Agritourism Educational Scholarship Program

The Kansas Department of Commerce, Rural Development Division has established a scholarship program to assist Kansas agritourism operators attend select conferences, seminars and educational tours, to gain first-hand information regarding agritourism best practices around the region and the country, and to develop relationships within the agritourism industry nationwide.

Commerce will provide scholarship awards up to $2,500 per business per fiscal year for costs associated with educational tours, workshops, seminars, sessions and registrations related to attendance at an approved agritourism, tourism, or agricultural direct marketing conference or for travel required for research and education purposes to approved agritourism operations or agritourism market clusters regionally and nationally. (These trips may be developed by the agritourism operator making the application for grant funding.) To qualify for Commerce scholarship funds, each approved application must consist of a representative from the registered Kansas agritourism operation who is directly involved in the operations, marketing, and development of the business. Funded conference attendance must take place within 12 months of the award. Funds can be used for:

·         Educational seminars
·         Educational tours or sessions
·         Workshops
·         Conferences
·         Best practices research and/or educational trips
·         Other related expenses deemed appropriate by the Department of Commerce Rural Development Staff

All applicant businesses must be registered with the Kansas Department of Commerce.