Why KCE?

The Kansas Community Empowerment program administered by K-State Research and Extension, formerly the Kansas PRIDE program, is a volunteer, grassroots effort to improve the quality of life in local communities. Each Kansas community is unique and shares a common bond: a rich heritage based on self-reliance and community pride.

Why did Kansas PRIDE change its name to Kansas Community Empowerment?

In late 2022, the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Board of Directors met to discuss the program’s logo, which then led to further discussions of its service model and relevancy.

To aid in this discussion, a statewide survey was sent to community program participants in November of 2022. Communities responded indicating their appreciation for the program, the educational opportunities it provides, and their feeling of empowerment to get things done locally as main highlights.

Building on these results and previous discussions, the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Board of Directors and K-State Research and Extension (the Kansas PRIDE program’s administering partner) indicated there was also confusion about the partnership that is Kansas PRIDE. This is, in part, due to Kansas PRIDE, Inc. and K-State Research and Extension’s Kansas PRIDE program sharing the same logo since the early 2000s.

In an effort to bring clarity to the true nature of the partnership, the program’s partners decided that K-State Research and Extension’s Kansas PRIDE program should take on the task of a rebrand to become distinct from Kansas PRIDE, Inc. while continuing to serve communities in its current manner.

With the support of the program’s partners and leadership teams, K-State Research and Extension’s Kansas PRIDE program is officially rebranding as the Kansas Community Empowerment program, better describing what is provided to communities through its administration, resources, engagement and educational components.

Kansas PRIDE still exists in the form of Kansas PRIDE, Inc., the nonprofit, which raises funds to assist in community capacity building and recognition. Kansas PRIDE, Inc. also serves as the steering committee that provides guidance to Kansas Community Empowerment program work.

Kansas Community Empowerment, through K-State Research and Extension, will continue to serve communities through education and leadership development.

Program Vision and Mission

The Benefits of Working with KCE

There are many benefits to working with the Kansas Community Empowerment program, both for communities, sponsors and partners.

Communities benefit from the process, structure, education, connections and resources that KCE provides.

Sponsors have the benefit of knowing that all of their contributing funds go directly to communities through programming or grants through Kansas PRIDE, Inc. - no funds are used to support KCE staff salaries or program space (staff support is provided through K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Masons and the Dane G. Hansen Foundation).

Partners benefit from working with KCE staff to cross promote opportunities, and utilizing KCE staff as a conduit for connecting community to formal and informal program partners.

The History of KCE (formerly Kansas PRIDE) is Long Term - over 50 Years

KCE (formerly the Kansas PRIDE Program), originally established in 1970, has served over 400 communities, ranging from unincorporated to neighborhoods in large municipalities. While the program has gone through many transitions in its time, it's mission has remained the same: providing an enhanced quality of life for citizens of Kansas communities through education, leadership development and recognition.