Fifteen Rural Economic Development Grant Recipients Announced
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland has announced the Office of Rural Prosperity at the Department of Commerce has awarded $337,833 in Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grants, supporting 15 quality-of-life projects across Kansas. The awards leveraged more than $744,186 in local contributions, bringing the total investment available for the projects to almost $1.1 million.
“Our small towns in Kansas are the heart of this state — they have character, history and most importantly, they have passion for growth,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Investing in these projects provides opportunities for smaller, rural communities to make themselves more appealing to their current and future residents as well as attract potential new businesses.”
Awardees of the grant represent communities with a population of 5,000 or less. They also commit to a minimum 10% match and to provide a completed project proposal within 12 months. The projects must be focused on economic development and revitalization efforts through one of the following quality-of-life categories: Childcare and Senior Programming, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail or Libraries.
The Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity had a special check presentation on Tuesday in Yates Center for the awardees. The 2025 SEED area grant recipients by category:
Childcare and Senior Programming
- Grow & Learn Childcare Center, Inc., Wichita County, $14,206: Enhancing a local playground and replacing the center’s washer and dryer
Community Vibrancy
- Greeley County Community Development, Greeley County, $24,468: Assisting businesses with freshening their facades through paint, signage, windows and door replacements, landscaping, outdoor seating and masonry repairs
Funding for the SEED program, which is administered by the Office of Rural Prosperity in 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.
The SEED grant funds are one of the many tools provided by Commerce to support rural Kansas communities. To view the list of past SEED awardees and projects, click here.
