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Advisory committee backs $115 million cap on Build Kansas Fund commitments, prioritizes small and underserved regions
Summary
The Build Kansas Fund advisory committee recommended pausing new commitments after cumulative awards reach $115,000,000 and approved prioritization criteria favoring smaller communities and under‑funded economic development districts; the motion passed by voice vote.
TOPEKA — The advisory committee overseeing the Build Kansas Fund voted Thursday to cap cumulative fund commitments at $115,000,000 and to prioritize awards to smaller and previously under‑served regions.
Sean Wesner, the fund’s presenter, recommended the ceiling as a way to control outstanding commitments while pending federal notifications resolve. "With the remaining allotment of funds, our office recommends we cap all new applications at the Build Kansas Fund cumulative funding amount of a $115,000,000," Wesner said during the committee briefing.
Wesner told committee members the cap is intended as a pause: new applications would be held until pending federal award decisions either confirm or decommit funds. He said the office currently has a net programmable balance of just over $24,000,000 when pending awards and possible FY2027 scenarios are included, and warned a possible $10,000,000 diversion to a commerce initiative would reduce unobligated funding.
Committee members discussed how to prioritize limited funding if the cap is adopted. Options Wesner presented included lowering per‑application ceilings, funding implementation rather than planning grants, prioritizing local governments and multi‑jurisdictional projects, and favoring communities under population thresholds such as 10,000 or 5,000.
Secretary Reid urged the group to agree on a clear top dollar amount and a scoring formula the committee could use to bring consistent recommendations back to the panel. "Our goal here would be to bring you projects to consider that meet the criteria that everybody can agree on," Reid said.
Representative Waymaster moved to adopt the $115,000,000 cap together with the infrastructure hub's prioritization recommendations and a preference for smaller communities. Representative Francis seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion by voice vote, with the chair declaring the motion carries.
Wesner said the cap is designed to be adaptive: if federal notifications result in decommitments, the office would re‑open availability and resume awarding funds. He also said the office will communicate any changes and the pause on its website and continue to field and prioritize applications for when funds free up.
The committee signaled it will meet again in June for further updates on prioritization and next steps.
