Thursday, August 15, 2013

Re: Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund - August 2013

I applaud this effort, but given this statement below, I feel like I'm missing something:

"The Kansas City region has emerged is a global leader in the new digital economy. But far too many residents are excluded from the economic, education, health, social and cultural benefits of the digital age because they haven't adopted or don't use the Internet at home. With a strong history of entrepreneurialism, vibrant community spirit, and development of a (first-of-its-kind high speed fiber network), Kansas City is uniquely positioned to undertake high impact digital inclusion initiatives to close the region's digital divide."

I noted the boastful statement that KC is emerging as a "global leader" in the digital economy, while many residents remain excluded from economic benefits despite a "strong history of entrepreneurialism" in the region. The emphasis in the writeup is on entrepreneurship and technology. Yet the Digital Inclusion Fund is focused at the lowest level of introducing the most disconnected residents to the most basic uses of digital technology. That has nothing to do with closing the divide in the startup culture and Kansas City's local innovation economy.

I need help understanding why this puny investment in the weakest sector of the region is being touted as an opportunity to include residents in the "economic, education, health, social and cultural benefits of the digital age." The disconnect for me is the correct emphasis on entrepreneurship for the majority population, while the funding for minorities is targeting non-entrepreneurial efforts. What are the measures of success of this initiative? What are the expected outcomes? How will this buttress the economic competitiveness of the region, stimulate greater participation of disconnected residents in the local innovation ecosystem and produce a pipeline of digital-savvy innovators and job creators from minority sectors that historically have been disconnected from capital resources and job growth? 

Clarification; I'm not discouraging the focus on introducing digitally disconnected folks to the digital age, even a step at a time. I'm saying this announcement ought not confound the issues. 

Kansas City, however it perceives itself, still suffers from a tremendous economic disparity problem evident in the enormous gap in entrepreneurial resources, access to capital, networks and policy for its non-white entrepreneurial talent, much of which IS connected to the Internet but disconnected from progress despite living in the shadow of the largest entrepreneurship-focused foundation in the nation. 

Census data show Kansas City has a 30% Black population that owns roughly 13% of the businesses. And while no data that I can find on GDP/GRP for black-owned businesses is produced by any of the Kansas City business data researchers (including those producing the CEDS and those working for Kauffman), Census and BLS data show the national GDP contribution for ALL 1.9 million black-owned businesses in America is LESS than 1% of GDP. My guess is that's true also in Kansas City, as it is in Jackson, MS, Cleveland, OH and many other MSA regions across the nation.

The Kansas City region is suffering from economic apartheid. The statement by the foundation to "increase people's digital skills" through its "Digital Inclusion Fund" gives me pause to wonder if leadership in Kansas City, including those who produce the region's CEDS as well as those at the esteemed Kauffman Foundation, are interested in developing a framework of Inclusive Competitiveness that bolsters the region's overall economic competitiveness through high-growth entrepreneurship that becomes a catalyst for development of a pipeline of entrepreneurial productivity and prosperity for economically disconnected sectors.

Again, I believe it is laudable to seek to provide digitally disconnected folks access to digital technology and an opportunity to "help make the Internet relevant, exciting and beneficial for new users." So, please don't misinterpret my response. I'm confused about the limited spectrum of the effort and its focus. 

Perhaps it may not be the focus of this particular Digital Inclusion Fund to address the overarching entrepreneurial divide that leaves struggling minority startups, existing business owners, and even ready-to-scale enterprises, wasting away on an "island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity," as Dr. King reminded us 50 years ago in 1963. But I'm confused by the opening statement of this Digital Inclusion Fund, which clearly states that Kansas City is emerging as a global leader in the digital technology era. And that's due to a focus on technology and entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, KC is leaving behind a significant swath of its minority entrepreneurial talent that is ready for needed resources and funding. 

The disconnect for me is, this effort acknowledges the significance of entrepreneurship in developing the KC region into a digital tech leader while simultaneously focusing its Digital Inclusion Fund solely upon non-entrepreneurial sectors. Is there room to also develop a fund focused on developing the landscape of minority entrepreneurial activity into high-growth enterprises through digital technology and other needed resources? How's the minority mobile tech sector in KC? The mobile app industry has gone from zero to multiple billions of dollars in the past decade. Yet another example of a brand new industry in which Black and Latino Americans are statistically nil in representation and productivity. Can Kansas City be the first U.S. tech hub that's inclusive?

