Submitted by
Jody Love
Rural Community Partners, Inc.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc.
President and CEO
620-215-2892
104 North National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Match Week is around the corner! If you are willing and able, we are asking for your support of our work to build financial security, a key driver of long-term health and well-being. Healthier local economies create healthier people and stronger communities. Every dollar donated through SEK Gives is matched by the Patterson Family Foundation, meaning your dollar goes further.
Please see attached flyer we are sharing for the Match Week campaign. We have seeded a small business support endowment at the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas with $10,000. And YES! non-profits, for profits, food business, artists, farmers…they’re all businesses!
If you would like to help us spread the word, we would love that support too. We will be posting on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn throughout the week as well…if you could comment like and share that will help us get the word out: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1APm6pkB7d/.
We have a goal to raise $25,000 for our local endowment that will support businesses in communities that have an LHEAT coalition (we would love to add more counties to this list!!): Bourbon, Crawford, Labette, and Montgomery Counties). This way, we’re giving the decision-making authority and money to community and residents with lived experience while also building individual self-sustainability.
We’ve found our business support services to be highly cost-effective: increasing access to technical support and expertise, partnering with local, regional and state institutions like cities, economic development, KU School of Business and WorkforceONE, and filling crucial gaps in capital so entrepreneurs can start earning revenue.
We hope to raise enough money in 3-5 years to start giving micro grants to businesses in our catchment.
- Goal: Raise $25,000 this year, growing to $250,000 within 3–5 years.
- Funds go directly back into small businesses, no administrative or payroll costs.
- Together we’ve already:
- Helped 160+ new business clients (up from 3)
- Generated $3.3 million in capital investment
- Done it with only $154,000 in micro-grants
Thank you for your consideration!