Who we are
KMWDF is a nonprofit foundation built on something Jonathan Katz-Moses has carried since the seventh grade: knowing what it feels like to be excluded because of a disability.
When a bone cyst in his hip forced surgery at that age, the aftermath hit harder than he ever expected. Friends stopped coming around, getting anywhere on crutches was a battle, and piece by piece, the life he knew started slipping away. The world didn't quite make room for him, and that left a mark.
What pulled him through was woodworking. Building custom speaker boxes gave him something to own, something to be proud of, and a glimpse of who he could be beyond what his medical challenges.
He never forgot how he felt in that chapter of his life. And he never wanted to.
KMWDF exists because of Jonathan’s desire to making woodworking possible for everyone. We serve people with disabilities at every stage of the craft — complete beginners just finding their interests, hobbyists who enjoy making sawdust, seasoned professionals, and those who use woodworking tools as part of their trade. Through in-person and online workshops, community events, and tool grants that put real equipment in the lives of people who need it, we open doors for makers of all backgrounds to not only learn and grow in the craft, but to feel genuinely at home in the maker community.
Because Jonathan knows firsthand that when someone finally finds a place where they belong and can build something they're proud of, they feel empowered and ready to move mountains — and that changes everything.
Our Mission
The Katz-Moses Woodworkers With Disabilities Fund was built on one belief: the joy of woodworking should belong to everyone, and no one should be turned away from the craft because of what their body can or cannot do.
We provide tools, equipment, and resources free of charge to woodworkers with disabilities across the country — beginners finding their footing, hobbyists, seasoned professionals, and tradespeople alike. We back that giving with volunteer mentorship, adaptive support, educational programming, and deep partnerships across the woodworking industry, because access to the craft means more than just having the right equipment.
Every decision we make comes back to one question: are we making woodworking more accessible for the people who need us most? That question is our compass, and we work every day to harness every donation and expression of support to push that mission forward.
Our Story
Woodworkers with disabilities are, by almost every measure, under-served and under-connected.
They often build without adaptive equipment, without mentors who understand their needs, and without any real sense that the broader maker community sees them or recognizes their talents, struggles, victories and accomplishments. KMWDF was created to change all of that, not incrementally, and not someday, but right now with the resources and relationships we have available to us today.
We provide tools, equipment, and supplies free of charge to woodworkers with disabilities around the world through our grant programs, because we believe that creating something beautiful makes us all more resilient and self-confident.
We match makers with skilled volunteers who can teach techniques, assist with workshop setup, help build adaptive tools, and show up in whatever way is most useful, with matches made based on need, skill set, and geography. We host educational summits and events that bring the woodworker community together, and we build partnerships with manufacturers, retailers, and advocacy organizations who are willing to put their name and products into a more inclusive craft and industry.
We do what we say we will do. That is the standard we hold ourselves to, and it is the reputation we are building, one grant, one match, and one partnership at a time.
Where we’re headed
We believe in a future where no woodworker with a disability builds alone, where the industry that serves makers has made tools and products with our woodworkers and crafters in mind, and where KMWDF has played a meaningful role in making both of those things true.
That means a fully resourced national program with grants and mentorship reaching every corner of the world, manufacturer and retailer partners who design and advocate with disability in mind, and a community of makers with disabilities that is visible, connected, and celebrated within the broader woodworking/maker/crafter world. We are not there yet, but we are building toward it every single day.
How To Apply
Review the eligibility requirements above to confirm you or your organization qualifies
Complete our online grant application with details about your needs and woodworking goals
Submit your application along with all required documentation as outlined below
Once your application is submitted, a member of our staff will review it personally. If we have questions or need additional information or clarification, we will reach out to you by email one time. If we do not receive a response or the requested documentation within a reasonable timeframe, your application will be declined. We strongly encourage all applicants to monitor their email closely, including their spam and junk folders. To ensure you receive our communications without delay, please add @kmwdf.org to your approved senders or email rules.
What Happens After You Apply?
If your application is complete and no further information is needed, you will receive a quarterly email from KMWDF confirming your status on our active waitlist. Your application will remain on file and will be reviewed for every future grant cycle without any action required on your part. You do not need to reapply. We review every application in perpetuity until we are able to fulfill it, and we are committed to keeping you informed along the way.
To keep our review process as efficient as possible, we ask that applicants submit only one application. Duplicate applications take valuable time away from our team and do not improve an applicant's chances. If you have questions, would like to provide additional documentation, or need to update your application in any way, please write to us directly at applications@kmwdf.org and we will be happy to assist you.
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Every individual application must include at least one document that clearly identifies the applicant by full name and includes a named disability within the same document. The following are accepted forms of documentation:
Abbreviated medical records: Copies of medical records that reference your diagnosis or treatment history. Records must visibly include both your name and a named disability. You are welcome to redact any sensitive or unrelated personal information prior to uploading, though redaction is not required.
Screenshots or PDF exports from electronic health record platforms: If your medical records are accessible through a patient portal or electronic health record application such as MyChart or a similar platform, screenshots or PDF exports from those systems are accepted. As with all medical documentation, redaction of sensitive or unrelated information is encouraged prior to uploading.
A letter from your healthcare provider: A signed letter from your primary care physician, specialist, or treating provider that identifies you by name and references your diagnosed condition. Letters must be written on official provider letterhead or include the provider's contact information.
Official government documentation: Any official government-issued document that includes your full name, a named disability, and a disability rating percentage. Examples include Veterans Affairs benefit letters and similar government-issued disability determination documents.
