KCSourceLink, part of the Bloch School’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, connects existing or planned small businesses in the 18-county region with more than 140 business assistance providers, many of whom are non-profits.

In just four years, more than 5,000 businesses, from start-ups to community fixtures, have reaped the benefits of the right help at the right moment, and the SourceLink model has gone national as U.S. SourceLink, allowing cities across the country to connect small businesses and entrepreneurs with the resources they need.

In August, 2007, KCSourceLink drew national recognition for its contribution to economic development in the Kansas City area when it was chosen by the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Excellence in Economic Development Award for Enhancing Regional Competitiveness. But the good news doesn’t end there.

Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver II (MO) and Dennis Moore (KS) are co-sponsors of the pilot project “Vet Link – Providing the Right Services to Veterans at the Right Time.” Already approved by the U.S. House, Vet Link will use the SourceLink model to offer veterans an online database of community resources to meet such needs as health care and career development. With Senate commendation, VetLink could ultimately expand into a nationwide system of veterans’ aid.