Again, please forgive me if I wonder why Kansas City is emphasizing a meager investment in exposing its most disconnected residents to basic digital technology while overlooking its ready residents who are struggling to leverage their innovative talents in a 21st century knowledge-based, tech-driven globally competitive landscape in which Kansas City proclaims to be a leader. I know I risk being the target of slings and arrows from the status quo choir by bringing up these issues. But that's the risk every messenger takes when they tell the emperor he has no clothes. Of course, the hope of every messenger is the message will take root and people will take heed and change will come.

I'm hopeful Kansas City will respond with an eagerness to be a leader in Inclusive Competitiveness as well as digital technology.

Thanks for including me in the discussion. I'm open to learning what I may not know about the region's efforts to develop a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape.

mike

Founder, SABB Campaign
Co-founder, America21
Member: Clinton Global Initiative (CGI America) High-Growth Entrepreneurship Working Group (June 2013)

From: Lazone Grays <lazoneg@ibsa-inc.org>
To: W. Lazone Grays <lazoneg@ibsa-inc.org>
Cc: visionkc@aol.com; cprice27 <cprice27@aol.com>; Robyne Stevenson <robynestevenson@gmail.com>; Brennan Crawford <bcrawford@kckcc.edu>; Thomas M. Scott <tscott@kckha.org>; Tarence Maddox <tmaddox801@yahoo.com>; LaVita Gassoway <lavitaw34@gmail.com>; Beverly J Darby <bettyjdarby1@yahoo.com>; Pamela McKnight Cyrus K. <pdmck23@hotmail.com>; "Edwards, Mildred [GO]" <Mildred.Edwards@ks.gov>; april.dohle@hotmail.com; Richard Mabion <rmabion@sbcglobal.net>; senhaley@aol.com; rollins@ucmo.edu; Doris Williams <dwill918@sbcglobal.net>; "cwiliet@aol.com" <cwilieT@aol.com>; Matthew Gassen <matt@winstonmeriwether.com>; IBSA Grants Blog <lazone.grants@blogger.com>; Trent Howerton <trenth@workforcepartnership.com>; Scott Anglemyer <scotta@workforcepartnership.com>; Christal Watson <cwatson.kbcc@gmail.com>; christalwatson@kbccinc.com; Mike Green <amikegreen2@yahoo.com>; terrance gunn <tgunn421@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 7:02 PM
Subject: Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund - August 2013

FYI

#####

Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund, unveiled at a Wednesday luncheon, has been created with $1 million in corporate and foundation gifts. The fund will allow area nonprofit organizations to apply for grants to provide computer access or teach residents about using computers and the Internet.





Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation

  • The challenge: Recent data show that 25 percent of Kansas Citians don;t have broadband at home, and 17 percent don't use the Internet at all. When asked why they aren't online, non-users cite two main reasons: lack of relevance and lack of access.
  • The opportunity: The Digital Inclusion Fund will support local projects that provide computer access; make it easy to get online; help make the Internet relevant, exciting, and beneficial for new users; and increase people's digital skills.




Eligible projects will target one or more of the following focus areas:
  • people who don't use the Internet but are interested in learning how to get online and need help 
  • people who don't use the Internet and who lack a computer or perceive high costs to Internet access
  • areas with high unemployment, with emphasis on Internet-related career skills and job hunting
  • seniors who don't use the Internet, with emphasis on access to health information
  • school children in homes without Internet access 
Eligible expenses and activities to be supported may include, but are not limited to:
  • Program costs including reasonable staff time associated with the implementation of the program / project
  • Training and support for volunteers who assist in program / project implementation
  • Hardware, software and Internet connectivity to be used to provide digital skills training for target population members (e.g. devices + portable hotspots for mobile computer labs)*

Contact person: 
Matthew Fuller, fuller@gkccf.org or 816.627.3420



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