The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and its partners look beyond need to identify and develop pivotal opportunities in Kansas City and nationwide to help create successful businesses and improve the education of children. Established in the mid-1960s by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Kauffman Foundation works to advance entrepreneurship by reaching individuals of all ages through the delivery of entrepreneurship education and development, and the promotion of an entrepreneurial environment.

Kauffman's key objective for partnering with DECA is to promote entrepreneurship education. In addition to serving on DECA's National Advisory Board, their partnership activities include: sponsoring DECA Entrepreneurship competitive events at the high school and collegiate levels, providing professional development scholarships for DECA advisors who teach entrepreneurship, sponsoring Delta Epsilon Chi's Entrepreneurship Academy/Entrepreneurship Challenge, and Experiential Exercises.

Another outgrowth of DECA's partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is the creation of www.EntrepreneurU.org, a web site created for the purpose of informing students, administrators and parents about the opportunities for studying entrepreneurship beyond high school.

Scholarships – The Kauffman Foundation provides ten professional development scholarships for DECA advisors who teach entrepreneurship.