TOPEKA — The award recipients for the new Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program were announced Friday with $2.7 million invested into 61 small communities across the state.
“SEED grants provide funding for quality-of-life enhancements in some of our state’s smallest communities,” said Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland. “These investments will set the stage for future economic development success and prosperity across the state.”
Awards were given to communities with populations of 5,000 or less. These towns were required to provide at least a 10% match and complete their outlined projects within 12 months. Those projects must be focused on economic development and revitalization through one of the following categories:
- Childcare and senior programming – projects that support or enhance these services, such as building improvements, educational materials, supplies and equipment
- Community vibrancy – projects that refresh, re-energize and unlock the attractiveness of rural communities, such as art installations, murals and signage
- Food retail – projects that support access to food retail establishments, including development, renovation and/or expansion
- Libraries – projects that support providing free and open access to a broad range of materials and services, including reading material, technology, furniture and building improvements
The 2022 SEED grant recipients include:
| County | Organization | Category(s) | Requested Amount |
| Allen | Thrive Allen County | Food Retail, Library | $49,125 |
| Anderson | Anderson County Development Agency | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $43,860 |
| Barber | Medicine Lodge Day Care Inc. | Childcare | $49,125 |
| Bourbon | The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc. | Community Vibrancy | $33,882 |
| Brown | Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $25,049 |
| Chase | Chase County Chamber of Commerce | Community Vibrancy, Library | $26,661 |
| Chautauqua | City of Sedan | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Cherokee | Weir & Galena Public Library | Library, Senior Programming | $32,118 |
| Cheyenne | Cheyenne Community Development Corporation | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Clay | Grow Clay County | Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library | $46,571 |
| Cloud | The City of Clyde | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Coffey | Coffey County Library | Library | $49,125 |
| Doniphan | Doniphan County Economic Development | Childcare, Library | $49,125 |
| Edwards | Edwards County Economic Development Corporation | Childcare, Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Elk | Elk County Community Foundation | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Ellsworth | Wilson Czech Opera House Corporation | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Gove | Gove County Economic Development | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail | $47,289 |
| Greeley | Growing the Vision | Food Retail, Library | $48,383 |
| Greenwood | City of Eureka | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Hamilton | Hamilton County | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Harper | Harper County Community Foundation | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Harvey | City of Halstead | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Jackson | Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce | Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library | $49,125 |
| Jewell | City of Jewell | Community Vibrancy, Library | $37,040 |
| Kearny | City of Lakin | Childcare | $39,300 |
| Kingman | City of Kingman | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $48,179 |
| Kiowa | Haviland Heritage Foundation | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Labette | City of Edna | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Lincoln | Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library | $49,125 |
| Linn | Linn County Library District 1 | Library | $49,125 |
| Logan | Logan County Community Foundation | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library | $28,701 |
| Marion | Peabody Township Library | Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Marshall | Friends of the Vermillion Community, Inc. | Community Vibrancy | $37,974 |
| Meade | The Community Enhancement Foundation of Plains | Food Retail | $14,738 |
| Mitchell | Mitchell County | Childcare | $49,125 |
| Montgomery | City of Cherryvale | Library | $46,875 |
| Morris | Little Huskies Childcare Center | Childcare | $24,563 |
| Nemaha | Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas | Community Vibrancy, Food Retail, Library | $48,030 |
| Neosho | Thayer FRC City Library | Library | $35,687 |
| Ness | Ness City Chamber of Commerce | Food Retail | $49,125 |
| Osborne | City of Osborne Economic Development | Childcare, Food Retail, Library | $46,712 |
| Ottawa | Ottawa County Community Development Foundation | Childcare, Library | $49,125 |
| Pawnee | City of Rozel – Park Committee | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Phillips | Phillipsburg Child Care Center | Childcare | $42,408 |
| Rawlins | Atwood Public Library | Library | $25,054 |
| Republic | Belleville Chamber and Main Street | Food Retail | $49,125 |
| Rice | Rice County Community Foundation | Childcare | $49,125 |
| Rush | Rush County Economic Development | Food Retail | $49,125 |
| Russell | Bunker Hill Lions Club | Community Vibrancy | $34,388 |
| Sheridan | Sheridan County | Childcare, Library, Senior Programming | $49,125 |
| Sherman | Sherman County Community Development Corporation | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Smith | City of Lebanon | Food Retail | $49,125 |
| Stafford | Stafford County Economic Development | Food Retail, Library | $49,125 |
| Stanton | Stanton County Community Foundation | Community Vibrancy | $36,480 |
| Stevens | Heritage Christian Academy | Childcare | $49,125 |
| Sumner | Sumner County Economic Development | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Trego | WaKeeney Travel & Tourism | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
| Wabaunsee | Office of Economic Development, Wabaunsee | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Wallace | City of Wallace | Community Vibrancy | $32,397 |
| Wilson | City of Fredonia | Childcare, Community Vibrancy, Library | $49,125 |
| Woodson | Woodson Co. Revitalization Alliance/Revitalize YC | Community Vibrancy | $49,125 |
Funding for the SEED program, which is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, is provided through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) Development and Expansion Fund. The TEFFI Act was enacted in 2021 through bipartisan legislation to promote economic development throughout the state.