Great Plains Development

What Great Plains Development does

Great Plains Development, Inc. (GPDI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Dodge City, Kansas. It holds a federally designated EDA Economic Development District (EDD) for the 28 counties of Southwest Kansas and is an SBA Certified Development Company, making it the sole territorially-designated entity providing integrated public-sector economic development services across this region. GPDI's core functions are commercial lending, municipal grant administration, and small-business technical assistance, delivered through a 5-person staff and a network of partnerships with the Kansas Department of Commerce, NetWork Kansas, KSBDC, USDA Rural Development, and Kansas State University. The organization evolved from the Greater Southwest Regional Planning Commission (founded 1972) into Great Plains Development Inc. via a 1987 merger with Nine County Development, with the EDD designation completed across all 28 counties by 1990.

GPDI's product portfolio spans gap-funding loans (4.000%-7.000% fixed rates, 5-15 year terms), SBA 504 and 7(a) loan packaging, EDA and USDA-RD Revolving Loan Funds (up to $150,000), CDBG-ED municipal business loans ($100,000-$750,000), GROWKS partner loans, Kansas Healthy Food Initiative loans, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL/IIJA) grant administration, and free business planning through KSBDC. The underlying operating model is human-driven: no proprietary technology platform, app, API, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; all loan packaging, underwriting, grant writing, and compliance work is delivered through direct in-person consultation and field-based assistance. There is no enterprise software layer — services are coordinated through phone, email, in-person office visits at the Dodge City headquarters, and field site visits across the region.

Revenue mechanics are mixed: GPDI earns net interest income on its own gap-funding loan portfolio, fees for SBA loan packaging and CDBG grant administration, and operational support via EDA planning grants and state appropriations. In FY2025, the organization facilitated $1,680,771 in business loans and $2,350,000 in grant projects, supporting 125 jobs created — figures that represent facilitated capital flow rather than GPDI's own revenue. The go-to-market is a hybrid of enterprise field sales (direct outreach to municipalities and businesses across the 28-county region) and channel-partner referrals (banks, KSBDC, NetWork Kansas). Customer segments are primary small businesses seeking financing gaps and municipalities pursuing infrastructure grants, with non-profits as a secondary segment.

Name

Great Plains Development

Legal name

Great Plains Development, Inc.

Website

https://gpdionline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Plains Development, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EDA-designated Economic Development District serving Southwest Kansas's 28 counties since 1971. It provides gap funding loans, SBA loan packaging, and certified CDBG and federal grant administration to small businesses and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

National/Regional Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (FSABAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Commercial gap funding
• Municipal grant administration
• Small business lending
• Revolving loan funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Dodge City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Gap Funding/Commercial Lending: GPDI provides gap funding loans to complement bank financing, with interest rates ranging from 4.000% to 7.000% fixed. Terms typically extend to 5, 10, or 15 years. These loans fill financing gaps that banks cannot cover, including working capital, equipment, and inventory costs.
2. Grant Administration Services: GPDI provides certified grant administration and grant writing services for municipalities for CDBG and other federal/state programs. The organization serves as an EDA Economic Development District and SBA Certified Development Company.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Great Plains Development, Inc. (GPDI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization that provides gap funding loans, business planning assistance, and certified municipal grant administration for small businesses, municipalities, and non-profits across a 28-county region of Southwest Kansas. As a designated EDA Economic Development District and SBA Certified Development Company, GPDI aggregates access to over 30 federal, state, and local funding programs and packages SBA 504/7(a), CDBG, USDA-RD, EDA, and NetWork Kansas loans and grants on behalf of its clients.

Product overview

Great Plains Development offers a comprehensive portfolio of financial products and services for economic development in Southwest Kansas. The core offerings include Gap Funding products that bridge financing shortfalls alongside bank loans, Business Planning Assistance provided free through the Kansas SBDC partnership, Community Grants (CDBG programs for municipalities), Federal Grants and Loans (EDA, USDA-RD, BIL programs), SBA loan program facilitation, and multiple Revolving Loan Funds targeting different business sizes and counties. The organization serves as an EDA Economic Development District providing over 30 funding sources to support small business development, infrastructure projects, and community improvement across its 28-county service region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gap Funding Loans Specialized loans that complement bank financing to cover financing shortfalls for working capital, equipment, and inventory. Interest rates range from 4.000% to 7.000% fixed, with typical terms of 5 and 10 years (up to 15 years), and no pre-payment penalty. Targeted at small businesses in Southwest Kansas whose projects exceed what banks will fully finance.
• Business Planning Assistance Free custom business planning assistance for new or expanding businesses delivered through a partnership with the Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC). Includes sales/marketing analysis, financial statements and projections, management and HR support, and business advising.
• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Administration Certified grant administration for CDBG programs including CDBG-ED Business Economic Development Loans ($100,000–$750,000 at 0% interest with job creation requirements), CDBG-CI infrastructure grants, Urgent Needs Grants for disaster response, and Housing Grants for low/moderate-income rehabilitation or demolition. Served to municipalities in Southwest Kansas.
• Federal Municipal Grants & Business Loans Administration Grant writing and administration for Economic Development Administration (EDA) public works grants and USDA-Rural Development grants/loans for municipalities, including Business & Industry (B&I) loans and equity injection programs for businesses.
• Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL/IIJA) Grants Grant assistance for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects including water infrastructure, broadband, energy and grid reliability, EV charging, brownfield/Superfund cleanup, airports, public transit, highway and pedestrian safety, rail, and roads/bridges.
• SBA Loan Program Facilitation Loan packaging and servicing for SBA 504 Loan Program (fixed-asset purchases including land, building, construction, machinery, and equipment under a 50/40/10 structure) and SBA 7(a) Guaranty Loan Program (working capital, equipment, inventory up to $5 million). Delivered via GPDI's status as an SBA Certified Development Company.
• Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) Multiple RLF products including EDA RLF (up to $150,000 for working capital, inventory, equipment, machinery, and fixed assets across 27–28 eligible counties), USDA RBEG/RLF for businesses with gross sales under $1 million, and Kansas Tax Credit/RLF up to $150,000.
• NetWork Kansas Partner Loan Funds Statewide loan packaging for NetWork Kansas partner funds including GROWKS (starter loans up to 150% of bank loan with $100,000 cap; growth loans up to 25% with $500,000 cap; target sector up to $1 million at 4–6% fixed), E-Community funds for select southwest Kansas cities, Kansas Community Investment Fund (match to $150,000), and Kansas Healthy Food Initiative.

