Commerce Awards $380,000 for Rural Counties to Market ROZ Program

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced $380,000 has been awarded to 40 Kansas counties in the first round of Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) Local Marketing Grants. The funds are intended to help counties market the unique ROZ financial incentives available to new residents: Student loan repayment assistance and/or 100% state income tax credit.

Counties that have annually contributed and supported the matching requirement of the program will receive between $5,000 and $15,000 to better support and promote their program. Funding will assist the counties and local partner organizations as they develop customized marketing strategies best suited for their community.

Awarded funds can be used for initiatives such as:

Creating or improving a community’s ROZ marketing approach to highlight the opportunities for relocation
Creating a new promotional relocation video
Supporting a talent recruitment campaign at colleges and universities
“These new funds are intended for sponsoring counties and local partner organizations to allow for their creativity to flow and focus on how to effectively highlight their communities,” Director of Office of Rural Prosperity Trisha Purdon said. “Communities now will have the financial resources to market their rural communities to people looking to move to rural Kansas. I’m thrilled to see how each county promotes their town and everything it has to offer.”

Awards are granted based on the county’s annual sponsorship of ROZ.

Awarded Grants include:

Hamilton County $15,000.00
Finney County $ 10,000.00
Gray County $ 10,000.00
Haskell County $ 10,000.00
Kearny County $ 10,000.00
Stanton County $ 10,000.00
Stevens County $ 10,000.00
Meade County $ 10,000.00
Morton County $ 5,000.00