Climate Action KC is a nonprofit organization of more than 100 elected officials and civic, nonprofit, public, and corporate organizations that seek the elimination of carbon emissions from all municipal government activities by 2035, all other area buildings by 2040, and the entire economy by 2050. ¹

Advocacy

Climate Action KC and the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), a nonprofit association of city and county governments in the Kansas City region, developed a climate action plan for adjoining counties surrounding Kansas City in Missouri and Kansas in partnership with the Global Covenant of Mayors and the International Urban Cooperation of the European Union. The plan calls for the replacement of traditional energy sources for electricity production with weather-dependent and other non-traditional sources, reducing the amount of travel, tree planting, equity in outcomes, change in agriculture practices, more energy-efficient buildings, and reducing waste. ^{2 3}

Plug In KC

Climate Action KC initiated Plug-In KC to promote electric vehicles and construct infrastructure to support them in a complete transition from traditional energy sources and published a consumer guide to electric car models, tax credits, warranties and maintenance. ^{4 5}

Financials

Mid-America Regional Council Services Corporation (MARCSC), a public charity, provides fiscal services to Climate Action KC. MARCSC is a regional association of city and county governments neighboring Kansas City and planning organizations that provide administration of early learning, poverty studies, worker training and health care initiatives. MARCSC, a government planning organization, received $2,793,016 (50.6% of its total revenue) from government grants in 2022 and granted all its proceeds to MARC. ^{6 7 8 9}

Partners

Climate Action KC lists their partners as Black and Veatch, Husch Blackwell, Johnson Controls, IBEW Local 124, NextEra Energy, Regnier Family Foundation, Advent Health, National League of Cities, AIA Kansas City, JeDunn, MINDDRIVE, Missouri Organic Recycling, Stinson, Mission Kasas, CCurtin property Company, Energy Solutions Professionsls, KCATA, Ripple Glass, Sierra Club Kansas Chapter, T Mobile, TreanorHL, apex Engineers, cove.tool, Food Cycle KC, Navita’s, FlowEnergy, Black Archives of Mid-America, Good Energy Solutions, the Climate + Energy Project, the Metropolitan Energy Center, brim, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Smithville Bike Co-Op, the U.S. Green Building Council, and Bike Walk KC. ¹⁰

Controversy

Boots on The Ground (BOG) sponsored a Volunteer Fair that included Climate Action KC and 36 other organizations including the Kansas City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Planned Parenthood, the Resilient Activist, Trans Joy, The Voter Network Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), CASA of JoCo and WyCo, Defense of Democracy, and Indivisible KC. ¹¹

The event was a volunteer event and fundraiser to send real, foam, or cardboard bricks to United States Senators. Participating groups were chosen based on “taking punches from the new Trump administration.” Immigrant rights, LGBT advocacy, racial equal outcomes, climate activism, food and housing security, the foster system, healthcare access, and reproductive rights were the event themes. ¹²

Leadership

Hillary Parker Thomas is the Climate Action KC board chair. Jeremy Knoll is the president of Climate Action KC. Other board members are from Energy Solutions (Energy), Arnold Development, Futures Group, and Black and Veatch. ¹⁰

Board members include Jasmin Moore of Earthjustice, Kristen Walters of Panasonic Energy North America, Nick Voris of Energy, and Kyle Pynn, a transportation electrification business line director from Burns and MacDonnell. ¹⁰

1. “Origin + Mission.” Climate Action KC, July 18, 2024. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://climateactionkc.com/origin-mission/
2. “Climate Action Plan.” Climate Action KC, June 28, 2023. https://climateactionkc.com/climate-action-plan/.
3. “Climate Action Plan Home.” Climate Action Plan. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://kcmetroclimateplan.org/.
4. ^[1] “In KC: Electric Cars in Kansas City.” Plug, March 23, 2025. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://pluginkc.org/.
5. Index of /WP-content/uploads/2023. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://kuk.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/.
6. “Mid-America Regional Council Community Services Corporation”. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part III, line 1.
7. “Mid-America Regional Council Community Services Corporation”. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Part VIII, Line 1e.
8. “Mid-America Regional Council Community Services Corporation”. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2022. Schedule I Part II, line 1.
9. “Climate Action KC Inc”. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990), 2022. Schedule R Part II.
10. “Who We Are.” Climate Action KC, April 2, 2025. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://climateactionkc.com/leadership/.
11. “Volunteer Resources.” Boots on the Ground Midwest. Accessed April 7, 2025. https://bootsonthegroundmidwest.org/volunteer-resources/.
12. Glynn, Earl F. “Boots on the Ground Midwest Promotes Progressive Organizing in KC Area.” Boots on the Ground Midwest promotes progressive organizing in KC area, March 18, 2025. Accessed April 7, 2025.  https://watchdoglab.substack.com/p/boots-on-the-ground-midwest-promotes.