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A split image with a dark blue overlay on the left and a photo of a smiling Black couple standing in a driveway in front of a white garage door on the right. Text on the blue overlay reads: 'ANNOUNCING $1.3 MILLION TO SUPPORT HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS KANSAS CITY REGION' followed by the Health Forward Foundation logo."

Funding Announcement

Health Forward awards $1.3 million to support healthy, affordable housing across Kansas City region

Kansas City, MO — Health Forward Foundation is proud to announce $1.3 million in funding to 13 community-based organizations working to increase access to healthy, affordable housing and homeownership in the Kansas City region. This investment represents another major step in Health Forward’s comprehensive strategy to transform housing systems and promote health equity through long-term stability and economic opportunity.

“Safe, affordable housing is one of the most powerful levers we have for improving community health and economic well-being,” said McClain Bryant Macklin, Health Forward Vice President of Policy and Impact. “By investing in the organizations closest to the housing challenges facing our communities, we are affirming that housing is not just a social good — it’s a critical form of public health infrastructure.”

Purpose-driven funding for impact

This $1.3 million in funding supports trusted local organizations that are leading efforts to create, preserve, and stabilize affordable housing across the Kansas City region. Health Forward prioritized partnerships with groups that center historically excluded people and have demonstrated success reaching residents who are paid at or below 80 percent of the area’s median income.

Most awards are unrestricted, allowing organizations to respond flexibly to community needs.

“Our approach to affordable housing is comprehensive,” said Jennifer Tidwell, Health Forward Principal Impact Strategist – Place. “It’s not just about building more units — it’s about keeping people housed, maintaining affordability, and strengthening the communities people call home. Whether through new development or preservation, we are investing in housing solutions that support health, dignity, and stability.”

The urgency of this moment

Kansas City is short 64,000 affordable housing units. Across Kansas and Missouri, more than 170,000 homes are needed to meet the needs of renters who are paid extremely low or no wages. At the same time, home prices have outpaced income growth in both urban and rural areas, making ownership increasingly out of reach—especially for Black, Latino/a/x, and Indigenous families.

Research shows that people who own their homes have a median net worth 40 times greater than renters. Homeownership not only contributes to long-term financial security but also correlates with better physical and mental health outcomes.

“Investing in affordable housing is investing in generational health and wealth,” said Bryant Macklin. “This is economic policy. This is public health policy.”

Looking ahead

As part of its long-term strategy, Health Forward is taking a multifaceted approach to address the housing puzzle — recognizing that no single solution can meet the scale or diversity of community needs. Through targeted funding like this affordable housing initiative, continued investment in equitable homeownership opportunities, and our purpose-driven investment program to support transformative development projects, we are working to shift the systems that shape where and how people live. By aligning resources, building partnerships, and centering community voices, Health Forward is committed to ensuring that everyone in our six-county service area — whether rural or urban — has access to a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

Our funded partners

Organization Gift Funding impact
Community Cares KC Coalition (in partnership with The Gem Theater Cultural and Performing Arts Center) $75,000 Empowers small developers to build affordable housing by improving land bank processes, creating a one-stop resource center at City Hall, and launching a funding hub. Based on 16 months of community input and research, this work addresses systemic barriers and boosts local development capacity across the KC metro.
Community Housing of Wyandotte County $70,000 Provides home repairs, affordable homeownership support, and housing development to improve quality and build generational wealth. CHWC will build, renovate, or repair at least 100 homes and help 100 families advance toward financial security.
Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom $100,000 Funds eviction defense, Safe Homes for All, and affordable housing preservation programs to prevent eviction and empower residents to use their collective power to promote safe, healthy housing. 
Hispanic Economic Development Corporation $50,000 Supports the development of nine townhomes as affordable housing units while using small, grassroots community contractors to complete various aspects of the construction. In partnership with the KCMO Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $360,000 in down-payment assistance is available for qualified homebuyers.
Integrity Capital Management (in partnership with Community Builders of Kansas City) $105,000 Expands rehabilitative housing projects, equips staff to serve residents with a trauma informed approach, and invests in organizational infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability and continued community impact.
Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council $50,000 Funds minor home repairs for homeowners in KCMO’s urban core to preserve housing, support health and safety, and help residents—especially older adults—age in place.
Kansas City Community Land Trust $75,000 Continues building on the regional Community Land Trust plan to create a coordinated, locally run system of affordable, owner-occupied homes across Kansas City. Combines public and private funds to work at a larger scale and boost economic and community wealth. 
Kansas City, Kansas Housing Authority $100,000 Removes housing barriers by helping low-income individuals and families move into — and remain in — stable, safe, and affordable housing. 
Mt. Carmel Redevelopment Corporation/Mosaic Construction  $200,000 Supports construction of five new single-family homes in the North Valley cul-de-sac, increasing affordable homeownership availability for Wyandotte County residents while building the capacity of grassroots, community-based developers. 
Northland Neighborhoods Initiative $75,000 Expands home repair program in KCMO, Clay, and Platte counties. Supports administrative needs, fills funding gaps for comprehensive repairs, and builds capacity to ensure timely, holistic repairs and prevent displacement in the KCMO portions of Clay and Platte counties. 
The Way Home $200,000 Supports construction of multiple single-family homes for affordable homeownership in the East side of KCMO, while building collaborative partnerships with other community-based developers to enhance collective impact.
Unified Government of Wyandotte County Public Health Department $50,000 Launches the Homes for Generations Program to preserve inherited properties by clearing titles, preventing foreclosure, and reducing “tangled titles.” 
Westside Housing Organization $100,000 Delivers critical repairs to over 10 households in the KC metro, improving health, safety, and stability. Enhances program infrastructure and coordination for high-quality, timely service.

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