Your Chamber at Work - August 17, 2020

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Two topics of interest this morning – dollars for small businesses and an opportunity to give.

CARES Act Funding for Kansas Businesses: Applications for the second round of CARES Act funding open this Wednesday. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says the more than $130 million in grants will go to businesses most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and to those companies that can expand broadband access across the state. Kansas businesses with fewer than 500 employees are eligible to apply for Small Business Working Capital Grants to help pay for expenses like mortgages, rent, payroll, utilities, and more.

For more details, here’s the Governor’s news release with a link to the application.

Digital divide in education: With schools forced to turn to online learning, too many of our students are being left behind. At last week’s KC Chamber/UNI learning session on the digital divide, we learned that 70 percent of students in Kansas City Public Schools and 22 percent of students across the region do not have access to the internet. Many don’t have computers.

You can help bridge that divide by donating to SchoolSmart KC’s KC Schools Technology and Connectivity Access Fund. Their goal is to eliminate 95 percent of local technology needs. Business, organizations can donate – contact jeaster@schoolsmartkc.org or visit their website schoolsmartkc.org. And thank you.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

The companies that are vying for Small Business Awards will present Shark-Tank-style to our panel of judges this week, and you won’t want to miss their pitches. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on August 19 and August 20, you’ll enjoy a fun and fast-paced, lively and energetic Zoom event, our virtual Candidates’ Showcase, presented by American Century Investments. The companies presenting will compete for Small Business Awards like the Small Business of the Year, Legacy of Kansas City, Entrepreneur of the Year, Diverse Small Business of the Year, and the Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year. These events are free. Cheer on all the small businesses each day and then register your vote for fan favorites (presented by Honeywell). Sign up here to participate in Day I on August 19, and here to participate in Day II on August 20. KC Chamber Small Business Programming is presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and Evergy this year.

RACIAL INEQUITIES IN HOUSING

Join us on Tuesday morning, September 1, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. as Dianne Cleaver, president and CEO of Urban Neighborhood Initiative, introduces a Learning Session about housing inequities due to race. The presenters include Mikki Anderson, Vice President with Purpose Built Communities, and Tyler Cukar, a KC native living in NY who authored Orchestrated Urbanism:  the Race Built City. Each will present on the topic and then you’ll have a chance to ask questions. The session is free and open to all Chamber members and non-members. Register here.  

WELCOMING WEEK KICKOFF

Enjoy global music and dance performances, messages of welcoming and support, and inspiring personal stories at the kickoff of Welcoming Week, September 12-20. The kickoff event is free and will stream live on Facebook and YouTube from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 12. Register here to participate, and watch for more information coming soon about additional welcoming events, including the launch of Kansas City’s Welcoming Plan.

USMCA: OPPORTUNITIES FOR KANSAS AND MISSOURI

Join Minister Gerardo Lameda, Head of the Trade Office of the Secretariat of Economy in Washington, D.C., for a discussion on USMCA implementation and local impact. The event will be streamed live at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18 at 10 a.m. through the following link: https://www.facebook.com/se.economia. Minister Lameda will answer questions received in advance (submit here) and questions that cannot be answered live will be responded to via email. No Facebook account is necessary to watch this webinar, which is open to Chamber members and non members.