Newsletter - June 2022 Edition
IN THIS ISSUE:

  • PRIDE Community Happenings
  • Sponsor Highlight: Kansas Municipal Utilities
  • What are Your Community's Capitals?
  • Continuing Opportunities Section
  • External Funding Resources
  • Up for a Community Visit? We Are, Too!
  • Catch Us on Facebook & Facebook Live!
  • K-State Garden Hour Spring Schedule
  • Events Calendar
  • 2022 Kansas PRIDE Communities
PRIDE Community Happenings
Anthony PRIDE has been working on a cookbook fundraiser to raise money for the city's holiday lights and decor. The cookbook is dedicated to the memory of Mary Hixon who was the group's Christmas lights and decorations committee chair. They've also been working with local Scouts to conduct a survey to see what the younger generation would like in the city. Anthony PRIDE continues to work with other organizations in the community to help with their activities, and PRIDE activities as well.
VERMILLION’S KANSAS PRIDE group had a productive city-wide cleanup day in April: two large trailers of household trash (furniture, mattresses, etc.), a large trailer of recycled metal and another of tires were collected. Thirty-one volunteers, including six youth, spent two hours at sixteen locations picking up discards left out by the curbs.

The income to our non-profit for metal, and drivers who donated their gas nearly equaled the trash dump and tire delivery fees. It was a WIN-WIN and red-letter day for Vermillion!
The Erie Community Childcare Center credited Energize Erie (PRIDE) with helping to get the ball rolling to bring parties together to start the childcare center. This received coverage on KSN News and in the Chanute Tribune. The group also worked on funding for murals, a website, and wayfinder signage and also helped organize a craft show at the fairgrounds.
The High Plains Theatre (Hougoton's PRIDE group), after a successful fundraising effort in late 2021, was able to get a matching grant from the Stevens County Foundation. Work continued on wall coverings, sound and light systems, a new marquee and some concession supplies.
With funds raised through its Twice is Nice thrift store, Kinsley PRIDE was able to donate $1,200 to the movie theater to pay for movies, $1,000 to the local gun club for shelter construction, $2,000 to the Kinsley Foundation, $500 to the local fair association, $832 to their volunteers for a meal and movie, and $100 for the local Easter egg hunt.
Sponsor Highlight: Kansas Municipal Utilities
We'd like to highlight a new sponsor of the Kansas PRIDE Program – Kansas Municipal Utilities. Kansas Municipal Utilities has been around since 1928 as a statewide association representing Kansas cities and other not-for-profit agencies that own and operate municipal utilities. They provide assistance to members regarding legislative and regulatory issues, educational/training programs, and other services. Thanks to everyone at Kansas Municipal Utilities for supporting Kansas communities! You can visit them online at https://www.kmunet.org.
The Kansas PRIDE Program uses no state or federal dollars to fund community projects or recognition. Sponsors support communities participating in the program by helping to fund grants and awards and have the opportunity to serve on the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. board of directors. It’s not just the communities that benefit – the sponsors get a lot out of it, too! To see how your company's or organization's support can benefit communities throughout the state, visit our Sponsors and Sponsorship page to find out how to donate.
What are YOUR Community's Capitals?

You might have heard/noticed that we refer to the Community Capitals pretty often in the Kansas PRIDE Program. It is part of the "culture" of our program. but what do we mean when we refer to the Community Capitals?

Essentially, we are referring to the assets within a community. The Community Capitals lists 7 categories of assets that communities can possess. Not all communities will possess all seven but will always possess at least one to two capitals.

What are the seven Community Capitals? What are some examples?

  • Financial Capital - in its simplest form, is the dollars to get things done. You might have a group that is stellar at fundraising for your projects, a grant writer that works with your group to get funds for initiatives, or a local business or group might donate funds each year to help move your work forward.
  • Political Capital - we are talking about leaders, and access to them. These leaders don't necessarily have to hold a position with the local government, it could be your group, answering questions, and navigating volunteers through collective action while implementing projects.
  • Social Capital - the ways we get together and interact. You might notice that it has to do a lot more with who you know rather than what you know when moving forward to get things done. When you reach out to others, you are exercising social capital.
  • Human Capital - these are the important amenities that make a great quality of life in a community, as well as the skillset of community members. Everyone appreciates great infrastructure, and a diverse set of skills present in a community makes for opportunities to reach out to tap their expertise.
  • Cultural Capital - this is the local culture of a community. This might be a rich cultural heritage that is celebrated, or one that has developed over time in your community.
  • Natural Capital - beautiful places and spaces. These opportunities, usually outdoor, give a sense of wellbeing to community members when they hit the local trail, or fish at the local lake.
  • Built Capital - Infrastructure. Spaces dedicated for sport or fitness, health clinics, water lines for water distribution, and downtown buildings are a few examples.

