RESOLUTION NO. 240200, AS AMENDED
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Sponsor: Mayor Quinton Lucas
RESOLUTION - Expressing the Mayor and Council’s support for the application to the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (EDA Tech Hubs) program; directing the City Manager to develop a plan for funding a portion of the local match requirement for the grant, should the application be successful; and developing a funding plan to prioritize the inclusion of BIPOC communities, minority owned businesses, and federally recognized Justice 40 communities.
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WHEREAS, the EDA designated the Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Consortium (KC BioHub) as a Tech Hub in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Kansas City was one of only 31 cities nationally to receive a Tech Hubs designation out of more than 350 applicants, showing the potential for rapid growth in employment and production in this critical sector; and
WHEREAS, the KC BioHub consortium is led by BioNexus KC and includes the city of Kansas City and over 100 regional business, philanthropic, educational, and government institutions; and
WHEREAS, the consortium led by BioNexus KC is currently working on an application for Phase 2 of the Tech Hubs program at the EDA, which, if successful, will result in $40-$70 million of federal grant funding to grow the local biologics and biomanufacturing industry in Kansas City; and
WHEREAS, that $40-$70 million grant program is likely to catalyze hundreds of millions of follow-on investments from the private sector; and
WHEREAS, if awarded, the grant will fund substantial new infrastructure and programmatic investments in Kansas City, benefiting neighborhoods, residents, businesses, educational, and workforce institutions; and
WHEREAS, efforts surrounding the grant have the potential to create 10,000 good jobs in the region, which could pay $24 per hour or more, provide benefits, provide a path to advancement, and which do not require a college degree; and
WHEREAS, this potential grant will catalyze opportunities for lab-to-market startup creation at UMKC and new opportunities for small business creation and growth in the city; and
WHEREAS, the contemplated projects will complement existing city investments in the Health Sciences District, 18th & Vine Neighborhoods, and others; and
WHEREAS, EDA requires provision and documentation of a local match of at least 10% from local municipalities, state governments, or philanthropic contributions for the KC BioHub to be eligible for consideration for federal funding, which would be necessary only if the KC BioHub application is successful; and
WHEREAS the KC BioHub consortium is engaged in funding conversations with the states of Missouri and Kansas, as well as other regional government and local philanthropic institutions to secure the local match, but needs to have a local funding pledge by the application deadline of the end of February 2024 it to be eligible; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council wish to ensure that Kansas City take advantage of this opportunity to leverage substantial federal investment of more than ten times the required local match and ensure these investments are made within the boundaries of the city; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council wish to express their support for the KC BioHub grant application and its potential to create educational and employment opportunities for Kansas City residents; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:
Section 1. If the Tech Hub grant is awarded to Kansas City, the City Manager is directed to identify up to $4,000,000.00 in available funding in fiscal years 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 to provide the required local match for the BioNexus KC application to EDA, including through funding partnerships with the State of Missouri, local philanthropic and business organizations, and regional partners.
Section 2. If the Tech Hub grant is awarded to Kansas City, the City Manager is directed to submit a funding plan to the Mayor and Council for approval which identifies specific funding sources and a disbursement timeline that meets the requirements of the grant award. This plan shall include mechanisms for ensuring that City funds are only used to fund programmatic and infrastructure investments within the boundaries of Kansas City.
Section 3. In developing the funding plan, the City Manager shall prioritize the inclusion of BIPOC communities, minority owned businesses, and federally-recognized Justice 40 communities.
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