Little Apple Times

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the award recipients for the new Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program. In total, 61 recipients will receive nearly $2.7 million to invest in small communities across the state.

“SEED grants provide funding for quality-of-life enhancements in some of our state’s smallest communities,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “These investments will set the stage for future economic development success and prosperity across the state.”

Awardees are located in communities with a population of 5,000 or less, as required by (KS Stat 9-2324 [2021]). They are required to provide a minimum 10-percent match as well as complete the projects within 12 months. Projects must be focused on economic development and revitalization efforts through one of the following quality-of-life categories:

• Childcare and senior programming – projects that support or enhance these services, such as building improvements, educational materials, supplies and equipment
• Community vibrancy – projects that refresh, re-energize and unlock the attractiveness of rural communities, such as art installations, murals and signage
• Food retail – projects that support access to food retail establishments, including development, renovation and/or expansion
• Libraries – projects that support providing free and open access to a broad range of materials and services, including reading material, technology, furniture and building improvements

Funding for the SEED program, which is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, is provided through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) Development and Expansion Fund. The TEFFI Act was enacted in 2021 through bipartisan legislation to promote economic development throughout the state.

"Doniphan County's application, through the Economic Development Office ran by Director Leah Johnson, included funding for Library District #1 Doniphan County - Elwood Branch's ADA and bathroom building renovations and furniture and Doniphan Darlings daycare in Highland for materials, furniture and a permanent outdoor shade structure."

The 2022 SEED grant recipients include:

County	Organization	Category(s)	Requested Amount
Allen	Thrive Allen County	Food Retail, Library	$49,125
Anderson	Anderson County Development Agency	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$43,860
Barber	Medicine Lodge Day Care Inc.	Childcare	$49,125
Bourbon	The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.	Community Vibrancy	$33,882
Brown	Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$25,049
Chase	Chase County Chamber of Commerce	Community Vibrancy, Library	$26,661
Chautauqua	City of Sedan	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Cherokee	Weir & Galena Public Library	Library, Senior Programming	$32,118
Cheyenne	Cheyenne Community Development Corporation	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Clay	Grow Clay County	Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library	$46,571
Cloud	The City of Clyde	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Coffey	Coffey County Library	Library	$49,125
Doniphan	Doniphan County Economic Development	Childcare, Library	$49,125
Edwards	Edwards County Economic Development Corporation	Childcare, Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Elk	Elk County Community Foundation	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Ellsworth	Wilson Czech Opera House Corporation	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Gove	Gove County Economic Development	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail	$47,289
Greeley	Growing the Vision	Food Retail, Library	$48,383
Greenwood	City of Eureka	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Hamilton	Hamilton County	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Harper	Harper County Community Foundation	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Harvey	City of Halstead	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Jackson	Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce	Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library	$49,125
Jewell	City of Jewell	Community Vibrancy, Library	$37,040
Kearny	City of Lakin	Childcare	$39,300
Kingman	City of Kingman	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$48,179
Kiowa	Haviland Heritage Foundation	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Labette	City of Edna	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Lincoln	Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library	$49,125
Linn	Linn County Library District 1	Library	$49,125
Logan	Logan County Community Foundation	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library	$28,701
Marion	Peabody Township Library	Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Marshall	Friends of the Vermillion Community, Inc.	Community Vibrancy	$37,974
Meade	The Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains	Food Retail	$14,738
Mitchell	Mitchell County	Childcare	$49,125
Montgomery	City of Cherryvale	Library	$46,875
Morris	Little Huskies Childcare Center	Childcare	$24,563
Nemaha	Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas	Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library	$48,030
Neosho	Thayer FRC City Library	Library	$35,687
Ness	Ness City Chamber of Commerce	Food Retail	$49,125
Osborne	City of Osborne Economic Development	Childcare, Food Retail, Library	$46,712
Ottawa	Ottawa County Community Development Foundation	Childcare, Library	$49,125
Pawnee	City of Rozel - Park Committee	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Phillips	Phillipsburg Child Care Center	Childcare	$42,408
Rawlins	Atwood Public Library	Library	$25,054
Republic	Belleville Chamber and Main Street	Food Retail	$49,125
Rice	Rice County Community Foundation	Childcare	$49,125
Rush	Rush County Economic Development	Food Retail	$49,125
Russell	Bunker Hill Lions Club	Community Vibrancy	$34,388
Sheridan	Sheridan County	Childcare, Library, Senior Programming	$49,125
Sherman	Sherman County Community Development Corporation	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Smith	City of Lebanon	Food Retail	$49,125
Stafford	Stafford County Economic Development	Food Retail, Library	$49,125
Stanton	Stanton County Community Foundation	Community Vibrancy	$36,480
Stevens	Heritage Christian Academy	Childcare	$49,125
Sumner	Sumner County Economic Development	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Trego	WaKeeney Travel & Tourism	Community Vibrancy	$49,125
Wabaunsee	Office of Economic Development, Wabaunsee	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Wallace	City of Wallace	Community Vibrancy	$32,397
Wilson	City of Fredonia	Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library	$49,125
Woodson	Woodson Co. Revitalization Alliance/Revitalize YC	Community Vibrancy	$49,125

For more information about the SEED Grants, visit: kansascommerce.gov/seedgrants

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021 and 2022, and was awarded the 2021 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

Original source can be found here.