The world of economic and community development is often shrouded in mystery. Large industrial projects interview communities under the secrecy of non-disclosure agreements and pseudonyms (Project Viper and Project Ocean, for example). Small businesses open and small businesses close. Some of these were supported by the organizations we have in place, and others existed and grew without even knowing these tools existed. My goal for this month's update is to share some of the work and vision we have established at the development corporation, so you can better understand what's happening, even it it's not obvious yet. 

I've talked about the importance of innovation before, and that is the goal that I'm addressing again today. I believe that by 2025, we will be recognized as the most innovative county in the state. After all, we have a long history of innovation in this region, and once we have the right systems in place again, a new generation of entrepreneurs will emerge. Right now, we have two--potentially three--elements of this puzzle in place. Once operational, we'll be able to support local growth and attract national talent. 

The E.M. Kauffman Foundation's Heartland Challenge Grant
Awarded in the spring of 2020 to the SCCC Foundation, this grant served as the catalyst for the Spanish Ice House Entrepreneurship Course and the overall vision of entrepreneurial support for minorities in our community. Because of our work over the last year, the Kauffman Foundation has extended that grant both in time and in financial support. We have the capacity now to establish a center for innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship where local residents can grow their ideas and launch their new businesses. We are in the planning phase currently, but this has the potential to become the hub for ideas and community in our region. 

The Rural Innovation Initiative
In the spring of 2022, we'll begin working with the Center on Rural Innovation to diversity and support our economy. Their guidance and expertise will pinpoint the tech needs of our local industries while also determining the areas of growth that exist for tech jobs in our area. Once completed, we'll be part of a small (25 communities) and elite cohort of communities across the nation who are launching the future of computer programming and coding. This field will no longer be limited to the pacific coast. We will have the structures in place to provide our locals with new workforce opportunities and new startup ventures. 

Great Plains Micro-factory Network
The Seward County Development Corporation is one of a dozen community organizations across the state that is partnering with the Technology Development Institute (TDI) at Kansas State University on an EDA Build Back Better Grant. If awarded, this program would create locally owned facilities to support manufacturers in the growth phase of production. These entrepreneurs would have access to state-of-the-art technology and the expertise of TDI. We would have the capacity to grow and create new manufacturing jobs by our own residents and for our own communities. Phase I (Planning) of this grant will be submitted in late October. Should we be selected, Phase II (Implementation) would begin in March of 2022.

The challenge with all of this work is getting the right pieces together at the right time. Currently, we have two of these three pieces developing, but it will still take a year or two to see the full effects of them. If we're successful with the micro-factory, we'll have a manufacturing facility to match that of the innovation space created through the Kauffman Grant and filled with innovators inspired by the Rural Innovation Initiative. 

For years, we have heard communities complain about brain loss and the exodus of young talent from the region. This is only partially true. Yes, we have intelligent and talented individuals who leave our communities for other parts of the state, country, and world. However, we still have communities full of individuals who are brilliant, passionate, and ready. We just haven't been able to offer them the resources they need to make their ideas a reality. These initiatives can help to change that. We want those who live and work here to realize that we have the resources to launch their ideas, support their visions, and improve our economy. 

Don't worry, we are still speaking with large manufacturing companies, offering tours of our facilities, and encouraging them to move their operations here. That part of our work will always continue, but unfortunately, those companies prefer to remain a secret until the move is official. What isn't a secret is our commitment to growing our local economy through the ideas and innovations of our residents. We're excited to bring these opportunities to the people of Seward County, and we're eager to see the economic rewards of this work. 

VIRTUAL TRAINING – OCTOBER 12, 2021

 
9 a.m. to noon -- Elizabeth Collins, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Amberwell Health as well as an adjunct professor at Benedictine College, teaching Strategic Marketing for their MBA program. She founded and operated a successful digital marketing company for over 10 years (webcomresources.com) and has served for over 17 years in the marketing industry.

Learn about the changes that Facebook has undergone over the past few years and how businesses should take advantage of those changes. Elizabeth will also discuss the latest social media opportunities on new apps and updates on existing platforms.
 
1:30 P.M. TO 4:30 P.M. Mat Casner, President and CEO of Redlogic Communications, Inc., a company focused on serving businesses and entrepreneurs through the development and implementation of branding, online marketing, online learning and eCommerce strategies. Mat is also a business coach and mentor for digital entrepreneurs and works with individuals around the world through this coaching business, Freelance On Fire, helping them to launch and grow their businesses in the remote and digital workplace.

