KConnect

08/28/2026

KConnect is proud to partner on an upcoming nonpartisan Candidate Forum that brings candidates and community members together to discuss issues shaping students, families, and educators, with a focus on special education.

Candidates will address key topics, including the Special Education Funding Reform Blueprint and other priorities connected to Michigan’s education system.

📌 Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
📌 Goei Center in Grand Rapids
📌 Free & open to the public

Parents, educators, students, and community members are all invited to listen and join the conversation!

Learn more below and register at https://tinyurl.com/2026CandidateForumGrand-Rapids

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐬: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Nearly 𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝟕 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 receives special education services in Michigan public schools, yet issues affecting students with disabilities and their families too often receive limited attention during election season.

Join us on 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖 for a nonpartisan Special Education Candidate Forum featuring candidates for Michigan Senate District 29, 30 and House District 80, 84.

Hear directly from the candidates about their priorities for:
🔹 Special education funding
🔹 Student outcomes
🔹 Educator and provider capacity
🔹 IEP implementation and inclusive education
🔹 Family partnership and engagement

📍𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐞𝐢 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐬

📅𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖

🕒𝟔:𝟑𝟎-𝟖:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌

Families, educators, advocates, students, and community members are encouraged to attend — and to submit questions for the candidates when registering.

🔗 Register: https://tinyurl.com/2026CandidateForumGrand-Rapids

Help us spread the word and make sure students with disabilities are part of the 2026 election conversation!

Michigan's Children

KConnect

First Steps Kent

Urban Core Collective | PEPPA

08/26/2026

Creating lasting change for children and families takes collaboration.

KConnect President & CEO Salvador López recently joined the Grand Rapids Community Media Center's WYCE Community Close-Up podcast to discuss our systems-based approach to expanding opportunity across Kent County.

Salvador shares how KConnect brings together community leaders, experts, and system change-makers across the cradle-to-career continuum and why collaboration is essential to tackling complex community challenges.

Thank you to WYCE host Phil Tower for taking the time to learn more about KConnect and the power of shared commitment in creating community change!

Listen to the episode:

WYCE's Community Closeup (*conversations concerning issues of importance in West Michigan) · Episode

08/24/2026

Earlier this month, members of the KConnect team traveled to Cincinnati for a StriveTogether convening, joining 19 other communities from across the nation focused on targeted strategies to ensure economic mobility for children and families.

KConnect arrived with a specific question in mind: What will it take to improve 8th grade math proficiency?

With math proficiency across Kent County falling to nearly 40%, its lowest level in six years, the team mapped out strategies and identified milestones across outcomes, sustainability, and local policy priorities. The environment was rich with learning as communities shared insights with peers and built relationships across the network.

At the end of the day, it all added up: KConnect team members left the convening with a deepened sense of the connection among outcomes, policy, and sustainability.

08/19/2026

Your voice belongs in the arts & culture conversation! Don’t miss these final opportunities to share your perspective and help shape the future of arts & culture across Kent County.

Join ACCGR next week for two in-person Public Town Halls to explore what you value about arts & culture today, what could be better, and what you'd like to see more of in the future.

🗓️ Monday, August 24 | 5–6:30 p.m.
📍 Byron Township Community Center, Room 3, 2120 76th Street Southwest, Byron Center

🗓️ Tuesday, August 25 | 9:30–11 a.m.
📍 Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center at GVSU 401 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids

Participation is free and open to all. Come share your perspective and help us imagine what’s possible for arts and culture throughout Greater Grand Rapids!

Register at https://hubs.la/Q04tyCFq0.

08/17/2026

There’s a “silver tsunami” coming for West Michigan businesses.

More than 5,600 business owners across Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties are 55 or older. As owners prepare to retire, communities have an opportunity to think differently about what comes next. One possibility is employee ownership.

The Michigan Center for Employee Ownership (MICEO) and ConnectUs are working to launch the West Michigan Employee Ownership Council, which will bring leaders across sectors together to help business owners understand and explore employee ownership models.

