Hawthorn Foundation
Hawthorn Foundation is a Missouri-based nonprofit, founded in 1982 by Senator Kit Bond, that convenes 140+ business and government leaders through tiered memberships and events to drive statewide economic development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersJefferson City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hawthorn Foundation does
Hawthorn Foundation is a Missouri-based nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1982 (incorporated in 1981 as the Missouri Foundation for Economic Development) by former U.S. Senator and Missouri Governor Christopher "Kit" Bond. The foundation serves as a public-private partnership platform convening a highly diverse group of 140+ statewide leaders—ranging from multinational companies (Bayer, Ameren, Google, Boeing, Anheuser-Busch) to entrepreneurial firms and economic development agencies—to advance the economic prosperity of all Missourians. Its work centers on attracting, promoting, and retaining business within the state.
The organization delivers a portfolio of programs rather than technology products: quarterly board meetings rotating across Missouri cities, an annual awards program (Hawthorn Award of Excellence and Hawthorn Project of the Year), the Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award Dinner (established 2018), trade missions supporting the Governor's overseas promotion of Missouri businesses, funding support to Missouri Partnership (the state's primary business recruitment organization), and economic research reports produced in partnership with the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED). It does not operate a unified technology platform; its "products" are convenings, funding vehicles, and recognition programs. The sole presenter role for the Governor's Conference on Economic Development (2018-2024) transferred to the Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC) starting in 2025.
Hawthorn generates revenue primarily through tiered annual investor memberships, with levels ranging from $1,500 (Economic Development Partner) to $75,000 (Kit Bond Investor), plus intermediate tiers (Friends of Hawthorn, Associate Investor, Show Me Missouri, Board of Directors, Board of Governors, Governor Bond Investor). The organization operates with a six-person staff headquartered at a P.O. Box in Jefferson City, MO, and is governed by an Executive Committee that includes an Ex-Officio seat for the Director of the Missouri DED, institutionalizing the public-private alignment that defines its model.
Hawthorn Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hawthorn Foundation
- Legal name
- Hawthorn Foundation
- Website
- https://hawthornfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hawthorn Foundation is a Missouri-based nonprofit, founded in 1982 by Senator Kit Bond, that convenes 140+ business and government leaders through tiered memberships and events to drive statewide economic development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hawthorn Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Business Associations (81391)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)
Keywords
Where Hawthorn Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jefferson City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hawthorn Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Member Investments: Hawthorn Foundation generates revenue through tiered membership investments from Missouri businesses, organizations, and economic development agencies. Investment levels range from $1,500 Economic Development Partner to $75,000 Kit Bond Investor, providing various benefits and engagement opportunities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Economic Development Partner Level |
| Subscription | Annual | Kit Bond Investor |
| Subscription | Annual | Governor Bond Investor, Board of Governors, Show Me Missouri, Board of Directors, Associate Investor, Friends of Hawthorn |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hawthorn Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hawthorn Foundation is a nonprofit economic development organization that serves as a public-private partnership between Missouri's business leaders and state government. It generates revenue through tiered annual investor memberships (from $1,500 to $75,000) and delivers a portfolio of programming including quarterly board meetings, the Governor's Conference on Economic Development, the Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award Dinner, the Hawthorn Foundation Awards, international trade mission support, and funding for Missouri Partnership business recruitment services aimed at attracting, promoting, and retaining business in Missouri.
Product overview
Hawthorn Foundation is a non-profit economic development organization serving as a partnership between Missouri's business leaders and state government. The foundation does not offer a unified technology product but provides a portfolio of programs and services including quarterly board meetings, the Governor's Conference on Economic Development, the Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award Dinner, the Hawthorn Foundation Awards (Project of the Year and Hawthorn Award of Excellence), support for Missouri Partnership business recruitment services, trade mission programs, and economic research reports. These services collectively aim to attract, promote, and retain business within Missouri and support the economic prosperity of all Missourians.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Quarterly Board Meetings
- Governor's Conference on Economic Development
- Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award Dinner
- Trade Mission Program
- Hawthorn Foundation Awards (Project of the Year & Award of Excellence)
- Missouri Partnership Funding Support
- Economic Research Reports
Quantifiable outcome
- 29,000+ new jobs created through Missouri Partnership since 2008
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Hawthorn Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hawthorn Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hawthorn Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Missouri PartnershipcoreMissouri Partnership was created in 2006 as the state's leading business recruitment and marketing organization. Hawthorn Foundation became a key funder of Missouri Partnership's operations and continues to provide both private and public funding. The organization is widely acknowledged as one of the nation's premier statewide private sector business recruitment organizations.
