The document highlights the importance of entrepreneurial communities, emphasizing that every locality has unique assets and value despite challenges. It discusses the success of the e-communities strategy initiated by Network Kansas, which facilitated 459 loans totaling $13.23 million to support local businesses, especially in small towns. This initiative aims to foster community engagement and sustainable economic development in rural areas.

1. Growing Entrepreneurial
Communities Summit
Rural Communities on the Edge
April 25, 2018
Presented By:
Erik Pedersen, Vice President of Entrepreneurship

2. • Places Matter – Every community is someone’s hometown.
• Communities on the margin have assets and value.
• Failing communities come at a cost.
• Successful regions are built on successful communities.
• Failing communities can begin to threaten our social compact.
Why Should We Care?

3. Shift Toward Community Engagement and Empowerment
“We think that one thing that makes NetWork Kansas
unique and more impactful is that in 2007 they committed
to a ground game, or the E-Communities strategy.
We feel that this was critical.”
Don Macke
Co-Founder of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
Lincoln, NE

4. • Competitive process
• Community definition (town, cluster of towns, county)
• Local leadership team and financial review board
• Creation of locally controlled loan fund (60/40 match)
• Loan fund – Seat on the Bus – Collaborative Strategic Planning
Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities

5. Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities
61 in 2018

6. • 61 local financial review boards
• 459 loans totaling $13.23M, to 438 businesses (as of 3/31/18)
• 16% of total loan package (leveraged $68.2M other capital)
• 48% in towns with population <5K
• 45% startups, 33% expansions, 17% purchase
• 26% retail, 20% restaurant, 5% mfg, 49% service
• 12% business failure rate (13 of the 53 still paying on their loan)
• 19% of loans paid in full (88 of 459 loans)
Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities – Loan
Fund

7. • 61 local financial review boards
• 459 loans totaling $13.23M, to 438 businesses (as of 3/31/18)
• 16% of total loan package (leveraged $68.2M other capital)
• 48% in towns with population <5K
• 45% startups, 33% expansions, 17% purchase
• 26% retail, 20% restaurant, 5% mfg, 49% service
• 12% business failure rate (13 of the 53 still paying on their loan)
• 19% of loans paid in full (88 of 459 loans)
Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities – Loan
Fund

8. • 61 local financial review boards
• 459 loans totaling $13.23M, to 438 businesses (as of 3/31/18)
• 16% of total loan package (leveraged $68.2M other capital)
• 48% in towns with population <5K
• 45% startups, 33% expansions, 17% purchase
• 26% retail, 20% restaurant, 5% mfg, 49% service
• 12% business failure rate (13 of the 53 still paying on their loan)
• 19% of loans paid in full (88 of 459 loans)
Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities – Loan
Fund

9. • Questions we ask: Where do you want to focus? What initiatives will lead to
growing your entrepreneurship-led economic development strategy?
• Youth (31 local events, 700+ students)
• Existing Businesses
• GRB: 2 communities, 40 businesses
• Destination BootCamp: 10 communities, 64 businesses)
• Second Stage Businesses (87 thru Economic Gardening)
Entrepreneurship (E-) Communities – Seat on the
Bus

10. • Hodgeman County (SW KS)
• Population 1,893 (102nd out of 105 KS counties)
• County seat is Jetmore
• Location: proximity to large city, highways, etc..
• Primary industries:
• Challenges:
What does an E-Community Look Like?

11. • Hodgeman County (SW KS)
• Population 1,893 (102nd out of 105 KS counties)
• Location/Geography characteristics: 40 miles from Dodge City (27,000 pop),
HorseThief Reservoir
• Primary industries: Agriculture, Government (Hospital, City/County), Hunting
(local outfitters, motels, restaurants, B&B),
• Challenges: Population decline, Limited Employment Opportunities, Access
to Broadband, Mainstreet revival/retail
What does an E-Community Look Like?

12. Hodgeman County, Kansas
17.0%
-5.1%
-66.7%
-23.5%
45.2%
19.7%
-1.7%
-2.6%
6.2%
-5.0%
-80.0% -60.0% -40.0% -20.0% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0%
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
Figure 4. Percent Age Cohort Change, 1990-2000
30.7%
-13.9%
-72.3%
-48.1%
42.3%
3.4%
11.1%
-4.7%
7.3%
-19.2%
-80.0% -60.0% -40.0% -20.0% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0%
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
Figure 5. Percent Age Cohort Change, 2000-2010

13. • City of Atchison (NE KS)
• Population 11,021
• Unique characteristics: (*maybe say it’s home to Benedictine?)
• Location: proximity to large city, highways, rivers, etc.. (*important info to help
the national audience picture the community)
• Primary industries:
• Challenges:
What does an E-Community Look Like?

14. • City of Atchison (NE KS)
• Population 11,021 (increased approx. 1,000 from ‘00 – ’10)
• Location/Geography characteristics: 35 miles NE of KC Int’l Airport, Missouri
River town est. in 1858, hometown of Amelia Earhart
• Primary industries: Bradken Steel Foundry, MGP Ingredients (distilled spirits,
food ingredients), Education (Benedictine College, Maur Hill – Mount
Academy, Highland CC Tech Center, Riverbend International School, USD
409)
• Challenges: Generational poverty, aging housing stock, white collar job
opportunities, retail development, brain drain
What does an E-Community Look Like?

15. Atchison County, Kansas
12.7%
21.7%
-8.0%
-43.7%
-19.8%
0.1%
-4.1%
-1.0%
-0.5%
-0.8%
-50.0% -40.0% -30.0% -20.0% -10.0% 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0%
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
Figure 4. Percent Age Cohort Change, 1990-2000
7.0%
33.0%
17.1%
-43.1%
-29.1%
1.2%
5.9%
-1.6%
3.0%
-8.2%
-60.0% -40.0% -20.0% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0%
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
Figure 5. Percent Age Cohort Change, 2000-2010

16. Contact Us!
Facebook: /networkkansas
Twitter: @networkkansas
LinkedIn: NetWork Kansas
E-mail: epedersen@networkkansas.com
www.networkkansas.com