Sixty-eight nonprofit organizations in 20 towns across 10 Southeast Kansas counties have been chosen to receive a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) 2025 General Funds grant cycle. These grants focus on supporting programs related to arts and culture, youth activities, and basic human needs.
“Our General Funds grant cycle is always a highlight for us because it allows us to support all of Southeast Kansas,” said Devin Gorman, CFSEK Executive Director. “Our review committee has the opportunity to evaluate proposals from so many different communities, each with their own unique needs. We are proud to support these wonderful organizations that work hard to improve our region.”
Since it began, the CFSEK General Funds grant cycle has awarded over $2.1 million in competitive grants throughout Southeast Kansas.
This year’s General Funds grant recipients and their projects are:
Table of Contents
Arts & Culture
- Altamont Flag Day INC will enhance their annual Flag Day celebration by expanding interactive vendors, live demonstrations, and educational scavenger hunts to engage attendees and support local arts and crafts vendors.
- Cato Historical Preservation Association, Inc. will provide an educational experience for 600-700 area 4th and 5th graders to learn about late 1800s Southeast Kansas life through hands-on activities including one-room school, blacksmithing, Civil War history, and traditional games.
- First Baptist Church Riverton will offer weekly meetings teaching participants of all ages how to use die cut machines, button machines, and heat presses to create signs, t-shirts, cards, and other projects.
- Josiah Fletcher Foundation will create an original musical score to serve as the official theme for their annual Jazz Camp, connecting students across Southeast Kansas and becoming synonymous with the camp experience.
- Northeast Unified School District #246 will offer a twice-weekly crafting class teaching students traditional “granny skills” including crochet, embroidery, string art, and other projects designed to reduce screen time and stress while boosting self-confidence.
- Oswego Historical Society will conduct hands-on art workshops for youth exploring traditional techniques inspired by Osage, Cherokee, and early settler crafts, culminating in a museum exhibit of student work.
- Safe Families for Children will distribute copies of a children’s book written by host family member Jessie Todd Mayfield to help children understand why parents need family-like support during challenging circumstances.
Basic Human Needs
- Building Health, Inc will help very low-income and low-income households access housing by providing financial assistance for rental application and document recovery fees through their “Unlocking Home” project.
- Caney Valley Agape Network, Inc. will provide emergency food assistance and utility bill support to families in crisis while working to secure alternative funding sources for their basic needs programs.
- Care Cupboard Hygiene Pantry will continue providing hygiene products to improve self-esteem, confidence, and employment opportunities for community members through their “Hygiene for Hope” program.
- Care to Share Cancer Support Group of Bourbon County Kansas, Inc. will host FortFest25, a free community festival featuring music, entertainment, vendors, and activities to promote community awareness and ongoing fundraising for cancer support services.
- Catholic Charities Inc. will provide resource navigation, case management, temporary financial assistance, and educational materials to prevent homelessness and help families become more self-sufficient.
- Catholic Diocese of Wichita – The Lord’s Diner-Pittsburg will purchase fruits and vegetables to ensure every meal served is healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious through their “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Living” initiative.
- Cherokee County Health Department will implement a Safe Sleep program providing education, cribs, and sleep sacks to reduce infant mortality rates in Cherokee County.
- CLASS LTD will provide emergency financial assistance to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities for unexpected urgent needs through their Client Emergency Assistance Fund.
- Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas will provide weekly diaper supplies to low-income families in exchange for their participation in parenting education and related activities.
- Cornerstones of Care will provide emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities, and temporary shelter to families in crisis to prevent child removal through their “Stopping the Spiral” program.
- Crosstimbers Food Pantry Association will develop six comprehensive meal kits with recipes, nutritional analysis, and cooking instruction to maximize the creative potential of shelf-stable pantry foods.
- DBLO Association will distribute twin bed frames and mattresses with comfort packages to 40 children in need across a 12-county SEK area who currently sleep on the floor.
- Dream Center of the 4 States will provide monthly community meals to feed hungry community members, support the working poor, and build camaraderie through their “Help and Hope” project.
