$13 million in federal funds to bolster Grandview developments, other efforts across KC metro

The federal government will invest more than $13 million in the Kansas City area thanks to Community Project Funding packages passed by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, his office announced in a press release today. 

Rep. Cleaver secured appropriations packages for 20 projects across Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, according to the release. The money will bolster projects in Kansas City, Grandview and several other municipalities across the metro. 

“I know that these federal investments are critical to our congressional district and the Missourians who will benefit from them,” Cleaver said. “As the appropriations process continues to move forward, I will do everything in my power to ensure they make their way home to the people of the Fifth District.”

The $13 million in project funding comes just two weeks before 2026 FIFA World Cup festivities begin in the Kansas City metro, bringing thousands of visitors. 

The city of Grandview is expected to receive $500,000 to upgrade and revitalize the View Community Center on Byars Road. Upgrades will address the current building’s capacity and design issues, allowing the center to expand youth and young-adult-focused programming. Upgrades are also expected to help reduce idle time, strengthen social connections, and provide a safe alternative to high-risk environments. 

Another $250,000 has been allotted for Grandview to replace the current Highway 150 Trail with a more modern shared-use trail. The new trail will address concerns about safety, accessibility and community connectivity for alternative transportation and recreational trail users. The old trail’s surface is deteriorated, overgrown, and it has reached the end of its functional lifespan, according to the city.

A $2.3 million chunk of the total will go toward three packages for the Kansas City Police Department. The money will be used to install traffic calming measures, upgrade lab equipment, and replace outdated police cruisers with high mileage. Funding is also allotted for the department’s tactical response team to purchase response equipment for high-risk incidents such as acts of terror, active shooters and hostage situations. 

The city of Kansas City is set to receive just more than $1.8 million for neighborhood improvements and to address safety concerns. The 18th and Vine District will get a $1 million facelift to stabilize buildings and provide upgrades such as HVAC.

The remaining money for the city of Kansas City is set aside for the Fire Department and pedestrian safety efforts. KCFD will spend $567,720 on a fireboat to address “a critical gap in emergency response capabilities” along the city’s waterways, while the city will spend the remaining $250,000 on traffic calming measures and crosswalk improvements.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority will receive the largest single appropriations package of $1.2 million to spend on cleanup, demolition and other work in preparation for a 16.5-acre “transportation-oriented development” in the Northland. KCATA will get an additional $250,000 to be used on Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and system equity improvements at stops throughout the service area. 

UMKC will also receive funding in a package intended to position the university to become a research and validation hub for the development of AI-powered cybersecurity tools. The goal is to protect schools’ and municipalities’ digital ecosystems before disruption happens. 

The UMKC appropriations package comes just weeks after the University of Missouri System and 9,000 other schools were locked out of the digital learning platform Canvas due to a cyberattack. The hack resulted in thousands of students being denied access to learning materials as they prepared for final exams.

Since fiscal year 2022, Rep. Cleaver has helped secure more than $109,000,000 in federal investments for local projects, according to his office. The appropriations packages were drafted by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS).