Wallace County will use the  funds to support the resurfacing of the Wallace County North Park playground in Sharon Springs, Kansas. The project will replace deteriorated wood chips with approximately 245 cubic yards of loose-fill rubber mulch made from recycled waste tires. This upgrade will significantly enhance playground safety, accessibility, and long-term sustainability in a public park that serves as a primary outdoor recreation area for local families, youth, and visitors. The project has already secured $43,000 in support from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment through its Waste Tire Grant Program, $10,000 from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, and $2,500 from the Wallace County Foundation; which leaves the resurfacing project $13,000 short.

Once funding is secured, Wallace County employees will remove the existing wood chips, level and compact the dirt base, and prepare the site for installation. Volunteers from the community will assist in spreading the new mulch, underscoring local investment and shared responsibility for the park’s upkeep. In Northwest Kansas, where dry winds and harsh weather cause wood chip surfaces to degrade within just a few years, the use of recycled rubber mulch provides a more durable, low-maintenance, and environmentally responsible solution. This material not only improves fall protection for children but also reduces future maintenance costs. North Park is centrally located and highly used year-round by residents from Wallace County’s three communities – Sharon Springs, Wallace, and Weskan – as well as surrounding rural areas. By improving one of our most visible and well-used public spaces, this project will enhance everyday quality of life and contribute to the long-term appeal of Wallace County as a safe, family friendly rural community.

Living Local was created to provide an underserved, rural area with options of community and economic growth opportunities. Living Local is dedicated to helping people in their communities feel engaged and welcomed.

We are in the process of creating a space for young and old in Weskan. The building was purchased in 2023 and the upstairs has been transformed into a coffee shop/bakery ran by two local ladies. The basement is going to be a youth center. We will use the grant funds to purchase games, furniture and a tv for the basement youth center area.

The Flagler Food Pantry was created to serve families and individuals who are suffering from a lack of nutritional food to make meals with. We service around 100-150 people/families twice a month. When we moved to Seibert, the number of people we served doubled and still growing. We continue to serve individuals and families from Arriba, Flagler, Seibert, Vona, Stratton and some from Burlington. The increase in the number of clients that we serve has left our budget stretched beyond limits. We have rent, utilities, and insurance to pay now and also a whole lot more people to serve.

The bulk of our clients are elderly or disabled and unable to work. Their social security payments put them over the SNAP income limits. I have talked to individuals that are so thankful for what they get from us that they almost break down in tears. They use their social security for rent or housing payments and maintenance. With the cost of everything going up they don’t have the money to go into the grocery store and purchase the food they need to feed themselves and their families. We are in desperate need of financial support to continue what we have started; helping people in eastern Colorado.

The Early Childhood Council for Yuma, Washington, and Kit Carson Counties (ECCYWK) will use the grant funding to support the Imagination Library program in Kit Carson County. This program delivers free, high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to children from birth to age five, helping build early literacy skills and school readiness. Currently, ECCYWK has no dedicated funding to support Imagination Library in Kit Carson County.

The program costs $2.60 per child per month, with the State of Colorado covering 50% of the cost through at least 2027. This leaves ECCYWK responsible for $1.30 per child per month. At present, we have 152 children enrolled in Kit Carson County and continue to enroll more each month. Your support will help ensure continued access to this vital early literacy program for young children in our rural communities.

The Bethune School District will use the funds to fix a water issue on the north side of the elementary and gymnasium. This has been a terrific summer for rain but much of it has entered our building. This is not a roof issue but an issue with the landscaping. The water is coming under the slab and has entered the preschool and the central office. The water has also worked its way under the gym wall. It has only been a very small puddle at this point and has done no damage to the gym floor as of yet. We have a bid to mitigate this water problem that falls outside of an insurance claim so far. We would pour a 5 foot (basically sidewalk) around the 102 feet of wall affected. We would also pour a V pan in a corner to move water along. This is a very necessary project. The Bethune School would pay for the finishing touches of the grass landscaping if we could just get the concrete wok completed.

Smoky River Golf Course in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado assists in Advancing Community Health and Youth Development Through Recreation Infrastructure Since 1991, Smoky River Golf Course has been more than just a recreational facility—it has been a cornerstone of health, youth development, and community connection in our rural area. Our mission is to provide inclusive, accessible recreation that promotes active lifestyles, intergenerational engagement, and a sense of belonging for individuals and families alike. We are currently seeking funding to complete and expand our walking and biking path system. These partially developed paths offer much-needed space for walking, running, and cycling—encouraging healthy, year round physical activity for all ages. In an area with limited public infrastructure, this safe and scenic space supports residents who may not play golf but still seek opportunities to stay active.

Our youth golf program is a key component of our impact. Last summer, we served more than 30 youth ages 7–17 through camps and a junior/senior tournament grounded in Positive Youth Development (PYD). Participation is expected to grow this year, and we are in need of additional age appropriate clubs, balls, and training materials to ensure all youth can participate regardless of background or skill level. All youth programming is 100% volunteer-led by community members who give their time after full workdays. Each has been trained or briefed in PYD principles, ensuring the environment is safe, inclusive, and focused on positive mentorship. Youth involved in the program gain not only athletic skills but also values such as respect, teamwork, and community responsibility. Smoky River Golf Course also plays a broader role in giving back to the community: We host memorial tournaments where all proceeds are directed into scholarships for local youth. We maintain a strong partnership with the local school district, offering free course access to student golf athletes and highly discounted rates to all.

