4-H Members and PRIDE Get It -Do It Teams Find Their Way to Fitness through Geocaching!

PRIDE Get It- Do It teams gathered this spring to explore new ways to encourage physical activity for community health. See the full story and Watch the video CLICK HERE.

Two funding opportunities are currently available for community development efforts. Both have a very quick turn around - so it is important that you share this with your PRIDE group and local government or local business soon.

1.) The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced a special opportunity for Kansas small cities and counties - a round of Community Development Block Grants to be awarded this summer in the amount of more than $12.9 million. Kansas has been awarded CDBG funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for projects that focus on eligible activities that include water, sewer, community facilities, and housing projects.

If your community has applied for CDBG funding in the past, and did not receive funding, they are encouraged to apply again.  APPLICATIONS DUE JUNE 24. For details, contact Debbie Beck (dbeck@kansascommerce.com) or Linda Hunsicker (lhunsicker@kansascommerce.com) or CLICK HERE to visit the commerce website for proposal details at and run a site search for CDBG.

2.) Rural Energy for America Program Grants are available through USDA Rural Development.  Rural business owners that would like to reduce their energy consumption, or integrate energy production systems should explore the resources available through this funding opportunity. CLICK HERE to visit the USDA Rural Development website, or contact the Kansas USDA Rural Development office at by phone at (785) 271-2700

As always, let us know at the PRIDE office how we can be of assistance.

2010 begins a three year community training partnership between state and federal agencies, private entities, and the PRIDE program. By matching the grant assistance from the USDA Rural Development program, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, K-State Research and Extension, PRIDE, and the KSU Center for Engagement and Community Development have pooled resources and expertise to offer a series of community planning workshops.

Pictured from left to right: Gary Smith, USDA Rural Development, Dan Kahl, PRIDE, Fred Cholick, K-State Research and Extension, Chuck Banks, USDA Rural Development, Noelle St Claire, Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka, Ron Wilson, Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, and Debbie Beck, Kansas Department of Commerce.

The Community Development Academy will be offered for communities in the southeast quadrant of Kansas in 2010. To participate, communities need to construct a representative teams of five interested community members that can dedicate the time and energy to go through the training. One of those five must be a youth.
During the training, the teams will meet over three weeks, one to two days per week. Between sessions, they will be given homework. During this three week experience, community teams will:

• Assess their community assets

• Devise a public engagement plan

• Make initial contacts for a community-wide effort

• Devise a draft community development process plan

• Identify needed resources

• Meet resource providers
   

To learn more about this exciting opportunity, and to apply, visit the KSU Center for Engagement and Community Development website CLICK HERE or visit:  www.ksu.edu/cecd/cda

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

Vision: Empowered community leaders with resources and process skills to plan and create quality, sustainable communities.

Objective: To empower community leadership through increased knowledge, leadership skills, recharged spirits and inspired community action to help their communities embrace opportunities for sustainability and improved quality of life.

To access Enrollment, Resolution, and Quarterly Report Forms CLICK HERE

To contact PRIDE Staff, CLICK HERE

To view the PRIDE Newsletter, CLICK HERE

To view Community Resources, CLICK HERE

To access the Healthy Ecosystems/Healthy Communities Sustainability information site, CLICK HERE