Heartland Together: Liberal
Entrepreneurship for inclusive prosperity
About
Overview
Welcome to Heartland Together, an initiative dedicated to strengthening communities by promoting local entrepreneurship!
This Campaign aims to mobilize community members like you to take action to create a more welcoming environment for entrepreneurs in Liberal. Whether you're passionate about small businesses, entrepreneurs, or simply want to see your community flourish, there's a place for everyone to participate.
The adaptive challenge at the heart of this Campaign is building a robust support system for entrepreneurs. This encompasses various related challenges, including:
- Promoting collaboration between organizations that support entrepreneurs
- Improving understanding of entrepreneurs' needs
- Helping organizations that support entrepreneurs to better understand and support underserved populations
- Increasing awareness and connectivity to available entrepreneur services
- Encouraging more community members to recognize their stake in entrepreneurship
We know that each community member brings a unique perspective and can influence these challenges in their own meaningful way. That's why we need all of you, and the people you'll engage, to be involved in this effort!
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, let's foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Liberal!
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Micro-grants
All Heartland Together Action Teams have the opportunity to apply for a micro-grant, providing crucial support for initiatives aimed at driving progress in their local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Each action project is eligible to receive up to $500 in funding. Whether it's launching a new program, organizing events, or implementing a community outreach initiative, these micro-grants offer financial assistance to turn your vision into reality.
-
Micro-grants
All Heartland Together Action Teams have the opportunity to apply for a micro-grant, providing crucial support for initiatives aimed at driving progress in their local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Each action project is eligible to receive up to $500 in funding. Whether it's launching a new program, organizing events, or implementing a community outreach initiative, these micro-grants offer financial assistance to turn your vision into reality.
Details
Organized by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
- Campaign timeline
- Jun 18 – Sep 30, 2023
- Project deadline
- Sep 29, 2023
Action Projects
I would like to see more people wanting to open their own business.
Lack of Community Pride can effect how out side businesses and people see our town, which has a direct impact on Local Ecosystem and entrepreneurial Development...
Dashboard
- Collaborators
- 8
- Projects Created
- 7
- Total Investment
- $0
- People impacted
- 1,220
| Name | Location | Collaborators | Investment | People impacted | Created |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ed’s Action Project | – | 1 | $0 | 0 | |
| Lucy’s Action Project | – | 1 | $0 | 0 | |
| Lucy’s Action Project | – | 1 | $0 | 0 | |
| Magdalena’s Action Project | – | 1 | $0 | 50 | |
| Making Liberal a Business Friendly Town | – | 1 | $0 | 150 | |
| Mandy’s Action Project | – | 2 | $0 | 1,000 | |
| Women In Business Network | – | 1 | $0 | 20 |
AI summary of the biggest barriers to progress
- Balanced emphasis on both technical process improvements and adaptive, cultural/behavioral change to achieve sustainable entrepreneurship.
- Community buy-in challenges: volunteer fatigue, perceived lack of support, cultural upbringing, language barriers, and fear of rejection hinder participation and momentum.
- Incentive and compensation considerations are critical; volunteer-based involvement may not be sustainable without paid roles or clear incentives.
- Rural women face a pronounced networking gap; there is a need for real-life, gender-specific support networks and mentorship opportunities.
- Online outreach (e.g., Facebook interviews) must be complemented by offline, in-person community-building to be effective.
- Design and outreach should prioritize inclusive access and trust-building: language accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and reducing participation barriers.
AI summary of learnings
- Clear need for women-focused spaces to network and discuss life, business, and careers.
- Local, community-driven approach with strong receptivity to the concept when pitched.
- Growth strategy centered on consistency: regular social media activity, growing a newsletter, and hosting in-person events.
- In-person events are essential for building real connections and community.
- Early event demographics suggest emphasis on Gen Z and minority participants.
- Synergy between online and offline efforts: use events to drive newsletter and social growth, and leverage attendee feedback to attract more participants.