Communities of Practice The 2020 Heartland Challenge Communities of Practice brings together entrepreneurship support organizations located in the Heartland region through a 12-month facilitated peer-learning process to share learnings about solutions to specific challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. Share: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Update February 2021: The 2021 Community of Practice will not be directly affiliated with the Heartland Challenge. Applications for the next community of practice will open in late 2021. The purpose of the Communities of Practice is to increase trust and ability among Heartland entrepreneur support organizations to self-organize towards solving the most pressing challenge entrepreneurs face. The three Communities of Practice include: Challenge 1: Co-creating objective, milestone-based entrepreneurship training programs to mitigate the impact of implicit bias faced by entrepreneurs from communities systemically left behind. Challenge 2: Addressing rural business transfer opportunities by providing education on models of shared business ownership, including business cooperatives. Challenge 3: Building cross-university programs that increase knowledge related to securing research and development funding, and commercializing available technology in order to start new businesses. The Kauffman Foundation has selected 33 individuals across Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas to join the Communities of Practice in 2020. Challenge 1: Co-creating objective, milestone-based entrepreneurship training programs to mitigate the impact of implicit bias faced by entrepreneurs from communities systemically left behind Lakesha Mathis, Diverse Business AcceleratorMeredith Walrafen, New Roots for RefugeesLindsey Harrison, BIOSTLMarvin DeJear, The Directors CouncilLauren Carter, Launch U Small Business Program-Lincoln UniversitySandra Renner, Center for Rural AffairsMegan Isenberg, Empower Program, Jane Boyd Community HouseEli Svaty, Southwest Kansas Entrepreneurship Center — Seward Community CollegeMegan Milligan, Iowa Center for Econ SuccessMolly Monk, NewBoCoYahna Gibson, Emerging Builders, Inc.Lea Ann Seiler, Hodgeman County Economic DevelopmentCharli Cooksey, WEPOWERNatalie Self, STEMSTLSimone Curls, Prospect Business AssociationDan Smith, The Porter House KCBritney Gibilisco, No More Empty PotsCameron French, Omaha Chamber, The Startup Collective Challenge 2: Addressing rural business transfer opportunities by providing education on models of shared business ownership, including business cooperatives Hillery Oberle, Iowa Business Transition CenterGary Clapp, Rural Economic Vitality ConsortiumDavid Procter, Rural Grocery InitiativeChris Deal, Jefferson Matters: Main StreetAubrey Patterson, Hutchinson Community FoundationImagene Harris, NetWork KansasMarilyn Schlake, University of Nebraska ExtensionGayla Roten, Missouri Main Street Connection Challenge 3: Building cross-university programs that increase knowledge related to securing research and development funding, and commercializing available technology in order to start new businesses Judi Eyles, JPEC Commercialization Event SeriesLisa Lorenzen, Mizzou Faculty EngagementHenry Runge, UNeTechDebra Franklin, Commercialization Task ForceLynn Allendorf, University of IowaMike Seper, Washington UniversityDennis Ridenour, BioNexus KCSuman Saripalli, KalScott Engineering