Hometown Grants: Connecting for Good

Evergy’s 2026 Hometown Grant Program, titled "Connecting for Good," is a community-focused funding initiative designed to support nonprofit organizations located within the Evergy service area. This program aligns with Evergy’s Community Vitality focus and aims to uplift community members through basic needs projects. Emphasizing food security, housing, hygiene, and bill payment initiatives, the program targets projects that expand capacity or support special initiatives beyond routine operations. Notably, the program does not fund health-focused projects. The grant opportunity is structured as a one-time funding opportunity, offering up to $10,000 for selected projects. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) status that are physically located within and serve communities in the Evergy service area. Both the applying organization and the proposed project must be situated within this defined geographic boundary. Organizations do not need to be primarily focused on basic needs but must propose a project that directly addresses basic needs to qualify. The 2026 application window for the Hometown Grants opened at 8 a.m. CST on February 2, 2026, and will close at 5 p.m. CST on March 4, 2026. Applicants must submit their proposals via the official Evergy grant submission portal at evergy.com/hometown-grant. Only one submission per project is allowed, and a designated contact person over the age of 18 must be identified for each submission. Evergy employees may be affiliated with applicant organizations but cannot be the applicant themselves. Projects require any necessary preapprovals, permits, or permissions before implementation. Once the application window closes, ten finalists will be selected by Evergy’s Grant Program Committee based on several criteria, including alignment with Evergy’s community impact goals, feasibility, number of individuals and communities served, budget, location, organizational stability, and creativity. These ten finalists will then be featured in a public voting round conducted via Facebook. Voting will last for at least seven business days, and the three projects with the most “likes” at the conclusion of the voting period will each receive a grant award. Awardees will be notified within five business days following the end of voting. Recipients of the Hometown Grant are required to provide status updates, images, and other media documentation throughout the project’s implementation. Evergy reserves rights to use submitted media and information for marketing and promotional purposes. If an awardee cannot accept the grant within two business days of notification, the opportunity may be passed to another applicant. Evergy retains full discretion in awarding and administering the grant program and may terminate or modify it at any time. For questions or clarifications, applicants are encouraged to reach out via [email protected]. The grant is part of Evergy’s broader year-round commitment to supporting community development and volunteer initiatives through targeted funding and partnerships.