Funding Stories
$250K node grant expected to fund AI upgrade at KCSourceLink, part-time navigators for PHKC, Square One, The Toolbox
A hefty new grant is expected to build upon a community collaboration’s framework to help small businesses start and grow over the next five to 10 years in the Kansas City area. The goal: better access to diverse resources for local entrepreneurs. The Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) earlier this month announced a $250,000 regional node…
Kauffman’s new grants go live this week; here’s what we know about the revised funding priorities
The announcement of five new grants opportunities from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation brings months of anticipation and potential uncertainty to a head, offering a more clear view into the relaunched grantmaking strategy of the influential Kansas City philanthropic organization. New applications for funding through the Kauffman Foundation open Aug. 29 — about four months…
$500K state grant bolsters KU’s startup ecosystem; here’s what KU Innovation Park is launching with the funds
LAWRENCE, Kansas — A $500,000 Forging Opportunities for Research, Growth & Entrepreneurship (FORGE) grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce will help KU and KU Innovation Park create software, infrastructure and financial mechanisms needed to bridge the gap between academia and industry, growing the state’s economy while enhancing the university’s teaching and research missions. As…
Chef brings Urban concept back to Troost; $25K GIFT grant boosts fight against gentrification
Chef Justin Clark’s latest venture — an eatery that blends Asian and soul food influences — aims to not only blur the boundaries between menus, but break down dividing lines within and between communities. “The goal was to create familiar items that everyone actually can relate to as Americans, but then again, we add some…
M25 rankings: Startup hubs are slowing; why KC could be losing ground to Midwest neighbors
Kansas City’s startup scene is walking a fine line between flat and stagnant, said Victor Gutwein, teasing caution and other insights into KC’s No. 11 ranking — a position it’s held since 2022 — on M25’s latest Midwest startup cities list. “We’re seeing fewer startups (registered in our datasource Pitchbook) than we used to in Kansas…
