KCMO adds $350K for entrepreneurs to proposed city budget after advocates’ last-minute push
March 21, 2019 | Austin Barnes
Kansas City entrepreneur advocates gained more momentum Thursday in their bid to receive greater civic support for startups and small businesses.
“Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the driver of the Kansas City economy,” KCMO councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Scott Wagner told Startland Thursday afternoon, following the approval of the city’s $1.73 billion budget.
An additional $350,000 has been allocated to the Urban Business Growth initiative and for general entrepreneurial support.
“This item [is a result of advocacy from] the entrepreneurship community,” added Scott Huizenga, city budget officer, during Thursday’s city council meeting. “They came out in force at our public hearings.”
Kansas City city hall
More than 50 entrepreneurs and startup founders gathered for a public budget hearing earlier this month, calling on the council to better support entrepreneurial endeavors, given the economic impact they bring to the city, Eze Redwood, Rise Fast founder and startup community organizer, said at the time.
Click here to read more about Redwood’s comments to council members.
“I’m pleased that we have been able to place more money in the city’s budget to build capacity and the ecosystem to support [startup] development,” Wagner said Thursday.
Small business owners, startup founders, and advocates of the entrepreneurial ecosystem once again gathered Thursday in support of the amendment to the proposed budget –– which was ultimately approved with no hesitation from council members during the afternoons public meeting.
Now approved, the funds will be combined with $200,000 already set aside for entrepreneurial support, Huizenga said.
Funds could be used to support or inject resources, such as support or training opportunities, into the startup and small business space –– as deemed appropriate by the assistant city manager.
“This is one of the top priorities that came out of our public hearings this year,” Huizenga added.
The KCMO budget year runs May 1 through April 30.
Click here to view details of the budget.
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Mid-America Angels makes 5 new investments, setting record pace
The Mid-America Angels Investment Network is maintaining its fast dealmaking pace in 2017. Based in Fairway Kan., the network recently closed on more than $1 million of investments, putting it on pace to once again exceed its annual investment totals. The new deals bring the value of the group’s total investments in 2017 to over…
Study: St. Louis, Springfield, KC earn high marks for cities to startup
Though still performing well on a national level, Kansas City, Mo., was recently rated as the third-best large city in Missouri for founders to start a business, according to a recent study. Personal finance website WalletHub found that St. Louis and Springfield are the No. 7 and No. 11 best large cities to start a…
Startland News wins 2017 EDCKC Cornerstone award
Thanks to a talented team and supportive community, I’m proud to announce that Startland News has won a 2017 Cornerstone Award. Presented by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City for 30 years, the Cornerstone Awards recognize people, projects, businesses, programs, initiatives and events that drive economic development and growth in Kansas City. On behalf…
Listen: KC transportation leaders examine Smart City, Hyperloop, smart pavement
Judging by the popularity of our recent Hyperloop One coverage, the future of transportation has become a hot topic in the metro. It’s crazy to imagine that, in the near future, we may be living in a world of subsonic rail travel, smart pavement and autonomous vehicles. But before we get too excited about the…