNEK-managed DAFs for distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catholic-foundation-of-northeast-kansas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas