Stafford County Economic Development (EcoDevo) strives to achieve local economic growth by supporting businesses & industry, fostering employment opportunities, improving housing, and cultivating amenities that improve quality of life and encourage population growth.
EcoDevo is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This designation has allowed the organization to pursue grant funding, leverage resources, and invest in our communities.
We have resources for startups, existing businesses, and businesses looking to relocate or expand to Stafford County.
Investing in our communities by improving quality of life and expanding opportunities for residents, so that they are a great place to live.
Public-private partnerships have allowed us to spur industrial development which leads to job creation and increased economic activity.
Property development, the creation of higher-wage jobs, and increased sales tax revenue grow the tax base without increasing the tax burden.
We have undertaken several housing initiatives to increase housing availability throughout Stafford County.
Located in south-central Kansas, Stafford County is making the most of its highway and rail access with the development of a public-private port. This industrial park and transload facility will be ideal for manufacturing, agriculture, and distribution companies.
Living in Stafford County exemplifies simple, safe, small-town living amidst breathtaking beauty in scenic south-central Kansas. You can experience the varied landscapes of prairie, cropland, and saltwater marsh. The abundance of wildlife is astonishing!
Here you will not find an enormous amount of traffic, noise, or crime like you do in the city. Our small communities give you the opportunity to know your neighbors and to get involved with local events and organizations. Everything from serving on the school board to enjoying organized sports to participating in the various town festivals.
High-quality, public education is valued here in Stafford County. With three public school districts, classroom sizes are small and students receive the one-on-one attention with teachers they deserve. Our students have tremendous opportunities to excel both in the classroom and through numerous extra-curricular activities.
In Stafford County, you will find excellent health care services, 21st-century technology, and small-town accessibility. There is a hospital, several clinics, a pharmacy, and several long-term care facilities.
Capacity Building
Citizen-Driven
These projects were initiated by citizens, who then approached EcoDevo to become involved because the organization had the capacity to carry out the project.
Housing
Building new housing and renovating existing housing takes money and the availability of contractors and skilled workers. It has taken years for EcoDevo to build the capacity to take on its current ten-unit rental housing project.
Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Kansas Department of Agriculture provided funding for 5 high tunnels and technical assistance.
Workspace 311, a business incubator and remote work space, opened in August 2019. This was originally conceptualized as Launch Pad Incubator and evolved over time as we adapted to meet the changing needs.
When the Dillons grocery store in St. John closed, citizens and the city got to work trying to recruit a new grocer. EcoDevo eventually stepped in to become the developer of the Stafford County Marketplace opened in October 2018 and is home to White’s Foodliner, Stafford County Drug, and Tiger Stop which is a convenience store and fuel pumps.
EcoDevo facilitated the purchase of a property that the citizens wanted to demolish.
The Founding of St. John mural is located at Main Street and 2nd Avenue in St. John. In 2019, David Robinson approached EcoDevo to be a fiscal sponsor for a mural project. EcoDevo already owned an idea lot for the proposed project and was able to secure matching grant funds.
Duplex built in 2014
House renovated in 2015
Single-family house constructed 2015-2016.
Affordable, energy-efficient house designed and built in conjunction with the Net Positive Studio at K-State. This project began in the fall of 2019. Construction took a year and the house was completed in August 2021.
House currently being built. This is the first of nine additional rental houses being built based on the K-State prototype.
AmeriCorps VISTA (2018-present)
AmeriCorps VISTAs focus on capacity building, basically, they help the organization do more. They do things like research, program development, and grant writing. This extra support allows EcoDevo to further new and existing projects and programs. Find more information here.
Bike & Build (2015, 2016, 2019, 2020)
Pedaling for Affordable Housing. Bike & Build leads service-oriented cycling trips. They have done work days in Stafford County during their cross-country bike trip three different years. And, in 2020, we hosted two Bike & Build volunteers who spent 8 weeks working on projects in Stafford County since the cross-country bike trips were canceled.
