Active Atlas Opportunity Score 85/100
KS-KDC-SEED-5-2026 | Kansas | Kansas Department of Commerce | Rural Communities | Childcare | Senior Programming | Libraries | Health and Wellness | Telehealth Access
Kansas Department of Commerce SEED 5.0 Grants 2026
The Kansas Department of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2026 Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) 5.0 grant program. SEED supports tangible quality-of-life and economic-revitalization projects in eligible Kansas communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer.
Funding: Kansas Commerce has $250,000 available for this round. Awards range from $10,000 to $25,000, with an expected 10 to 12 awards. One application may contain up to three projects, but the total request may not exceed $25,000.
Deadline: Applications are due October 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The controlling 2026 guidelines do not publish a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one.
Eligibility: Eligible projects must occur in a Kansas community with a population of not more than 5,000 located in one of the counties listed in the controlling guidelines. Eligible applicants include county or municipal governments, economic development organizations, local chambers of commerce, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations, and tribal organizations. Communities that received a SEED 4.0 grant are ineligible for this round.
Match: A 10% cash match is required. Proof must show the match is in hand through a signed bank letter, grant award letter or agreement, or other signed official documentation. Eligible matching sources may include Community Service Tax Credit Program funds, CDBG funds, other state grants, USDA programs, and general operating funds committed to the same project.
Healthcare and education relevance: Childcare and senior programming is an express SEED category. Eligible childcare costs include educational materials, curriculum, safe-sleep and nutrition supplies, play and recreation items, developmental health screenings and materials, breastfeeding supports, and family-engagement materials. Senior-programming costs may include health, wellness and nutritional materials, equipment and resources, recreation equipment, and technology. Libraries may fund reading materials, technology, furniture, building improvements, and equipment that helps patrons connect to employment, education, general information and essential telehealth services.
Ineligible costs: The program does not support temporary or one-time initiatives such as speaker honorariums, event admission fees, temporary staffing, salaries, or projects relying primarily on consumable goods such as food, paper goods or cleaning supplies. Additional state-level restrictions include fundraising, lobbying and political contributions, bad debts and certain finance charges, and out-of-state travel.
Required application materials: The 2026 guidelines require a signed State Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment Acknowledgment Form, signed W-9, signed OPC form, project photos, and at least one letter of support. Optional supporting materials include architectural or engineering reports, project bids and estimates, and business or marketing plans. Applicants must present a complete project budget and proof of matching funds.
Submission: Applications must be submitted through the Kansas Commerce Salesforce portal under the SEED 5.0 funding opportunity. Required attachments and support materials must be uploaded through Salesforce; incomplete applications or applications missing required documentation will not be considered. Late applications are not accepted under the ordinary process.
N9+ Fit Score: 58/100 conditional applicant-led fit. This is not a direct Dr. Miltie or QC Healthcare procurement. A defensible N9+ concept may exist only where an eligible applicant can tie the technology directly to an allowable senior-programming health/wellness project, library telehealth-access project, or another expressly allowable health-screening use. Atlas should not force N9+ into projects that are primarily childcare, placemaking, food retail, or general library modernization without a documented allowable health or telehealth purpose.
QC Healthcare Fit: 45/100 conditional applicant-partner fit. QC Healthcare may be relevant only where an eligible applicant has a credible, allowable health, wellness, screening, or telehealth-access project and procurement requirements permit the proposed equipment or services.
Direct vendor review: 0/100 direct-vendor classification. SEED is an applicant-led competitive grant, not a solicitation to purchase directly from Dr. Miltie or QC Healthcare.
Controlling sources: Kansas Department of Commerce SEED Grants; 2026 SEED 5.0 Application Guidelines.
Verified September 21, 2026.