- Family Resource Center, Inc. will educate families, schools, and businesses on bed bug prevention and provide detection tools and bed encasements to reduce infestations in Cherokee and Crawford counties.
- First Baptist Church Riverton will provide food assistance to community members experiencing food insufficiency through their “Share with Love Food Pantry.”
- First United Methodist Church Wesley House will purchase one month’s supply of food from the Kansas Food Bank to meet increasing demand at their food pantry serving Crawford County residents.
- Fort Scott Compassionate Ministries will provide space heaters, shelf-stable foods, and protein-rich frozen meats to low-income, homeless, and elderly community members through their “Restore” program.
- Foster Adopt Connect, Inc. will provide housing, utility, medical, transportation, and bedding assistance to stabilize foster, adoptive, kinship, and guardian families so they can focus on healing and building stable futures.
- Habitat for Humanity of Crawford County KS, Inc will build handicap accessible ramps for two Crawford County families to provide safe accessibility to their homes.
- Homer Cole Community Center Inc will replace three 32-year-old low-rise toilets with high-rise, handicap/elderly-friendly toilets and rehang urinals to proper height for better accessibility.
- Hospital District 1 Crawford County Foundation will provide free electronic blood pressure cuffs to patients for home monitoring to improve cardiovascular health management and health equity.
- Integrated Behavioral Technologies, Inc will acquire essential assessment protocols and program materials for the Southeast Kansas Autism Clinic to better serve children with autism and developmental disabilities.
- Labette County Emergency Assistance Center will provide immediate financial assistance to prevent utility disconnection and eviction for Labette County residents facing emergencies.
- Mosaic will provide flexible funding for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to assist with moving expenses, medical needs, adaptive equipment, and personal care items.
- Outside The Wire Veterans Foundation will host an annual Unit Reunification and Mental Health Wellness Retreat to help veterans reconnect with former unit members and reduce social isolation.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Four States will provide shelter, meals, hygiene, and emotional support for families with hospitalized children, particularly those from rural Southeast Kansas.
- Safehouse Crisis Center, Inc will provide new shoes to 20 adult survivors of domestic violence, including employment-specific footwear, to support their dignity and transition to independence.
- SE Kansas Women Helping Women will provide household goods, bedding, kitchen supplies, and vehicle registration assistance to women fleeing domestic violence and establishing independent shelter.
- Southeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging will upgrade kitchen supplies including glasses, bowls, and silverware to meet the doubled demand at their 60+ Nutrition Congregate program sites.
- Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center will provide emergency shelter items, food, clothing, phones, and transportation assistance to individuals with serious mental illness who are unhoused or at risk of losing housing.
- Southwind Extension Education Foundation Inc will provide free blood pressure monitoring kits through libraries to help rural residents monitor their cardiovascular health at home or while visiting the library.
- Stay Strong Live Long Wilson County will host free community baby showers twice yearly in Wilson County, providing essential baby supplies and safe sleep education to new and expectant parents.
Youth Activities
- Arma Rec will purchase adjustable basketball goals for younger players and provide free basketball registration with t-shirts to motivate more participation.
- Caney Valley Agape Network, Inc. will provide positive activities and support for at-risk youth from low-income and troubled families through pantry efforts, educational materials, and community collaboration.
- Care to Share Cancer Support Group of Bourbon County Kansas, Inc. will host FortFest25, a free community festival featuring music, kids’ activities, car and motorcycle shows, and vendor booths to promote community and cancer support awareness.
- Chanute Public Library will launch Literacy4Littles, providing welcome bags for new babies and monthly literacy packets for 3-4 year olds to encourage early reading and language development.
- City of Mulberry will install playground equipment at North Park to provide recreational opportunities for children where none currently exist.
- City of Pittsburg – Memorial Auditorium will create a School Outreach Series offering free, interactive performing arts field trips with curriculum tie-ins for local students.
- City of West Mineral, Kansas will install an ADA-compliant picnic table at their new community park to create an inclusive gathering space for families and children.