We appreciate Crain's Grand Rapids Business for taking a closer look at this work as we build momentum around employee ownership in West Michigan.

Read the full story:

The West Michigan Employee Ownership Council will help retiring leaders explore employee ownership to preserve local companies and jobs.

08/12/2026

The ConnectUs team was excited to be part of Michigan Community Action's Summer Conference: Transforming Tomorrow Together in July!

ConnectUs facilitated an interactive session on Building Community Movements for Systems Change, exploring strategies to help collaborative movements get unstuck, strengthen partnerships, meaningfully engage community members, leverage data and storytelling, and make collective decisions that advance lasting systems change.

We're grateful for the opportunity to connect with leaders from across Michigan who are committed to building stronger communities and improving lives.

Interested in bringing systems change strategies to a collaborative movement in your community? Learn more about ConnectUs and how we support cross-sector collaboration at https://hubs.la/Q04sM7YV0.

07/29/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined the No Se Puede: A Michigan Convening last Friday.

Leaders, advocates, organizers, and community members from across Michigan came together to strengthen relationships, share ideas, and reaffirm a simple truth: lasting change happens when we build collective power together.

A special thank you to:
📣 Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero - District 6 for kicking off the event and welcoming attendees
📣 Cindy Gamboa (MI Poder) for providing insights on policy and advocacy
📣 Dr. Aura J. Casarez (Eastern Michigan University) for guiding our conversation on the importance of education
📣 The Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation for opening their facilities for this event

The conversations and connections made throughout the day will continue to shape a stronger future for Latino communities across Michigan.

¡No Se Puede, Sin Nosotros! Learn more and stay connected: https://hubs.la/Q04r9v5g0

Photo credit: Alejandro Ugalde Sandoval

07/24/2026

There are just two Sector Workshops left to help shape the future of arts and culture in Kent County!

The Greater Grand Rapids Arts & Culture Strategy is being built with input from artists, creatives, community members, and cross-sector partners. Join the Arts & Culture Collective of Grand Rapids (ACCGR) and Lord Cultural Resources for one of the final virtual Sector Workshops and help identify the priorities that will strengthen our region's creative ecosystem.

🗓️ July 28 - Individual Artists & Creative Workers
🗓️ July 30 - Business & Corporate Leaders

We also invite everyone who lives, works, creates, learns, or spends time in Kent County to join our upcoming virtual Community Conversation. This session will provide an update on the strategy, share what's been learned through community engagement, and discuss next steps.

🗓️ August 12 - Virtual Community Conversation

Your perspective will help inform a community-driven strategy that supports arts and culture across Kent County for years to come.

Register today and learn more at https://hubs.la/Q04qLwF90.

07/21/2026

Join us in celebrating Harini Manikandan for spending the past six weeks at KConnect through the GRow1000 Summer Youth Employment Program! 👏

Harini is a rising high school senior with plans to attend law school and one day run for public office. After getting to know her this summer, we have no doubt she'll accomplish incredible things.

Throughout her internship, Harini jumped right in with planning and recording a podcast episode (coming soon), supporting a data collection and analysis project, learning about collective impact, and getting firsthand workforce experience.

Thank you for bringing your curiosity, perspective, and enthusiasm to our team, Harini. We can't wait to see what you do next!

07/17/2026

Strong educators are the foundation of thriving schools and communities.

In the latest episode of the PACE Forward Podcast, explore how the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative (WMTC) is supporting educators and how the Teach Here program is building the educator pipeline while addressing workforce needs across West Michigan.

Join Morgan Dailey (WMTC Program Coordinator), Dr. Shayla Young, and Maegan Frierson for a conversation about partnership, opportunity, and investing in the future of education.

Listen at https://hubs.la/Q04pWqc90 and learn more about Teach Here at https://hubs.la/Q04pWm180.