Community Leadership -- The Institute has set a goal of 500 in 5, meaning that we intend for 500 Kansans to experience new leadership development opportunities within 5 years, due to our work. The Huck Boyd Foundation provides mini-grants to counties for the development and implementation of new educational, adult leadership programs. The Institute is partnering with K-State Research and Extension in the development of a new leadership curriculum called LEADS - Leadership Excellence And Dynamic Solutions. The Institute also helps support the Kansas Leadership Forum, which is a state-wide association of leadership development professionals and volunteers.
International trade -- The Institute's work on north-south trade corridors has stimulated multi-state efforts to encourage international educational partnerships and exports of high plains products. The Institute:
achieved support for the concept from state councils in each of the High Plains states
conducted the national satellite teleconference from Dole Hall on "The High Plains Region in a Global Economy"
supported the creation of the North American Agribusiness Consortium, a joint venture of six universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with Kansas in the lead
joined in a partnership with the Rural Development Institute of Brandon University in Manitoba
Rural self-help -- Institute presentations encouraging grass-roots community self-help have been presented to thousands of Kansans representing hundreds of communities, and evaluations of these presentations have averaged 4.7 out of 5, with 5 being excellent.
Entrepreneurship -- To encourage entrepreneurship, the Institute has compiled and broadcast over 200 profiles of entrepreneurs, community leaders, and others who have created hundreds of jobs in more than 89 of the 105 counties.
Rural cooperation -- The Institute's report "County Cooperation" described voluntary, multi-community cooperative efforts in 16 rural Kansas locations, which participants estimated saved nearly $5 million. The Institute's work led to creation of:
the 46-county Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance, and
the six-county North East Kansas Coalition for Regional Economic Development
Innovation -- The Institute initiated and sponsored the first-ever Kansas Rural Issues Poll. The Institute recommended creation of the Kansas Rural Development Council, which has saved Kansas taxpayers almost half a million dollars through its coordination of activities. The Institute was a leading force in Kansas being one of eight pilot states selected under President Bush's national rural development initiative.
National recognition to Kansas -- The Institute's work has been written about by national organizations such as the National Association of Towns and Townships and American Farm Bureau Federation, and articles by the Institute have appeared in national publications with circulation in all 50 states.
How is this possible? The Institute is a unique public-private partnership, led by a Board of Directors which brings together knowledge and expertise of leaders of the state, higher education, and the private sector.