Kansas Community Empowerment Newsletter | |
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- KCE Program 2024 Awards Season is Here!
- Enrollment and Reporting is Back Online
- Sponsor Spotlight: Kansas Rural Water Association
- Community Spotlights
- Congratulations to Leah Sommerhoff of Caldwell!
- NextGen Under 30 Nominations Open!
- Continuing Opportunities
- K-State Garden Hour March Webinar
- External Funding Opportunities
- Events Calendar
- February 28th Registration Deadline for Two Events
- Partner Resources
- Partner Highlight: Kansas Department of Commerce
- 2024 Enrolled Communities
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KCE Program 2024 Awards Season is HERE!
Just a quick note to let you know that the Kansas Community Empowerment Awards deadline for Round 1 of 2024 is May 1.
The awards season is opening a tad late due to the database being taken offline during the K-State cyberattack issue - but better late than never! If you are in good standing (enrolled, resolution submitted, and quarterly reports up to date), feel free to peruse the award opportunities and apply!
For promotional awards, provided through our partner Kansas PRIDE, Inc., such as Project Excellence, Rising Star, and Community of Excellence, CLICK HERE.
For funding opportunities provided through Kansas PRIDE, Inc. and the Kansas Masons, CLICK HERE.
And don't forget your Folios! CLICK HERE to access the folio page!
Best of luck to you all, and don't hesitate to reach out to KSCE@ksu.edu with any questions!
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Enrollment and Reporting Back Online
As you may remember, our database was taken down due to the Cyberattack on KSU. The database was taken down for safety reasons (privacy for participants) but is now back up and running – so quell your excitement by CLICKING HERE to head in to report (note: if you have not enrolled for this year, you will be prompted to update your information).
You may ask yourself, why is it important to report? Here are a few reasons:
- First and foremost – your work inspires others. You help others not feel alone, know that they don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and have the opportunity to reach out to others when they are hoping to try new things.
- Your numbers help us quantify the value of KCE – our program reports to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) each year – when you tell your story, you provide records of long-term impact in Kansas communities – which is awesome!
- Your stories and reports can bring not only networking opportunities, but also funding – our program partners sometimes dive into your reports and find ways to connect with your local organizations. Also, our program partner, Kansas PRIDE, Inc. uses our database to help review award applications to the program.
- Finally – check out our Annual Review – your efforts are reflected in our annual report, which is distributed to partners, funding agencies, and other organizations that have an interest in community development and promote the program to other communities that can benefit from the program.
You may also be asking, what benefits come as being a member of the KCE Program? Well, here are some quick responses:
- Resource Connection Meetings
- Organization Technical and Networking Support
For a more detailed list and explanation of benefits, you can visit our Benefits Page.
Thank you for reporting, for all of your work making Kansas amazing, and for all you do! - Jaime Menon, Co-Coordinator for Kansas Community Empowerment, K-State Research and Extension, jmenon@ksu.edu
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Sponsor Spotlight: Kansas Rural Water Association
We’re grateful for our program sponsors for serving on the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Board of Directors, providing funding for program grants and awards, and supporting our communities by the work they do here in the state. The Kansas Rural Water Association has been a Kansas Community Empowerment sponsor for many years. They provide the education and leadership necessary to enhance the effectiveness of water and wastewater utilities here in Kansas. They also understand the importance of volunteers working to improve the quality of life in their communities through Kansas Community Empowerment. Thank you, Kansas Rural Water Association, for all you do! You can find out more about the KRWA on their website: https://krwa.net.
Did you know KRWA staff has over 500 years of combined experience operating, maintaining, regulating, and managing water and wastewater systems? If you’re going to be at their 55th annual conference and exhibition event in Wichita March 26th through 28th, you’ll likely encounter some of their staff. You can also visit us, too! Stop by booth #247 to say hello, check out our state map, and learn how we can be a resource for you and your community.
