Our History

The first annual entrepreneurship competition was held at the Stafford County Fair.

The first annual photograph contest was held at the Stafford County Fair for residents to capture what it’s like to Live, Work, and Play in Stafford County.

A Board of Directors was established.

Stafford County Economic Development was incorporated as a Kansas Not-fo-Profit Corporation which significantly expanded funding opportunities, provided the Board with clear authority, and allowed funds to be carried from one year to the next.

Stafford County was designated a Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) by the Kansas Legislature and the first ROZ recipients moved to St. John.

Stafford County was chosen as a NetWork Kansas E-Community. The E in E-Community stands for entrepreneurship. This partnership provides resources and loan funds for entrepreneurs and business owners in our County.

Hayden Welda was hired as a summer intern and remained on staff through December.

A group of Stafford County residents took a bus trip to Atwood to learn about how they cultivate entrepreneurship and youth engagement.  Farm Bureau gave a grant to cover the travel expenses.

Testified before the Kansas Board of Pharmacy in favor of regulations that would allow retail pharmacies to operate in Kansas.  The Board agreed to receive applications for rural telepharmacies through a pilot program.

An entrepreneurship class was held for 5th-9th graders at the Ida Long Goodman Library in St. John.

Another small business loan was made through our E-Community partnership. this one was to the Stafford Mercantile (Stafford).

Hosted an open house for Eco Devo in the community room of the Courthouse Annex.

The supplies for the five high tunnel greenhouses were delivered to Stafford County participants.

Received a $25,000 grant from the Kansas Health Foundation to complete a Healthy Communities Initiative plan focused on encouraging the development of more readily available healthy food and environmental changes promoting physical activity.

Assisted the Stafford Mercantile by partnering with Kiowa County Media Center to create a video to support an online fundraising campaign.

Hosted a construction workshop and set up one of the five high tunnels.

Governor Brownback visited Hudson to tour Stafford County Flour Mills and the EcoDevo High Tunnel project owned by Mike and Amber Murphy.

Sydney Blanton joined EcoDevo as the new full-time Program Director.

The third annual entrepreneuship competition was held at the Stafford County Fair for participants to win a chance at $600 in cash. First place went to Lucas and Sarah Stoelting and second place went to Jill Stimatze​.

The third annual photography contest was held at the Stafford County fair for residents to capture what it’s like to Live, Work and Play in Stafford County.

An after-school entrepreneurship program began at Stafford USD 349 and St. John-Hudson USD 350 with Program Director, Sydney Blanton.

Walkability assessments were conducted in our four biggest communities to assess their sidewalk appearances, conditions, and safety as part of the Healthy Communities Initiative.

Color Me Lucky 5K Run/Walk held in St. John as part of the Healthy Communities Initiative.

The Stafford STARS After School Entrepreneurship students visited Wichita State University for a tour of campus, listened to a business forum, and then bowled in the newly renovated student center.

Program Director, Sydney Blanton marketed the Stafford Chamber of Commerce annual banquet and auction that featured entertainment by the high school forensics team.

Presented the City of Stafford with two bike racks in partnership with the Stafford Recreation Commission. These were designed by Stafford students and welded together by the Stafford High School Welding Class. Funding came from Golden Belt Community Foundation.

Took the LIFE After-School Entrepreneurship students to our monthly radio program on 1590 KVGB where they talked about their entrepreneurship class experience.

LIFE After-School Entrepreneurship students sold dog treats at a booth during St. John’s Jubilee.

The basement was poured and framing walls put up for the Macksville duplex.

The fourth annual entrepreneurship competition was held at the Stafford County Fair.

The fourth annual photograph contest was held at the Stafford County Fair for residents to capture what it’s like to Live, Work, and Play in Stafford County.

Construction of the Macksville Duplex was completed by Troy Willinger Construction.  An open house was held Sunday, October 26th from 2:00-5:00pm.

Promoted EcoDevo projects and the Stafford S.E.E.D. Center students’ chap stick project at Stafford Oktoberfest.

