Chase County
Chase County is a unique and vibrant community for many reasons and became an Entrepreneurship Community (E-Community) in 2008. Located in the heart of the Flint Hills, Chase County is home to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, the only national park in Kansas. The communities of Matfield Green, Cottonwood Falls, and trong City are located along the National Flint Hills Scenic Byway, which has promoted a tremendous increase in tourism. Local leaders are successfully promoting the area while preserving the rich history the county has to offer.
Chase County is unique for having a large number of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Kansas. These include: Fox Creek Stone Arch Bridge; Lower Fox Creek School; Pioneer Bluffs Ranch Historic District; Spring Hill Ranch (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve); Strong City Opera House; and many others. The Chase County Courthouse was named one of the 8 Architectural Wonders of Kansas. Chase County has an estimated population of 3,030 and is ranked 87th
among the 105 counties in Kansas.
Entrepreneurship Community (E-Community) Key Contact
Shari Dewitt, City Clerk
City of Strong City
P.O. Box 208
Strong City, KS 66869
strongcity@sbcglobal.net
Office: 620-273-6345
Suzan Barnes, Proprietor
Grand Central Hotel
215 Broadway
Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845
suzan.barnes@sbcglobal.net
Office: 620-273-6763
Application & Process
Description-Application for Chase County E-Community Funds.FINAL.pdf Links
Official Chase County Website Key Resources
Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC), Emporia State University
The Kansas Small Business Development Center offers free & confidential business management counseling, including business plan development, marketing, financial analysis for existing businesses & start-ups.
Kansas Department of Commerce, Business Development Division, North Central Region
The Kansas Department of Commerce Business Development Division promotes the growth, diversification, and retention of existing business, as well as assists in recruiting new businesses to Kansas, and creating new job opportunities.
KDOC Office of Rural Opportunity (ORO), Central Region
The KDOC ORO serves as a contact point for rural communities seeking assistance with community development to help attract businesses, workers, and investment.
Eastern Kansas Economic Development Group
As a Certified Development Corporation, Eastern Kansas Economic Development Group completes business finance packages, does financial analysis on business projects, assists with strategic planning for individual communities or for the region, and completes Community Development Block Grants for communities.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Area 4
USDA offers many different loan and grant programs for business startups and expansions.
Flint Hills Resource Conservation and Development
Flint Hills RC&D provides assistance with business planning, technical details, networking, and financial areas of starting or running a business.