Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Kauffman-backed tech coalition gains runway (and funding) to help fill KC’s talent pipeline, leader says

A new talent-focused coalition led by the KC Tech Council envisions a reality where all of Kansas City’s tech jobs can be filled by Kansas City, said Kara Lowe, unveiling new details of an initiative made possible by the Kauffman Foundation’s new “Collective Impact” funding pathway. KC Tech Council on Friday publicly announced its employer-led…

ProX calls on KC employers to help plant seeds; 1,700 student interns await program’s summer sunlight

For the fourth consecutive summer, ProX — one of the largest paid internship programs in the country — is giving Kansas City-area employers the opportunity to invest in the region’s future talent, Solissa Franco-McKay shared. The collaborative ProX effort pairs Kansas City students — from both sides of the state line — with area employers…

Big win for UMKC: Unlocking top tier research status gives KC new competitive edge

A new milestone for the University of Missouri-Kansas City — achieving status as Kansas City’s first Carnegie R1 research institution — is expected to help boost the region’s ability to start, grow and scale more startups, leaders said this week, emphasizing the role university-led research plays in innovation across industries and communities. “It’s absolutely massive…

Meet six coalitions earning grants through Kauffman Foundation’s new ‘Collective Impact’ funding pathway

Systemic change happens when communities come together to drive transformation through collaboration, said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, announcing a half-dozen grants to high-capacity organizations with strategies to close economic mobility gaps in the Kansas City region. The “Collective Impact” planning grants of up to $500,000 are awarded to the winning coalitions are the first piece of…

Kauffman Foundation adds chief IT officer to CEO’s cabinet; role will use tech to open access, opportunities

A Kauffman Foundation tech veteran is expected to help align the organization’s technology priorities in support of its mission to reduce barriers in college access, workforce development, and entrepreneurship, said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace. Donell Hammond, who joined the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 2018, has been named chief information technology officer and a member of…