The Coleman Foundation is a private, independent grantmaker focusing primarily on the Midwest. Foundation resources support education – with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship; cancer care, treatment and research; and disability services.

In 1981, the Foundation began to question why individuals are encouraged to “get a job” rather than "create a job". Since that time the Foundation has committed over $47 million to promote the option of self-employment, improve the quality of entrepreneurship education, and help create a new generation of business owners.

The Foundation has been an active advocate for raising the standards of cancer care in the Midwest. Funding of cancer care, including research, support services and treatment, was initially in response to a reality which touched the lives of the Colemans.

The Foundation supports various programs aimed at helping individuals with disabilities achieve self-determination, self-reliance, and self-respect.