We Kan! Tidbits

June 24, 2025

The Kansas Sampler Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit located near Inman.

Our mission is to preserve and sustain rural culture. We do this by educating Kansans about Kansas and networking and support rural communities.

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Tips from the KSF PowerUp Manager

The power of getting curious: If we want to help eliminate barriers for young people to return, start businesses, and thrive in rural Kansas, we should seek to understand the situations they face. Whether it's the challenges of a person looking for childcare, access to resources in another language, or financing for a business startup, understanding the needs is a good place to start to build communities of the future. And understanding needs goes both ways - as a city council or local organization seeking candidates to run, or committee members, an informational session could help people understand the barriers and needs those organizations have as well. By getting curious about our community and the people who live there, communities can identify ways that we can all do our part.

This idea originated in the PowerUp & Go Report. See page 24 of the report for some voices in support of identifying community needs to eliminate barriers. Share your examples of how you've gotten curious to eliminate barriers with Simone Elder (simone.elder@kansassampler.org) PowerUp & Engagement Manager.

Foodpreneur: The Kansas Foodpreneur Bootcamp is a 6-week online learning program specifically designed for restaurant and food truck owners. If you are interested in starting a food business or have been in business for less than a year and a half this digital program will teach you the "need to knows" of launching a restaurant or food truck business with success.

Rural grants: If you are a rural community in a county of less than 50,000 population, do yourself a favor and check out the myriad of grant options that you could apply for through Patterson Family Foundation. The letter of intent for Round Two is due July 3 so keep that in mind. Their website will help you understand the process. Learn more.

Schedule of Kansas Dept. of Commerce grants: Here are grants through Commerce.

Towns Grant: Communities with a population of 5,000 or less that had not received funding since 2019 from the Kansas Department of Commerce were eligible for the Towns grant. See who received those first-time grants! Thanks ORP and Commerce for supporting the will and gumption in these small towns.

Second Friday e-call: Did you know 1out of 7 Kansans move each year? How do we make them feel welcome and part of the community? Do the other six Kansans feel included in the fun? Hear new ideas July 11, 9:30-10:30a on an e-call featuring Simone Elder, Monique Mercurio, Rebecca Herrera, and Luisana Chaida.

Kansas Business Awards Nominations: Nominations are open for the "2025 To the Stars: Kansas Business Awards". This is your chance to help recognize outstanding businesses and individuals who are doing great things in Kansas. Nominations will be accepted until Monday, July 7. Find the 11 different categories and nomination forms here.

Norton's Food Hub: Join a webinar to learn about the innovative collaborative effort with the Norton County Health Foundation and the nearby correctional facility to grow and distribute produce. Here's a promo video to watch. Questions? Contact Caryl Hale at caryl@nortonregionalhealth.org

July 1 webinar, 9:30-11a. Zoom link. Meeting ID: 867 2846 9266. Passcode 483327.

Later same day, 1:30-3p. Zoom link. Meeting ID: 894 5967 1680. Passcode: 406499

Translation services and more: Emporia Spanish Speakers offers these services, among others: 1) comprehensive verification services to ensure the proficiency of bilingual employees and 2) professional translation services

Guidance on making connections from Emporia Spanish Speakers

A few activities to making it fun to connect

Language exchange: bring language learners together to practice and learn from one another.
Explore: Introduce people to public spaces, trails, etc.
Map my community: Create a public display that proudly highlights where community members are from.
Share a community building project: Like a community garden at a Latino church or city park.
Music: People love coming together for live music.
Food: Need we say more? Orchestrate a potluck in a park.

Kansas 250: America turns 250 years old in 2026. The Kansas 250 Commission wants to hear your story, your history here in Kansas. They want to hear how you and yours made it “through” the difficulties to thrive where you are today. Submit here. Join us as we celebrate all the different threads that wind together to form the beautiful tapestry that is Kansas as we continue into the future, “Per Aspera”.

Making a connection: from Emporia Spanish Speakers

A few activities to making it fun to connect:

Language exchange: bring language learners together to practice and learn from one another.
Explore: Introduce people to public spaces, trails, etc.
Map my community: Create a public display that proudly highlights where commnity members are from.
Shared community building project: Like a community garden at a Latino church or city par.
Music: People love coming together for live music.
Food: Need we say more? Orchestrate a potluck in a park.

Kansas book sale: University Press of Kansas is offering 50% off all books through July 7. Use promo code 24SUMMER25 at this site.

Kansas Local Food Summit: Tuesday, July 29th will kick off the 2025 Local Food Summit with a range of workshop options during the day and tours around the Salina area in the evening. Learn more.

German grocery store: Der Deutche Laden has opened in Junction City at 126 W. Flint Hills Blvd. The inventory includes authentic German sauerkraut, chocolate, different kinds of spices, potato dumplings, German bratwurst, Nürnberger bratwurst, different German sandwiches, and cakes.

Dighton grocery store: A community-owned grocery store is being developed in Dighton after the local grocery store burned down 15 months ago. Fundraising is led by the Lane County Community Foundation, with tax-exempt contributions making the project more feasible and encouraging community support.

Good job, ORP!: The Office of Rural Prosperity is building a second cohort of Rural Champions to address needs in rural communities. The Rural Champions program is designed to create a network of grassroots individuals who possess the necessary tools to resolve critical community needs in a quick and effective manner.

State tourism: Do you have a city page on TravelKS.com, the website of the state tourism office? This is an easy and free way to promote your community. Contact Hunter (Hunter.Feyerherm@ks.gov) for more information.

Take your kids or grandkids: Find the 225 places that you can visit as part of Sunflower Summer. Read the eligibility rules but kid(s) and an adult can get free admission and get to know Kansas!

First Friday e-call and more: Find a calendar of events for all things from K-State's Community Vitality department. This includes First Friday e-call, grant writing workshops, and more. Sign up to get this information.

Upcoming conferences:

5th Annual Kansas Arts Network Conference, July 23-25, Wichita. Register here.

Annual National Conference for Growing Community Foundations, October 15-17, Wichita

Kansas Housing Conference, October 27-29, Overland Park

Governor's Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas, November 12-13, Manhattan

Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference: Sept. 17-20, Albuquerque, NM

See previous Tidbits: The early June We Kan! Tidbits was full of excellent information.

Representing rural: KSF's Marci Penner was recently inducted into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame for her long-time promotion and support of small town businesses and entrepreneurs. Marci was the contemporary inductee and Emerson Carey was the historical honoree.

Sign up for We Kan! Tidbits: If this Tidbits is forwarded to you, go here to sign up for this monthly blast. Find the KSF Facebook page here.

Itching to hit the road and explore Kansas?: We'll do the work providing Kansas adventure ideas. All you have to do is jump in your car and go see things. Join the Kansas Explorers Club today or renew.

Support the network: The Kansas Sampler Foundation would appreciate your support for our work with rural communities. Make a donation and choose PayPal, Venmo, credit card or just ask Simone (simone.elder@kansassampler.org) to invoice you.

Kansas Sampler Foundation Board of Directors: Stacy Barnes, Greensburg, president; Sarah Werner, Winfield; Luke Mahin, Courtland; Dave Procter, Manhattan; Lea Ann Seiler, Hanston. Staff: Marci Penner, WenDee Rowe, Inman; Simone Elder, Tribune; Kim Clark, The Highlands.