2015 – helped with demolition at a house in Hudson house, painted bleachers at the County fairgrounds, and painted the front of the Stafford Chamber of Commerce Sandifer building located in downtown Stafford
2016 – assembly of kitchen cabinets for the Business Incubator and removed plaster at Gray’s Studio
2019 – painted walls and laid carpet tiles at the Business Incubator and replaced boards on bleachers for the Stafford County Fairboard
2020 – worked on Gray’s Studio and assisted with panel assembly for the K-State house build
Entrepreneurship (ongoing)
EcoDevo is committed to supporting new and existing businesses through small business loans, business resources, and entrepreneurship programming. As a NetWork Kansas Entrepreneurship Community (E-Community), EcoDevo has a locally-controlled loan fund to assist entrepreneurs with capital and connectivity to resources to assist entrepreneurs and small businesses. EcoDeveo staff has worked with students at Stafford USD 349 and St. John-Hudson USD 350 on entrepreneurship projects. In 2019, we offered an 8-week entrepreneurial mindset class.
Healthy Communities Initiative (2013-2019)
Later rebranded as Live Well Stafford County, this was a volunteer-based health coalition dedicated to improving the health of all Stafford County residents by building local infrastructure that supports walking and biking to maximize safety, economic, accessibility, and environmental benefits. Live Well Stafford County invested in community education to promote healthy lifestyles and improve the overall quality of life for all residents.
This included organizing a 5K run, conducting walkability assessments in our four largest communities, having Master Walk/Bike Plan maps created for our communities, having preliminary engineering done for the City of Stafford’s downtown streetscape, providing a cooking class in the Macksville, Stafford and St. John, and bringing back the St. John Farm and Art Market.
Photography Contest (ongoing)
EcoDevo sponsors an annual photography contest at the county fair for images that will be used on promotional materials and/or our website. There are three categories: people, places, and commerce. One winner is selected from each of the categories and an unlimited number of honorable mentions are also selected. Consideration is given to the clarity of the image, visual appeal, and artistic quality. Photos that include people and portray everyday life are encouraged.
Workforce (ongoing)
EcoDevo sees value in providing training and support to those looking for work. We first launched our Remote Work Programs in the Fall 2019. This program has helped individuals with the job search process: writing resumes, applying for jobs, gaining remote work skills, etc. While there has been some success, we are currently re-evaluating and developing new programming to better assist local residents who want to enter the remote job market. We are also piloting a new program called Empowerment Training with the JAG program at Stafford USD 349.
EcoDevo has assisted a number of entities in the county apply for grants. These are some of the grants that they were awarded:
EcoDevo has also served as a grant administrator and fiscal sponsor for several projects. You can learn more about fiscal sponsorship here.
Wrote a grant for Stafford USD 349 to remodel the FACS kitchen with commercial food prep equipment that would enable commercial research and development.
Secured a grant for Gray’s Studio from the Creative Economy Project Support through the Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission.
Helped establish a community improvement fund at Golden Belt Community Foundation for Stafford.
Worked with Great Plains Development to write a Community Development Block Grant application on behalf of the City of St. John for sidewalk implementation along First Street.
Helped Stafford County receive a grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation to conduct an airport feasibility study.
Secured a grant for the county to provide four individuals/families with a $25,000 down-payment for the construction of a new house within city limits. Only two of the four were utilized during the three-year grant period.
The Macksville Housing Authority began working with Economic Development to utilize some programs to do updates to the Evergreen Apartments.
Wrote a grant for the City of Stafford to the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation. This provided funding for the Stafford Landbank to renovate three houses.
Secured grant funding for the Port Authority of Stafford County so it could begin the necessary legal and engineering work for port development.
Wrote a historic preservation grant for Gray Photography Studio to shore up structural issues and continue the restoration.
Our E-Community partnership with Network Kansas gives us access to funding to be able to provide small business loans. You can find out more information about this partnership and loans here.
in loan funding provided to local businesses
Elroy’s Pizza
Mary’s Kitchen
Beauty Trendz
Stompin Ground
Stafford Mercantile
Rustik’s
Forget Me Not
Chic Shack Salon and Spa
Farm Bureau Insurance
Triplet Automotive
