Communities

View the 2024 Participating Communities Map Page

Since 1970, the Kansas Community Empowerment program (formerly Kansas PRIDE Program) has assisted and encouraged communities to prepare for the future by building on their past and forming a vision of the future.

Participation in the KCE program is free, and enrollment can be done on a yearly basis. The local participating program must submit a Resolution of Government Support (a transparency document that does not require local government financial support), which is good for three years. Visit our Enrollment page for more information.

For communities considering the program, we highly encourage a Readiness Assessment to help you begin to engage with stakeholders and community groups that might serve as local community representatives to your KCE organization board as well as an opportunity to gauge interest in your community concerning your potential group, as well as possible partnerships for the future. For local groups/organizations that are already on established and are considering joining KCE, we have an array of resources through our partners in the areas of assessment, partnership development, funding, placemaking and addressing housing and childcare needs.

Over time the KCE program has worked to create a user friendly database for community reporting. Reporting for the program creates an opportunity for sustainability in times of transition, and provides an online space for community record keeping related to their quarterly projects. The reporting database also allows program staff and partners to measure program effectiveness and opportunities for programming and connection to funding opportunities. The database is also great for community networking. Visit our Reporting page to access the reporting database.

If a community enrolls annually, has provided a Resolution of Government Support, and keeps their quarterly reports up to date, their community is eligible for recognition and funding opportunities through the program.

KCE community participants have the benefit of leveraging the KCE partnership of K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and Kansas PRIDE, Inc.

KCE is dedicated to serving communities across the state to encourage and assist local government and volunteers in making their community a better place. Contact KCE Staff for more information.