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Nonprofits, charities, schools, and vocational programs applying on behalf of their organization must provide all of the following:
A copy of the organization's 501(c)(3) determination letter
A current listing of the organization's Board of Directors
A copy of the organization's Mission Statement
A cover letter written by an authorized representative of the organization that details why the organization is applying to KMWDF and how a grant would support their work with woodworkers with disabilities
Please note that the individual submitting the application must be an authorized representative of the organization. For example, a teacher applying on behalf of a school must have documented permission from the school or its administration to submit the application. Applications submitted without proper authorization may not be considered.
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Photographs of any kind, including images intended to illustrate or demonstrate a physical disability, are not accepted as qualifying documentation under any circumstance.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to redact sensitive or unrelated personal information from any documents before uploading. KMWDF cannot be held liable for sensitive information included in documents submitted by applicants. All application data is stored and managed in accordance with industry-leading data security standards and in full compliance with all applicable privacy laws. KMWDF is committed to protecting the privacy of every person who trusts us with their information.
KMWDF Board of Directors
Jonathan Katz-Moses is a woodworker, educator, tool designer, and one of the most recognized voices in the modern making community.
As the founder and CEO of KMTools, he has spent years designing tools and creating content that makes woodworking more accessible, more approachable, and more enjoyable for makers at every level. His personal experience with disability as a child, and the empathy it forged, sits at the heart of everything KMWDF does.
Jonathan founded the organization because he believes the woodworking world should have room for everyone in it, and he has dedicated his platform, his industry relationships, and his vision to making that belief a reality.
Jonathan Katz-Moses
Founding Member, President
David Hess brings a versatile background in business management, marketing, and graphic design to his role at KMWDF, where he oversees the many facets of our daily operations while keeping a steady eye on the organization's long-term growth and brand development.
As the owner of Sage Sign Co., he knows what it takes to build something from the ground up. Earlier in his life, volunteer work at an HIV hospice and orphanage in Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore, India, followed by time working in emergency medicine, shaped in him a deep and lasting empathy for the marginalized and overlooked that he carries into every interaction with KMWDF's grantees and their families.
His belief in Jonathan's vision and his ability to translate that vision into real, functioning infrastructure make him a natural fit at the helm of this organization.
David Hess
Executive Director
Kara brings professional-level digital strategy and web management to KMWDF, drawing from her work managing web and social strategy for Science Magazine.
Her background in English Language and Literature gives her a sharp eye for communication that is clear, intentional, and built to connect with real people. Based in Destin, Florida, Kara is a wife, mom to three cats, and enthusiastic home baker.
Kara lives with several chronic autoimmune conditions as well as a hearing disability. Kara believes deeply in the mission of KMWDF and brings a vast skillset to our marketing and social media.
Kara Estelle-Powers
Board Member
Dustin Beason is the owner and carpenter behind BearhawkStudio in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he creates custom furniture, takes woodworking commissions, and produces online content designed to encourage and equip people who are new to the craft.
His work is rooted in a belief that woodworking should build confidence as much as it builds furniture, and that philosophy aligns naturally with everything KMWDF stands for.
When he's not in the shop, Dustin enjoys time with his partner, their dogs, playing music, and working on home improvement projects.
Dustin Beason
Board Member, Chair
Ryan Brown serves as Associate Dean in the College of Education at Illinois State University, where he leads programs with specialized backgrounds in engineering, education, and curriculum development.
His extensive experience working with students with disabilities, combined with deep knowledge of grant writing, makes him an invaluable voice in shaping how KMWDF delivers on its mission.
A woodworker and maker himself, Ryan brings both the institutional credibility and the personal passion that this work requires.
Ryan Brown
Board Member, Chair
Taylor Blau is a Principal Software Engineer at GitHub, where he works on the open-source Git project.
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Taylor brings technical depth and a systems-level mind to the KMWDF board, and outside of his work he enjoys woodworking as a hobby alongside time spent with his wife and dogs.
His presence on the board reflects KMWDF's commitment to building an organization with the infrastructure and technical foundation to match the scale of its ambitions.
Taylor Blau
Board Member
As president of Mann Tool and Supply, a third-generation family-owned business based in West Columbia, South Carolina, Suzanne has spent her career as a lifelong tool person, supporting woodworkers, makers, and tradespeople through education, events, and practical problem-solving.
Her deep roots in the tool industry and her genuine commitment to helping people work more safely, confidently, and without barriers make her one of the most naturally aligned members of the KMWDF board.
Suzanne Brunnemer
Board Member, Treasurer
John Kuiphoff is a design and digital fabrication educator at The College of New Jersey and NYU, and the owner of a custom fabrication studio in Frenchtown, New Jersey.
He builds custom projects, develops educational content, and spends his professional life exploring ways to make tools and workflows more accessible to people of all skill levels and abilities.
Widely regarded as a creative force and product expert in the makerspace world, John brings both educational depth and hands-on fabrication experience to everything KMWDF builds.
John Kuiphoff
Board Member
Jeremy Bolton is an attorney based in Daphne, Alabama, who rediscovered his love of woodworking during the COVID pandemic after accessibility gaps in online meeting tools left him searching for something to pour himself into.
That experience, as someone who is profoundly deaf navigating a world not always designed with him in mind, gives Jeremy a lived understanding of what KMWDF exists to address.
His background in general contracting and custom woodworking commissions, combined with his legal expertise, makes him a uniquely valuable member of the board.
Jeremy Bolton
Board Member, Legal Counsel
Jon Hartman is a master woodcrafter at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky, and a man whose life experience runs remarkably deep.
An Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a professional firefighter, an Advanced EMT, a rugby coach, and a fatherhood mentor with Fathers of Frankfort, Jon brings a breadth of service and a genuine love of craft to the KMWDF board.
His work leading a team of artisans and woodworkers at one of the country's most celebrated distilleries reflects the same commitment to quality and community that sits at the core of this organization.
Jon Hartman
Board Member