Common Good Partnerships
An opportunity to make lasting progress on your biggest challenges.
Purpose and Outcomes
A nonprofit organization founded by the Kansas Health Foundation, the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) provides training to foster leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities. Through Common Good Partnerships (formerly Leadership Transformation Grants), KLC partners with organizations to help them create a culture of leadership that embraces change, tackles problems and seizes opportunities. We are looking for partners across the state to saturate their organization with our proven framework in order to make lasting progress on their biggest challenges.
Research findings on the impact of our courses
KLC’s own research center indicates that leadership development at all levels of an organization leads to a more engaged workforce in the non-profit sector, with employees more committed, more hopeful for the future, and more satisfied with their job. Among high-tech employees, it yields an adaptive mindset, collaborative problem-solving, and better listening and communication. And ORS Impact, funded by a third party, interviewed over 50 of KLC’s past grantees to learn the effect of leadership training on an organization. The research indicates a strong link between increasing leadership behaviors among employees, positive change to culture and greater progress on key challenges facing the organization.
Leadership development and workforce engagement
Leadership development and organizational culture change
Our Process
To deliver these outcomes, we’ve developed a simple yet powerful framework. It starts with the idea that leadership is an activity, not a position, and that anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere. We offer a three-step sequence of dynamic program experiences—The KLC Path—taught by an inspiring and diverse team of teachers and coaches. By speaking to the head, heart and gut, our training shifts perspectives and empowers participants to put what they’ve learned to use immediately. The results drive lasting behavior change, with the power to mobilize an entire organization to own its challenges and seize opportunities to make more progress on what matters the most.
Current and Previous Partners
Read about our ongoing partners and recent grant recipients from previous years.
How the Grant Works
Organizations selected for a Common Good Partnership receive grant-funded access for one year to attend programs on the KLC Path: When Everyone Leads, Your Leadership Edge, Lead for Change, and Equip to Lead. The first two programs (When Everyone Leads and Your Leadership Edge) must be attended in consecutive order; there are two options to complete Step 3 of the path. Organizations are responsible for participant recruitment. With multiple offerings throughout the year, participants are free to choose when to attend their next program in the KLC Path. To accommodate our partners, we will host both in-person and virtual programs throughout 2027. Dates for 2027 programs will be announced this fall.
What’s not covered:
The grant does not cover the cost of books. Organizations will either need to pay for these materials or place the responsibility on individual participants to purchase program materials.
Partnership Requirements
Responsibilities
Each partner organization will establish a Core Team to lead implementation of its Common Good Partnership. As this team is critical to a successful Common Good Partnership, its members must be identified on the application. This Core Team, of 3-5 individuals is responsible for:
- Attending KLC events and programs.
- Recruiting and supporting participants.
- Participating in regular evaluation efforts.
- Utilizing KLC resources and consultation.
Eligible Organizations
The grant is open to civically engaged Kansas organizations in the following sectors:
- Education Sector: school districts, institutions of higher education, school support organizations, educational networks
- Faith Sector: churches, Islamic societies, temples, district level entities, collaborative faith alliances
- Government Sector: city, county, state government agencies
- Nonprofit Sector: community foundations, health organizations, social advocacy, arts organizations, chambers, civic clubs and business associations
Learn more about our continuing and previous partner organizations.
How to Apply
- Register to attend a Q&A about the grants and application process.
- Download and review the Call for Applications.
- Download the Application Questions, review and answer with your team. (This document is available here as .doc and here as a PDF.)
- Collect a Letter of Support from a senior authority within your organization.
- Complete and submit the online Application by September 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Click button below to get started.)
KLC will select applicants and announce decisions in October. Grant Administrators from organizations selected for a Common Good Partnership will attend a virtual onboarding workshop in November.
Attend a 30-minute Q&A call with Partner Manager Camille Scott to receive answers to any questions you have about the 2026 application. Register now for a virtual session. Three options are available: September 1, 2026, at 3 p.m., September 2, 2026, at 11 a.m., and September 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. (CT). The Zoom link will be emailed one week prior to the date for which you register.
For further assistance or more information, contact Camille at cscott@kansasleadershipcenter.org.
