Kansas City, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 – Great Jobs KC, a nonprofit that helps young people gain economic independence and build careers that sustain themselves and their families, on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, awarded 105 scholarships worth $50,000 each to deserving young people, most of whom are the first in their families to attend college. This event was featured Friday morning in a national segment on Good Morning America.
Great Jobs KC believes that equalizing access to postsecondary education and the jobs of the future will lift the economic tide of the entire region and help everyone thrive. The organization’s KC Scholars Program has awarded 730 scholarships this year. The generosity of the University of Missouri Kansas City and the Kansas City Arts Institute includes the 105 granted Friday morning on Good Morning America.
“We are so proud to shine a light on the lives of so many amazing young scholars, their families and our community members,” said Earl Martin Phalen, President and CEO of Great Jobs KC. “Their success is our success, and they are a testament to Great Jobs KC’s commitment to invest in the untapped talent in our community.”
But that leaves another 445 to fund, at a cost of $22,250,000. The attention garnered by the program’s success will likely widen the funding gap as more young scholars apply. Great Jobs KC encourages donors who want to fund success and build strong communities during this Giving Season to consider giving here at our website after taking the time to learn more about the importance of what Great Jobs KC does for the Kansas City Metro Area.
Great Jobs KC is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that provides access to college scholarships and tuition-free job training, along with job placement assistance for young people from low- and modest-income families in the metropolitan area, providing a pipeline of talent for a strong regional workforce. Please join us on our mission for economic independence for all. For more information, visit www.greatjobskc.org.
The Kauffman Foundation’s generous grant helps Great Jobs KC get closer to its $100M goal, supporting 50,000 Kansas City residents with job training and education.
The Kauffman Foundation’s generous grant helps Great Jobs KC get closer to its $100M goal, supporting 50,000 Kansas City residents with job training and education.
Great Jobs KC Kansas City, Saturday, June 22, 2024 – Great Jobs KC, through its
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.
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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.
