Building Community Wealth in Kansas City
The Democracy Collaborative Joins Missouri Research Consortium
July 25, 2025
The Democracy Collaborative is part of a research group that has been awarded a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to launch a landmark Community Wealth Building initiative in Kansas City, Missouri.
As part of a dynamic consortium headed by Professor Heather Cameron at Washington University in St Louis — and including the Aspen Institute, Olin Business School, and a coalition of Kansas City-based organizations — this project will study the most effective CWB models from across the United States and adapt them to the city’s distinctive economic and demographic landscape.
Over the course of the work the consortium will evaluate proven strategies such as worker cooperatives, employee-owned enterprises, limited-equity housing and community investment trusts, assessing their scalability and potential impact in Kansas City. By tailoring these approaches to local needs, the project aims to craft a cohesive, place-based framework that strengthens ownership, spurs entrepreneurship, and retains wealth within underserved neighbourhoods.
Drawing on more than two decades of thought leadership in Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative will integrate into this effort its applied research on CWB action planning with insights gathered from its nationwide CWB community of practice. This collective of practitioners and scholars will surface best practices and real-world case studies, illuminating the pathways through which Kansas City can harness democratic ownership structures to drive broad-based economic growth and develop resilience.
“We are delighted to be part of this forward-looking consortium and extend our gratitude to our partners and the Kauffman Foundation. This effort adds yet another city—alongside peers across the United States and around the globe—that are exploring and advancing Community Wealth Building to democratize the economy.”
- Neil McInroy, Global Lead for CWB, The Democracy Collaborative
“Asset ownership through entrepreneurship has long been recognized as a catalyst for economic mobility and a vital mechanism for closing racial wealth gaps in marginalized communities. By adapting proven models to Kansas City’s unique context, we will unlock new opportunities for inclusive prosperity.”
- Prof. Heather Cameron, Washington University
“Collective and social forms of entrepreneurship are essential as deep responses to our economic crisis. At TDC we are truly excited by the prospect of Kansas City deploying tried-and-tested Community Wealth Building methods and strategies to help build the place-based economy of the future.”
- Joe Guinan, President, The Democracy Collaborative
As the initiative grows the consortium will translate research into action—convening community forums, piloting tailored CWB strategies, and engaging local stakeholders at every turn. By rigorously evaluating each model and sharing lessons learned, we will deliver a practical roadmap for embedding democratic ownership and equitable investment at the heart of Kansas City’s economic landscape.
Ultimately, this work aspires not only to unlock new opportunities for inclusive prosperity in Kansas City, but to inspire and inform a growing movement for Community Wealth Building efforts in cities across the nation.
