Co-authored by Angeline Johnson, Founder & CEO, C3S Consulting, ERC Fellow; Tami Bradley, Senior Strategic Advisor for Talent Roadmap and Workforce Development, Greater Wichita Partnership; and Ricki Ellison, VP, Talent, Workforce and Community Engagement, Greater Wichita Partnership
The National League of Cities’ Entrepreneurship and Economic Development conducted a site visit in Wichita as part of the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) fellowship program. Funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the program places mid-career professionals in communities across the country that are working to recover following the impacts of COVID-19. As a national partner, NLC supports host projects by providing thought leadership and leveraging a national network of resources.
Recognized as the “Air Capital of the World,” Wichita has long served as a national leader in aviation and advanced manufacturing. Kansas produces approximately 35 percent of all general aviation aircraft in the United States, and Wichita remains at the center of that legacy through its highly skilled workforce and concentration of aerospace employers. Today, the city is building on those strengths while embracing new opportunities for economic growth.
Throughout the visit, the team gained firsthand insight into the collaborative efforts shaping Wichita’s future. The Greater Wichita Partnership, the region’s economic development organization and ERC Host, plays a central role in advancing economic opportunities across its 10-county footprint by convening employers, government, education, philanthropy and community organizations around strategies that strengthen both economic competitiveness and economic mobility.
Through initiatives such as the regional Talent Roadmap, the Partnership works to align employers, education partners and community organizations around strategies that strengthen workforce development; talent attraction and retention; and long-term economic opportunity. While the Talent Roadmap focuses on strengthening the region’s workforce and talent ecosystem, the economic mobility work expands on that effort by addressing community conditions that enable residents to fully participate in and benefit from economic growth.
The city’s culture of partnership was evident throughout the visit as local leaders gathered to discuss strategies focused on three interconnected priorities: regional transit, affordable housing and childcare, which have emerged as key drivers of economic mobility and access to opportunity across the region. The host team, including Tami Bradley, Ricki Ellison, and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Angeline Johnson, provided a comprehensive look at how the region is approaching economic mobility through these priorities. This work helped shape Johnson’s fellowship work plan, which focuses on understanding community needs through research, stakeholder engagement and resident feedback while identifying opportunities to ensure economic growth translates into expanded opportunity and upward mobility for residents.
Wichita’s Childcare and Early Childhood Systems
During the visit, the team attended the Wichita Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention childcare workgroup meeting, where community leaders discussed the growing need for safe, accessible and affordable childcare options across Sedgwick County. Conversations highlighted the impact on how access to affordable, high-quality childcare remains one of the most significant factors influencing workforce participation and economic mobility for working families, making it a critical component of the region’s broader mobility strategy. The meeting also showcased innovative resources emerging from these partnerships, including the Kindergarten Readiness Guide (PDF) developed through Wichita Collective Impact, an initiative focused on improving kindergarten readiness and third-grade literacy outcomes.
Advancing Regional Strategies for Housing, Childcare, and Transit in Greater Wichita
Following the meeting, the team attended a Lunch and Learn with the host team and city leadership, including Mayor Lily Wu, Councilmember Joseph Shepard of District I, Councilmember Becky Tuttle of District II, and other leaders engaged in childcare, affordable housing, regional transit, and economic mobility. During Johnson’s Capstone presentation, she shared insights, examining how affordable housing, childcare and regional transit can be aligned to support talent development, workforce participation and economic mobility across the Greater Wichita region. The discussion highlighted how peer cities have leveraged cross-sector partnerships to address housing affordability challenges while also elevating Wichita’s ongoing strategies, including a housing development loan program supporting single-family and multifamily projects, housing vouchers tied to low-income tax credit applications and the repositioning of public housing through a 36 million renovation completed in 2025.
Overall, Johnson’s research illustrated how coordinated regional investment strategies can expand housing access while strengthening pathways to economic stability and upward mobility.
These efforts reflect a broader regional approach that recognizes economic mobility challenges cannot be solved by any one sector alone and require collaboration among employers, public agencies, educational institutions and community organizations. The One Community model, which allows employers to share childcare costs with employees, increases access to licensed care while improving affordability for both families and employers. Johnson also discussed regional transit efforts across the Greater Wichita Partnership’s 10-county regional footprint, emphasizing the interconnected nature of the labor market and the importance of transportation access in connecting residents to employment, education, healthcare and other opportunities. Through the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) regional transit planning process, stakeholders are working to strengthen connections between local transit systems and employer needs while exploring a range of transportation options, including cars and rideshare services. These efforts point to Wichita’s continued focus on building an integrated regional transit system aligned with workforce development priorities.
Wrapping up the visit, one of the most notable impressions was Wichita’s strong cultural identity, where landmarks such as the Keeper of the Plains and public bronze sculptures reflect both the city’s history and its commitment to integrating community as an asset. The team participated in a walking tour that highlighted downtown revitalization efforts, including WaveICT, an innovative concert venue that enhances downtown accessibility and adds to the city’s growing list of amenities. Another highlight was Exploration Place’s Adventure Playscape, which showcases Wichita’s identity through aviation-inspired design elements, offering a unique aerial perspective that reflects the city’s heritage.
It is clear that Wichita is advancing a focused regional strategy centered on three foundational drivers of economic mobility: regional transit, affordable housing and childcare. With strong support from city leadership and regional partners, the Greater Wichita Partnership is helping drive a coordinated approach that aligns investments with community needs, strengthens pathways to opportunity and positions the region for long-term inclusive growth. Rather than addressing housing, childcare, and transportation as separate challenges, Wichita is intentionally aligning these systems around a shared goal: expanding access to opportunity and creating pathways for long-term economic mobility for residents across the region.
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