• 1st Annual Cheylin Entrepreneurship Fair
• Bird City Becomes an "E-Community"
• CHDO Housing Project Approved
• Park Benches, Picnic Tables & Trash Receptacles
• Chatting with Cathy Archives

1st Annual Cheylin Entrpreneurship Fair

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - Cheylin HS Gymnasium
Bird City Century II Development Foundation is hosting the 1st Annual Cheylin Entrepreneurship Fair which is open to Cheylin students in grades 7-12.

Cheylin students who choose to participate will need to come up with a business idea, market and research their proposed business, and write a business plan.

Participants will be judged on the following categories:
* Business Plan
* Product Knowledge (Research & Development)
* Marketing Ideas
* Product & Financial Feasibility
* Commitment to Rural Economy / Lifestyle
* Overall Impression (Verbal Presentation)

$500 will be awarded to 1st Place,
$300 for 2nd Place, and $200 for 3rd Place

Applications for participation must be turned in to the Bird City Century II office no later than February 22, 2010.

Cheylin Entrepreneurship Fair Flyer

2010 Cheylin Entrepreneurship Fair Application

Business Plan Outline

Entrepreneurial Ideas

Bird City Becomes an "E-Community"

NetWork Kansas Expands "E-Community" Partnership
Seven Kansas Communities to
Leverage $1.2 Million For Entrepreneurs

Wichita, Kansas, October 29, 2008 - NetWork Kansas today announced that it has selected seven additional Kansas communities to participate in its innovative Entrepreneurship Community (E-Community) partnership, which was introduced in September, 2007. The following communities were granted $775,000 in tax credits, enabling them to raise more than $1 million in seed funding for entrepreneurs in their respective communities: Augusta; Bird City; Chase County; Kiowa County; Linn County; Marion; and Woodson County.  
 
"Being selected as an E-Community is particularly important as we move toward rebuilding-not just in Greensburg, but throughout the county," said Jeanette Siemens, Kiowa County Economic Development Director. "Partnership with Network Kansas is an excellent avenue to help us grow and improve our economy by encouraging entrepreneurship throughout Kiowa County and we are excited to participate."
 
Each E-Community benefits from an injection of capital raised locally through the NetWork Kansas Entrepreneurship Tax Credit Program to help start and grow businesses in rural Kansas communities. The first six E-Community partners were granted more than $1 million in tax credits, which they used to raise $1.6 million in funding in 2007.
 
"We're very excited by the progress our six pilot communities have already made," said Erik Pedersen, NetWork Kansas Operations Manager. "They have committed funding to six businesses in a relatively short amount of time. The lessons we have learned together will help expedite the process of providing capital to entrepreneurs in these new communities."
 
Each E-Community partners with NetWork Kansas to achieve the following results:  1) Through a tax credit grant, communities establish a fund for entrepreneurs and small business owners that is administered at the local level;  2) Each community identifies local, regional and state assets available to assist entrepreneurs and businesses;  3) Each community establishes a long-term tracking and accountability system to measure business and economic growth; and  4) A long-term partnership with 448 NetWork Kansas resource partners statewide provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
 
In addition to providing access to capital to these new E-Community partners, NetWork Kansas also allocated more than $150,000 of additional funding to the Anderson County (Garnett) E-Community, increasing its total investment in the existing E-Community partners to more than $1.75 million. "It is our hope that every rural community in Kansas will become an E-Community," added Pedersen. "This will result in each community having the ability to connect any entrepreneur in their community to the expertise, education and economic resources they need." 
 
For more information about the NetWork Kansas E- Community partnership or the Entrepreneurship Tax Credit, visit www.networkkansas.com, or call 877.521.8600.  NetWork Kansas was established as a component of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to further entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas.  Backed by 448 partners statewide, the NetWork Kansas service promotes an entrepreneurial environment by connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education and economic resources they need in order to succeed.

CHDO Housing Project Approved

Bird City will see construction this spring to build two 3-bedroom single-family homes and four duplex 2-bedroom units as a result of a cooperation effort between the City of Bird City, the State of Kansas, Northwest Kansas Housing, Inc. a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) based in Hill City, and Bird City Century II Development Foundation.

All units and homes come with the following appliances: stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, garage door opener, water softener, and a washer and dryer. The landlord will provide lawn care for the duplex units and with the help of the tenant, will provide lawn care for the homes. The single-family homes will be approximately 1500 square feet with an unfinished basement and 2-car attached garage. The duplex units will be approximately 1200 square feet with attached single car garages in between the units.

All homes will be available to moderate income renters that meet the 50-60% of median income level, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on this project you can contact City Hall, 785-734-2616, or Cathy Domsch at Bird City Century II Development Foundation, 785-734-2556.

Park Benches, Picnic Tables & Trash Receptacles

Another great opportunity to make a tax deductible donation to the VanDoren Park Project in memory of, or in tribute to someone!

The VanDoren Park Project is a multi-year project of the Foundation. In 2005, a committee of community minded individuals began fundraising and planning for the renovation of the city park in Bird City. The entire project has been funded by grants from Bird City Century II Development Foundation and donations from area organizations, private foundations, friends and citizens of the Bird City community. With new playground equipment, a new walking trail, renovated sand volleyball court, new electrical, plumbing, lighting, sprinkler system and grass, the park is welcoming to Bird City residents and visitors.

Stop by the Bird City Century II Development Foundation office at 107 West Bressler to pick your location in the park!

TEL 785-734-2556

EMAIL cathy@birdcity.com