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Enterprise Center to Lead State-Level Policy Effort Showcasing Entrepreneur Issues

The Enterprise Center in Johnson County is going to spearhead a new effort to share entrepreneurs’ views with state officials.

The Kauffman Foundation has awarded a grant to ECJC to launch the very first Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneurs’ Policy Network. ECJC was one of only six organizations nationally to receive the grant.

The ECJC-led network will be an alliance of groups that will let policymakers know how certain state rules or policies are affecting entrepreneurship. The network will also encourage more interaction between entrepreneurs and state officials.

“This first-ever Kauffman policy advocacy RFP drew strong interest among entrepreneur support organizations,” said Jason Wiens, policy director at the Kauffman Foundation. “ECJC recognizes the role public policy can play in removing barriers to entrepreneurship so that more makers, doers and dreamers can pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.”

The Entrepreneurs’ Policy Network is an example of Kauffman’s Zero Barriers effort. Zero Barriers works to tear down obstacles that might be preventing entrepreneurs from launching and expanding their companies.

Public policy is sometimes one of those barriers. State rules can have unexpectedly negative consequences on businesses, but their owners don’t always have the time to push back against those policies.

“Our economy is changing drastically and Kansas entrepreneurs will drive our state’s economic growth for decades to come,” said Melissa Roberts, vice president of strategy and economic Development at the ECJC. “This funding from the Kauffman Foundation will allow ECJC to dedicate critical resources to identifying and sharing best practices for supporting entrepreneurship across the state and in doing so, creating jobs, wealth and a strong tax base.”

Interested in being part of the Entrepreneurs’ Policy Network? Sign up here.