Commerce and Patterson Family Foundation Announce More Funding Available for Revitalizing Downtown Buildings

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced a second round of Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) grants intended for revitalizing downtown buildings in small communities across the state.  The HEAL program, which is funded by the Department of Commerce and the Patterson Family Foundation, will invest $850,000 in projects in the Fall 2022 grant round.

The HEAL program is designed to bring downtown buildings back into productive use as spaces for:

• New or expanding businesses
• Housing
• Arts and culture
• Civic engagement
• Childcare or
• Entrepreneurship

“The first round of the HEAL program is supporting the revitalization of 32 commercial buildings in small towns across the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The need for this program was staggering, with more than 200 applications received. Thanks to our strong partnership with the Patterson Family Foundation, we are able to offer another round of the HEAL program allowing us to invest in more communities and continue to create new jobs and services for Kansans across the state.”

HEAL is intended to close financial gaps in restoring underutilized properties and making downtown districts throughout the state more economically vibrant. Projects submitted must show potential as economic drivers in the community.

There are a few changes to this round of the HEAL program. HEAL matching grants will be awarded for either 1) façade or 2) building construction projects. Eligible applicants must be organizations applying on behalf of building owners and may include designated Kansas Main Street programs, economic development organizations, cities, counties, 501c3 or 501c6 organizations, and local community foundations. Communities that received a previous HEAL grant are not eligible to apply in this round.

Proof of matching funds from the building owner will be required at the time of application. The application window opens September 12 and closes October 21 with award notifications in early December. A spring round of HEAL is anticipated for February 2023.

A virtual webinar on the specifics of the program is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 13. Registration is required and the Zoom link will be provided after registration. Organizations and building owners interested in applying should register and attend the webinar.

Information about the HEAL grant program and the online application can be viewed at www.kansascommerce.gov/healfall2022.

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.

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has funds available for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program (NOCCSP). Through this program, farms, ranches, and businesses that produce, process or package certified organic agricultural products may be reimbursed for eligible expenses.

The purpose of the NOCCSP is to defray the costs of receiving and maintaining organic certification under the National Organic Program. For Federal Fiscal Year 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency set the reimbursement amount at 50% of the certified organic operation’s eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $500 per scope. Scopes include the areas of crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling (i.e., processing). This change is due to a limited amount of funding available and will allow a larger number of certified organic operations to receive assistance.

FSA awards the NOCCSP funds to eligible state agencies that serve as administering entities who work directly with organic operations to reimburse organic certification costs. The current period of qualification for organic operations seeking reimbursements is from Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2022. Applications are now being accepted through November 1, 2022, or until all funds are expended, whichever comes first. Applications may be submitted either by mail or email.

It is the mission of KDA to support all facets of agriculture, including lending support to those who wish to market and sell their products as certified organic. For more information, go to the KDA website at agriculture.ks.gov/OrganicCostShare or contact KDA economist Tori Laird at [email protected] or 785-564-6726.

Governor Laura Kelly Establishes Office of Registered Apprenticeship

~~Executive Order Expands Administration’s Workforce Development Efforts~~

TOPEKA – Today, on the heels of Labor Day, Governor Laura Kelly signed Executive Order #22-07 establishing the Office of Registered Apprenticeship within the Kansas Department of Commerce. The Office will dramatically scale up the Kelly Administration’s efforts to meet the talent needs of Kansas businesses, give workers the skills and experience they need to compete in the modern economy, and knock down barriers to employment.

“We have spurred remarkable economic growth here in Kansas, but to continue that success, we have to ensure Kansas workers have the skills and opportunities they need to compete in today’s global economy,” Governor Kelly said. “I created this new Office of Registered Apprenticeship to prioritize fostering a workforce that meets the needs of Kansas businesses and of essential industries like education and healthcare.”

Registered Apprenticeship programs are a key workforce development tool for the Kelly Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce.

In May, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced appointments to the Kansas Apprenticeship Council (KAC), a significant step in modernizing the Registered Apprenticeship program in Kansas. The 12-member KAC helps establish Registered Apprenticeship programs in traditional and non-traditional occupations and provides approval for submitted program requests.

All Registered Apprenticeship programs must have five core components to be recognized for certification, including on-the-job training, related technical instruction, mentorship, wage progression, and industry-recognized credentials. However, the driving force must be a business or industry willing to support an apprentice to “earn and learn” a career.

“The Office of Registered Apprenticeship is a key part of our strategy to develop the workforce that Kansas companies need,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Engaging and partnering with businesses to provide on-the-job training allows for a more highly skilled and qualified workforce, which in turn reduces turnover rates and recruitment costs while increasing productivity.”

The Office of Registered Apprenticeship will be housed in the Kansas Department of Commerce and led by Shonda Atwater, current Director of Internships and Apprenticeships. Kansas currently has 212 recognized Apprenticeships programs with 3,396 Kansas residents participating.

“Robust partnerships are essential to growing Registered Apprenticeship opportunities across Kansas,” said Director of Internships and Apprenticeships Shonda Atwater. “The new Office of Apprenticeship will serve as the primary resource to connect industry partners and training providers, in order to prepare Kansans for the jobs of today and tomorrow.”

The Office of Registered Apprenticeship will:

• Evaluate, and report annually on, the extent, quality and impact of registered apprenticeships in Kansas.
• Develop strategies to modernize the registered apprenticeship program to include additional industries such as healthcare, IT, agricultural manufacturing, and distribution and logistics – all critical segments in the Kansas economy.
• Develop and advocate for registered apprenticeship program policies that place a special focus on veterans, women, people of color, those formerly incarcerated and others with barriers to successful employment.

Governor Kelly made the announcement at a state-of-the-art auto body repair shop at Washburn University Institute of Technology alongside leaders in organized labor and higher education.

“Registered apprenticeships give workers the tools they need to learn a trade and help build a stronger, more resilient Kansas economy. In fact, an apprenticeship program is how I first entered the construction industry,” said Alise Martiny, Business Manager of the Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council. “Thank you Governor Kelly for creating this new office to expand apprenticeships and economic opportunities for working Kansans.”

“We have to do college differently, work differently, and train differently to continue to produce and recruit highly technical and skilled employees to our Kansas communities,” said Washburn University Institute of Technology Dean Michael Strohschein, Ed.D. “That’s what we’re doing here at Washburn Tech, and what we believe this new Office of Registered Apprenticeship will help achieve throughout the state.”

More information on Kansas Registered Apprenticeships can be found on the Kansas Department of Commerce website. In addition, regular “Dinner Bell Calls” are held to help build and promote registered apprenticeship programs, share resources, connect with others, and hear and share success stories.