TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) program is accepting new member applications from Kansas communities. KCE supports locally driven projects that strengthen quality of place, volunteer engagement and long-term community vibrancy. The enrollment period will close August 31.

Backed by the Kansas Department of Commerce, the program provides tools, training and funding that help local leaders turn great ideas into lasting impact.

“Kansas communities are full of character, history and charm — and those qualities aren’t just a point of pride, they’re an economic asset,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Any project — big or small — can turn charm into growth, and that’s exactly what this partnership with the state is designed to do.”

There are three participation tiers applicants can choose from: Communities of Growth, Communities of Action and Communities of Excellence. Communities select what they believe is the best fit for their goals, capacity and preferred level of involvement. For information about each tier, click here.

Admission into the KCE program provides eligibility for both Kickstart and Impact grants. Kickstart grants are designed to build momentum and capacity through smaller, community-driven projects, where Impact grants are meant to support larger, long-term investments.

For the 2026-2027 cycle, the total amount of available funding for the Kickstart grant is $40,000. Application reviews take place monthly. Funding is limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For this period of funding, the Impact Grant will have $60,000 in total with $30,000 available for each round. The first round was awarded in May, and the final round will be announced in December.

The grants are administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and funded in part by the Patterson Family Foundation, the Kansas Health Foundation, the Sunflower Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

“The Kansas Community Empowerment program is ideal for any sized, rural Kansas community,” Assistant Secretary of Quality Places Matt Godinez said. “With the learning opportunities and funding resources this program offers, you can make extraordinary things happen in your community.”

Enrolled communities will participate in monthly check-ins, quarterly training courses and optional pop-up events. This year, communities will attend the inaugural awards banquet, coinciding with a Legislative Day on the Hill. During these events, organizations and communities are encouraged to speak to their legislators about the importance of community development and in turn be recognized for their work.

“KCE’s new chapter with Commerce will help continue to grow our vision of creating more vibrant communities with a positive future,” KCE Board President Doug Helmke said.

Applications must be submitted through the Kansas Community Empowerment online application system.

Communities that have already enrolled in KCE do not need to enroll again unless there is a change in tier status. Questions regarding enrollment applications or funding should be directed to the KCE team at [email protected].

For application details, eligibility requirements and webinar information, visit the Kansas Community Empowerment webpage or contact Matthew Morrison at [email protected].