Representative Sharice Davids announced the National Science Foundation awarded $1 million to the University of Kansas Center for Research (KU) through the Civic Innovation Challenge, a national research competition. The winning project, led by KU and local civic partners like Kansas City Public Library, KC Digital Drive, ThrYve, Keystone Community Corporation, and KC Social Innovations Center, aims to help youth in the Kansas City Metro access out-of-school learning opportunities.
The Civic Innovation Challenge is a multi-agency, federal government research and action competition. It funds research-based projects that address community priorities and have the potential for long-term impact—such as KU’s project, which will build and test a mobile app that helps KC Metro youth broaden their horizons and find transportation to out-of-school educational and employment opportunities.