Doing Business

+ Community Development Block Grants

Annual Competitive Grant projects include, but are not limited to, water and sewer improvements, fire protection, bridges, community and senior centers, demolition, streets, architectural barrier removal, natural gas systems, electrical systems, public service activities, and nonprofit entities. These grants also apply to housing projects, which include rehabilitation of owner and renter-occupied residences.

Annual Competitive Grants are awarded once a year on a competitive basis and are available in three (3) categories: Water & Sewer, Housing Rehabilitation and Community Facilities. Click here for more information.

+ Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)

The NSP was established for the purpose of stabilizing communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. Through the purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed and abandoned homes and residential properties.

More information about these programs can be found on the Community Development Block Grant program page of the Kansas Department of Commerce website, or by calling 785-296-3004 .

+ Great Plains Development, Inc.

Great Plains Development, Inc. (GPDI) is a Certified Development Company established to assist small businesses in obtaining financing.

GPDI assists businesses with loans for fixed asset purchases with the Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan program. A lending institution provides 50% of the funding, GPDI provides 40% at a fixed interest rate at ten or twenty year terms, and the borrower provides 10%. (New business will be required to provide up to 30%).
GPDI a dministers three in-house loan funds. GPDI disburses the entire loan, sets interest rate and terms. Maximum amount available to any one business is $150,000. Job creation or retention is necessary.

GPDI also packages applications for:

• SBA for working capital
• Kansas Department of Commerce for business and loan programs Rural Development loans to businesses

For more information, contact the Great Plains Development, Inc. at 620-227-6406 or by emailing gpdi@pld.com .

+ Industrial Revenue Bonds

Industrial Revenue Bonds may be used to finance land, building and equipment. Cities may issue the bonds, but issuance is based on the credit of the firm. Bonds are available for the City of Dodge City and Ford County. Contact the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation at 620-227-9501 for assistance in applying for Industrial Revenue Bonds.

+ City and County Revolving Loan Funds

Dodge City, Spearville, and Ford County have special economic development loan funds. These are competitive loan applications. The amount of money available to loan at any given time depends on the balance in the funds at the time of application. For more information about these loans, contact the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation at 620-227-9501 .

+ Kansas Development Finance Authority

The Kansas Development Finance Authority is an independent instrumentality of the state responsible for the issuance and use of bonds and other financial instruments.

Issuance purposes include:

• Financing capital improvement facilities, educational facilities, health care facilities and housing developments.
• Activities and projects of state agencies.
• Any combination or interest in financing such facilities as industrial enterprises, agricultural business enterprises, educational facilities, health care facilities and housing developments.
• Establishing and funding one or more series of venture capital bonds.
• Financing private sector projects in much the same way that cities and counties can issue industrial development bonds (IDBs). Several small projects can be combined, or “pooled”, into one bond issue to benefit from economies of scale.

Contact: Kansas Development Finance Authority 785-357-4445.

+ USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development, through its Business and Industrial Loan Program, guarantees loans from local lenders to businesses and industries to benefit rural areas. A primary purpose of the program is to create and maintain employment and improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities. Any legal entity, including individuals, public and private organizations, and federal recognized Indian tribes may borrow under this program.

USDA assistance is provided in the form of a loan guarantee whereby the agency contracts to reimburse the lender for a maximum of 80% of principal and interest. Lenders are responsible for making and servicing the loans. Applicants may apply for loans through private lenders. Business and Industrial loans are limited to a maximum of $25million.

For more information visit the USDA Rural Development – Kansas website, or call 785-271-2730 .

+ Commercial Neighborhood Revitalization Program

This program is designed to give property owners in the designated NRP area the opportunity to receive a 10-year tax rebate on the increased value of the property. The incremental rebate is applied to the additional property taxes that are incurred as a result of rehabilitating or constructing new commercial property.

Click here for more information.