Kansas Leadership Center

09/03/2026

The deadline is approaching! ⏰ Applications for 2027 Common Good Partnerships are due Sept. 14 at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Common Good Partnerships provide grant-funded access to KLC programs, resources and support to help Kansas organizations build leadership capacity and make progress on their biggest challenges.

Learn more and apply: https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/grants/

09/03/2026

Nearly 20 years in, KLC is thinking about what it will take to flourish and thrive for the next 20.

This summer, Dr. Sidney Childs joined KLC as chief learning officer, leading our programming strategy and education efforts, and Jamillah Anderson joined as marketing and communications officer, leading our storytelling and community connection.

Both bring deep experience, new perspectives and a shared commitment to KLC’s belief that leadership is an activity available to anyone.

Their arrival comes at an important moment for KLC. With an expanded downtown Wichita home and growing capacity to serve people across Kansas and beyond, we’re investing in both the team and the space needed for what comes next.

President and CEO Kaye Monk-Morgan recently talked with the Wichita Business Journal about KLC’s growth, Sidney and Jamillah, and what’s ahead.

09/02/2026

Kansas’ SB 105, passed last April, requires the governor to choose from three candidates nominated by a legislative committee to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy. With Election Day approaching, the law has drawn renewed criticism over concerns it could postpone elections and creates a largely one-party nomination process.

The Journal’s latest fact brief takes a look at SB 105’s provisions and how they compare with similar laws in other states.

https://klcjournal.com/kansas-allow-senators-to-serve-until-next-election/

If a Kansan U.S. Senate seat is vacated, the governor may appoint a replacement to serve until the next general election.

09/02/2026

“Sometimes people need to be explicitly invited to share.”

Ever had something to say in a meeting and decided not to say it?

Kaye Monk-Morgan talks with Claire Gray about what helps people speak up, challenge ideas and disagree without damaging trust.

What helps people speak up where you work?

How can teams disagree without damaging trust or making the convers...

09/01/2026

A Hilltop food pantry demonstrates how they foster both healthy eating and agency by offering choices for their patrons.

"It feels like you’ve given them back the control of what they want and what they need for their own bodies and their own nourishments. Whenever you go to a grocery store and you purchase what you want and what you feel that your body will be nourished with, you feel more joyful and feel more health conscious."

With fresher produce and a wider range of options, patrons of StepStone food pantry are expanding their personal menus.

08/31/2026

After more than two years, Wichita Documenters will come to an end Sept. 1.

We're grateful to the 117 residents who trained as Documenters and gave their time, curiosity and talent to help their neighbors better understand what was happening in local government.

The program may be ending, but the impact of that work doesn’t end with it. From covering 565+ public meetings to hearing from 333 Wichita voters during the 2025 sales tax election, Documenters showed what’s possible when people have more ways to understand and participate in civic life.

Read more about the impact of Wichita Documenters.

After two years of equipping residents to document public meetings and strengthen local news, Wichita Documenters will conclude its work this fall.

08/27/2026

The way to progress takes all of us.

That idea traveled with KLC to Portland this week for the United Way Western Regional Conference, where more than 350 people from across the western U.S. gathered to learn, connect and tackle the complex challenges facing their communities.

KLC President and CEO Kaye Monk-Morgan, Ed.D. delivered a keynote on Leading Innovation & Transformation in a Complex World, then brought the ideas to life by moderating a conversation with United Way colleagues working through real adaptive challenges in their communities.

Kaye and Dr. Jason Bosch also led a workshop digging deeper into those ideas, while Amy Williams connected with attendees throughout the conference and shared more about KLC’s work — including When Everyone Leads in English and Spanish.

Three days of exchanging ideas, building relationships and exploring what it takes to make progress when there’s no easy answer.

08/25/2026

When does enforcing the rules of a public meeting cross the line into restricting the public's right to participate?

To find out, The Journal reviewed events leading up to the viral arrest of Lux Claridge and that of another man in Oklahoma. Conversations with public officials, citizens and advocates revealed frustration and misunderstanding about government operations — and the consequences of when unprepared leaders respond reactively to the citizens they represent.

✍️ Jessica Pearce
📸 Jeff Tuttle

https://klcjournal.com/its-almost-never-worth-it-lessons-after-emporias-viral-public-meeting-on-data-centers/

Experts say officials should be cautious in removing someone from a meeting, but the public must also understand the purpose and limits of such sessions.

08/25/2026

Have an idea that could help improve upward mobility in Kansas? Find out if the Upward Mobility grant opportunity could be a fit.

Kansas organizations and community partners can apply for up to $10,000 to test their ideas — and KLC is hosting two upcoming virtual information sessions where you can learn more, ask questions and get details about the application process.

📅 Aug. 27 | noon–12:30 p.m.
📅 Sept. 3 | 1–1:30 p.m.

Choose a session and register: https://zfrmz.com/mmvK5HEvfW5DKUEa7bhY

08/24/2026

The latest commentary from Journal columnist Mark McCormick takes a look at what America can learn from its Indigenous cultures.

https://klcjournal.com/opinion-indigenous-lessons-abound-for-nations-250th/

Quentin BlueHorse, a Rosebud Sioux, doesn’t view indigenous history as just a tragedy. He doesn’t dwell on his anger.