The Kansas Rural Center Inc
The Kansas Rural Center Inc is a Kansas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 that delivers sustainable agriculture education, farmer training, and food-system advocacy to Kansas farmers, rural communities, and school districts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersNorth Newton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Kansas Rural Center Inc does
The Kansas Rural Center Inc (KRC) is a Kansas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 that focuses on sustainable agriculture research, education, and advocacy. It serves Kansas farmers, rural communities, school districts, and food-system stakeholders through a portfolio of programs including Farm Beginnings (a beginning-farmer training curriculum delivered via the Farm Beginnings Collaborative), Farm Business Navigation (one-on-one business assistance), the Farm to School Network (currently active in 26 Kansas school districts), the Food Hub Working Group (coordinating 37 active farms in the Kansas City Food Hub network), Soil Health initiatives, the Midwest Agroforestry Coalition Network (MACN) pilot covering five states (KS, MO, IA, WI, MN), and the Heartland Food Business Coalition. The organization operates as a small advocacy and capacity-building entity with 1-10 employees, relying primarily on foundation and federal grants rather than fee-for-service revenue.
KRC's business model is grant-and-donation funded with minimal earned income. Revenue is sourced from foundation grants (notably the Patterson Family Foundation, which stepped in after federal funding disruption), federal grants (historically USDA), individual donations, and nominal workshop/training fees of approximately $15 per participant. Following the termination of the USDA-supported Heartland Regional Food Business Center, KRC helped reconstitute successor coalition infrastructure through the Heartland Food Business Coalition. Its go-to-market approach is relationship-driven and coalition-based rather than commercial: it recruits program participants through partner referrals, agricultural conferences, regional convenings, and direct outreach to school nutrition directors and producer cooperatives.
The organization's underlying "technology" is programmatic and social rather than digital — it consists of curricula, peer-learning cohorts, policy research outputs, convening capacity, and a multi-stakeholder coalition architecture. There is no proprietary software platform, no data product, and no AI component disclosed in the input material. Operational scale is modest: fewer than ten staff coordinating multi-county and now multi-state programming, with program reach measured in dozens of farms, schools, and trainees rather than thousands.
The Kansas Rural Center Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Kansas Rural Center Inc
- Legal name
- Kansas Rural Center Inc
- Website
- https://kansasruralcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Kansas Rural Center Inc is a Kansas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 that delivers sustainable agriculture education, farmer training, and food-system advocacy to Kansas farmers, rural communities, and school districts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Kansas Rural Center Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Agriculture Education and Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Crop Production (1151)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Nutrient Stewardship & Soil Fertility Management (4R Nutrients, Compost, Biofertilizers) (AFAGAMAE), Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)
Keywords
Where The Kansas Rural Center Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Newton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Kansas Rural Center Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: KRC receives donations from individuals and organizations who support sustainable agriculture and rural community development.
- Foundation and Grant Funding: KRC receives funding from foundations such as the Patterson Family Foundation to support continuing programs after USDA funding disruptions. The organization also received funding from USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture for beginning farmer programs.
- Workshop Registration Fees: KRC charges nominal registration fees for workshops and training programs, such as $15 per person for beginning farmer workshop series, with discounts for conference attendees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time | Beginning Farmer Workshop Series - $15 general admission |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Kansas Rural Center Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Kansas Rural Center delivers a portfolio of education, training, advocacy, and technical assistance programs supporting sustainable agriculture and rural communities in Kansas and the Midwest. Core offerings include the Farm Beginnings beginning farmer training program, Farm Business Navigation assistance for farm entrepreneurs, the Farm to School Network, the Kansas Food Hub Working Group, Soil Health initiatives, the Midwest Agricultural Conservation Network, Policy Watch advocacy, and the Views From the Field discussion series, funded by donations, foundation grants, and nominal workshop fees.
Product overview
The Kansas Rural Center is a nonprofit educational and advocacy organization that does not offer a unified software product but rather delivers a portfolio of programs and services focused on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Its core offerings include Farm Beginnings (farmer training), Farm Business Navigation (business support), the Farm to School Network, Kansas Food Hub Working Group, Soil Health initiatives, Views From the Field (discussion series), Policy Watch (advocacy), and Rural Papers (publications). These programs are complemented by the Midwest Agricultural Conservation Network for conservation outreach and the Heartland Food Business Coalition for regional food system development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Farm Beginnings
Quantifiable outcome
- 80 cents of every dollar spent through the Kansas City Food Hub goes directly to farmers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Kansas Rural Center Inc
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Kansas Rural Center Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Kansas Rural Center Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN)coreCoalition advancing state and federal policy for sustainable and organic agriculture. KRC participates in the Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network launched by CalCAN, working with organizations in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
- Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network (MACN)corePilot project supporting conservation among smaller scale, diversified, organic, regenerative, and underserved producers. KRC serves as Conservation Outreach Coordinator for the Kansas region.
- Farm Beginnings CollaborativecoreCohort of 15 organizations across the country focused on beginning farmer and rancher training. KRC developed its curriculum as part of this partnership, sharing best practices and supporting facilitators.
