Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination

The Mid-America Regional Council is committed to full compliance with all applicable federal, state and local civil rights and nondiscrimination laws. MARC conducts its programs, activities, employment practices and procurement in a manner that ensures equal opportunity, fairness and respect for all individuals.

MARC does not exclude any person from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject any individual to discrimination or retaliation in employment or in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex-based harassment), age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

This commitment applies to all MARC operations, whether federally funded or not.

MARC’s civil rights and nondiscrimination compliance framework includes, but is not limited to:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, gender or income status in the provisions of benefits and services of programs and activities receiving federal funding. One of the key purposes of Title VI is to ensure that public funds are not spent in a way that encourages, subsidizes or results in discrimination.  

MARC’s Title VI Program outlines how it will ensure its work is in compliance with Title VI regulations.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

• Title IX states that no person in the United States may be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs. This applies broadly to K–12 schools, colleges, universities and other education-related entities that receive federal funds.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Title VII is a U.S. federal law that prohibits employment discrimination. Its core purpose is to ensure equal employment opportunity and to make it unlawful to treat people unfairly at work because of certain protected characteristics like race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

• The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees them equal access and opportunity in everyday activities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal civil rights law that prohibits disability‑based discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Age Discrimination Act of 1975

• The Age Discrimination Act is a U.S. federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on age in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a U.S. federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in federal programs, federally funded programs, federal employment, and federal contracting. It was the first major disability rights law in the United States and laid the groundwork for the ADA.

MARC also follows all applicable federal executive orders, including recent directives governing nondiscrimination obligations for federal contractors and subcontractors.

MARC certifies compliance with all applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination laws as a condition of receiving and maintaining federal funding and contracts. 

MARC makes employment- and program-related decisions based on job-related, merit-based and mission-driven criteria. Protected characteristics are not used as a basis for:

• Hiring, promotion, compensation or termination decisions
• Access to training, mentorship or professional opportunities
• Participation in programs, services or educational activities

MARC periodically reviews its policies, practices and training programs to ensure alignment with evolving federal guidance and enforcement priorities and to prevent unlawful discrimination. 

As an organization that receives federal funding and engages in federally supported work, MARC recognizes that compliance with nondiscrimination laws is a material condition of funding and contract eligibility.  Accordingly, MARC

• Audits policies and programs to ensure nondiscriminatory design and implementation.
• Maintains documentation demonstrating compliance efforts.
• Cooperates fully with lawful requests from funding agencies for information, records or verification of compliance.
• Eliminates practices that could be construed as providing unlawful preferences based on protected characteristics.
• Incorporates federal compliance into all federally funded contracts.

Any person who believes that they have been excluded from, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination by MARC based on race, color or national origin may file a written complaint. Additionally, any person who believes they have witnessed discrimination in a MARC program, activity or employment context may file a complaint.  

MARC maintains formal grievance procedures for addressing complaints of discrimination. While the escalation processes differ by law and program, all procedures are designed to ensure complaints are handled promptly, fairly and without retaliation.  Assistance is available for individuals with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency and to anyone who is unable to read or write.  

MARC may receive complaints by web-based form or physical mail.  Complaints must generally be submitted within applicable filing deadlines (commonly 180 calendar days). Investigations are conducted by individuals without conflicts of interest. These grievance procedures are reviewed annually and revised as needed to ensure prompt and fair resolution of complaints. Filing a complaint with MARC is not a prerequisite for filing with an appropriate state or federal agency.

Retaliation for filing a complaint or participating in an investigation is strictly prohibited. Claims of intimidation and retaliation for filing will be handled similarly to the initial filing through the MARC review process. 

For complaints related to DOT Title VI – Civil Rights discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex or national origin, mail to:
Mid-America Regional Council
Attn: Title VI Coordinator
600 Broadway, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64105-1659
Phone: 816-474-4240

For complaints related to EPA Title IX & Rehabilitation Act – Nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, age, or handicap, mail to:

Mid-America Regional Council
Attn: Carol Gonzales, Nondiscrimination Coordinator
Director of Finance and Administration
600 Broadway, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64105-1659

Upon receipt of a complaint, MARC’s executive director or designated nondiscrimination coordinator will appoint one or more staff to investigate, including analysis of evidence submitted by the complainant. The staff reviewer will make a recommendation about the circumstances of the complaint and, if necessary, how to address it. If MARC’s executive director or nondiscrimination coordinator agrees with the finding, they will issue a written response to the complainant including whether discrimination was found and a description of the review process undertaken to review the complaint.

If the complainant disagrees with MARC’s response, they may request reconsideration by submitting the request in writing to MARC’s executive director.  

If the request for reconsideration is denied, the complainant may submit a written appeal to the MARC Board of Directors. 

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the resolution of a complaint related to DOT Title VI, they may submit a written complaint within 180 days after the alleged date of discrimination to the Missouri Department of Transportation or Kansas Department of Transportation for investigation.

MARC continues to review and update its policies, training and compliance practices to reflect changes in law, regulation and federal guidance. MARC's leadership is responsible for ensuring compliance across all programs and for fostering a culture of accountability and respect.

Questions regarding this page or MARC’s civil rights obligations may be directed to the appropriate program coordinator or to MARC’s Executive Director.

This page is intended to provide a high-level overview of MARC’s civil rights alignment. In the event of a conflict, the specific law, regulation or controlling policy governs.