Kansas Leadership Center Launches Workforce Innovators Program in Partnership with the Charles Koch Foundation
Wichita, Kan. – The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is partnering with the Charles Koch Foundation to offer Workforce Innovators, a new team-based training program offered at no cost to help mid-size companies transform their ability to attract, grow and retain employees.
Between now and February 28, 2025, private mid-size companies in South Central Kansas can apply for the program. Up to 15 companies will be selected to participate, each committing three to five employees to attend the program. Workforce Innovators is supported by a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation.
Read the news story in the Wichita Business Journal.
“Workforce Innovators is a leadership development program specially designed to develop the skills necessary to drive change in a company, create an organizational culture for innovation, and create and leverage a more effective and energized workforce. We know that fulfilled employees are more likely to go home with bandwidth for civic engagement and community service. A strong workforce supports a strong community. We are grateful to the Charles Koch Foundation for supporting this program and providing an extraordinary opportunity for us to work together to shape the future of South Central Kansas,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center.
Participants selected for Workforce Innovators will complete three leadership programs on The KLC Path and four hours of individualized leadership coaching. Upon conclusion, participants will gain access to an Empowering Practices Toolkit that includes innovative approaches to benefit employees and create value for their company. Companies accepted into the program receive free leadership development and coaching valued at $3,200 per person.
“Before joining the KLC team, I was an executive at a local mid-size company and completed the programs on the KLC Path with coaching. The experience was transformational for my workforce development approaches and management skills, as well as my work in the community. The success I had inspired us to identify a partner like the Charles Koch Foundation who would help other private sector companies have a similar experience,” said Damon Young, chief business officer of the Kansas Leadership Center.
KLC Chief Business Officer Damon Young
The Workforce Innovators partnership aligns with the Charles Koch Foundation’s vision for a society in which businesses succeed by creating the conditions necessary to empower employees and help them live lives of purpose and contribution. They work toward this vision by investing in social entrepreneurs who are creating new educational and training pathways that enable individuals to find meaning and purpose in work, and employers establishing cultures where employees find meaning in their work and benefit from the value they create.
“The Charles Koch Foundation is proud to support the Kansas Leadership Center’s work to help Wichita’s business leaders transform their talent strategies. This cohort of mid-sized companies will clarify talent gaps and their root causes, explore innovative solutions and share insights to accelerate training pathways. By fostering an open culture where everyone has access to opportunity and can expand their impact over time, they’ll better align workers and employers to create lasting value. KLC’s vision and network provide a unique opportunity to position Kansas businesses as leaders in giving people the opportunity to find meaningful work. Change doesn’t happen without commitments from local leaders, and we are excited to see how KLC will facilitate these commitments in the greater Wichita area,” said Ryan Stowers, executive director of the Charles Koch Foundation.
About the Kansas Leadership Center
The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit educational organization with a civic mission, national reputation and global reach. Founded in 2007 to foster leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities, KLC receives core funding from the Kansas Health Foundation (a private, philanthropic organization). It partners with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, businesses and communities to build cultures that are healthy, productive and well-positioned to make measurable progress on daunting challenges and emergent opportunities. KLC Press publishes leadership books and The Journal, a nationally recognized, award-winning civic issues magazine.
Over the past 17 years, KLC has built a strong and respected institution in Kansas designed to deliver leadership development and culture change at unparalleled scale. Now, organizations across the country and around the world look to us to provide resources and consultation to support their own aspirations for mission-driven leadership education. Learn more at www.kansasleadershipcenter.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Carrie Lindeman
316-393-1076
carrie@lindemancollective.com
