Thriving communities
Community development is part of the Business and Communities topic area.
The focus of Community Development programs is to build civic capacity - the collective strength of people in a place to respond to challenges and proactively pursue community well-being. Programs are in four categories: Belonging, Contribution, Collective Leadership, and Vitality.
Belonging
- Neighboring 101
- Navigating Difference
Contribution
- Engaged Neighbor
- Community Emergency Management
- Community L.A.B
Collective Leadership
- Neighborhood Leadership Academy
- Neighborhood Leadership Fellows
- Youth Empowerment Program
- Build your Board Training
- Public Boards Training
Vitality
- Building Local Prosperity
- Passport to the Arts
- Missouri EATS
- Creating Entrepreneurial Communities
How can you get involved?
Find Community Development programs, Publications, Events and Online Courses, and Resources by visiting this topic on our website.
Meet our team
Meet the Community Development field specialists serving Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties and learn more about their current projects.
Arts and Placemaking
Elena Stephenson is a Field Specialist in Community Development, with an emphasis on Community Arts and Creative Placemaking. Through the Community Arts program, Elena:
- Provides arts consultation for individuals, organizations and municipalities
- Advocates for art at local, regional, and state levels
- Connects key arts players statewide and regionally
- Develops community arts educational resources
Current projects
Arts Asset Mapping – MU Extension works with ArtsKC and regional/county arts councils to uncover hidden arts assets in the Kansas City area.
Dorothy Day Cabin Artist Residency – a biannual opportunity for local artists to foster creativity and growth, offered by MU Extension and Platte County Parks and Recreation.
ReArts Fest - an arts festival featuring local artists, in partnership with Englewood Arts and Truman Habitat for Humanity.
North Terrace Lake/ Kessler Park Revitalization Project – This work is done in partnership with Kansas City Parks and Recreation and the Confluence Design Team.
If you have questions about Community Arts in the Urban West region, please contact Elena by email.
Community Development
Joshua Shinn is a field specialist in Community Development. He is also an Extension and Engagement Specialist on the regional leadership team.
Current projects
Life Unlimited – MU Extension does activities with this group, which serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Historic East Neighborhood Coalition (HENC) – this group of neighborhood associations and other stakeholders come together to improve Kansas City’s east side. MU Extension works with HENC on meetings, asset mapping, data collection and analysis, grant writing.
Veteran R.E.A.D.S. – Josh created this program, which combines elements of bibliotherapy, narrative exposure, and critical literary analysis to address veterans' complex needs, fostering literacy, self-reflection, and community growth . See the program page for meeting dates and locations.
Pictured: Josh Shinn (center) with participants in the Veteran R.E.A.D.S program (2024).
Questions about Veteran R.E.A.D.S or other Community Development projects? Email Josh Shinn.
Free tax assistance
Julie Riddle is a Field Specialist in Community Development.
Current projects
Free tax prep - MU Extension offers free tax preparation and financial education through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grant. Services are provided by partners volunteers and in the Kansas City Metro Tax Coalition (KCMTC). Visit the program page for details.
Neighborhood Leadership Academy – NLA provides hands-on leadership training emphasizing community building principles, organizational leadership and management practices, and personal leadership skills.
If you have questions about free tax preparation in Kansas City or the Neighborhood Leadership Academy, email Julie.