Some milestones take years to reach — and some are worth every mile of the journey.
According to the Driving Dickinson County organization, Dickinson County has officially been awarded E-Community status by Network Kansas, joining a statewide network of communities committed to building stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems. This designation has appeared in the organization’s strategic plans for over a decade, and Driving Dickinson County is proud to say: the county is finally in the driver’s seat.
E-Community status is a practical, tangible set of tools — capital, coaching, connections, and programming — now available to every entrepreneur, small business owner, and aspiring startup in Dickinson County. It is one of the most meaningful economic development milestones the organization has achieved under new leadership, and it would not have happened without the persistence of leaders who kept this goal alive through every strategic plan, and the support of partners who believed in what Dickinson County can become.
“We have been on this road for many years. Earning E-Community designation means Dickinson County is now backed by one of the most powerful entrepreneurship networks in the state — and our businesses will feel that difference,” said Natalie Muruato, CEO of Driving Dickinson County.
About Network Kansas E-Community
Network Kansas is a statewide organization established through the Kansas Economic Growth Act to drive entrepreneurship and small business growth across Kansas. The E-Community Partnership connects local communities with the tools, expertise, and capital their entrepreneurs need to start, grow, and sustain businesses. Today, the E-Community network spans more than 75 Kansas communities — and Dickinson County is proud to be among them.
Designation is not automatic but a competitive application process. It requires a community commitment: local leadership teams, a financial review board, and a genuine investment in building an entrepreneurial environment. Driving Dickinson County is making that commitment on behalf of every community in the county.
The E-Community program has approved more than $26 million to Kansas businesses through its loan programs and connects entrepreneurs with a statewide network of 600+ resource partners.
What E-Community Status Means for Dickinson County
E-Community designation opens immediate access to gap financing through a locally-controlled revolving loan fund. Loans range from $3,000 to $45,000–$50,000 and can cover up to 60% of a total financing package, working alongside a bank or funding partner to help entrepreneurs close the capital gap. Funds can be used for equipment, real estate, inventory, and working capital.
Beyond financing, the designation provides access to additional Network Kansas funding programs including GrowKS, the Kansas Community Investment Fund (KCIF), and the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative (KHFI), as well as entrepreneurship programming, technical assistance, and Community Entrepreneurship Advisors who serve as a dedicated bridge between Dickinson County and the full Network Kansas ecosystem.
How the Loan Program Works
If a business needs $20,000 in total capital, a local bank or funding partner provides 40% ($8,000), and the E-Community loan fund covers up to 60% ($12,000). The loan is locally administered, with decisions made in Dickinson County by a local financial review board. Applications are scored on financial soundness, owner experience, business plan quality, projected growth and economic impact, quality of life contribution, and community commitment.
More Than Capital: A Community Commitment
What makes E-Community designation meaningful is not just the money — it is what it says about Dickinson County. Becoming an E-Community requires a community to formally commit to entrepreneurship as an economic development strategy. It signals to businesses, investors, and future residents that this is a county that believes in its own people.
Driving Dickinson County has always believed that. Now the organization has the statewide partnership to prove it — and the tools to back it up.
“Entrepreneurship is not a side lane. It is one of the core roads to Dickinson County’s economic future — and E-Community status puts us in a much stronger position to travel it,” Muruato added.
Driving Dickinson County expressed gratitude to the team at Network Kansas for their partnership, patience, and belief in what rural Kansas communities can accomplish when they commit to growth.
