Connecting Regional Workforce Development

Regional Initiatives

Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) supports regional talent development efforts around postsecondary attainment and workforce development. Some of the current strategies follow:

GRADForce KC is a regional postsecondary initiative that was started through a grant from Lumina Foundation as part of their Goal 2025 initiative. GRADForce KC is overseen by a steering committee with MARC as the lead agency. In 2015, various workgroups were formed engaging over 100 volunteers around: advising support, family engagement, financing postsecondary education, and summer melt/bridge. In the fall of 2016, various task teams will engage over 60 volunteers around: Bridgit, parent engagement, scholarship central, data sharing, national career readiness, and experiential learning. The GRADForce KC Task Force Teams are in charge of the planning and implementation of the various strategies recommended by the workgroups to improve higher education attainment outcomes.

KC Rising (KCR) is a regional business-led initiative focused on increasing the region's global economic competitiveness. This initiative is supported by the Civic Council, the Kansas City Area Development Council and MARC. KCR engaged nearly 200 individuals in its first year. MARC supports the human capital work stream with a focus on alignment, attraction and success.