Russell County Area Community Foundation

05/26/2026

👏👏👏RCACF Board Member Virginia Rohleder surprised the Gorham Community Development Association with a $250 Random Grant of Kindness. We 💛 all the great things happening in Gorham!! Thank you for making Russell County even better.

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Jaelynne Seier for receiving $3,000 from The Paul E. Ruggels Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is for college students who have graduated from Russell Jr/Sr High School or Natoma High School, with a preference for students pursuing a degree in a Healthcare related field.

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Cambrea Solze, who received $10,000 from the Doran and Bina Dole Scholarship.
This scholarship is given to those who are graduating from Russell Jr./Sr High School.

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Alex Krug, Walker Middleton and Ian Strobel. These recipients received the $1,000 Adolph Boehler Students Aid Fund scholarship.
This scholarship is given to those who graduate from Russell Jr/Sr High School.

05/26/2026

🎭 BIG NEWS! 🎭

The Russell Community Theater Fund has officially been established to create a permanent source of support for the arts in our community.

Unlike one-time fundraising campaigns, an endowment is designed to last forever. Gifts to the fund are invested, and the earnings provide ongoing support for productions, youth programs, facility needs, and the continued growth of live theater.

💙 You can help grow the future of local theater by contributing a tax-deductible gift to the fund. Every gift helps ensure the arts continue to thrive in Russell. Give today at rcacf.org.

Congratulations RCT on your 40th season. We're excited to help you grow for many more decades.

05/11/2026

💙 A New Fund to Support Local Youth Entering the Workforce 💙

RCACF is proud to announce the new Stephani Ruggels Youth Workforce Development Fund, a permanent endowment created to help young adults take their first step into careers in technical, trade, and other high-demand fields right out of high school.

The fund will assist USD 407 graduating seniors and alumni up to age 21 with costs such as tools, equipment, work clothing, certifications, and other essentials needed to begin working or training.

Sometimes, it’s not a lack of ambition that holds someone back, it’s a lack of resources. This fund will help young adults get a running start on their career.

Community members are invited to help create lasting opportunities for local youth by contributing to the endowment. Donations may be made online at rcacf.org or mailed to RCACF, PO Box 172, Russell, KS 67665. For more information, call us at 785.445.3611.

Thank you, Stephani!!!

05/08/2026

Big news from RCACF! 🎓✨

The Russell County Area Community Foundation is proud to award 112 scholarships totaling $708,490 to local students this year! These scholarships are more than financial support, they’re an investment in the future of Russell County and the amazing students who will shape it.

A huge thank you to the generous donors who make these opportunities possible year after year. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients! 💛

Visit rcacf.org to see the awards.

05/07/2026

Exciting things happening in downtown Russell. The community foundation is pleased to invest in the Market Square project.

We know a lot of you have been hearing bits and pieces about the Market Square project, so we figured it was time to fill in the blanks!

For nearly 10 years, the idea of a downtown pavilion has been floating around Russell, passed between different people and organizations without ever quite getting across the finish line.

That has finally changed. Russell Development, Inc. is moving forward with the Russell Market Square, a permanent, covered, open-air pavilion at 7th and Maple. Farmers markets, food truck nights, live music, festivals, holiday events, private rentals, and whatever else this community decides to do with it.

This is a $550,000 project, and it's happening because of funding partners who believed in it. Southwind Bank has committed $100,000, an incredible show of confidence in downtown Russell. The Russell County Area Community Foundation generously awarded a SPARC grant in the amount of $150,000, and the City of Russell has committed significant funding toward site preparation. With the City's $14 million federal downtown revitalization on the horizon, the timing couldn't be better.

We're still finalizing design details, but we're putting a lot of thought into making this something Russell can be proud of for a long time.

Groundbreaking this summer. More to come, Russell!

05/07/2026

🌟 We surprised Russell County Leadership with a $250 Random Grant of Kindness to celebrate their work in building leaders for the betterment of our communities. Thank you for making Russell County even better. We appreciate all the many kind things you do!