Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association
Affiliation with JCKHF
Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation
The Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation (JCKHF or Foundation) is a collective civil body of registered 501(c)(3) (or non-registered) non-profit organizations, or governmental agencies, organized for historical and cultural preservation, education, and advocacy purposes in Johnson County, Kansas, to preserve and guard our County’s heritage for present and future generations.
The Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association is a founding member of JCKHF.
The mission of the Foundation is as a revenue source solely for its affiliate member organizations, in partnership with both the public and private sectors of our Johnson County community to support historical and cultural preservation, education, and advocacy solely within Johnson County, Kansas. The Foundation is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of at least one representative from each affiliate member organization, including a limit of members-at-large. With the support of an independent grants review board, the Foundation administers its GRANTS PROGRAM designed to accept contributions from private sector and public sector sources, and to periodically distribute funds solely to its affiliate member organizations for the preservation of valuable heritage and history of Johnson County.
Through its GRANTS PROGRAM, the Foundation offers a tax-deductible funding vehicle to support the mission of the Foundation by providing periodic grant awards to its various affiliate member organizations. For decades, these independently chartered historical associations, societies, and preservation groups have functioned within Johnson County, applying their resources to preserve the historic record of the County. Their achievements are well proven in the preserved and interpreted historic landmarks and historical oriented educational programming designed to nurture and educate the public, and especially to inspire the youth of today. As advocates, these organizations are committed to their mission of preserving the past, and advocate for the public’s interest to preserve our heritage.
The current listing of the Foundation’s affiliate member organizations is noted below:
De Soto Kansas Historical Society
Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area
Gardner Historical Museum, Inc.
Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association
Kansas School for the Deaf Museum
Leawood Historic Commission
Lenexa Historical Society
Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm
Mid-America Nazarene University
Missouri River Outfitters Chapter (SFTA)
Monticello Community Historical Society
Museum of Deaf History, Arts and Culture
Olathe Historical Society
Overland Park Historical Society
Shawnee Mission Indian Historical Society
Stilwell Community Organization
Trails Head Chapter (OCTA)
Member(s) - At -Large
Continue to learn more about the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation:
I. Preserving Johnson County’s Heritage
Our heritage is the cornerstone placed by those before us to build thereupon a quality of lifestyle, grounded in education and valued by those who have vested interests in Johnson County, Kansas. The foundation of our community does not solely rest upon the soil where we construct our homes, businesses, places of worship and recreation. Our community is built upon the character and vision of those who came before us, and the legacy we have inherited.
The preservation of our heritage is more than remembering dates and places in time. It is to know the people who lived the times of our past; understanding the influences upon their lives and how those influences impact our lives today. Our community’s heritage is a collective of its human experience, as documented by its oral history; the printed word; from those activities captured by graphic images; and heirlooms and artifacts representing earlier times and cultures.
To appreciate the legacy of those who planted their roots here in Johnson County is to better capture the appreciation of why we live here. It is imperative for us to preserve that legacy for our generation and the future, and thereby build our lives now upon the foundation of the past.
Volunteers contribute thousands of volunteer hours to Johnson County, annually, for purpose of heritage preservation, education, and advocacy to enhance our Johnson County experience. These volunteers apply resources, skills, knowledge of history, archeology, genealogy, art and anthropology to create a perspective from which we can view a panoramic insight into our past, and to nurture cultural and historic interests within the community. The social and economic impact to the county by historical preservation groups to the county through volunteer hours is significant. Volunteer hours are spent in support of internal and external historical preservation activities, planning and projects, meeting attendance, and travel.
JCKHF affiliate member organizations have partnered together to tell the broader ‘story’ of Johnson County’s past. In our county there are countless narratives which reflect the diverse and richness of our heritage. Each affiliate member organization has a unique story. Each holds a unique piece of the puzzle of our past. Pieced together by each JCKHF affiliate member organization, a unique montage of Johnson County’s heritage is revealed, and the account of our past is more fully realized as it unfolds!
Your support as a ‘Preservation Partner’ with the JCKHF is critical to the fulfillment of its mission, and that of each JCKHF affiliate member organization. As a ‘Preservation Partner’ your support becomes part of the ‘story’ of what Johnson County was, what Johnson County is today, and the heritage of Johnson County, Kansas bequeathed to future generations!
II. Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation (JCKHF)
A. Introduction to JCKHF
The Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation (JCKHF) is a newly developed, cohesive body, currently representing independent affiliate member organizations committed to the foremost cause of preserving the heritage of Johnson County, to serve the mission and vision of this foundation, and that of its respective affiliate organizations. JCKHF is registered with the State of Kansas as a Not-for-Profit charitable organization operated exclusively for exempt purposes, eligible to solicit for funding to support its programming and mission of preservation, advocacy, charity, and education. JCKHF affiliate member organizations are not-for-profit organizations or publicly operated as governmental agencies.
