Initiatives

Powered by KC Rising

We are confident that KC Rising initiatives will accelerate our region’s prosperity. Success will be measured by the extent to which we increase the number of quality jobs in the greater metropolitan area, increase median household income, and increase the total value of products and services generated by our region.

Talent Toolkit

Today, professionals pick a lifestyle before a job opportunity. The KC Rising Talent Toolkit compliments your company’s efforts to attract top talent to your organization by telling the KC story.

Kansas City Ratings & Rankings

Share our region’s top ratings and rankings to help to tell the Kansas City story to your candidates.

Ways to use: Send via email when scheduling a candidate’s interview; include in your company’s social media efforts; leverage as a ”hook“ when reaching out to candidates regarding opportunities with your company.

Welcome To Kansas City Video Clip

Showcase Kansas City as a top lifestyle and business destination through compelling video content.

View Welcome To Kansas City Video

America’s Creative Crossroads Flip Book

Personify our region with profiles featuring some of Kansas City’s most creative people.

View Flip Book

Ways to use: Include in post-interview follow-up email; incorporate into communication regarding questions related to spouse/partner/family also potentially making the move; leverage to showcase the caliber of individuals doing nationally significant things from Kansas City.

Preferred Partners

Connect your candidates and new hires with experts and trusted partners of TeamKC.

Ways to use: Share these resources with your candidates as they identify various needs.

Contact: Danielle Hilton, TeamKC
hilton@thinkkc.com

KCRise Fund

The KCRise Fund is a venture capital fund which invests alongside other institutional capital in early-stage, high growth technology companies based in or of value to the KC region. Helping these companies with capital, talent and customers so that they grow in importance to the vitality and economic prosperity of the region and its citizens for generations to come.

Visit website

Contact: Liam Reilly, Senior Associate
liam@kcrise.com

KC Global Design

KC Global Design is a collective of design community firms in the Kansas City region.  Featuring a concentration of more than 500 architecture, engineering, and construction companies with over 20 national or global headquarters, KC is home to some of the largest and most impactful firms in the building industry.  Through collaboration in Innovation, Awareness, and Talent, KC Global design exists to elevate Kansas City’s regional status as the world champion of design.

Visit website

Contact: Ashley McDonald
mcdonald@thinkkc.com

Great Jobs KC

The mission of KC Scholars is to increase postsecondary education and credential attainment of low- and moderate-income adults and to significantly expand the number of adults who secure family-sustaining careers.

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Contact: Earl Martin Phalen, CEO
earl.phalen@greatjobskc.org
Kauffman_RWL LockUp-01

Real World Learning

Through Real World Learning, we are equipping our learners and communities to thrive in a rapidly changing, increasingly connected and complex world. Our K-12 initiative is empowering districts of all sizes, from the many diverse communities that comprise our region, to engage in learning, working, and being accountable together toward a common goal.

Visit RWL website

Common Goal:

By 2030, all high school students across our region graduate with market value assets and a diploma, preparing them for future work and learning. Employers play an essential role

A critical ingredient to A THRIVING REGIONAL ECONOMY is a ready supply of diverse, skilled talent. Kansas City employers play a key role in creating access to quality experiences that allow students to see how their interests, aptitudes, and skills connect to local work opportunities. Employers can get involved in Real World Learning in a variety of ways that make sense for them, providing students with hands-on, authentic problem-solving experiences and connections to professional resources.

Help develop future regional talent Contact us to join the RWL Employer group and identify ways to get engaged with school districts.

CEO to CEO Challenge

In late 2019, through the KC Rising IDEAS committee and its Supplier Diversity Taskforce, Kansas City began to look at five strategic exchanges (i.e., sponsorship; research and development; people, place and product; investment; and customer and vendor sourcing) that drive corporate engagement in KC’s startup ecosystem. The goal: find ways to improve corporate connections.

By 2020, with a raging pandemic and the need to support our small, and especially diverse, businesses, this led to the CEO-to-CEO Challenge, a commitment for CEOs to intentional, inclusive procurement with small and diverse suppliers.

Take the challenge

Contact: Mary Shannon
mshannon@connectusww.com

COVID Relief Fund – AltCap

KC Rising was a pivitol partner to AltCap in organizing the KC Region Small Business Relief + Recovery Loan Fund, a $5 million community-backed relief fund distributed to small businesses hit hardest by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the impact of this fund here.

AltCap  Small business owners in need of captial contact:Stephen Latsoninfo@alt-cap.org Interesetd in suppporting equitable accsss to captial contact: Ruben Alonsoruben@alt-cap.org