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Manhattan Area Chamber asks Riley County for $55,000 to expand small-business and military outreach
Summary
The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and partner Innovate 24 presented their 2026 budget request to the Riley County Commission on May 8, seeking $20,000 for entrepreneurship and $35,000 for military relations, the same total as their 2025 request.
The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce asked the Riley County Commission on May 8 to continue county support for regional economic development programs, including entrepreneurship services and military-relations work.
Chamber director Darren Solden told commissioners the chamber’s 2026 request totals $55,000: $35,000 for military relations outreach and $20,000 for entrepreneurship and small-business services administered through Innovate 24. Solden said Innovate 24 has helped expand loan programs in Riley County and the surrounding region and that private, city and county partners contribute additional funds toward the effort.
The chamber highlighted recent activity it said demonstrates local impact: locally approved Grow Kansas loans, a portfolio of loan programs used by banks to support small businesses and entrepreneurship consulting delivered countywide. Solden said Innovate 24 has increased capacity and is onboarding additional staff to provide advising, loan administration and consulting to businesses across Riley County.
Stephanie Pierce, executive director of Innovate 24, said this week the organization added staff who live in the Leonardville–Riley area and who will help expand outreach. Pierce said new hires and partnerships with the Washburn University SBDC and local banks will enable Innovate 24 to more actively promote lending programs and advising in rural parts of the county.
Solden also asked for continuation of the chamber’s military relations funding, which he said supports talent-retention efforts, transition services for Fort Riley soldiers and related workforce programming. He described work to connect transitioning service members to technical training and jobs in health care, construction and advanced manufacturing.
Commissioners did not take a vote on the request during the presentation. The chamber said it will follow up with any additional materials and stand ready to answer further budget questions.
The presentation included a detailed breakdown of other public‑private and municipal support and noted the chamber’s request equals what it received in 2025. The chamber said county funds are leveraged with city and private dollars to support these programs.
