GrowKS Equity Program

GrowKS Equity Program

Offers growth-oriented equity co-investment for promising Kansas ventures advancing expansion plans.

Eligibility · United States · US-KS

GrowKS Equity is a state-administered co-investment program funded through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) 2.0. Kansas was among the first five states to receive SSBCI 2.0 funding and was allocated approximately $69 million in total across its SSBCI programs. The equity component, jointly overseen by the Kansas Department of Commerce and NetWork Kansas, provides equity investments that match private capital from a qualifying financial institution — a bank, CDFI, or similar — up to $1 million per business. Kansas was awarded more than four times its SSBCI 1.0 allocation under the 2.0 round.

Eligible applicants are for-profit Kansas small businesses. The program deliberately prioritizes underserved geographies — rural and urban-distressed areas — and underserved owner demographics including minority, women-owned, and economically disadvantaged businesses. The matching mechanism requires that private co-investment come from an approved financial institution; GrowKS equity dollars supplement, not replace, that private commitment. There is no published fixed deadline — the program operates on a rolling basis as long as SSBCI 2.0 allocation remains.

Access to GrowKS Equity is not direct. Applicants must first connect with a NetWork Kansas-approved resource partner, which may be a Certified Development Company, a nonprofit technical assistance provider, or an eCommunity partner. The resource partner introduces the business to the program and assists with application. Businesses targeting manufacturing, agtech, hardware, biotech, or capital-intensive sectors are the primary fit. Inquiries are routed through NetWork Kansas (info@networkkansas.com, 1-877-521-8600) or the Kansas Department of Commerce.