MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
The Hutchinson Community Foundation is preparing to launch the third and final year of its Love Where You Live Resident Perception Survey, with a new $50,000 incentive aimed at increasing participation across Reno County.
A virtual kickoff meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 11, from noon to 1 p.m. The Zoom session will review findings from previous surveys and provide information about how residents and organizations can help distribute the survey and encourage participation throughout Reno County.
Jan Steen, senior program officer for the Hutchinson Community Foundation, said the survey has been conducted since 2024 as a way to gather residents’ perceptions of their communities and identify priorities that can be shared with local governments, nonprofits, volunteers and other community leaders.
“We hope to get more voices,” Steen said. “We’re wanting as many people as possible to tell us what they like about their community, what’s going well, and also what they feel are areas that they can improve upon.”
New this year is a $50,000 grant pool that will be distributed among Reno County communities based on their proportion of survey responses. Steen said the foundation will then conduct community meetings or town halls to help residents determine how those dollars should be used.
The foundation is particularly interested in increasing participation among younger residents, renters, people of color and residents of smaller communities.
Steen said Hutchinson and some of Reno County’s larger communities have accounted for much of the participation during the first two years, while response rates have been lower among young people, renters and people of color.
“We want more voices in those areas,” Steen said of younger residents. “That’s the future of our community. So we want to know what’s important to them.”
Previous survey results have already helped identify community priorities and support projects across Reno County.
Steen said Buhler has made improvements to its senior center and is working on library improvements. The Hutchinson Food Bank has received grant funding, while Arlington was able to install a new heating system in its community center gymnasium. Sylvia and Pretty Prairie have developed community gardens that provide both food access and gathering opportunities.
Results from the first two years have also highlighted broader concerns, including blighted properties, housing, public infrastructure and efforts to attract new businesses and expand existing ones.
However, Steen said priorities vary depending on the community. Some areas have identified food access and childcare as significant issues, while others have focused on downtown revitalization and economic development.
The foundation plans to provide this year's results, along with data from previous years, to the public, city councils, Reno County commissioners, nonprofits and community volunteers. The three-year approach allows officials to identify trends and examine how priorities may have changed since 2024.
Steen said the foundation also wants the survey to lead to action beyond grant funding. After blight emerged as a major priority last year, the foundation began working with Kansas State University’s Brownfields technical assistance program, the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
An afternoon session is planned Oct. 8 to provide communities with information and resources for addressing blighted properties.
Although the survey's formal launch is Aug. 17, Steen said it is already available online. The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete and will remain open through Sept. 30.
The foundation plans to promote participation through businesses, restaurants, churches, youth organizations and community events. Representatives also plan to attend city council meetings, Third Thursday, the Buhler Frolic and other events around Reno County.
Residents can complete the survey or register for Tuesday’s kickoff meeting at RenoSurvey.com.
Steen said participating gives residents an opportunity to directly influence efforts to improve their communities.
“We’re getting your voice about what you feel about your community, what you feel the priorities are in your community,” Steen said. “This is a way that you can help better your community.”