SUPPORT THE OLATHE CHAMBER FOUNDATION FUND

When you invest in the Olathe Chamber Foundation Fund, you invest directly in Olathe’s growth, leadership and quality of life.

Founded in 2003 through the Johnson County Community Foundation (a subsidiary of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation), the Olathe Chamber Foundation Fund was created to strengthen the Olathe Chamber of Commerce’s mission: to be the voice of business, championing economic vitality and a thriving community.

Your donation helps fuel key initiatives such as:

Leadership & Education – Empowering tomorrow’s leaders
Workforce Development – Creating jobs and opportunities
Community Development – Enhancing the place we all call home

Whether you’re a business, individual, or foundation, giving to the Olathe Chamber Foundation Fund offers a meaningful, tax-deductible way to make a lasting impact.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Leadership & Education

Our Foundation sees the importance of helping to build and foster the leaders of tomorrow. That’s the main reason we fully fund the Olathe Public Schools’ Skills for Success Workshop twice a year, teaching more than 200 students real world skills such as resume building, and interview and interpersonal communication skills.

For nearly four decades, Leadership Olathe has cultivated the talents of over 1,000 graduates — many of whom now serve in key roles across government, education, business, and nonprofits.

Alumni include:

City leaders
School superintendents
Legislators
Even a former Kansas governor

“The Olathe Chamber Foundation Youth Leadership Grant is key to the success of employability skills for Olathe Public Schools students. Funding allows our four-year Academy students to attend a professional development session to learn how to write a resume as well as business etiquette and interview skills. The event culminates with students having a networking lunch with Chamber business partners to learn skills to prepare for their senior year internships. The Olathe school district does not have funds for this professional learning experience, so the Chamber Youth Leadership Grant leads the way for student learning experiences and connects local businesses with potential employees.”

Heather Schoonover

Director of Community Development, Olathe Public Schools

Workforce Development

As one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, Olathe continues to attract businesses and talent. The Chamber and Economic Development Council have driven over $1 billion in commercial investment and created thousands of jobs in just the last five years.

Community Development

From top-rated schools to award-winning parks, Olathe is an exceptional place to live and work. Your support helps sustain these community assets and drive continued improvement.

“The Olathe South Robotics Team has seen an incredible amount of success over the last two years thanks to the continued support of the Chamber of Commerce. In 2024, the team was able to able to upgrade the robot's drive train which allowed them to not only make it to finals for the first time during the regular season, but to win the Missouri-Kansas state Championship tournament. The enthusiasm from 2024 has allowed the team to double the number of students involved in 2025, which has helped the team compete and win off-field awards (Rising Allstar for the first competition and the Autonomous Award in the second).”

Nicole Bishop

Olathe South High School Robotics Team

Beneficiaries

This past year, the Chamber Foundation grants benefited the Boys & Girls Club, two Olathe Public Schools Robotics teams, the Kansas School for the Deaf, the Skills for Success Workshop, initiatives at the Olathe Advanced Technical Center and provided scholarships for five students to participate in the Olathe Chamber’s Leadership Olathe program.

“The Youth Leadership Grant from the Olathe Chamber of Commerce has had a huge impact on our students at the Kansas School for the Deaf. Thanks to this support, we were able to purchase makerspace materials and launch an entrepreneurship class that’s been a real game-changer for our kids. Students got the chance to develop their own business ideas, create solid plans, and actually make and sell their products. It’s been amazing to watch them take ownership, get creative, and follow through from start to finish. Engagement has gone way up—students are excited, involved, and getting hands-on experience that really sticks with them. Even more exciting, several of our students are now thinking seriously about starting their own businesses one day. We’re so thankful for the Chamber’s support — it’s opening doors for our students and helping them see what’s possible for their future.”

Joelle Allen

Kansas School for the Deaf

CHOOSE HOW YOU GIVE

Unrestricted Gifts
Support the areas of greatest need with a one-time gift, multi-year pledge, event sponsorship, or by including the Foundation in your will. These gifts are fully expendable and distributed according to priorities set by the Chamber’s board and advisory committee.

Endowed Gifts
Create a lasting legacy with a gift of $10,000 or more. Endowments are invested for long-term impact, with annual disbursements from earnings. You may take up to five years to fulfill your pledge.

Restricted or Scholarship Gifts
Want to support a specific initiative or fund a scholarship? Contributions of $10,000+ (or $25,000+ for scholarships) can be designated toward particular Chamber goals.

READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?

Gifts can be made via:

Cash
Stocks or securities
Personal property
Life insurance
A bequest in your will

To learn more or explore a major gift, contact the Olathe Chamber of Commerce at (913) 764-1050. A Chamber representative is happy to assist you — and/or your financial advisor — in determining the best giving approach for your goals.