SEED Grants

Eligibility Requirements: 

Eligible Communities:   

• Communities with populations of not more than 5,000 people located in one of the following counties: Allen, Anderson, Barber, Bourbon, Brown, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Decatur, Doniphan, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jewell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Labette, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Morton, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Ottawa, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rawlins, Republic, Rice, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Trego, Thomas, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Washington, Wichita, Wilson or Woodson 

Eligible entities: (all projects must occur in a community of not more than 5,000 people in the eligible counties listed above) 

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

Projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving grant funds. 

Funds must be used for tangible projects.  Funds cannot be used for strategic planning, consultant reviews, community conversations or related activities.   

Eligible Projects – Projects must fit into one of the following categories

Community vibrancy – This category intends to refresh, re-energize and unlock the beauty in each community. Projects should be permanent and low maintenance. Projects may include but are not limited to:    

• Permanent public art installations
• Murals  
• Community placemaking improvements such as downtown seating, equipment for main street sound systems or projectors for gathering places
• Park and recreation equipment improvements
• Signage for communities, including welcome signs, downtown light pole banners, and wayfinding signs
• Downtown façade improvement or beautification of downtowns

Childcare & Senior Programming – This category intends to support and enhance high-quality early childhood care and senior programming services for Kansas children, seniors, and families. The following items are examples of eligible use of these funds for childcare programming: 

• Educational materials such as books, art supplies, developmental toys and learning activities 
• Program supplies, including but not limited to, materials needed for safe sleep and nutrition 
• Indoor and outdoor play and recreation items 
• Culturally inclusive learning materials 
• Educational curriculum 
• Developmental health screenings and materials 
• Supports for breastfeeding (e.g. information, privacy room, refrigerator, etc.) 
• Materials and support for family engagement and outreach 

The following items are examples of eligible use of these funds for senior programming: 

• Health, wellness and nutritional materials, equipment, and resources 
• Indoor and outdoor recreational materials, equipment, and resources 
• Technology 
• Art materials, equipment, and resources 

The funding cannot be used to support one-time programming such as speaker fees, event fees, or salaries.  

All project funding for both childcare & senior programming and libraries must comply with the following policies from the National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Accreditation Standards and the Standards for Kansas Public Libraries 2020-2024:

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Accreditation Standards: “The classroom materials and equipment used to implement the curriculum (books, music, dolls, puzzles, toys, dramatic play props) should be representative of the lives of the enrolled children and their families. Curriculum materials should also represent the diverse languages, ages, abilities, and genders found in society as a whole. Include materials that accommodate children with special needs.”

Standards for Kansas Public Libraries 2020-2024: “As the basis of a youth services collection, the library provides a wide range of materials for use by and with youth. It serves current as well as anticipated needs and reflects a diverse and multicultural society.”

Libraries – This category intends to support public libraries and empower them to continue to provide free and open access to a broad range of materials and services for people of all ages and backgrounds. Funding in this category will support the following uses: 

• Purchase of books and related reading materials
• Laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hot spots and other equipment to help patrons access reliable internet outside of library facilities and to help them connect to employment, education, general information, and essential telehealth services 
• Physical improvements to library facilities including but not limited to carpet, roofs, entryways, or meeting rooms
• Purchase of furniture to benefit library patrons, such as new reading chairs, installation of coffee makers, tables and kiosks, etc.    

All project funding for both childcare & senior programming and libraries must comply with the following policies from the National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Accreditation Standards and the Standards for Kansas Public Libraries 2020-2024:

National Association for the Education of Young Children Program Accreditation Standards: “The classroom materials and equipment used to implement the curriculum (books, music, dolls, puzzles, toys, dramatic play props) should be representative of the lives of the enrolled children and their families. Curriculum materials should also represent the diverse languages, ages, abilities, and genders found in society as a whole. Include materials that accommodate children with special needs.”

Standards for Kansas Public Libraries 2020-2024: “As the basis of a youth services collection, the library provides a wide range of materials for use by and with youth. It serves current as well as anticipated needs and reflects a diverse and multicultural society.”

Food Retail – This category intends to support local food sourcing entities with development, renovation and/or expansion. Eligible entities are those selling food including mobile markets and farmer markets. The following projects are examples of eligible use of these funds: 

• Coolers, appliances, display tables, containers or furniture  
• Cash registers or similar equipment and technology  
• Energy efficiency improvements 
• Building rehabilitation  

The funding cannot be used to support salaries or to purchase inventory.  

Applicants must show full project budgets and proof of matching funds with the application.   

An applicant may apply to use funds to support a project within each category, multiple projects in a category or another combination. For example, applicant A may apply for $5,000 for childcare and senior programming, $20,000 for libraries and $25,000 for community vibrancy. The total may not exceed $50,000 per application. Furthermore, applicant B may apply for $50,000 for childcare and senior programming to provide materials to 4 childcare facilities and 1 senior center. 

Additional Scoring Points: 

• Greater match than 10% 
• Organizational support from at least one other community partner (ED, Chamber, Main Street, City, County, Foundation, etc.)  
• Projects that are “shovel ready” and can be completed in 12 months
  • Shovel ready means the site/building is ready for construction/ rehabilitation, has completed any needed environmental/ historical inspections and infrastructure is in place at the site.

Program Timing: 

• Applications will open on Monday, August 29, 2022, and will close on Friday, September 30, 2022, at 11:59PM.  
• All applications will be reviewed by the Department of Commerce for allowability and will be competitively scored. Awards are expected to be announced at the end of October.  
• Grant activities must begin within 4 months of a fully executed grant award document. 
• All grant activities must be completed within one year of the award date. 
• Expenses must be incurred AFTER execution of a grant agreement with the Department of Commerce to be eligible for funding under SEED grants.