BLK GRVTY Receives Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Grant to Expand Franchise Nova to Kansas City

We are proud to announce that BLK GRVTY has been named a 2026 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Project Grantee — one of 46 organizations selected for our work at the intersection of entrepreneurship and wealth-building for communities historically shut out of both.

About the Grant

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced its latest cohorts of Project and Research grantees, investing in innovative ideas, data-driven insights, and community-centered solutions designed to expand economic mobility. Project grantees are expected to implement and test community-based solutions that expand access to opportunity, strengthen systems, and create pathways to long-term economic success. That is exactly what Franchise Nova is built to do.

Why Franchise Nova

Franchise Nova is BLK GRVTY's initiative to increase multiunit business ownership in the franchise industry. Multiunit ownership is one of the most proven and scalable models for creating employer-based firms, building generational wealth, and adding productivity to the economy. This grant brings that work to Kansas City — a city with a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the conditions for lasting economic impact.

A Shared Vision

As Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, put it: "Economic mobility doesn't happen by chance. It is built through intentional investment in people, systems, and ideas." We take that literally. Economic mobility doesn't need more awareness — it needs infrastructure, designed with intention. The kind that holds weight, scales across communities, and compounds over time. Franchise Nova is that infrastructure. And we're honored to be building it with partners who understand the difference.

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When the right resources meet the right community, the possibilities are limitless. The work continues.

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Read the full announcement of 2026 Kauffman Project and Research Grantees at kauffman.org

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