In this session, Mat will cover the three important pillars every business needs for effective online marketing (website, search, email). Like the legs of a three-legged stool, take one away and there is no stability. Mat will explain what these three pillars are and how they work together to help you get predictable results for your business.
 
Register in advance for this meeting by clicking HERE.

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), a national nonprofit advancing inclusive rural prosperity through digital economy ecosystems that support scalable entrepreneurship and tech job creation, announced the four rural communities selected to receive fully-funded participation in its upcoming Rural Innovation Initiative (the Initiative) cohorts.

With support from Siegel Family Endowment, these communities will continue their efforts to build inclusive digital economies that support and serve their local Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latinx, and people of color populations. This opportunity is valued at $30,000 per community and will support the work being done by: Chambers County, Alabama; Sierra Vista, Arizona; Paso Robles, California; and Liberal, Kansas.

“Each community we have selected brings its own unique set of assets, cross-sector partnerships, and diverse leadership to the table,” said Leah Taylor, Head of Digital Economic Development at Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. (RISI), sister organization to CORI. “Our team is excited to collaborate with each of them to build digital economy strategies that create conditions where community members of color are active drivers and participants in home-grown digital jobs and startups.”

“Rural America has tremendous untapped talent and potential waiting to be unlocked through the growth of its entrepreneurial and digital ecosystem,” said Katy Knight, Executive Director of Siegel Family Endowment. “We’re proud to partner with CORI and RISI on the Rural Innovation Initiative to support these four communities as they ensure their residents have the tools, skills, and opportunity to engage meaningfully in our rapidly evolving society.”

Beginning this fall and continuing through the winter and spring of 2022, CORI and RISI will work closely with local leaders to carry out the technical assistance effort through its Rural Innovation Initiative. The lead organizations in each community are:In Sierra Vista and Cochise County, Arizona: the Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation

• In Chambers County, Alabama: the Chambers County Development Authority
• In Liberal and Seward County, Kansas: the Seward County Development Corporation
• In Paso Robles, California: the City of Paso Robles and the Hispanic Business Association

"Liberal, Seward County is a community we are so thrilled to partner with through the Rural Innovation Initiative. What impressed us most about the community is the strong and diverse leadership who are driving this effort who are deeply committed to building a better future for their community, including representation from Seward County Development Corporation, Seward County Community College, Southwest Medical Center, and even a local remote tech worker. Their combined passion and expertise are an unstoppable combination. We look forward to working with these leaders to develop an inclusive digital economy in Seward County that will produce more tech jobs and startups in the community for the benefit of all," said Taylor

CORI received interest from more than 40 rural communities from across the country before conducting interviews and making their selection. During the selection process, preference was given to communities whose populations are no more than 60% white non-Hispanic. Selected communities are between 5,000-50,000 in population and not suburbs of urban areas, have fiber internet in the downtown area or broadband servicing at least 75% of the population, and have a postsecondary institution in the region.

CORI and Siegel Family Endowment first began working together in 2017, when the foundation made a commitment to support CORI’s K-12 curriculum implementation and a technology startup accelerator in Springfield, Vermont. The funding relationship between CORI and Siegel Family Endowment was renewed in 2019 to advance a pilot program developed in partnership with the Economic Development Administration. This work expanded CORI’s footprint to more than a dozen rural communities across the country, built on the strategies that were developed during the Springfield pilot program. Further support from Siegel Family Endowment in 2020 has allowed CORI to expand its work and provide more services to this growing community of rural communities.

Beginning October 21, the Seward County Development Corporation will be hosting networking events at the Baker Kitchen. The goal of these events is to engage business and community leaders in a casual and fun setting while showcasing the many opportunities and programs that the development corporation has to offer. Here is a preview of upcoming themes:

• Internships and Workforce Networking
• This evening will provide an opportunity for local business owners/managers to network with high school students looking for internships or employment. It offers the students a great real-world experience in communicating their goals and building a social network. It offers employers an opportunity to identify local talent for their business that can be maximized through an internship or potential future employment. If you're a business owner looking for additional help and would like to participate in this event, please contact Eli at the Seward County Development Corporation for more details. 
• Local Angel Investment Group
• Local entrepreneurs are creating products and businesses that have the potential for significant financial returns. Often, if they're looking for start-up capital, they are left knocking on doors or contacting investors outside of our region. We are looking to change that. This second evening at Baker will provide an overview of creating a local Angel Investment Group. Individuals in the area would be able to invest in high-growth startups in Liberal, generating new revenue streams for them and new entrepreneurial opportunities for our residents. 
• Tech Innovation in Rural Kansas
• The Center of Rural Innovation will begin its work in Liberal in early 2022. This Rural Innovation Initiative has the potential to add new opportunities in our local economy and support the tech needs of our existing businesses. We need your input as business owners and community members. This evening will be an opportunity for you to share the needs that your business currently faces, brainstorm ways that we can expand tech jobs in the community, and engage with the CORI team as we work to diversity our local economy. 
• Business Education Programs
• Whether you are a potential entrepreneur who has been sitting on an idea for years or an experienced business owner looking for a way to reinvent your store after the year we've just had, the Seward County Development Corporation has programs for you. This evening will showcase several of those programs, what they can provide you and your business, and when you can expect them to start.

Specific dates and times for these events will be shared closer to the event. If you know you are interested in attending one of these topics, or you know someone who would be, please contact Eli at the Seward County Development Corporation. Your name will be added to the attendee list, as some of these events will be invitation only. 

The Proposed Penny Sales Tax

Cindy Wallace, City of Liberal Economic Development Director

This article is to educate the community on a ballot issue that will be placed on the November 2^nd ballot on whether to add a general retailers’ sales tax in the City of Liberal in the amount of one percent (1%) to be effective October 1, 2022 through September 20, 2042 for the purpose of general budgetary needs for the City. The Liberal City Commission is seeking input from the community to determine if the voters prefer a sales tax option to help meet the needs of the city’s general fund.

City residents have seen steady increases in their property taxes over the past few years while the City of Liberal has remained flat for the past seven years. If the sales tax is approved, the revenue generated by the sales tax will allow a reduction of at least 5 mills in the city’s mill levy, thus lowering property taxes.

People ask why can’t the city just cut its budget? In 2008 when the economy crashed, the City of Liberal reduced the overall size of the staff while still able to maintain necessary public services. For the past 13 years those positions have remained vacant and the City has continued to find ways to reduce public costs while maintaining the necessary services expected by our citizens. To meet the general fund needs, the City has worked without an adequate reserve fund and has moved funds from other sources to temporarily cover city expenses. That is no longer sustainable. Any cuts to the existing budget will force the City of Liberal to reduce or eliminate services, cut hours of operation or eliminate programs offered by the City. Even though the City of Liberal has not increased the budget by more than one percent per year in the past five years, inflation alone has increased 9.4% or almost double what the City of Liberal has increased its budget. Many necessary projects have been deferred in the past and those projects will continue to wait until catastrophic failure or never be addressed due to lack of funds. 

People ask if the Focus on the Future money could take care of all the City’s projects. The answer is no. The Focus on the Future 1-cent Sales tax initiative does not fund the City of Liberal’s general fund. The Focus money is used for specific projects recommended to the City by the public. Those funds must be used for the projects and categories outlined by the question posed to the voters at the time it was passed. These funds from the Focus sales tax is used for Streets, Drainage and Other Capital Improvements, Crime Prevention, Beautification, Housing, and Community Development and Economic Development. The Focus sales tax was considered for “above and beyond” the city’s general fund. It has allowed for massive improvements but cannot be used for general operation of the City.

Voters can decide which option they prefer. A property tax funding option will only be paid by property owners while a sales tax funding option will allow those who benefit by shopping in the City of Liberal. So here are your choices: Voters will be able to choose a 1-cent sales tax to help fund the city general fund.

1. Voters will be able to reject the 1-cent tax proposal which will force the City of Liberal Commission to make one of two choices:
2. Increase property taxes to pay for the increase cost of services; or
3. Cut services that are currently provided and continue to defer maintenance programs.

The majority of our work at the development corporation consists of supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses as they start or expand their operations. Through our partners, we can provide the expertise and the funding that these ventures need in order to be successful. These same partners and networks also connect us to resources outside of Seward County. This month will bring new opportunities for learning and networking that can help the businesses and communities here at home. 

• Workforce Innovation Conference
• WKREDA Executive Board Meeting
• Southwest Economic Developers Roundtable
• Seward County Community Outlook Conference
• Networking Event at the Baker Kitchen
• Kansas Economic Policy Conference 

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