What Capitals does your community possess? Are there areas you wish to grow or strengthen? Our state program has resources to help! Contact us at PRIDE@ksu.edu to start a conversation! - Jaime Menon, Co-Coordinator of the Kansas PRIDE Program, jmenon@ksu.edu
CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES SECTION
From K-State Research and Extension

GRANT WRITING WORKSHOPS
K-State Research and Extension Grant-writing workshops are now online. The online workshop is designed to be presented to participants in two 3-hour courses and will cost $60. Local Extension agents are the hosts for the workshops, but since workshops are online, you can attend any workshop in the state. There are two ways to participate: go to our website (https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/) and under "Events" on the right side you can register at a scheduled workshop or ask your local extension agent to host. For more information, contact Nancy Daniels: nkdaniels@ksu.edu
FIRST FRIDAY E-CALLS
K-State Research and Extension offers entrepreneurship webinars every first Friday of the month.  Visit our Webpage for all past sessions. Registration information for upcoming sessions can be found HERE.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Ever wonder what people visiting your town think? First impressions are important as the community works to improve the overall quality of life and develop its sense of place. Interested in First Impressions for your community? Visit our Webpage to learn more.
External Funding Opportunities
Want to put your new grant writing skills to use? Here are some opportunities for project funding outside of the Kansas PRIDE grants:

The National Endowment for the Arts is offering the Our Town creative placemaking grant program for amounts between $25,000 and $150,000. Projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities (advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes) qualify. All application require partnerships that involve at least two primary partners - a nonprofit organization and a local government entity. At least one of the primary partners must be a cultural (arts or design) organization, and additional partners are encouraged. For more, visit: https://www.arts.gov/grants/our-town

If your community is served by a Bank of the West location or atm your group might qualify for funding with their Charitable Investments program. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life are eligible. For more eligibility details and how to apply, visit: https://www.bankofthewest.com/about-us/community-support/charitable-investments.html

Seed Money is a nonprofit which provides grants, crowdfunding opportunities, and training to community food garden projects across the country and around the world. At the time of this writing they’ve funded 1,350 projects resulting in 675 tons of food grown. Application link is at the bottom of the page and you can subscribe to their email list to stay informed about the latest grant offerings: https://seedmoney.org/

Additional Funding Resources
Is your Kansas PRIDE community looking for funding to help with certain projects? Let us know what the project is, how much you're seeking, and what your timeline looks like. We have access to a grants database and likely can give you some links to potential funding sources. Just email us at PRIDE@ksu.edu with your request and project idea. Not a Kansas PRIDE community? This resource is a great reason to join! You can also reach out to your local Extension office which should have access to the database as well. - Jan Steen, Kansas PRIDE Program Co-Coordinator, jmsteen@ksu.edu
Up for a Virtual, or in Person, Community Visit? We Are, Too!
Our offer at the end of each newsletter is to engage your community remotely, or in person!

Our model has changed slightly - we prefer virtual for initial steps as our introduction videos can be shared widely throughout the community. We would be more than happy to host a Zoom meeting where your PRIDE group members, city council members, chamber participants, Masonic Lodge, or other groups could individually log in to see the presentation or discussion and ask questions. In person is a great way to get assessments or other community planning done, and we are happy to do a survey read out as a neutral party, or help you through a Strategic Doing session. Just e-mail us at PRIDE@ksu.edu to set up a schedule.

To view pre-recorded webinars giving an introduction to the program, step-by-step instructions on how to enroll or report, fundraising, recruiting volunteers, and more, head over to our Education page for more. Keep your eye on that page, as we will be updating our Toolkit soon! - Jan Steen and Jaime Menon, Kansas PRIDE Program Co-Coordinators, PRIDE@ksu.edu
We often post items of interest on our Facebook page between newsletters. Grants, volunteer training, project ideas, and even the occasional Live stream will pop up. Click the button below to like and follow the program activity there:
EVENTS CALENDAR
Quarterly Report Dates:
  • January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, October 15th

Awards Deadlines:
  • May 1st, September 1st

Office Closed: May 30, 2022 for Memorial Day
2022 Kansas PRIDE Communities
The following communities are currently enrolled in the Kansas PRIDE program for the 2022 program year. To enroll your community visit our Enrollment and Reporting page and click on the light blue "Enroll" button to get started.
  • Admire
  • Alton
  • Anthony
  • Arlington
  • Ashland
  • Assaria
  • Axtell
  • Basehor
  • Belleville
  • Blue Rapids
  • Burden
  • Bushton
  • Caldwell
  • Caney
  • Clifton
  • Columbus
  • Conway Springs
  • Delia
  • Dover
  • Dwight
  • Elk City
  • Ellis
  • Erie
  • Florence
  • Fort Scott
  • Glasco
  • Grainfield
  • Grinnell
  • Harper
  • Haysville
  • Herndon
  • Highland
  • Hugoton
  • Humboldt
  • Iola
  • Kinsley
  • La Harpe
  • Lakin
  • Larned
  • Lecompton
  • Leon
  • Leonardville
  • Lewis
  • Lincoln
  • Lucas
  • Luray
  • Macksville
  • Marion
  • McFarland
  • Melvern
  • Moran
  • Mount Hope
  • Newton
  • Norton
  • Olsburg
  • Osawatomie
  • Ozawkie
  • Perry
  • Portis
  • Potwin
  • Quenemo
  • Randolph
  • Riley
  • Riverton
  • Rossville
  • Rozel
  • Russell
  • Saint George
  • Savonburg
  • Scranton
  • Silver Lake
  • South Central Neighborhood (Wichita)
  • Stockton
  • Toronto
  • Vermillion
  • Wakefield
  • Wilson
  • Yates Center
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