The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has issued a $2.087 million challenge grant to benefit the Pipeline Entrepreneurial Fellowship.

Pipeline works with high-potential entrepreneurs from Kansas, Nebraska, Kansas City and St. Louis. Over the course of a year, the program exposes up to 13 participants to training, mentoring and connections designed to exponentially increase their businesses. The application window for next year’s class opens on Oct. 19.

As a result of the challenge grant, Kauffman will match on a one-to-one basis every dollar that another donor contributes to Pipeline. The grant is good for four years.

“At the Kauffman Foundation, we see entrepreneurial programs from all over the world, so it is especially gratifying to know that one of the very best grew up right here in our backyard,” said Wendy Guillies, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.

“Pipeline is getting results and does so with a very unique model that supports our highest growth founders. We are proud to continue our strong support for the next four years.”

Kauffman is a longtime supporter of Pipeline, going all the way back to the fellowship’s start in 2006. More than 100 men and women have gone through Pipeline’s program, including entrepreneurs such as Toby Rush of EyeVerify and Bruce Ianni and Davyeon Ross of ShotTracker.

Pipeline members have raised more than $400 million in outside capital, including $100 million just last year. They’ve created more than 1,600 jobs and generated more than $1.1 billion in revenue.

“We are so grateful to have the strong backing of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation as we continue to identify, train, and connect our region’s highest growth entrepreneurial super stars,” said Joni Cobb, Pipeline’s president and CEO. “It will be very exciting to see who joins our current ranks of partners as we execute over the next four, opportunity-filled years.”