History

Kansas Community Empowerment, formerly the Kansas PRIDE Program, has served over 400 communities across Kansas, and has served all 105 counties since its establishment by Governor Docking in 1970. Cooperative Extension (now K-State Research and Extension) and The Kansas Economic Development Commission (now the Kansas Department of Commerce) were appointed the adminstrative entities for the program. The Governor aided in the development of the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Board of Directors, naming Extension and Commerce as adminstrative and permanent establishing members. The board was then developed to add the partnerships of the League of Kansas Municipalities, and the Kansas Association of Counties. The final phase of development found the board comprising of the initial establishing member and partners, but of community members from "PRIDE" communities, and sponsor representatives of companies that serve those communities.

For a full list of communities that have participated in the program, view this PDF document.

The Kansas PRIDE Program is now Kansas Community Empowerment

For nearly two decades of work, the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. had shared its logo and name with K-State Research and Extension's programming. In 2023, the Kansas PRIDE, Inc. Board of Directors asked K-State Research and Extension to rebrand. The result is that Kansas PRIDE still exists in the form of Kansas PRIDE, Inc., but the adminstrating program through K-State Research and Extension is now known as Kansas Community Empowerment.