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Content for this section comes from emails, quarterly reports, and community website/social media updates. If you'd like to highlight recent activities or promote an upcoming event in a future newsletter, email us at: ksce@ksu.edu. | |
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Highland PRIDE :
Breaking new ground, the first annual Breakfast with Santa was a collaborative effort with the Doniphan County Highland Fire District. The fire department went above and beyond, providing a delicious breakfast for a free-will donation. Highland Pride, as always, brought Santa and Mrs. Claus to the event, spreading holiday cheer through pictures and Christmas-themed games. The fire department's dedication paid off, raising over $500 to support their vital work. Approximately 50 children attended, making it a heartening success. As we reminisce about these festive moments, let's celebrate the wonderful community bonds that define Highland. Your contributions, participation, and generosity have made these events truly memorable. Here's to the spirit of community, and we eagerly anticipate creating more lasting memories together in the future.
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Leonardville PRIDE:
Leonardville transformed into a winter wonderland for the second annual Leonardville Holiday Hullabaloo, a celebration brought to life through the collaborative efforts of Leonardville Pride, the Leonardville Business Association, Leonardville 4-H Club, and Light UP 66449. The Leonardville Business Association sponsored the enchanting Festival of Trees, adorning the town with festive decorations that sparkled with holiday cheer. Light UP 66449 illuminated the night with a dazzling lighted parade and the much-anticipated second annual unveiling of new Christmas lights throughout the town. The entire community glowed with the spirit of the season. The Leonardville 4-H Club added a touch of tradition by providing a live nativity scene in the Sikes building, creating a heartwarming tableau that resonated with the true meaning of the holidays. Leonardville Pride took the lead in spreading joy with Santa's arrival, making the day extra special for the 50 youth who braved the snowy night to visit Santa.
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Congratulations to Leah Sommerhoff of Caldwell!
From our friend Rick McNary of Shop Kansas Farms -
Congratulations to Leah Sommerhoff of Caldwell’s Kansas Community Empowerment group for winning the Border Queen Harvest Hub logo design contest! The choice was hard since 29 wonderfully creative logos were submitted which speaks well of the community engagement and interest. Members of the Shop Kansas Farms/Kansas Farm Bureau team along with members of Vision Caldwell used a democratic process of comparing, contrasting and then finally choosing the logo!
A Harvest Hub is a community-based approach to create economic opportunities for farms and ranches by establishing a digital hub of the physical systems of production, processing and distribution of local food that can be purchased by local, regional and national consumers. With the generous grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, Vision Caldwell is partnering with Shop Kansas Farms to implement their Harvest Hub Model.
You can read more here: https://shopkansasfarms.com/announcement/the-launch-of-the-border-queen-harvest-hub
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NextGen Under 30 Nominations Open!
Interested in honoring the next generation of volunteers in your community? An amazing resource provided through our partners the Kansas Masons, NextGen Under 30 recognizes and encourages the next generation of innovative, creative, and inspiring individuals who push the boundaries in various categories of endeavor.
Award winners are selected based upon their participation in and contribution to their communities. A panel of respected business and civic leaders serve as judges.
Want to know more? Don't hesitate to click on the link and image above for the website, or CLICK HERE to see a great video highlighting the opportunity and impact!
