Professional Development Scholarship

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center is one of 12 regional food business centers established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2023.  K-State Research and Extension is a key partner in the Center and has established a professional development scholarship with the Center's funding.  

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance to Kansas food and farm-based businesses to participate in educational and/or professional development opportunities that will improve their enterprises. Requests for financial assistance should be for training that are not already provided by HRFBC collaborators.

Eligibility requirements:

• Actively engaged with Heartland Regional Food Business Center.
• Must be a food or farm-based business operating in Kansas with an identified training need to improve their business.
• Training must be related to the food business’ ability to access new markets, expand product lines. This funding cannot be used for training related to growing or raising food.
• Eligible individuals include: Food Entrepreneurs, Farmers, Business Leaders within Restaurant, Incubator Kitchens, Farmers’ Market, Food Hubs, and Grocery Store sectors.

Examples of eligible professional development opportunities that could be covered by this fund:

• NetWork Kansas Trainings: Destination Bootcamp, Entrepreneur Business Basics, The Kansas Ice House Entrepreneurship Program, Food Entrepreneur Bootcamp
• For producers: Local Foods Producer Workshops
• For restauranteurs:
  • Online Restaurant Academy
  • Food Truck Training Classes
  • ServSafe Manager and Staff training
• For Food Processors: Workshops for Food Processors - Acidified Food Manufacturing School and Better Processing Control School
• For Grocers:
  • National Grocery Association School
  • IGA and Coca-Cola Institute
  • Mobile Market Summit
• Other opportunities that relates to your business.

Selected individuals may request up to $1,000 of funding to support:

• Registration cost
• Lodging
• Travel/transportation (airfare or mileage reimbursement)
• This scholarship will be provided on a reimbursement basis.

This scholarship does not cover:

• Meals and incidentals (transportation at location, parking)

Selected individuals will:

• Have an identified training in mind that will take place within 1-6 months of submission
• Be able to clearly articulate the benefit of identified training to their business

Application Process:

1. Receive an invitation to apply for a scholarship from the HRFBC team.
2. Apply within 1-6 months of the training. If your opportunity is more than 6 months away, you can apply, and we will notify you once we are within 6 months of the event. Applicant must upload a completed W-9 before it is evaluated. A link to upload a W-9 will be in the final page of the application.
3. Evaluation: The application will be evaluated by the K-State Research and Extension, Heartland Regional Food Business Center team
4. Notification: Applicants will receive notification of approval no later than sixty days after the application is submitted.
5. Reimbursement Process: Recipient will be asked to submit required documentation, including but not limited to W9, related receipts, etc. Reimbursement will be processed after training is complete. Once all required documentation is received, reimbursement will be completed within 4-6 weeks.