The Foundation, led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, is dedicated to supporting construction projects across the Kansas City region and other areas traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. Its mission encompasses awarding grants primarily for construction and special interest projects, focusing on enhancing higher education, youth services, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects, and energy-efficient affordable housing through planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs, and restoration efforts.
The Foundation's grant program is oriented towards organizations undertaking construction and special interest projects, excluding those seeking funds for annual operating expenses. It has an expressed preference for initiatives that involve the planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs, and restoration of facilities that serve higher education, youth agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects, and energy-efficient affordable housing. In recent cycles, the Foundation has concentrated its funding in four main areas: Higher Education, Human Services, Arts and Culture, and Health Care and Hospitals. It allocated substantial grants across these domains, aiming to support essential services and improvements in these sectors, demonstrating a strategic approach to philanthropy that aims to foster community development and well-being in its targeted regions.