KCE Kickstart and Impact Grants

Empowering Communities for Lasting Vitality

The Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) Grants support locally driven projects that enhance the quality of place, strengthen volunteer-led efforts, and promote long-term vibrancy in Kansas communities. Two grant types, Kickstart and Impact, offer funding for both small, but highly impactful projects and large-scale infrastructure improvements.

2026 Program Overview

The purpose of these grants is to empower Kansas communities to plan, implement, and sustain quality of place projects that foster engagement, pride, volunteerism, and long-term community vitality. The goals of these grants are to: • Support community-identified priorities that strengthen quality of place and enhance local pride. • Empower volunteer-led groups by providing resources that build capacity, momentum, and long-term sustainability. • Improve public spaces and community assets through visible, meaningful, and locally driven projects. • Increase community engagement and participation, particularly by involving diverse groups (youth, seniors, civic groups, etc.). • Foster equitable investment in communities of all sizes, especially small rural communities with limited access to funding. • Promote long-term community vitality through projects that create lasting benefits and strengthen community identity.

Kickstart Grant Guidelines

Impact Grant Guidelines

Kickstart Application

Impact Application

Informational Webinar

Commerce hosted an informational webinar on the KCE Kickstart and Impact Grants on Wednesday, January 18, 2026 at Noon. This session provided an overview of funding opportunities, eligibility requirements, application criteria, and timeline expectations. If you’re interested in learning how the grants can support your KCE city, please watch.

WATCH THE WEBINAR

PRESENTATION SLIDES

Apply Now

The KCE Kickstart and Impact Grant applications are NOW OPEN! Applications will be accepted February 1, 2026 through 11:59 PM on March 31, 2026.

For program inquiries, please contact [email protected]

APPLY FOR KICKSTART GRANT HERE

APPLY FOR IMPACT GRANT HERE

About KCE Grants

Eligible Applicants

Any currently enrolled KCE Community that meets the tier requirements for the grant. All projects must occur in a registered Kansas Community Empowerment city.

Eligible entities:

County or municipal governments
Economic Development Organizations
Local Chambers of Commerce
501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) non-profit organizations
Community foundations

Organizations that do not fall under one of these eligible entities, or are unable to work with an eligible entity to apply on their behalf, are still eligible to apply with a contracted fiscal agent, provided that a Letter of Intent is submitted with the application. Organizations apply using this method should apply using the account type of the Fiscal Agent.

Eligible Projects

Kickstart Grants support projects that advance a participating KCE community’s mission, vision, and locally identified priorities. Projects should be community-driven, feasible in scope, and designed to strengthen local capacity, engagement, or momentum toward community goals.

Impact Grants support transformational, long-term investments that promote community vibrancy, defined as projects that refresh, re-energize and unlock the beauty in each community. Unlike Kickstart Grants, which may focus on short-term activities, these grants are intended for projects that create lasting, permanent and sustainable improvements that contribute to a community’s long-term vitality.

Ineligible Projects

Projects are not eligible for Kickstart Grant funding if they:

Do not directly support or advance the KCE community’s adopted mission or vision
Are primarily promotional or marketing focused rather than community-driven
Consist solely of advertising or promotional activities
Do not demonstrate a clear public or community benefit

Projects are not eligible for Impact Grant funding if they:

Do not promote community vibrancy or enhance the community’s physical or cultural assets
Are temporary in nature or do not result in permanent or long-term, sustainable improvements
Are primarily promotional or marketing focused rather than investment-oriented
Fail to demonstrate how the project will be sustained or maintained beyond the grant period

Application Timeline

Grant Announcement: January 2026

Application Period: February 1 to March 31, 2026

Submission Deadline: February 31, 2026

Award Notification: May 2026

Program Timeline

The Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) Grant Program follows a structured nine-month timeline for Kickstart Grants and a twelve-month timeline for Impact Grants, with defined reporting requirements and completion deadlines.

KICKSTART GRANTS
Months 1 – 8: Project startup and implementation
Quarterly reports due each quarter
By Month 9: Project complete
Within 30 days of completion: Final report due (No
later than 10 months after award)

IMPACT GRANTS
Months 1 – 11: Project startup and implementation
Quarterly reports due each quarter
By Month 12: Project complete
Within 30 days of completion: Final report due (No
later than 13 months after award)

CONTACT

Sara Bloom, Quality Places Manager

(785) 506-9278

[email protected]

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