Quantifiable outcome

• 125 jobs created in FY2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides free custom business planning assistance for new or expanding businesses. GPDI connects clients with KSBDC for online tools, sales and marketing analysis, financial statements/projections, management assistance, and business advising.
• NetWork KansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPDI assists statewide with NetWork Kansas loan packaging. Provides access to multiple partner loan funds including GROWKS, E-Community, Kansas Community Investment Fund, and Kansas Healthy Food Initiative.
• Kansas Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPDI provides certified grant administration and grant writing for CDBG through Kansas Dept. of Commerce. Also assists with Kansas Commerce grants and Community Development Block Grants.
• Kansas Association of Regional Development Organizations (KARDO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPDI is a member of KARDO, providing networking and coordination with other regional development organizations across Kansas.
• Kansas Association of Certified Development Companies (KACDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPDI is a member of KACDC, connecting with other certified development companies in Kansas for shared resources and best practices.
• University of Kansas Institute for Policy and Social ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPDI provides access to the KU Kansas Regional Data Portal for regional data needs, connecting clients with social and economic research resources.
• Kansas State University Technology Development InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDA University Center partnership providing technology development resources and connections to university research capabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Kansas Association of Certified Development Companies (KACDC): Trade association of SBA Certified Development Companies in Kansas. GPDI holds KACDC membership; KACDC members are direct SBA 504 peers competing for similar SBA-administered fixed-asset financing flows within adjacent territories.
• Sunflower Foundation / Kansas Health Foundation: Kansas-based place-based philanthropic foundations funding community and economic development projects. They operate grant funding that complements GPDI's grant administration pipeline and are increasingly relevant as funders of cross-sector projects in rural Kansas.
• Kansas Association of Regional Development Organizations (KARDO): Membership association of Kansas regional development organizations. GPDI is a member of KARDO; the membership and adjacent regional development organizations (e.g., Northwest Kansas Planning & Development, North Central Regional Planning) overlap with GPDI in mission and represent the natural peer cohort of regional EDDs in Kansas.

Others

• USDA Rural Development — Kansas Office: Federal agency operating B&I loan guarantees and rural utility/community grants. GPDI is a financial partner with USDA RD; USDA RD is not a competitor but operates parallel capital pools and grant programs that GPDI intermediates on behalf of clients.
• Economic Development Administration (EDA) — U.S. Department of Commerce: Federal agency that designates and funds Economic Development Districts. GPDI's EDD designation flows from EDA; EDA is a funder-of-last-resort and policy sponsor rather than a competitor, making it an adjacent enabler.

Direct peers

• Northwest Kansas Planning & Development Commission: Adjacent regional planning and economic development organization covering Northwest Kansas counties. Functionally equivalent EDD-style intermediary that performs grant administration, planning, and development services for a different Kansas region — a clear direct peer with overlapping product offering.
• NetWork Kansas: Statewide economic development resource network in Kansas that operates E-Community loan funds, partner loan packaging (GROWKS), and business development services. Listed as a core strategic partner of GPDI, and like GPDI packages statewide loans and connects entrepreneurs with capital, making it the closest direct peer in mandate and product set.

Broad incumbents

• Kansas Department of Commerce: State-level agency administering CDBG, Kansas Commerce grants, and related state economic development funding. GPDI has a core partnership with Kansas DOC for certified grant administration, and Kansas DOC functions as both a partner and a broader incumbent operator of many of the same programs at the statewide level.
• Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC): Statewide small business advisory network that operates as GPDI's core partner for free business planning assistance. KSBDC and GPDI share the small-business advisory mandate at different geographic scopes, making KSBDC a broad incumbent peer.

Regional players

• Dane G. Hansen Foundation: Northwest Kansas-focused private foundation funding community, education, and economic development. Operates grant programs with similar small-community focus to GPDI's CDBG work; considered a regional peer because Hansen funds projects in counties adjacent to the Southwest Kansas region GPDI serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-plains-development-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Plains Development