The Kansas Economic Gardening Network focuses on supporting small businesses through centralized resources and funding programs, fostering entrepreneurship within communities. The program includes partnerships and initiatives aimed at rural business development, with successful pilot programs resulting in significant growth in revenue and job creation. Key components of the initiative involve creating local leadership teams and developing local loan funds to facilitate sustainable economic gardening.

1. Kansas EconomicKansas Economic
Gardening NetWorkGardening NetWork

2. NetWork Kansas in BriefNetWork Kansas in Brief
• Quasi-Government
• Centralize resources for small businesses
• Gap funding programs
• Entrepreneurship Communities (E-Communities)
• Economic Gardening

3. BackgroundBackground
• Rural Opportunity Conference
• Developed Rural Partner Focus & Research Group
• USDA Grant to launch Economic Gardening Pilot
Program
• Partnerships would be key to success

4. PartnershipsPartnerships
• Partner with National Center for Economic Gardening &
Edward Lowe Foundation
• Resource Partners
• Existing network
• Use communities to identify potential candidates
• Increases rural reach

5. E-CommunitiesE-Communities
• Focus on Community Engagement and Empowerment
• Town, cluster of towns, or entire county
o Often starts with local ED Director
• Competitive Process
• Access to Resources
• Requirements
o Create local leadership team
o Create financial review board
o Partner with administrative support organization
o Establish local loan fund (NetWork KS-owned) via E-ship Tax Credits

6. E-CommunitiesE-Communities
• Local loan fund
• Low-level engagements
o Lenders’ roundtables, business resource fairs
• Deeper Engagements
o Discussion about priority areas, engage resource partners, business
inventory, economic assessment
• Board Certified Programs
o Ice House (Entrepreneurial Mindset)
o Growing Rural Business
o Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
o Destination Boot Camp (existing businesses)
o Economic Gardening (2nd
Stage businesses)

7. Economic GardeningEconomic Gardening
Pilot ProgramPilot Program
Launched in 2011 with 29 RURAL
Businesses
So, how did it go…?

8. AWESOMEAWESOME
+ $33.9 million +141 Jobs
2010 to 2013
22 of 29 Businesses

9. Pilot DataPilot Data
2010 to 20132010 to 2013
3 Year Growth
Average Annual Growth
REVENUEREVENUE JOBSJOBS
U.S. U.S..KS KSKS EG
Businesses
KS EG
Businesses
Source: www.youreconomy.org

10. Kansas Economic Gardening ProgramKansas Economic Gardening Program
55
Businesses
Second-
Stage

11. Lessons LearnedLessons Learned
• Some of the pilot projects did not fit the profile
• Ex: Struggling, too many employees, commodity
based, etc
• Know second-stage businesses are job growers
• Key piece for rural and metro strategy to grow
businesses
• Board Certified Program
• E-Communities

12. Why do I love Economic Gardening?Why do I love Economic Gardening?
• The data doesn’t lie
• Deepens business’s connection with community
• Learn about amazing products in small rural towns
• Reliance Label Solutions & Honey Bees
“We grew by 30% in revenue in
2014 over 2013…up by 42% YTD
compared to last Jan-April” – Laura
Schmidt, Notes to Self
“The research team made me realize the potential of
my business…This wouldn’t have happened if not for
them.” – Mary Kueny, The Porch Swing
“Being able to have access to market research
to really fine tune who you are, where your
niche is, and really accelerate your growth is so
beneficial. I’d absolutely recommend it.” – Mike
Bosch, CEO Reflective Group

13. Imagene Harris
iharris@networkkansas.com
(785)296-0383
@imajayhawk
Facebook: /networkkansas
Twitter: @networkkansas
LinkedIn: NetWork Kansas
www.networkkansas.com