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July is Independent Retailer Month, where we celebrate the local businesses that provide quality products and services to Montgomery County. For every dollar spent at a local business, $0.67 stays in the community. Small businesses also employ 58.9 million Americans, comprising 47.5% of the workforce. “Every day is a great...
Governor Laura Kelly announced Wednesday a $2.3 million investment in digital skills training and workforce readiness programs that will target nearly 50,000 Kansans. Through the Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans (DOCK) program, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development will partner with 13 organizations to ensure residents can maximize what the...
Local restaurants, catering companies, and food vendors are invited to participate in Taste of Montgomery County on September 18, 2025. This fundraising event for Montgomery County Action Council (MCAC) is expected to attract more than 200 people, creating opportunities for food vendors to reach new customers that will grow their...
Strategic infrastructure planning for life sciences manufacturing facilitiesThe life sciences manufacturing sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by advancements in biotechnology, the rise of personalized medicine and the need for localized production. However, this growth comes with unique challenges, particularly when developing new manufacturing sites. Critical considerations for life sciences...
Governor Kelly Announces Groundbreaking of $43M Freestate Middle Mile Network Broadband Initiative
Jun 2 2025Governor Laura Kelly announced Monday that the Freestate Middle Mile Network, a program aimed to close digital gaps across the state, will officially break ground this month.“The Freestate Network represents yet another transformative step in strengthening our digital future by laying the groundwork for long-term growth and connectivity in our...
Why Art Belongs in Industrial Spaces
Jun 2 2025When business and manufacturing leaders plan facility upgrades, art is not usually part of the blueprint. Equipment, efficiency, and lighting systems come first — and understandably so. Yet, a growing body of research and field experience proves that strategically incorporated art can do more than beautify a facility. It can...
Childcare is an essential part of economic development. When parents have affordable, flexible daycare services, they can enter the workforce and support their families. Local employers in Montgomery County, Kansas, have multiple daycare options, with one unique facility increasing its service hours.ABC Coffeyville will soon provide 24-hour childcare. This allows...
It’s one of the most pressing challenges facing communities across the United States: infrastructure readiness. What’s really at stake in the world of pipelines, utilities and energy grids – and how is it impacting site selection?At the Site Selectors Guild 2025 Annual Conference, leading site selectors came together for the...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, May 13, 2025The Website Will Help Bring Businesses and Individuals to the RegionMONTGOMERY COUNTY, KS – The Montgomery County Action Council (MCAC) is excited to debut its newly designed website, https://www.actioncouncil.com/, created in partnership with Golden Shovel Agency. The redesign brings a clean, modern look to MCAC’s...
Staffing is one of the biggest challenges facing American companies right now and is directly affecting business expansion plans. It’s no longer enough to find a strategically-located site with existing utility infrastructure; companies are increasingly looking for communities with skilled workers and a high quality of life.The economic development experts...
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the Kansas Department of Commerce International Division has been awarded the Regional Export Promotion Program (REPP) Member of the Year Award. This honor from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) was presented at REPP’s 2025 Annual Conference...
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the launch of the Blueprint to Build program, an innovative new Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding round. This program provides rural Kansas communities a faster, more affordable way to construct state-of-the-art community centers.Blueprint to Build enables communities to select...
According to the latest estimates, the United States is short up to 5.5 million homes, preventing Americans from finding the housing they need. Almost every community, no matter its size, needs additional housing investment. However, developers and government leaders in Montgomery County, Kansas, are doing something about it.“There isn’t a...
What Is a Shovel-Ready Site?
Apr 14 2025While there is no formal definition of what constitutes a “shovel-ready” site, here is a working description that our site selection firm relies on. A shovel-ready industrial site is a parcel of land or an existing facility prepped and available for immediate or at least near term use. Here are...
Resilience is no longer just about grit or recovering from setbacks. It’s about anticipating change, staying agile in uncertainty, and continuously evolving. The most future-ready organizations build resilience not just at the leadership level, but across their entire workforce—equipping employees with the skills, mindsets, and support systems they need to...
Governor Laura Kelly announced Thursday that Kansas has been recognized as an Innovation Champion, the highest-scoring category, in the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 2025 Scorecard. This recognition highlights Kansas' commitment to innovation, economic growth, and quality of life.“Being named an Innovation Champion for the third time during my administration underscores...
The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced the launch of a new round of Rural Mural funding to support the creation of projects in rural Kansas communities. The total amount of funding available is $125,000.“Public art is a powerful tool for rural revitalization and bringing vitality and prosperity to all...
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced today $250,000 is available under the Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) grant program to support new upper-floor housing in commercial buildings in Designated Kansas Main Street communities.“Last year’s initial round of ROOMS funding resulted in 34 new housing units across...
The Kansas Department of Commerce today launched the Supporting Innovative Growth through New Signage (SIGNS) grant, a new initiative aimed improving the appearance and appeal of retail and commercial business signage in downtowns across the state. The total funding amount available is $250,000 and will be distributed to support innovative,...
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Residents and business owners in Coffeyville may have noticed a significant increase in the local population as contractors arrive to work on the CVR Energy refinery. The company has brought in 3,000 technicians who will work on the refinery for about seven weeks. Some residents may have seen ads placed...
AGRIBUSINESS: Something Old Made New Again
Mar 24 2025Is the zeitgeist right for ‘agrihoods’?Would you rather invest in a golf course community or one where valuable property is profitably used to grow food?“Agrihoods” are gaining steam as an alternative real estate strategy targeting affluent, younger demographics that are jazzed by the prospect of living and raising families among...
Don’t let the membership renewal window close before you update your account with the Montgomery County Action Council (MCAC). As one of the leading economic development organizations in Montgomery County, MCAC has a variety of programs to support existing businesses that are ready to grow. Whether you have expansion plans...
Lt. Governor Toland Announces More Than $4 Million Available in Community Service Tax Credit Program
Feb 5 2025Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland announced $4.13 million in tax credits will be made available under the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Community Service Tax Credit Program (CSP).“Revitalizing our communities and state requires targeted investments that make people want to live and work in Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and...
President Donald Trump’s 10% additional tariffs on Chinese imports went into effect Tuesday, threatening to make several key categories of goods more expensive from the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese products brought into the U.S. every year.Key FactsThe U.S. imported $426.9 billion worth of Chinese goods in...