The Cheyenne Wells Recreation Association will use the awarded funds to replace these outdated infrastructures on all three ball fields. The following highlights the reason for updates on the fields. Lighting is inefficient and inadequate for evening use, limiting playing time and raising safety concerns. Bleachers are worn, uncomfortable, and do not meet ADA accessibility standards, the existing scoreboard is outdated, frequently malfunctioning, or nonexistent. The sound system is unreliable, hindering communication and event engagement. Upgrading these systems is essential to modernizing the facility, increasing its usability, and creating an environment that is welcoming and safe for all.

The primary goals for this CWRA project include, improving safety and extend field usability with energy-efficient LED lighting, provide safe and inclusive seating through ADA-compliant bleachers, enhance game-day experience with a modern, and digital scoreboard and improve event communication and fan engagement with a new sound system.

Solid Rock Community Development Corporation (SRCDC) recognizes that food insecurity continues to be a pervasive issue in Southeast Colorado Springs, and it will take persistent efforts to alleviate it. SRCDC endorses a two-tiered approach, emphasizing ongoing access to immediate food support while implementing long-term solutions. While SRCDC’s Food Center regularly distributes food to residents, the forthcoming Aquaponic Farm will promote sustainability of Food Center’s operations and promote long-term solutions to community-grown food sources. They will use Eastern Colorado Bank’s funding will help launch this critical initiative. Though the community continually voices desire for local and fresh foods, the area’s high desert soil and dry climate make it challenging to produce food with conventional gardening techniques.

Aquaponics is a system of growing crops and fish together in a recirculating water system. Housed in a temperature-controlled greenhouse, the Aquaponic Farm is ideal for growing fresh produce in areas with limited healthy soil. Instead of soil, crops grow in water coming from holding tanks full of fish. It requires minimal labor and produces an annual yield of approximately 24,000 heads of lettuce, 1,200 pounds of tomatoes, and plentiful microgreens. Previous grant awards from the Co Springs Health Foundation and The Colorado Trust enabled SRCDC to construct the greenhouse on previously vacant land owned by Harrison School District Two, proximal to United Way’s Family Success Center and Van Deist Park. At the time of this writing, the project team is working with city and utilities staff to implement final phases of its operating, electrical, and irrigation systems. If awarded, SRCDC will use the $10,000 for first year needs of the Aquaponic Farm including material for educational classes and outreach, staff time to facilitate crop distribution to SRCDC’s Food Center and other pantry locations, and supply needs for volunteer programs.

Homeward Pikes Peak (HPP)will us the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward Grant of $10,000 for general operating support from Eastern Colorado Bank to help cover costs associated with providing services that deliver personal development and prosocial behaviors for individuals in Colorado Springs exiting homelessness, including Veterans and individuals with disabilities (including mental health), substance abuse, criminal histories, evictions, and domestic violence issues. Specifically, funds will help support case management, referrals to mental health professionals, and substance abuse treatment for all HPP programs.

Recent data from the 2025 Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory Count demonstrates the crucial need for HPP’s programming. There was a 52% rise in homelessness in El Paso County over the past year, rising from 1,146 individuals in 2024 to 1,745, surpassing the previous record of 1,551 in 2018. The number of unsheltered individuals (those living in encampments or other unsafe conditions) more than doubled this year, reaching 522 people. The chronically homeless population, defined as individuals with long-term disabling conditions who have been homeless for at least a year, also rose substantially, from 282 in 2024 to 644 in 2025. Notably, these figures are likely to represent conservative estimates of true values. The Point-in-Time survey does not include individuals staying in institutions like rehabilitation centers, hospitals, or jails, indicating that actual numbers are likely even higher. This grant from Eastern Colorado Bank will help HPP continue to address this growing need and provide crucial housing and recovery services for these underserved and underreported populations.

Each year, countless young people exit foster care, navigate the justice system, or face the risk of system involvement, confronting significant challenges that can impact their long-term well-being and success. Diakonia serves at-risk youth who face these hurdles, which are often mutually-reinforcing, leading to a negative feedback loop of homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and exploitation. Diakonia’s services address this crucial issue by providing needs based vocational programming and services to youth who have been socially marginalized to help them succeed in the workplace and ultimately in life.

Diakonia will use the ECB Giving Back - Looking Forward $10,000 grant to help meet the increased demand for vocational services for at-risk youth within the community. Each month, Diakonia is forced to turn away approximately 10 young adults referred by agencies within the foster system, the justice system, and alternative high schools across the community because of limited capacity. A grant from Eastern Colorado Bank will help Diakonia achieve its goal of serving 90 at-risk youth in 2025 through education and employment support while maintaining caseloads and workloads that promote the greatest chance of success for all clients.