Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) conducted the “Our Community, Our Future” (OCOF) initiative over the course of three years, in Cimarron, Hugoton, Lakin, and Liberal. The purpose of the initiative was to gain a deeper understanding of local priorities. OCOF signals a new strategy for the WKCF in its efforts to serve Southwest Kansas by surveying local community members about their views on their community, its needs, and its successes. The goal of the initiative was simple yet ambitious. Results from the OCOF initiative will help the Foundation understand how the communities think and feel, and provide a clearer picture of their wants and needs. By the end of the initiative, the WKCF came away with not only a better understanding of local needs but also new partnerships to work together on solutions as it considers effective place-based grantmaking. The initiative offered a unique approach to community service outside the traditional grantmaking processes of a community foundation. The survey empowered residents in directing resources to address what they view as local needs, to support the community they know and love. 

The OCOF initiative was comprised of four phases: first, a survey deployed across the four communities in the spring; a community forum in the late summer; a grant application opportunity in the fall; and a grant award at the end of the year. The OCOF initiative was conducted over three years, from 2024 through 2026, with a repeating pattern of phases 1-4 each year across the same four communities. 

If you are a resident of Cimarron, Hugoton, Lakin, or Liberal, we invite you to support your community by attending the community forum for your town.  
 

To see the survey form that was used to collect responses, view the bottom of this page.

"Our Community, Our Future" Survey Reports for 2026 can be viewed by clicking below:

2026

• Cimarron
• Hugoton
• Lakin
• Liberal

Previous year reports can be viewed below:

2025

• Cimarron
• Hugoton
• Lakin
• Liberal

2024

• Cimarron
• Hugoton
• Lakin
• Liberal

Any questions or inquiries can be directed to wkcf@wkcf.org or call our office at (620) 271-9484.