Program Director, Sydney Blanton worked with the St. John-Hudson art students to create multiple options for a bike rack that will be constructed for the St. John community.

Staff attended the LiveWell Finney County Healthy Community Design Summit to gather ideas for the Stafford County Healthy Communities Initiative.

Received the Master Walk/Bike Plan maps for Stafford and St. John that PedNet Coalition created for the  Healthy Communities Initiative.

Stafford City Council committed $1,000 to paint sharrows along the Master Walk/Bike Plan for the City of Stafford.

A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for sidewalks was available through the Kansas Department of Commerce. It required cities to match 10% of costs and commit to maintaining it. Hudson, Macksville, and Stafford all declined to pursue the grant.

EcoDevo worked with Great Plains Development to write a CDBG application on behalf of the City of St. John for sidewalk implementation along First Street.  For the grant application, the St. John City Council passsed Resolution #769 that dedicated $8,560 in cash funds and $13,480 in force account labor for the sidewalk project located in the southeast part of town as well as Resolution #770 assuring that funds would be available for continued operation and maintenance of the sidewalk project.

Income surveys were walked door-to-door in the southeast part of St. John to prove the latest Census data wrong to meet the low-income requirement for the Community Development Block Grant application.

The Stafford County Healthy Communities Initiative sponsored a Glow Run/Walk at the St. John Jubilee.

The City of St. John was awarded a $198,360 Community Development Block Grant to implement nine blocks of new sidewalk along First Ave. and Monroe St. This was part of the Healthy Communities Initiative.

​The Third Annual Farm and Art Market in St. John geared up for the summer.

The fifth annual photograph contest was held at the Stafford County Fair for residents to capture what it’s like to Live, Work, and Play in Stafford County.

Program Director, Ashlee Bevan continued educating St. John-Hudson USD 350 and Stafford USD 349 4th-6th grade students about entrepreneurship.

Broke ground at the corner of St. Paul and Prairie Ave. in Stafford to construct a new single-family home utilizing the funds raised from the allocation of community service tax credits and the remainder of the Moderate-Income Housing Grant that was not utilized for the duplex construction.

The basement walls and foundation were poured for the single-family home in Stafford.

EcoDevo received a flood of phone calls in regard to the Dillons grocery store in St. John closing.

Stafford USD 349 Superintendent, Mary Jo Taylor, and St. John-Hudson USD 350 Superintendent, Josh Meyer, asked  Executive Director, Carolyn Dunn to testify in opposition of HB 2504 that called for the realignment of school districts.  Carolyn presented to the Education Committee in Topeka that the bill would have undercut State efforts to stimulate growth.

The Stafford STARS After School Entrepreneurship students visited Wichita State University tour Devlin Hall where WSU’s entrepreneurship program is located. Afterward, students were given a business tour of All-Star Sports.

Received a $10,000 grant from the Golden Belt Community Foundation to construct a business incubator in St. John.

NetWork Kansas approved EcoDevo to use $45,000 out of the E-Community Loan Fund as a grant towards the construction of a business incubator.

BG Consultants agreed to begin a preliminary engineering report for the City of Stafford for a downtown streetscape through Live Well Stafford County (formerly the Health Communities Initiative).

Three Stafford High School students participated in the State Entrepreneurship competition that was held at Kansas State University in Manhattan.

Construction was completed on the single-family home that was built in Stafford and an open house was held.

BreAnn Anshutz, a Macksville High School graduate, began a summer internship creating visual stories of EcoDevo and Stafford County.  EcoDevo hired BreAnn through the Ogallala Commons Internship program.

The North Carolina to San Diego Bike & Build group stopped in St. John for a “build day.” They helped by assembling kitchen cabinets for the business incubator and removing plaster in Gray’s Studio.

The Fourth Annual Farm & Art Market in St. John geared up for the summer.

A lot at the corner of 2nd and Main in St. John was purchased with the intention of constructing a new building that would function as a business incubator.

The 1% sales tax passed in St. John to be used for recruiting a grocer and other economic development projects.

