Rural Community Partners

10/10/2026

🌟 Southeast Kansas was well represented at To the Stars! 🌟

The Rural Connect Magazine team, alongside our friends and partners at Pittsburg State University, enjoyed an evening celebrating Kansas businesses and entrepreneurs at the 2026 To the Stars: Kansas Business Awards!

One of our favorite moments was gathering everyone for a Southeast Kansas photo! ❤️ We are especially proud of Lt. Governor David Toland, who has roots right here in SEK!

Of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to share a few copies of Rural Connect Magazine! 📖 Our mission is to tell the stories of the people, businesses, and communities moving rural Kansas forward.

Congratulations to all the award winners, and thank you to the Kansas Department of Commerce for recognizing the innovation and entrepreneurship happening across our state.

Great things are happening in Southeast Kansas, and we love helping tell those stories!

10/09/2026

Kansas Apply Free days are happening now! Kansas residents may apply for undergraduate admission with no application fees to any of the state's seven public universities, 19 community colleges, 6 technical colleges, or the 21 private member institutions of the Kansas Independent College Association. Visit https://kansasregents.gov/applyfree to learn more.

10/09/2026

Jody and Darrell dropped off a couple of the first copies of our fall Rural Connect magazine to Delane Godden, owner of Re:freshed Salon & Spa and our cover feature! ❤️ There’s something special about putting a printed copy into the hands of someone who shared their story with us.

We’re still waiting for our full order of 6,000 copies to arrive, but I couldn’t wait to share this little sneak peek! Thank you, Delane, for helping us celebrate the people who make our rural communities special.

Read it online while we wait: https://digital.ruralcommunitypartners.org

10/09/2026

**Meet our SEED Grant Cohort member: Stephenie Righini!**

Stephenie is developing **The Fire Pitt Community Kitchen**, an early-stage concept for an affordable shared kitchen in Pittsburg, Kansas. Her vision is to offer equipped cooking stations, meal-prep space, and community dining space for people who may not have the room, equipment, or convenience to cook comfortably at home. 🍽️

Through customer research, community input, and the SEED program, Stephenie is testing and refining her idea. We’ve connected her with Rachel French of The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative as her mentor to help explore what’s possible!

We’re excited to support Stephenie as she turns a community need into a potential opportunity for connection and access.

Thank you to Kansas Health Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, and The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team for supporting this work alongside Rural Community Partners.

10/08/2026

Rural Connect is full of stories like these-entrepreneurs who pivoted, leaders who connected their communities, people who chose to build here. But we know there are so many more. Whose story should we spotlight next? Drop a name in the comments-or share your own. Let's make sure the people doing important work across Southeast Kansas know they're seen.

10/08/2026

🎓 A New Chapter for Pittsburg State University and Southeast Kansas! ❤️💛

What does the future hold for PSU and our region? In the Fall 2026 edition of Rural Connect, we sit down with Dr. Thomas Newsom, President of Pittsburg State University, to talk about his vision for the university, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and the important role PSU plays in strengthening Southeast Kansas.

One message really stands out: When our communities thrive, our universities thrive, and vice versa!

We encourage you to read this inspiring conversation and learn more about Dr. Newsom’s vision for our region!

📖 Read the Fall edition here: https://digital.ruralcommunitypartners.org

👏 A special thank you to our founding partners, Kansas Health Foundation, Fort Scott Community College, and Neosho County Community College, for making Rural Connect possible!

And thank you to Network Kansas for supporting this edition and helping entrepreneurs and small businesses across our state!

10/08/2026

10/07/2026

SEED Winner Spotlight: Brandi Mast | Teller’s Coffee Company ☕

Brandi Mast is brewing community in Howard, Kansas! Located inside a recently renovated former bank building, Teller's Coffee Company offers delicious coffee, unique gifts for all ages, and a welcoming space where neighbors can gather for events and activities.

Brandi’s commitment to community extends beyond her business. She also serves as president of a newly formed community coalition in Elk County!

Through our inaugural SEED Micro-Grant cohort, we’ve connected Brandi with a mentor in Yates Center, alongside funding and regional connections to help her business grow.

Stop by Teller’s, grab a cup, and see how Brandi is bringing people together! 💚

Thank you to Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Food Action Network, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Pathways to a Healthy Kansas for supporting this work through HBCAT and Rural Community Partners.

09/12/2026

🚜 VENDORS WANTED: Southeast Kansas Farm Show

Booths are open for the Southeast Kansas Farm Show, coming to Camptown Event Center November 5-7! Three days, free admission, and hundreds of farmers, ranchers, landowners, and ag-curious folks coming through the gates.

