DETAILS:

• Funder: Kauffman Foundation
• Opportunity: Research grants to close economic mobility gaps
• Funding: $150k or more (my recommendation is a maximum of $500k)
• Geographic focus: Submissions must include a strong articulation of how the research could inform efforts to close economic mobility gaps in the Kansas City region
• Sample application (pages 1-3 for LOI)
• LOI deadline: August 10, 2025

Program Priorities

• Equitable economic mobility in critical sectors: Many sectors of the economy will experience labor shortages in the coming decade and changing demographics mean many regions around the U.S. will find it difficult to meet demand. What interventions, supports, or pilots would improve economic mobility for workers in fields with growing demand? In what ways do race, gender, and geography impact both workers’ and entrepreneurs’ abilities to enter and advance in key emerging sectors? How might states and cities effectively develop and utilize youth training and education programs in anticipation of future needs? What role might artificial intelligence (AI) play in workforce development and increasing opportunity for workers and entrepreneurs?

• Impacts of emerging technologies (AI): The impact of AI continues to garner significant attention and has the potential for pronounced impact in various sectors – emerging trends suggest AI will impact the workplace and the workforce. From the perspective of equitable economic opportunity, what are the opportunities this technology offers in overcoming barriers and what are the risks of AI deepening inequality? How might AI be utilized to close economic mobility gaps? How might AI aid in expanding economic opportunity? How might participatory social approaches be utilized to understand the potential and risks of AI for communities with limited access to economic opportunity?

• Data access: The federal data environment is in significant transition. State and local data sets serve as an essential role in understanding opportunities and challenges within communities. Yet, these data sets are often incomplete, unavailable to the broader public, or not integrated. As the data environment remains in flux, data preservation and public access to data is vital – as are projects with broad applicability in understanding community composition and change. How might applied methods, such as imputation, disaggregation, and integration, build robust and actionable public data? What types of metrics and geospatial approaches could aggregate the impact of changes in federal and state fiscal expenditures at the neighborhood, city, and regional levels with immediate utility and long-term viability?