Kansas Department of Commerce Receives Many Awards

Press Releases from the Kansas Department of Commerce

The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced many awards that they received, including eight national economic development awards as well as three programs receiving NADO 2026 Impact awards.

Read the press releases about all these awards below.

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Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce today announced the Department of Commerce has earned eight 2026 Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). This marks another year of remarkable recognition for Kansas economic development initiatives, which included two gold awards, five silver awards and one bronze award.

Each of the awarded projects is a testament to the agency’s innovative approach to strengthening Kansas’ communities and businesses, creating conditions for long-term economic growth.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for the Department of Commerce and reflects the extraordinary work that is happening across our agency,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “These awards recognize programs addressing some of the toughest challenges facing our communities — from housing and downtown revitalization to neighborhood development, community engagement and major business investment.”

The 2026 IEDC award-winning Department of Commerce projects include:

• Fostering Residential Advancement through Mentoring and Education (FRAME) – Gold Award and Best in Show Nominee, Postsecondary Education Partnership category

• Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) – Gold Award, Innovative Economic Development category

• Towns Grant – Silver Award, Public-Private Partnership category

• Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (HEAL) Grant – Silver Award, Real Estate Development and Reuse category

• Overhaul of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – Silver Award, Best Use of Federal Resources category

• Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) Grant – Silver Award, Neighborhood Development category

• Kansas Community Empowerment (KCE) Listening Tour – Bronze Award, Special Event category

• Merck Animal Health Expansion (Project Magenta) – Bronze Award, Business Retention and Expansion category

The awarded programs and events represent a broad range of economic development strategies. Together, these awards demonstrate how investments in housing, education, neighborhoods, historic properties, community capacity and local partnerships can strengthen the economic foundation of Kansas communities.

“The IEDC awards validate the idea that economic development happens in many different ways,” Assistant Secretary of Quality Places Matt Godinez said. “When we talk about quality places, we are talking about communities where people want to live, where businesses want to invest and where families can build their futures. Investing in housing, neighborhoods, education and community leadership all have a part in that equation.”

FRAME also was selected as one of 15 programs nominated for the Best in Show award, recognizing transformative initiatives that have made a powerful, lasting impact on communities and regions. The Best in Show winner will be announced during the 2026 IEDC Annual Conference in New Orleans on October 25-28.

The IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Awards program recognizes innovative economic development projects and programs from communities and organizations across the globe. The awards program has 26 categories showcasing transformative efforts that have made a significant impact on communities, regions and nations.

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Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that three Department of Commerce programs were selected as recipients of the 2026 Aliceann Wohlbruck NADO Impact Award. The awards from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) recognize the innovative efforts that are strengthening Kansas communities through housing, community engagement and economic development.

“These awards represent three very different projects, but each are designed to understand what communities need and find ways to help them move forward,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We want to meet communities where they are, give them the tools and resources they need, and help them turn their ideas into action.”

NADO announced 94 winning projects led by 58 organizations across 20 states. The awards recognize projects and partnerships that demonstrate how regional development organizations are turning vision into action and delivering measurable results.

NADO awarded the following programs:

• Fostering Residential Advancement through Mentoring and Education (FRAME) – The grant supports technical and community colleges in Kansas to enhance and expand programs that train skilled trade workers while addressing the state’s housing needs. FRAME provides funding for colleges to build homes, collaborate with local high school students, and create sustainable workforce training programs.

• Kansas Community Empowerment Listening Tour – The tour marked the beginning of Commerce’s administration of the Kansas Community Empowerment program. The agency traveled throughout Kansas to listen directly to communities, understand their priorities and learn what they needed to succeed. The tour helped build a framework where communities of different sizes, needs and levels of capacity can find a place to participate and grow.

• Residential Opportunities on Main Street (ROOMS) – A program that encourages the renovation and improvement of upper floors in commercial buildings with local Main Street districts, creating new housing opportunities in downtowns while rehabilitating and preserving existing properties and expanding the local tax base.

“Economic development is about building places where people can launch a career, put down roots, start a business and invest in the community they call home,” Assistant Secretary of Quality Places Matt Godinez said. “Our awarded projects show that when we tackle the fundamental needs, we’re able to improve communities and set the stage for continued growth.”

Together the projects demonstrate a broader approach to economic development and why it’s important to invest in people, places and infrastructure to create a foundation for long-term growth.

The awards are named in honor of Aliceann Wohlbruck, NADO’s founding executive director, and recognizes 20 years of steadfast advocacy for rural and small-town economic development through regional collaboration.

The Kansas Department of Commerce and the awarded projects will be recognized alongside the other 2026 honorees at NADO’s 2026 Annual Training Conference in Reno, Nevada, this October.