GIRARD, KS — August 28, 2026 — The Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative (HREC) Board of Directors selected six fair boards and 4-H organizations across southeast Kansas to receive a total of $28,700 in funding for infrastructure projects through the Concern for Community grant program.
HREC’s Concern for Community program was developed to return unclaimed capital credits to the cooperative’s member-owners and their communities. In response to overwhelming interest in the program, the HREC board chose to limit this year’s applications to fair boards and 4-H groups within the 12 counties the co-op serves.
“These fairgrounds are where our communities gather, and where kids learn responsibility through 4-H and FFA,” said Doug Graham, Communication Specialist at HREC. “We’re proud to be able to help these organizations make improvements that benefit everyone who walks through the gates.”
Applications were accepted from July 1 through August 14, and the winners were selected at the August 24 HREC board meeting.
2026 Concern for Community Grant Recipients
- Neosho County Fair Association (Erie) — $5,000 to finish interior walls of the Neosho Valley Event Center indoor exhibit building.
- Bourbon County Fair Association (Fort Scott) — $5,000 to replace the fairgrounds speaker system, repair non-working lights, add bike racks, and cover electrician services.
- Southwind Extension Education Foundation (Iola) — $5,000 to rebuild deteriorated livestock wash racks at the Allen County Fairgrounds.
- Cherokee County Fair Foundation (Columbus) — $5,000 to add concrete surfacing in and around the show arena and livestock areas, improving accessibility for wheelchair users and patrons with mobility issues.
- Crawford County Fair Association (Girard) — $5,000 to install eight new security cameras and locking breakers at the 4-H horse barn, beef tie-out pens, and grandstand crow’s nest.
- Kincaid Fair (Kincaid) — $3,700 to replace deteriorating roofing fasteners on the Exhibit Hall, update display cases, and install a new entrance sign.
Grant recommendations were developed by HREC staff and reviewed by the cooperative’s board of directors, with funding decisions based on the number of Heartland members in the project area, reasonableness of the budget, likelihood of project completion, level of community benefit, and time since the applicant’s last Heartland grant.
About Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative
Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Girard, Kansas, powering rural lifestyles for more than 8,000 member-owners across 12 counties in southeast Kansas. HREC is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric service while investing in the communities it serves through programs like Concern for Community, Operation Round Up, and Future Foundations.