Southeast Prosperity Foundation
Listen to President Bruce Fairbanks.
Southeast Region
Counties covered: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson and Woodson.
Southeast Kansas Prosperity Foundation
Jitka Hamrsmidova
1701 S Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620)235-4920
(620)235-4919
jhamrsmi@pittstate.edu
The Southeast Kansas Prosperity Foundation assists in providing funding through out the region to address issues identified at the local level. This assistance includes gap financing to small businesses, financing small community downtown building revitalization, leadership and entrepreneurial development.
The Foundation has the following programs: Revolving Loan Program, that as a general rule, will be less than $60,000 and seeks leverage with the regional financial community, state and federal finance programs and have equity requirements. Interest rates may vary but shall never fall below 4%.
The Micro loan program targets small businesses that may not have access to financing from conventional sources. The maximum loan is $35,000 and interest rates on the loans will be typically priced at New York Prime less 3% with a floor of 4%. Applicants have at least 5% equity in each project. Business owners could pledge cash or unsecured collateral such as personal property, automobiles or cash savings to meet this requirement.
Main Street Building program that targets communities of 5,000 or less whom have buildings in their down town sector in need of renovation. The maximum award is $40,000 which includes up to $8,000 in grants. Applicants must have a comprehensive rehab plan, business plant and provide some form of job creation.
Regional Leadership Academy Help insure our future by investing in the leaders of tomorrow. These funds would be utilized for regional leadership development and marketing. This program targets the development of community leadership capacity to strengthen the economic and social environment of the southeast Kansas region and to market our features to the world. This program will build on existing community leadership programs. This program should not be an exclusive group; rather it should include all ages of individuals from all classes and races.
Operation “Back Home Again” “Back Home Again” to Kansas is a recruitment program to bring graduates of SEK high schools and SEK post secondary schools back to our region. This program will help regional employers find skilled, technical, talented and experienced employees. It also gives individuals the chance to return to the State to be close to aging parents, enjoy a simpler lifestyle away from the big city, or pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Entrepreneurial Development Small business development will be encouraged by capturing the passion, intelligence, imagination and resources of local entrepreneurs to expand an existing business or create a new venture. Services offered by existing entrepreneurial/enterprise facilitation and business assistances programs in the region will be utilized and expanded as needed for this effort. These programs, which offer free, confidential coaching to local entrepreneurs, maintain a responsive approach to business development and lay the foundation of sound business management. Through these programs, entrepreneurs will be able to access the Foundation’s revolving loan fund for financial assistance.