- Compass Academy Network Inc will purchase Pitsco STEM modules for their four-week summer program to provide middle school students with hands-on, project-based learning experiences in various career fields.
- Curious Minds Discovery Zone, Inc. will create an indoor physical activity area at their 6,400 square foot facility to complement their existing educational exhibits and maker spaces.
- Families and Children Together Inc. will construct a sensory-focused playground with specialized equipment at the Sunshine Center to serve children with moderate to severe autism in partnership with SEK Interlocal.
- Fostering Connections will host two supportive events for high school students in foster care, including a summer financial literacy workshop and a December Christmas celebration focused on building confidence and community.
- Frontenac USD 249 will present the Next Gen Assembly featuring performers Jess Angelique and Mike Dawson to deliver social and emotional learning messages about self-worth and kindness through pop-style music.
- Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland will host a First Aid and Safety Fair at Columbus Girl Scout House where girls will learn CPR, fire safety, and other emergency skills while earning badges and taking home safety kits.
- Inspire Health Foundation, Inc. will launch a Health Career Exploration Day for grades 7-9 and provide camp scholarships for their Explore Health Spring Break Camp to expand healthcare career opportunities for Southeast Kansas youth.
- Kids First Daycare will replace old and unsafe playground equipment with new equipment to ensure children’s safety during outdoor play.
- Learning Tree Institute at Greenbush will install an interactive video wall with six high-resolution monitors to create immersive, technology-rich learning experiences for students exploring multimedia content and augmented reality.
- Miners Hall Museum Foundation will continue improving Franklin Community Park’s playground by replacing wood chip mulch with 100% recycled rubber mulch under and around playground equipment.
- Oswego Historical Society will engage local youth in recording and preserving oral histories of Oswego residents through a digital archive accessible via interactive iPad listening stations in the museum.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Parish/St. Mary’s Colgan Catholic Schools will create a new playground to provide a safe space for children, families, and the broader Pittsburg community to play and gather.
- Ozark Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America will purchase a Daisy BB Gun station and recruiting materials to enhance “Warm-Up Events” that introduce youth and families to Cub Scouting through hands-on activities.
- Pittsburg Kiwanis Club (Noon) will upgrade Kiwanis Park with new play equipment, benches, musical equipment, ride-ons, and safety fencing to keep the park safe and attractive for young families.
- Reach One Teach One Foundation will provide QPR Suicide Prevention Training to youth to equip them with skills and resources to support friends, classmates, and community members at risk of suicide.
- SEK Running Camp will host a 2-day-1-night camp for 7th-12th graders featuring guest speakers, games, swimming, trail running, and a 5K obstacle course race to promote running and active lifestyles.
- SparkWheel will provide comprehensive support services to students in Uniontown through universal, targeted, and intensive interventions that address school climate, family engagement, and essential needs.
- Special Olympics Kansas will hold over six Unified Sports Competitions in Southeast Kansas using new inflatable bocce courts and providing medals to make competitions more accessible for all athletes.
- Spring River Mental Health and Wellness will provide psychosocial rehabilitation groups for 25-35 children and adolescents with behavioral health issues, teaching social skills and mental health management necessary for school success.
- The Foster Closet, Inc. will host quarterly Family Enrichment Events including movie nights, pizza at the park, back-to-school bashes, and Christmas parties to connect foster children with their families and other children in foster care.
- The Salvation Army will distribute board games for indoor play and balls for outdoor play to families with children during the Crawford County Christmas Distribution.
- USD 257 will collaborate with the Iola Register newspaper to publish a quarterly news publication written by Iola High School youth, providing them a platform to share their perspectives with the community.
- Victory Life Church will host the Back2School Event 2025 at Lincoln Park, providing free swimming, rides, food, first responder interactions, clothes, and backpacks with school supplies to over 1,300 children and families.
The Community Foundation also awarded $5,000 to each of its affiliates in Girard, Fort Scott, and Columbus for their own youth-granting programs.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to our 2025 grant recipients and thank you for everything you do to benefit Southeast Kansas communities!