As a registered not-for-profit organization with the State of Kansas, JCKHF has developed and adopted Articles of Incorporation and bylaws as its governance document. The foundation is administered by a Board of Directors, officially consisting of a representative from each affiliate member organization of the foundation. Each affiliate member organization is encouraged to provide an alternate representative to the board to effectively assure Board attendance is maintained on a regular basis allowing for optimum effectiveness and representation in business matters of the foundation. In addition to affiliate member representatives, its bylaws provide for a limit of five members-at-large from within the Johnson County community to serve on its Board of Directors.
JCKHF does not direct, nor administer the operations of any of its affiliate member organizations. Each affiliate member organization is independent in its mission and governance. However, the foundation does support and encourage the activities and interests of each of its affiliate members, and those other preservation organizations serving Johnson County which are not members of JCKHF. It conducts regular scheduled planning meetings monthly, and as required per the bylaws conducts a scheduled Board meeting each quarter. JCKHF bylaws provide for due process of election of officers, eligibilities, and term limits of service as an officer. Elections are conducted at the December quarterly meeting.
JCKHF has developed an alliance with the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department (JCPRD). Through this alliance is shared the common purpose of supporting the community’s interest of quality of life-style and well being of residents and visitors in Johnson County. This alliance shares a common value of preserving Johnson County’s heritage. The common mission shared between both organizations, to support a quality life-style and wellbeing of Johnson County residents and visitors, promotes the heritage we claim as a one of our nation’s most prestigious communities.
B. The Mission and Vision of JCKHF
Mission Statement:
In partnership with the public and private sectors within our community, it is the mission of the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation to establish, implement, and maintain a substantial, sustainable and perpetual funding program to support historical and cultural preservation, education, and advocacy within Johnson County, Kansas, thus preserving the valuable heritage and history of our community, and to preserve and guard our County’s heritage for present and future generations.
Vision:
Our heritage is the cornerstone of the quality of lifestyle valued by those who have vested interests in residing or employed in Johnson County, Kansas. The foundation of our community is rooted in the character of those who came before us, and it is imperative to preserve their legacy for all future generations to inherit. Numerous historical associations, societies, and preservation groups function within Johnson County, which greatly depend and benefit from grants and donations to support their operations. It is the vision of JCKHF to develop a ’PARTNERS IN PRESERVATION' program to be administered through the collaborative effort of its affiliate member organizations in partnership with both the private and public sectors of Johnson County. Three essential elements to the preservation program would be EDUCATION, PRESERVATION and FUNDING.
- Education Partners: Education, scholarly research, and advocacy are key elements to the heritage and cultural preservation process. These elements serve to inform and engage the public’s interest to better understand and appreciate the legacy inherited from the past. Partnerships with area public, private, library, and higher educational systems within Johnson County School systems, business groups.
- Preservation Partners: Preservation Partners include volunteers and/or professional staffing from the preservation community; Individuals or businesses from the private sector, and that from the public sector, which donate products, resources, and time to support the preservation process.
- Funding Partners: JCKHF seeks to develop a substantial and ongoing endowment fund to support its grants award program. Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) (http://www.freedomsfrontier.org/) is contracted to serve as the funds administrator for the JCKHF grants program. All funds donated on behalf of the grants program are made directly to FFNHA. The grants program is contributed to and supported by various public and/or private partners.
The operational structure of the preservation program envisioned by JCKHF has essentially functioned for decades within the county through its affiliate member organizations. These independent organizations were established years before by individuals who grasped the value of preserving a piece of our county’s past, perhaps being within a designated geographic region of the county. Today, the fabric of our county’s past is closely woven from the stories of each of our county regions, through the affiliate member organizations of the JCKHF. The Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation welcomes you to be a ‘Preservation Partner’ and to share in our mission and vision of preservation, advocacy, and education of our past!
C. Moving Forward
In December of 2014, leadership representing three historic preservation groups serving Johnson County assembled to assess concern of the potential loss of a substantial, long-standing, Johnson County Heritage Trust Fund (Trust Fund). This Trust Fund had been established by the Johnson County Commission and was effectively administered by the county since 1992. From 1992 to 2014/2015 the Trust Fund was a significant and valued funding resource to these groups, through its matching grant program. The dissolution of this trust fund was effective as of January 1, 2015.