EcoDevo staff attended the Accelerate the Heartland Conference in Wichita to learn more about what angel investors are searching for in an entrepreneur.  Topics at this conference also helped with forming ideas for our business incubator.

Awarded a $3,450 Bike & Build Grant towards the construction of the business incubator.

Awarded a $1,000 Midwest Energy Grant towards the construction of the business incubator.

EcoDevo hosted a meeting to inform Stafford County residents about the airport site evaluation study that was kicking-off. Olsson & Associates sent a consultant to discuss the process.

Stafford County was awarded a $100,000 Moderate Income Housing Grant that Executive Director, Carolyn Dunn wrote on their behalf. This grant will provide four individuals/families with a $25,000 down-payment for the construction of a new house within one of the cities in the county.

Executive Director, Carolyn Dunn sold 75% Kansas Entrepreneurship Tax Credits that would be used towards the development of a grocery store in St. John.

A preliminary engineering report for a downtown streetscape in Stafford was completed for the City of Stafford through Live Well Stafford County (formerly Healthy Communities Initiative) funded by Kansas Health Foundation.

Eco Devo brought in a consultant from Wichita State University’s Community Engagement Institute to meet with a Design Team about how to be more forward-thinking with strategic planning for the City of St. John’s future. Members of the Design Team:  Carolyn Dunn, Ashlee Bevan, Josh Meyer, Lisa Cornwell, Amy Collins, Marshall Sanders, Mark Bryant, Jamie Getty. ​

Staff attended the Kansas State University Entrepreneurship Department’s Business Innovators Opportunity Expo to promote our business incubator.

​EcoDevo staff attended the Central Kansas Youth Entrepreneurship Competition in Jetmore to support the students they sponsored from Stafford High School.

EcoDevo purchased land on U.S. Highway 281 and 5th Avenue in St. John for the construction of a new grocery store facility.

White’s Foodliner signed a Letter of Intent to operate the grocery store that Eco Devo plans to construct within the next year.

The seventh annual photography contest was held at the Stafford County Fair for County residents to submit photos of what it’s like to Live, Work and Play in the County.

​Eco Devo staff spent the majority of the month assembling a Community Economic Development grant application to the Department of Health and Human Services for an $800,000 grant that would further the grocery store project.

Two weeks before the election, EcoDevo hosted a City Council Candidate Forum for the City of St. John at the Stafford County Annex.

EcoDevo was notified we received $780,800 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to further the development of the grocery store project. This funding was for the construction of a new grocery, pharmacy, and fuel center in St. John at the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 and 5th Avenue to provide fresh food and approximately 30 jobs.

Executive Director, Carolyn Dunn testified in the Kansas Senate and House for a project sales tax exemption on materials and equipment for the Stafford County Marketplace.

​On February 19th, EcoDevo hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Stafford County Marketplace at the construction site at the intersection of 5th Avenue and U.S. Highway 281 in St. John.

EcoDevo staff attended the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge at Kansas State University to support one Stafford County student that competed.

EcoDevo staff made homemade ice cream for the annual Stafford Chamber of Commerce ice cream social.

Program Director, Ashlee Bevan attended the 2nd annual NetWork Kansas Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Summit at Kansas State University to gather ideas for 2019.

EcoDevo and White’s Foodliner partnered to bring Kansas WorkforceOne’s Mobile Unit to the new grocery store location for a hiring blitz day.

The first Young Professionals of Stafford County event took place at the Livery Stable in St. John.  Participants heard from insurance providers and toured Ag360 Insurance and Farm Bureau.

​Executive Director, Carolyn Dunn presented at the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) Conference in Greensburg about projects in Stafford County.

Kathleen Norman joined the team as our first AmeriCorps VISTA member filling the Employment Opportunity position. Her year of service would focus on developing the remote work and business incubator projects.

The Start Up Central Kansas entrepreneurship classes continued.

Program Director, Ashlee Bevan attended several conferences to learn about different programs and potential grant opportunities.

