Kansas: New Grant and Incentive Programs

The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) has launched a new set of grant and incentive programs. KCAIC is the state agency within the Department of Commerce that replaced the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) following the KAC’s year-long hiatus precipitated by Governor Sam Brownback’s veto of its budget in 2012. Within its new department, KCAIC is developing programs that encourage creativity as an industry and an economic development tool. For example, the Creative Economy Project Support program provides funding to communities and organizations working to leverage creative endeavors to facilitate economic development, to strengthen quality of life, to revitalize communities and to attract cultural tourists. Grants are available only to projects built on partnerships between the public, private and cultural sectors. Meanwhile, Kansas Creative Arts Industries Incentives offer financial support to creative professionals, businesses and organizations. Incentives—which include wage assistance grants, capital support, and training and education funds—are designed to foster a creative work force as well as facilities and technology expansion. The goal of the program is to encourage creative industries to locate and grow in the state. KCAIC Incentive Funds are available for for-profit applicants as well as nonprofits. For more information, contact KCAIC Director Peter Jasso.