Just funded: Four KC groups split $41K in first awards from KCSourceLink initiative

A regional effort launched by KCSourceLink has funded its first cohort of organizations that are tackling gaps in Kansas City’s entrepreneur ecosystem — prioritizing collaborations that remove barriers to business growth for founders typically underrepresented within resource allocations.

Sarah Beth Webb, director of Ecosystem Initiatives at KCSourceLink

“Kansas City is good at creating businesses. But businesses and support systems are operating in silos,” said Sarah Beth Webb, director of Ecosystem Initiatives at KCSourceLink, which launched the Forging the Future effort in 2026. “This potential leaves gaps in talent, capital, coordination, visibility and growth that limits Kansas City’s true potential. We believe this initiative will bring Kansas City together to help businesses survive, scale and fully contribute to the region’s economy.”

An initial $41,000 in support funding was awarded in late July to four Kansas City projects — from a regional summit for healthcare founders to efforts targeting young entrepreneurs, Black professionals, and founders with disabilities — selected from a pool of more than 35 applicants. It marks the first round of investment in the regional initiative’s Action Team Projects.

KCSourceLink has $150,000 in support funding to award over the next 24 months for Action Team Projects. Individual awards can range from $5,000 to $12,000.

Applications open Oct. 5 for the next round of funding. Click here to learn more.

Forging the Future works to build the conditions that make Kansas City economically stronger, helping entrepreneurs, corporations, investors, universities, workforce organizations, local government and neighborhoods, KCSourceLink said in a release.

The entrepreneur support hub is working to align organizations and focus efforts around specific community needs identified as the initiative’s seven strategic imperatives. Those include cultivating entrepreneurial talent and workforce education, building support capacity for local startups through advising and funding connections, promoting collaboration between small businesses to propel growth, and moving ideas from research labs to the marketplace.

Just awarded Action Team Projects include:

• Build What’s Missing: A Regional Summit for Healthcare Founders, Dr. Brandy Archie — Addresses the challenges of cultivating talent and opening doors for entrepreneurs in the healthcare field. A two-day, hands-on summit hosted at Keystone CoLab is expected to help healthcare professionals develop private practice, service-based, product-based, or other innovative business ideas through working sessions led by experienced regional entrepreneurs. Designed primarily for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists, the event also is set to include a Wednesday evening pre-conference workshop with Keystone Sessions and reinforces Keystone as an ongoing hub for healthcare innovation.

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  Craig Moore II, Endeavor Heartland

  Higher Ground: An Ecosystem Literacy and Enrollment Initiative for Black Professionals in Kansas City, Craig Moore II — Connects Black corporate professionals across the Kansas City metro to the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through a national podcast platform and monthly after-work gatherings hosted at Black-owned and Black-led spaces. The project is designed to turn awareness into action, opening doors and cultivating talent by linking attendees to specific programs. It also increases visibility and revenue for host businesses and expands the reach of partner organizations across the ecosystem.

• KC Disability Collective: Foundation and Feasibility Study, Stephanie Swanson — Connects founders with disabilities and chronic illnesses across the Kansas City metro while identifying at least 60 relevant resources, building accessible communications tools, and gathering community feedback. Over six months, the project is expected to produce a feasibility report recommending the coalition’s long-term structure and next steps, creating a foundation for future funding and services rather than launching a full support program immediately. Through this work, the group hopes to identify gaps in support for disabled entrepreneurs.

• Youth GEW (Global Entrepreneurship Week) Day, Rachelle Hofstetter — A one-day youth entrepreneurship event during Global Entrepreneurship Week Kansas City is set to bring together 150 students for speakers, workshops, networking, and a maker market aligned with school curriculum. The event is expected to build practical skills, expose students to entrepreneurial role models and resources, and strengthen lasting connections among young people, schools, businesses, and community organizations. As young people begin entering the workforce as entrepreneurs, this project sets them up for success — opening doors to launch and creating new job opportunities.