Opportunity Overview
Open now. The Emporia Community Foundation is accepting applications for the Flint Hills Community Fund – Dyslexia & Reading Programs. For 2026, the designated geography is Chase County, Kansas. The fund supports research or programs for students diagnosed with dyslexia or reading challenges, with emphasis on specific projects that improve the lives of children with dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
Funding and Deadline
The official 2026 application states that total funding available for the Dyslexia and Reading Programs is $2,473.12. The controlling materials do not separately state a per-request ceiling, so Atlas does not treat the total program amount as an expressly published individual award cap.
Applications are due September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The ECF public calendar supplies the 5:00 PM closing time. No time zone is published, so none is inferred.
Eligibility and Funding Rules
Individuals are not eligible. The application states that entities with taxing authority generally are not supported except for specific one-time special projects that are innovative and above basic services. The fund does not support fundraising projects, annual drives or repetitive grants, personnel positions, operating expenses, multi-year grants, or pledges. Dollar or volunteer-hour matches are favorable but are not mandatory, and projects with a high degree of volunteerism receive extra consideration.
Application Requirements
The current application asks for organization and contact information, 501(c)(3) status, total project cost, amount requested, the approximate number of children or people directly affected, and a project narrative of 200 words or less. A detailed project budget is required; additional documentation may be included, with brevity encouraged.
Submission Instruction Conflict
The official two-page application contains conflicting submission instructions. Page 1 says to complete the form and email it to emporiacf@emporiacf.org, while page 2 says eight copies of the application and supporting documentation should be sent or delivered to ECF at 527 Commercial St., Suite B, Emporia, KS 66801. Applicants should confirm the controlling submission method directly with ECF before final submission rather than infer which instruction supersedes the other.
Atlas Assessment
Atlas Opportunity Score: 55/100. The opportunity is tightly targeted to dyslexia and reading interventions for Chase County students and has a small verified 2026 funding pool. It can still be useful for a defined, modest school or nonprofit reading-support project that fits the fund’s restrictions.
N9+ Fit: 0/100. The verified scope does not establish a legitimate N9+ or remote physical-examination pathway. Atlas should not force-fit N9+ into this opportunity.
Recommended Next Action
An eligible Chase County organization should define a specific dyslexia or reading-support project, confirm that the project is not routine operating expense or a personnel request, prepare the required 200-word narrative and detailed budget, and clarify the conflicting submission instructions with ECF before filing by September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Official sources: Emporia Community Foundation – Available Grants and the official Flint Hills Community Fund Dyslexia & Reading Programs application.