Liberal, KS—Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) is conducting the “Our Community, Our Future” survey in Liberal and Hugoton in order to gain a deeper understanding of local priorities. The initiative signals a new strategy for the WKCF in its efforts to serve Southwest Kansas. The survey is open to any individual that is a member of these communities as employees, students, or residents.
Survey responses will be followed by community discussion and gathering in each of the surveyed communities. WKCF seeks to bring together people from various sectors, including nonprofits, businesses, healthcare, government, education, and the general public to discuss potential solutions. Community dialogue is expected to take place in September. At that time, WKCF will announce additional funding opportunities for each community.
According to Conny Bogaard, WKCF’s Executive Director, the goal of the “Our Community, Our Future” survey is simple yet ambitious. “We want to better understand how communities are thinking,” she says. “The survey will help us to get a better picture but to truly know what communities want and need, we need more engagement with the people living in those communities. By the end of the day, we hope to not only have a better understanding of local needs, but also to build new partnerships to work on solutions together. The way we will do that will largely depend on the responses we receive from the survey.”
The “Our Community, Our Future” initiative offers a new and unique approach to community service outside of the traditional grantmaking processes of a community foundation. The survey empowers residents in directing resources to address what they view as local needs.
The survey is available in English and Spanish and takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Interested participants can access the survey online through the Foundation’s Facebook page and wkcf.org. Print copies of the survey can be picked up at the public library in each community. The WKCF encourages every community member, high school aged and older, in Liberal and Hugoton to complete the “Our Community, Our Future” survey and provide insight and perspective that will create opportunities to positively impact their community.
Western Kansas Community Foundation is the region’s hub for philanthropy, simplifying giving and amplifying impact through connecting individual donors to causes they care about, and using the power of collective giving to address our region’s greatest challenges. WKCF holds nearly $50 million in more than 200 funds established by individuals, families and organizations, each making a difference in their own unique way. Through WKCF, people who care about Western Kansas can make a lasting impact on the place we call home. For more information visit wkcf.org or call (620) 271-9484.
Spanish Survey: https://forms.gle/ryBtHneuhzZUCdLH8
English Survey: https://forms.gle/G19tpHSLZdRGjgbY9