This is your shot to get your equipment, products, or services in front of the people who actually want to see them.

Camptown Event Center | Frontenac, KS
November 5-7, 2026

Reserve your booth today: camptown.ticketspice.com/camptown-farm-show
Questions? Call 620-670-8303

09/06/2026

🎤 RCP is headed to the KPHA stage!

We’re excited to share that Rural Community Partners/The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team President & CEO Jody Love will be speaking at the Kansas Public Health Association Annual Conference.

Her presentation, “The Power of the Pivot in Public Health,” will share lessons from more than a decade of community work in Southeast Kansas and how listening, relationships, and a willingness to change course can turn challenges into impact.

We’re proud to see rural Southeast Kansas represented on a statewide stage!

Interested in attending? Learn more and register here: https://kpha.us/events

Check out this Instagram Post (4:5) designed by KPHA.

09/03/2026

🎉 51 businesses expressed interest. 24 complete applications. 8 opportunities to turn ideas into action! 10 SEK counties represented!!

SEED applications are closed, and we’re thrilled with the response! Eight entrepreneurs will receive a $1,000 micro-grant plus 10 weeks of learning, mentorship, and support to develop their business ideas.

A huge thank-you to our community partners for helping connect entrepreneurs to SEED:

• The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team
• Communities Organizing to Promote Equity-Bourbon County
• Crawford County Local Health Equity Action Team
• Live Well Crawford County
• Grow Labette
• Live Healthy Montgomery County
• LHEAT - Local Health Equity Action Team, Montgomery County KS
• Stay Strong - Live Long - Wilson County
• Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE)
• Family Response Advocates
• Pittsburg Police Department
• Cultivate Fredonia
• Woodson County Coalition
• Allen County Multi-Agency Team-ACMAT
• Whole Heart Coalition
• Neosho County Agency Resource Team (NCART)
• Caney Valley Agape Network & Food Pantry

Thank you to our SBEC judges for sharing their time and expertise:

• Jody Love
• Melissa W**d
• Brianne Ford
• Heather Lynn Horton
• Blanca Lopez
• Cheryl Brown
• Frankie Elder-Reedy

They’ll be joined by Janet Miller with Network Kansas and Darrell Pulliam, Rural Community Partners Chair!

We’re grateful to Kansas Food Action Network and Pathways to a Healthy Kansas / Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas for helping make SEED possible, and to Network Kansas for supporting our application and judging process.

Award announcements are coming September 15! Thank you to everyone who applied, shared the opportunity, and helped entrepreneurs take this next step. ❤️

09/01/2026

🚨 TODAY’S THE DAY! 🚨

Applications for the SEED Entrepreneur Program are due TODAY!

Have a business idea you’ve been thinking about? This is your chance to take the next step. You do not need a business plan, business license, or even sales yet. You just need an idea and the willingness to explore it.

🌱 Selected entrepreneurs receive:
💰 A $1,000 grant
🤝 Mentorship and one-on-one support
🛠️ Hands-on help developing your idea
🌎 Connections to resources across Southeast Kansas

And remember, your elevator pitch does not need to be professional or polished. A quick video telling us about your idea is all we’re looking for.

⏰ Applications close TODAY, September 1!

If you’ve been thinking, “Maybe I should apply…”
YES. Today is the day. Get it submitted!

👉 Apply here: goventuredash.com/competitions/967

Know someone with a great idea? Tag them or send this their way!

08/31/2026

Who is ready for football season?!?!
🏈🏈🏈🏈
We got the wings covered for you! We now have cut wings in drumettes and flats available.
So if your looking to fry up some wings come and get them while they last!

08/30/2026

IOLA, Kan. — Allen Community College and Newman University are proud to announce a new partnership that will bring university bachelor’s degree opportunities directly to the Allen campus, allowing students to continue their education close to home while pursuing four-year degrees. The partnershi...

08/30/2026

Rural Connect is out connecting with the rurals!!!

Fredonia’s Sausage Fest did not disappoint!!! We made connections with entrepreneurs, small business and wanna-be entrepreneurs. Handed out magazines, swag, and Kansas Micro Internship Flyers!

Special shout out to our founding partners Kansas Health Foundation, Fort Scott Community College and Neosho County Community College

08/29/2026

‼Only ONE more shopping day left in August!! EEEEKKK!!! Are we gonna make it to 750 tomorrow?!?!