AmeriCorps VISTA, Kathleen Norman organized a ‘Convening on Coworking Spaces’ at the Masonic Temple in Salina for those in all stages of developing their own.

​On Monday the 17th, EcoDevo hosted the Lieutenant Governor in St. John and Stafford to discuss successes and concerns in Stafford County.

Renovation work began at 311 Broadway in St. John for the Business Incubator and Remote Work Space.

EcoDevo hosted an Open House for Workspace 311, the new business incubator and remote work space at 311 N. Broadway in St. John.  The facility has 10 computer workstations, 3 private offices, a conference room, 2 bathrooms, and a break area.

Program Director, Ashlee Bevan attended a Childcare Do-a-Logue hosted by Phillipsburg Economic Development and the Kansas Sampler Foundation. Childcare is a major issue in Stafford County; there are a few in-home daycares but not enough to meet the demand.

AmeriCorps VISTA, Kathleen Norman worked on developing a remote work program to assist Stafford County residents in getting remote employment. Part of this included completing the Master of Remote Work Certification through Utah State University/Extension.  This program will be available to individuals that choose to participate in the Remote Work Prep Program.

Graduate students in K-State’s Net Positive Studio in the College of Architecture, Planning and Design presented several concept designs for an affordable, energy-efficient house that they would build in Spring 2020.

Devon Wilson joined the team as our third AmeriCorps VISTA member filling the Arts-focused Community Relations position. His year of service focused on the historic Gray Photography Studio and arts programming.

COVID-19 became classified as a pandemic and stay-at-home orders were issued.

Artist Inga Ojala started painting a new mural on the south facing wall at the northwest corner of 2nd and Main in St. John.  The project was sponsored by the Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission and The Church of Jesus Christ in St. John. The mural will depict the founding of the town of St. John: settlers arriving to begin their Utopian community.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic started, the computers at Worskpace 311 started computing for Folding at Home (FAH). FAH is an organization that focuses on fighting world disease. The organization works with Stanford University to use something called ‘distributed computing’ to simulate proteins, and how they function in the body. Essentially, instead of having one computer the size of a building to work through calculations, a million computers already in people’s homes take on the workload. This work load is distributed into smaller work units, almost like homework assignments, to each computer. After that work is completed, the computer waits in line for more work and the cycle continues.

EcoDevo became the point of contact for Stafford County’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) grant.

After 5 years with EcoDevo, our Program Director, Ashlee Bevan left to pursue other opportunities.

Stafford County received its SPARK funds.

​The lot in front of the new mural at 2nd and Main in St. John was landscaped by volunteers.

Kathleen Norman, our former AmeriCorps VISTA,  joins our team as the new Assistant Director.

EcoDevo received a grant and loan package from Federal Home Loan Bank to construct five more homes in Stafford County utilizing the floor plan from the Net+ build. This means a total of 10 new houses in the county including the K-Sate prototype.

K-State Professor Michael Gibson and a group of students came to St. John to continue working on the Net+ Studio house at 8th and Broadway in St. John.

The Stafford County Port Authority board and EcoDevo staff toured the Port of Catoosa to learn more as they work on developing a port in Stafford County.

EcoDevo was awarded an additional grant for our housing development project to help offset the increased cost of materials due to the pandemic.

The Mural Committee and EcoDevo got the park area in front of the mural at 2nd and Main ready for Jubilee and its formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Professor Michael Gibbson and a couple of students returned to St. John to try and finish the house. An in-process open house was held on the Saturday of Jubilee.

Evan Reed joined the team as our fourth AmeriCorps VISTA member and the second one to fill our Arts-Focused Community Relations position. His focus is on working with Gray Photography Studio to create a community arts center and develop arts programming.

The tenth annual photography contest was held at the Stafford County fair for residents to capture People, Places, and Commerce in Stafford County.

Progress continued on the new house in Hudson.

The foundations were poured for the three houses in Stafford.

EcoDevo becomes the fiscal sponsor for the Stafford County Child Care Committee. You can learn more about fiscal sponsorship here.