The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Inc. (HBCAT) has developed three grant programs, funded by the Patterson Family Foundation, for minority, women-owned or low-income start-up businesses, restaurants and food retail, and farmers/ranchers. Tools and technical assistance to increase the chance of a sustainable business model will be provided, free of cost, by a team of support organizations at the Action Team’s Center for Economic Growth (Center).
The Center’s team is made of Dacia Clark, Assistant Director with Pittsburg State Small Business Development Center (PSU SBDC), Lindsay Madison, President and CEO Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, Jody Hoener, President and CEO HBCAT, Rachel Carpenter, Program Coordinator HBCAT, and Christina Abbott, Southeast KANSASWORKS. Together the collaboration is offering a one-stop-shop to community members seeking to build financial stability.
Each grant program will have separate eligibility criteria.
All three grant programs will require the applicant to be an official client of the PSU SBDC at the Center, develop a plan and financial projections.
Food retail/restaurant and farmer/rancher grants will be required to submit documentation of a wholesale relationship.
“One goal with this funding is to support our local farmers and ranchers,” Jody Hoener, HBCAT, “We want to be able to eat food grown locally or meat raised in Bourbon County in our schools, restaurants, and stores.”
In addition, the Center is seeking to support individuals who have dreams of building their own business but don’t know where to start.
“Many of our clients have innovative ideas and develop solid business plans, they just need a little extra financial support to kickstart their business,” Dacia Clark, PSU SBDC.
Like many rural communities, Bourbon County has seen inadequate levels of venture or capital injection and historically no programming available to focus on employment, mentoring, business planning or other wealth-building strategies. The Center is addressing this need.
Individuals interested in applying for one of the three programs are encouraged to reach out to Rachel Carpenter at info@hbcat.org.
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Background of The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team:
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is a Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Community. Its mission is to increase access to healthy food and physical activity, promote commercial tobacco cessation, enhance quality of life and encourage economic growth. The problems of health inequity and social injustice are complex in nature and inextricably linked to key economic indicators. A healthy workforce is a prerequisite for
economic success in any industry and in all cities.
Contact information:
Jody Hoener, President and CEO
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc
620-215-5725
jhoener@hbcat.org
Rachel Carpenter
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc
620-215-2562
info@hbcat.org
Mary Hunt, Interim Operations Director
Southeast KANSASWorks
Desk: 620-232-1222
Cell: 620-670-0006
Website: www.sekworks.org
Dacia Clark, Assistant Director, PSU SBDC
dclark@pittstate.edu
785-445-2537
Lindsay Madison, President and CEO
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce
lindsay.madison@fortscott.com
(620) 223-3566
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