A great job and education should be available to Everyone

OUR GOAL:

Help 50,000 Kansas Citians into great jobs with benefits by 2032

Thank you

Logo for the Patterson Family Foundation featuring a windmill, "EST. 2007," "RURAL USA," and the organization’s name in bold text.
Three people are posing and smiling at the camera; two women stand in the back while a man wearing a work shirt sits in front.
Three adults pose together; one man with long dreadlocks in work coveralls, one woman wearing safety glasses and a welding helmet, and one man smiling in a KC sweatshirt.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Patterson Family Foundation starting in April 2026, our skills training program will be available in Ford County, Kansas, and Northwest Missouri to include the counties of Andrew, Atchion, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway, and Worth. We are honored to serve even more Scholars across our bi-state region.

"This program could show the

largest impacts

of any U.S. Job training program & become a model for other cities."

Mathematica logo featuring a green circle with a stylized "M" above the word "Mathematica" in blue text.

– Ira Nichols-Barrer
principal investigator of mathematica’s 2024 evaluation of the great jobs kc program

We can't change kansas city alone.

Your funding allows us to provide access to training and education.

Help us award our college scholarships to deserving students and adults across Kansas City.

Employ our Scholars, filling available jobs in your organization with our well-trained Scholars.

Help provide community resources to our Scholars that remove barriers to success.

Person wearing a teal hoodie and blue pants seen from behind, carrying a brown backpack decorated with patches and holding a yellow folder.

a chance to learn. The power to earn.

Six graduates in caps and gowns stand smiling under the text "Congratulations Scholars!" with stats: 778 scholarships awarded, $38.9 million invested in KC's future.
A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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