Mastermind McPherson County Surveys now open

McPHERSON – The McPherson County Community Foundation (MCCF) is launching the third year of its Mastermind McPherson County initiative, a community improvement program focused on identifying and addressing local needs. The first phase of the initiative is a community survey, which will be open for responses from March 1 through April 18, 2025.

Mastermind McPherson County aims to create a collaborative process for reviewing and acting on countywide needs. The program involves multiple sectors, including school districts, libraries, and senior centers, across all communities in McPherson County. Each community has unique needs, and the survey will help MCCF and its partners prioritize future projects to address those needs.

Paper surveys can be found and submitted at MCCF’s office (1233 N. Main, McPherson) or online at: https://forms.gle/ahf2ZFTKbvytfbzu5

Conducting the survey annually allows the program to adapt as needs evolve and are met. It also provides valuable insights into the distinct characteristics and priorities of each community in the county. A similar survey conducted in central Missouri demonstrated that community input on the use of funds significantly enhances their effectiveness.

“Our hope is that this initiative will help more clearly identify what our communities value, what they need, and what challenges we have in common,” said Betsy Davis, MCCF Director of Community Services. “I’m excited to see what kind of learning, support, and collaboration will come out of this initiative to really strengthen our communities and help them thrive into the future.”

The second component of the initiative is an annual leaders summit, which brings together community members and leaders from across the county. The summit will focus on presenting survey results and facilitating discussions on potential solutions. These conversations aim to foster collaboration among organizations and address the specific needs of each community. Prior to the summit, breakout sessions will be held in individual communities to dive deeper into the data and engage local residents.

The final component is the action phase, where organizations will submit project proposals and funding requests. A committee will review the proposals, and the MCCF Board of Directors will vote on funding approvals. Projects tied to Mastermind McPherson County that receive funding will begin the following year.

In the previous year, over $60,000 in grants were awarded to six communities based on the results of the community benchmarking survey and summit. This funding supported projects directly aligned with the needs identified by residents and leaders.