What does Code for America do for local governments?: Code fore America Fellows work with local governments to help them become more efficient, increase citizen engagement, foster regional collaboration, and inspire civic innovation and experimentation.
City Contacts: David Rowe (Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Mayor, KCMO) John McGurk (Chief of Staff, KCMO) Pam Curtis (Unified Government, KCK) Brett Deichler (Unified Government, KCK)
About the Kauffman Foundation: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people’s eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. In addition, the Foundation focuses on initiatives in the Kansas City region to advance students’ math and science skills, and improve the educational achievement of urban students, including the Ewing Marion Kauffman School, a college preparatory charter school for middle and high school students. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank You!
January 08, 2013
This project would not have been possible without the combined effort of both Kansas City governments, committed local organizations and engaged individuals. We’d like to thank Cerner, Colin A. Curtis, Ben Sheldon, Jim Vallandingham and Jase Wilson for their contributions to this project!
Cerner Donation
November 09, 2012

Our friends at Cerner Corporation have generously donated a sum of $20,000 to help bring Code for America fellows to both Kansas Cities! Here we have an example of a company exercising their corporate citizenship in order to better their own community. We’d like to officially thank Cerner for their incredible actions and we hope to see other corporations follow suit in their social responsibility.

Terms

About this project

We need your help to make this happen. Make a donation. Spread the word.

Our Vision

The Code for America Fellowship works with local governments across the country, bringing in top tech talent to work with government to tackle important civic challenges. We applied as a joint project between our two cities – something not done before – and are excited to be selected!

Entrepreneurship is thriving in the Kansas Cities and we want to support it. We have a vision where government and entrepreneurs work hand in hand to support innovation, grow the economy, and create new jobs in ways that involve the larger community. We want local government to become more entrepreneurial in our operations and to serve as a creative asset to our local entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The Project

For a year, beginning this January, three Code for America fellows will work with us to understand how we can achieve our vision. They will listen, observe, research, and talk to many of you about the opportunities available and then design, prototype, test, and launch new civic solutions using lightweight technology tools. Throughout the Project we will seek to increase government efficiency, foster regional collaboration, and bring more citizens into the work of government in both Kansas Cities.

Kansas City, Kan. & Kansas City, Mo. underscore the idea that different governments face common challenges.

Our history and experience of working together demonstrates that different governments face common challenges. Together our two cities, separated by state border but connected by a high-speed fiber network, represent a sort of “municipal innovation laboratory” – a place uniquely situated to test ideas and theories about shared municipal solutions, new types of collaboration, and how citizen engagement can work most effectively. The enthusiasm of both cities’ mayors – Mayor Sly James of Kansas City, Mo. and Mayor Joe Reardon of Kansas City, Kan. – further emphasize the unique opportunity we have to develop new and collaborative approaches.

With this Project we are breaking new ground – one of the reasons we were chosen as a Code for America Fellowship site – and we want you to be part of the experience.

How to Get Involved

We want to involve citizens and organizations from across both Kansas Cities in the Project. Your voice and ideas matter to us and your financial investment, at any level, will make a difference. Local government and foundations have come together to cover a larger part of the Project costs, but we need the resources and support of the larger community to make it happen.

There will be many opportunities to share your suggestions and feedback over the next year and a half. By making a contribution to the project today you are saying that you believe in this work, that you love Kansas City, and that you are proud of our drive for civic innovation.

Many of you are bringing new businesses and entrepreneurial ideas to the region which is incredibly exciting. The Code for America Project will shed additional light on this work, propel it forward, and create ways for municipal government to support and partner with you.

If you’re a fan of innovation in municipal government, join us and get involved.