- Missouri Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreHawthorn partners with DED to help Missourians prosper, supporting economic development initiatives and workforce development programs. DED's Director serves as an Ex-Officio Member of Hawthorn's Executive Committee.
- Missouri Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreOfficial partner organization for economic development efforts in Missouri
- International Trade and Investment OfficeminorPartner organization supporting international trade and investment opportunities for Missouri businesses
- Office of the Missouri Military AdvocateminorHawthorn works hand-in-hand with the Missouri Military Advocate to protect Missouri's $16 billion defense industry, military installations, and associated jobs
- Missouri PartnershipcorePartner organization for business recruitment and marketing, with services provided free of charge to businesses
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Hawthorn Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- St. Louis Regional Business Council: Regional business leadership organization in Missouri and a current Show Me Missouri investor in Hawthorn; directly comparable as an investor-tier business membership body advancing regional economic priorities.
- Missouri Partnership: Missouri's statewide public-private business recruitment and marketing organization, spun out with Hawthorn's support in 2006; directly comparable as a Missouri-focused economic development PPP that Hawthorn now helps fund.
- Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Statewide business advocacy and networking organization representing Missouri employers, comparable as a peer state-level chamber with overlapping investor members and policy advocacy on economic development.
- Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC): Statewide professional association for Missouri economic developers that assumed the Governor's Conference on Economic Development from Hawthorn in 2025; directly comparable as a Missouri economic development membership body serving similar member segments.
Broad incumbents
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC): Indiana's public-private economic development body offering site selection, incentive management, and statewide business recruitment; comparable as a state-level economic development PPP at greater scale.
- JobsOhio: Ohio's statewide private nonprofit economic development corporation that recruits companies and supports job creation; broadly comparable as a larger, more capitalized state-level economic development organization operating a similar public-private model.
- Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development: Tennessee's state-level economic development agency responsible for business recruitment, incentives, and infrastructure support; broadly comparable as a state-level counterpart serving corporate site selection needs.
- International Economic Development Council (IEDC): National membership association for economic developers; broadly comparable as the umbrella body representing and convening economic development professionals and organizations.
Regional players
- Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce: Cross-state metro business organization that serves many of the same Missouri/Kansas employers Hawthorn engages; comparable as a business membership and advocacy body but anchored in the KC metro.
- Kansas Department of Commerce: Neighboring state's primary economic development agency, comparable in function to Missouri Partnership but operating only in Kansas; relevant for cross-state recruitment competition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hawthorn Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceHawthorn Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hawthorn Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Hawthorn Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hawthorn Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hawthorn Foundation
What does Hawthorn Foundation do?
Hawthorn Foundation is a nonprofit economic development organization that serves as a public-private partnership between Missouri's business leaders and state government. It generates revenue through tiered annual investor memberships (from $1,500 to $75,000) and delivers a portfolio of programming including quarterly board meetings, the Governor's Conference on Economic Development, the Kit Bond Citizen Leadership Award Dinner, the Hawthorn Foundation Awards, international trade mission support, and funding for Missouri Partnership business recruitment services aimed at attracting, promoting, and retaining business in Missouri.
Is Hawthorn Foundation a public or private company?
Hawthorn Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hawthorn Foundation founded?
Hawthorn Foundation was founded in 1981. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hawthorn Foundation based?
Hawthorn Foundation is headquartered in Jefferson City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hawthorn Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: member Investments.
Who are Hawthorn Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are St. Louis Regional Business Council, Missouri Partnership, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Missouri Economic Development Council (MEDC). Broad incumbents are Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), JobsOhio, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Regional players are Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Kansas Department of Commerce.
Does Hawthorn Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hawthorn Foundation.
What industry is Hawthorn Foundation in?
Hawthorn Foundation's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAC, Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.