- Growing GrowersminorKRC was a founding partner of this program in the early 2000s, which focuses on training new and beginning farmers in the Kansas City metro region. KRC continues to participate in planning efforts.
- Heartland Food Business CoalitioncoreFormerly the Heartland Regional Food Business Center, this coalition emerged after USDA program termination to continue supporting small and mid-size farm and food entrepreneurs across the region.
- Kansas City Food HubcoreFarmer-owned cooperative food hub coordinating approximately 37 active farms. KRC works with the hub to connect producers to markets and support farm-to-school programs reaching 26 school districts.
- Missouri Rural Crisis CenterminorPartner organization in collaborative efforts including EQIP urban farm tours and conservation outreach coordination in the Kansas City region.
- Prairie Band Potawatomi NationminorSelected as co-recipients of Rural Cinema 2023 grant for environmental justice leaders to host community film series on Food Sovereignty and Water Quality topics.
- National Sustainable Agriculture CoalitioncoreKRC works with this coalition of sustainable agriculture organizations to push for improved Farm Bill programs and policies supporting sustainable agriculture.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Kansas Rural Center Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Practical Farmers of Iowa: Member-supported nonprofit offering farmer-led research, education, and community building on sustainable agriculture in the Midwest. Operates comparable beginning farmer programming, field days, and conference-style events similar to KRC's Farm Beginnings and Farm and Food Conference.
- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Federal policy advocacy coalition of sustainable agriculture organizations, of which KRC is an active member. NSAC's grassroots organizing and Farm Bill advocacy work mirrors KRC's policy arm and represents the broader coalition KRC participates in.
- National Young Farmers Coalition: Nonprofit focused on removing barriers facing young and beginning farmers including land access, capital, and policy change. Directly comparable to KRC's beginning farmer training, mentorship, and Farm Bill advocacy work.
- California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN): State-level coalition advancing climate-friendly and sustainable agriculture policy, which founded the Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network (MACN) that KRC coordinates. CalCAN and KRC share policy advocacy, coalition-building, and sustainable agriculture missions across different geographies.
- Center for Rural Affairs: Midwest-based nonprofit that combines policy advocacy, beginning farmer support, and rural community organizing, very similar to KRC's mission of advancing sustainable agriculture and family farms. Both organizations lobby on federal Farm Bill programs and operate farmer training pipelines for underserved producers.
Emerging players
- FoodCorps: National nonprofit connecting kids to healthy food through school gardens, nutrition education, and farm-to-school programming. Comparable to KRC's Farm to School Network which reaches 26 school districts, though FoodCorps is significantly larger and operates as a service corps model.
- Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES): Upper Midwest nonprofit offering organic farming education, the annual Organic Farming Conference, and beginning farmer resources. Comparable to KRC in sustainable agriculture education focus and event-driven programming, though centered on organic certification rather than diversified farm viability.
- Michael Fields Agricultural Institute: Wisconsin-based nonprofit promoting regenerative and organic agriculture through research, education, and policy work. Comparable in size and scope to KRC, with overlapping focus on soil health, conservation practices, and farmer training programs in the Midwest.
Regional players
- The Land Institute: Kansas-based nonprofit researching perennial agriculture and ecological intensification, including the annual Prairie Festival that KRC promotes through its community calendar. Operates in the same geography and overlapping sustainable agriculture ecosystem but with a research rather than farmer-training focus.
- Carolina Farm Stewardship Association: Southeast-based nonprofit advancing organic and sustainable agriculture through farmer training, farm-to-school programs, and local food system development. Mirrors KRC's integrated programming across training, food hubs, and farm-to-institutional channels, but in a different US region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Kansas Rural Center Inc social profiles
Digital presenceThe Kansas Rural Center Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Kansas Rural Center Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Kansas Rural Center Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Kansas Rural Center Inc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Kansas Rural Center Inc
What does The Kansas Rural Center Inc do?
The Kansas Rural Center delivers a portfolio of education, training, advocacy, and technical assistance programs supporting sustainable agriculture and rural communities in Kansas and the Midwest. Core offerings include the Farm Beginnings beginning farmer training program, Farm Business Navigation assistance for farm entrepreneurs, the Farm to School Network, the Kansas Food Hub Working Group, Soil Health initiatives, the Midwest Agricultural Conservation Network, Policy Watch advocacy, and the Views From the Field discussion series, funded by donations, foundation grants, and nominal workshop fees.
Is The Kansas Rural Center Inc a public or private company?
The Kansas Rural Center Inc is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Kansas Rural Center Inc founded?
The Kansas Rural Center Inc was founded in 1979. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Kansas Rural Center Inc based?
The Kansas Rural Center Inc is headquartered in North Newton, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Kansas Rural Center Inc make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Grant Funding and workshop Registration Fees.
Who are The Kansas Rural Center Inc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Practical Farmers of Iowa, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Young Farmers Coalition, California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) and Center for Rural Affairs. Emerging players are FoodCorps, Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. Regional players are The Land Institute and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association.
Does The Kansas Rural Center Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Kansas Rural Center Inc.
What industry is The Kansas Rural Center Inc in?
The Kansas Rural Center Inc's product category is Sustainable Agriculture Education and Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAI, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, with a secondary code of AFACABAL, Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory). Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 700.