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External Funding Opportunities | |
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If you're looking for project funding outside of the Kansas Community Empowerment program, here are some potential opportunities:
The Patterson Family Foundation serves many counties in the state of Kansas. They focus on funding rural communities in the areas of health care, education, economic opportunity, and more. Check their page often to see what grants are currently available, and don't hesitate to reach out to them with questions about how your project might fit upcoming funding opportunities: https://pattersonfamilyfoundation.org/how-you-fit-in/
BNSF Railway has grants for communities in close proximity to a BNSF main line or if BNSF is the only railroad or major corporation in your area of the state. You can view their guidelines and other information on their website: http://www.bnsffoundation.org/how-to-apply/
Walmart has changed their Local Grants to Spark Good Local Grants. The first quarter's application period is March 1 through April 15, with later quarters starting in May, August, and November. Your local Walmart facility's manager is involved in the review and recommendation of funding, so it's a good idea to speak with them before applying to make them aware of your ask and gauge their interest. Not sure what Walmart would be considered your local facility? The application will assist you. Check out the guidelines and other information on their site before applying: https://walmart.org/how-we-give/program-guidelines/spark-good-local-grants-guidelines
Office of Rural Opportunity/Kansas Department of Commerce has an opportunity for communities with populations of 15,000 or less to apply for funding reinvigorate spaces through creating murals or public art that incorporates community history, culture, heritage, tourism, or other community led art. This mural and public art grant program is intended to support projects in rural communities that are immediately ready to begin work on their mural. Community engagement, location selection, site approvals, and muralist selection should be completed before application submission. To learn more visit: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/orp/kansas-rural-mural/
Additional Funding Resources
Is your 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 multiple external grants databases and likely can give you some links to potential funding sources. Just email us at KSCE@ksu.edu with your request and project idea. If you've utilized Jan for grant searches - KCE/PRIDE community or otherwise - please report back to us on any successes you might have so we can determine effectiveness and continue to provide this service.
You can also reach out to your local Extension office which should have access to the database as well. - Jan Steen, Kansas Community Empowerment Program Co-Coordinator, jmsteen@ksu.edu
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Events Calendar
Quarterly Report Due Dates:
- January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, October 15th
A reminder that you can get to the reporting database here: https://reports.kce.k-state.edu/
Awards Deadlines:
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February 28th Deadline for Two Events
If you follow our Facebook or LinkedIn social media pages you have seen the following events promoted. If you don’t follow our social media pages, you should so you don’t miss out on great opportunities that come up between newsletters!
Deadline to register for these two events is February 28th. See more details below.
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The next Maker Space Boot Camp will be held March 12-14 at Fab Lab ICC in Independence, KS. You can get more information about the camp and register here: https://www.ibrcenter.org/event-5581838
If you are part of a NetWork Kansas E-Community there are funds available to help with the cost of attending the boot camp.
If you're from a Kansas Community Empowerment community, you can register for the alumni rate of $995 by entering "Kansas Community Empowerment" in the "How did you hear about this camp" field on the registration form.
All paid campers will receive a one year membership in the Kansas Maker Space Collective ($290 value). (https://www.correllcoaching.com/KsMSC).
If you need some extra time, please reach out to the hosts. If your community is considering adding a maker space, this is an excellent opportunity to learn more!
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Partner Resources and Links | |
Partner Highlight: Kansas Department of Commerce
The Kansas Community Empowerment program is a partnership between K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas Masons, and Kansas PRIDE, Inc. We also work with multiple collaborative partners throughout the state. We'd like to take some time this year to tell you a little bit about each partner. This month we're highlighting the Kansas Department of Commerce.
A Kansas Community Empowerment partner since the program's inception in 1970 as Kansas PRIDE, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses, and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. The Quality Places Division (formerly Community Development) supports efforts that enhance and grow communities of all sizes. KCE communities have access to Commerce's programs and resources, including the option to become an affiliated city of the Kansas Main Street program, Community Development Block Grants, and a network of community development professionals with expertise in rural prosperity, broadband development, placemaking, housing, and more. Check out their site to find out about programs and resources that may benefit your city!
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2024 Enrolled Communities | | |
Now that the database is back, we can start listing communities that have enrolled so far for this year. Communities are added to this list each month (or this list more frequently) as they enroll for the current program year. To enroll your community, visit our Enrollment page to get started! | | |
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Alton
Anthony
Arlington
Blue Rapids
Delia
Ellis
Erie
Glasco
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Highland
Kinsley
Lakin
Larned
Lecompton
Leonardville
Lincoln
Lucas
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McFarland
Olsburg
Overbrook
Potwin
Randolph
Riverton
Vermillion
Yates Center
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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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