Raytown Quality Schools (RQS) was recently awarded a $250,000 grant from Jackson County Community Children’s Services Fund to support Raytown Connect social workers.  These social workers will provide assessment, intervention, referral, and post-intervention services to students who are identified through universal screenings or referrals by students, staff members, or parents.

YMCA of Greater Kansas City was recently awarded a $181,381 grant from the Kauffman Foundation Quality Enhancement Grant to increase the capacity for curriculum enhancement and institutionalize a coaching culture at the Thomas Roque Early Head Start Center. This project will expand the Y’s capacity to provide Early Head Start teachers with training on key areas of early childhood education, curriculum and fidelity of the curriculum. An early childhood consultant will help the Y’s Early Head start program implement a coaching model that will further equip staff to retain and use their knowledge in the classroom to provide quality instruction with children within a larger support system, also increasing staff satisfaction and retention.

Raytown Quality Schools (RQS) recently received a grant for $250,000 from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, STOP Technology and Threat Assessment Grant (DOJ BJA) to install and implement Anyvision facial recognition software (FRS), which will enable anonymous identification and reporting of potentially dangerous individuals attempting to enter school buildings or attend events, such as games, performances, or large meetings.

YMCA of Greater Kansas City recently received a grant for $120,000 from the Health Forward Foundation, Healthy Communities to support staffing, research and data collection, convening multi-sector partners, the creation of customized technology platforms, and demonstration pilots. The Y will engage multiple stakeholders to discuss transforming traditional corporate wellness programs/models to appeal to an increasingly diverse business sector, with a special focus on workers most likely to be un- or underinsured. The Y will seek understanding about the impact of social determinants in planning and implementation of such offerings and test effective strategies for integrating technology into these new models.

Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) recently received a grant for $65,000 from the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts to support KCAI’s ceramics department and annual fund, a general operating fund that addresses the gap between student tuition and the actual costs of educating students. The ceramics program is critical for achieving our mission of preparing gifts students to transform the world creatively through art and design.

KidsTLC, Inc. was recently awarded a $60,000 grant from the John W. and Effie E. Speas Memorial Trust to grow and improve our current technology infrastructure that will help us provide better care for our low income/underserved young clients. The grant funds will directly support a portion of our 2020 Technology Improvement project, which includes replacing/upgrading staff laptops and desktop computers, a facility management solution software, security cameras, and a payroll/HRS system.  Use of up-to-date laptops, enhanced technology and upgraded cameras will give these staff the flexibility and mobility they need to document client information on the spot and ease their administrative burden. This also gives all staff the option to work and document at home or anywhere they desire, so they can be more focused on direct services to clients while they are on the floor. Moreover, this capability will also give supervisors more access to real-time data on clients, so they can address issues faster, have more insight and information during treatment meetings, and coach staff appropriately.