Over its 22-year period of providing grant funding awards to preservation projects in the Johnson County, an estimated 126 preservation projects were granted funding by the Trust Fund. It supported 35 different grant applicants, awarding approximately $3 million dollars in grants. As stipulated by this now dissolved Trust Fund, each grant recipient was required to contribute matching funds and/or the equivalent value of in-kind services towards the given project being funded. Thus, in addition to the funding distributed through the Trust Fund, the county received the benefit of an equivalent amount of nearly $3,000,000 of value of through volunteer services and resources for preservation of its heritage.
III. JCKHF Affiliate Member Organizations
There are numerous associations, societies, museums, preservation groups serving Johnson County. Their funding support groups volunteer and dedicate thousands of hours annually for purpose of heritage preservation, education and advocacy to enhance Johnson County’s heritage and cultural interests. Volunteers apply their resources, interest, skills, and knowledge of history, archeology, genealogy, art and anthropology to create a historical perspective from which we view a panoramic insight into our past, and to nurture cultural and historic interests within the community. Their contribution is reflected by our County’s well preserved and interpreted historic landmarks; educational programming designed to nurture and educate the public and to inspire the youth of today; and the pride of calling Johnson County our home.
JCKHF and its affiliate member organizations substantially depend upon, and greatly benefit from funding through private donations, grants, and community activities to support their mission. Only several of these groups receive budgeted, designated public funding to support staffing, programming, community activities, capital projects, or other expenses. A majority of JCKHF affiliate member organizations DO NOT receive public funding support.
See Page 1 for listing of affiliate members.
IV. Financial
JCKHF utilizes the federally registered 501(c)(3) designation of its affiliate member Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) (https://www.freedomsfrontier.org) to satisfy eligibility of tax-deductible donations on behalf of the Foundation.
JCKHF maintains a Cooperative Agreement with FFNHA to serve as funds administrator for our investment fund’s account in support of the foundation’s grant awards program. All grants awarded by JCKHF are made solely to its affiliate member organizations through review process of its Grants Review Board.
The Foundations maintains a banking account for administrative purposes
V. Programming
A. JCKHF Grants Award Program
The purpose of the Grant Awards Program, in coordination with the Foundation’s Board of Directors and its investment fund manager, is to prepare, review, revise and recommend policies, procedures and forms for the application, evaluation, award criteria and management of grants and funding awards from the assets of the Foundation’s investment fund; to receive, review, evaluate and grade grant applications from affiliate member organizations, and recommend grants and funding awards to the Board of Directors for allocation from the Foundation’s investment fund pursuant to its Bylaws.
In performing its duties and responsibilities the Board shall make periodic distributions of grants and funding awards from the assets of the foundation’s investment fund account, in coordination with the investment fund manager. These grant awards shall be the purpose of providing grant funding specifically to those affiliate member organizations represented in good standing within the foundation, and have applied for, and approved to be awarded, a designated sum of grant funds to be distributed by the foundation.
The Grant Awards Program is implemented through an independent Grants Review Board (GRB) consisting of all members of the Board of Directors. The GRB shall prepare, review and evaluate applications, and management the award of grants awards from the assets of the foundation’s investment fund account. Grant awards shall be made in accordance with the bylaws and policies of the foundation.
B. Johnson County Historic Resources Project
In 2018, the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation initiated a historic resources project noting historic interests, museums, and preservation organizations associated within Johnson County, Kansas. This project currently focuses on nine (9) primary historic attributes experienced and valued within the County, and grouped accordingly as follows:
Group 1 JCKHF Affiliate Members, Museums and other Preservation Organizations
Group 2 Johnson County National Registry Sites
Group 3 Johnson County State Registry Sites
Group 4 JOCO Historic Structures / Sites / Miscellaneous
Group 5 JOCO Cemeteries and other burial sites
Group 6 Landmark-Champion Trees / Natural History
Group 7 Historic Johnson County Maps
Group 8 Historic Schools of Johnson County
Group 9 Johnson County Historic Names
Note: In 2009, a comprehensive study of Johnson County historic resources was published, titled Johnson County Survey Report of Historic Properties. This study focused on historic structures which were primarily extant, yet some no longer existing, or perhaps existing yet modified for another usage. This 2009 study serves as the initial basis for the Johnson County Historic Resources Project.
C. Website
The Foundation’s website (www.jckhf.org) is maintain by agreement with the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area organization. The website is periodically updated to reflect current interests and activities of the foundation.
VI. Partners in Preservation
Affiliate members of the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation request your financial support for purpose of preservation, education, advocacy, and charitable activities representing all of Johnson County, Kansas, ensuring continued operations of JCKHF’s member organizations, including small museums or historic site(s). Today, annual membership fees do not cover operational budgets, nor provide additional funds for growth and improvements in educational outreach, archival of historic information, or artifact curation. No longer can bake sales and ice-cream socials generate sufficient funds to sustain the necessity of preserving our past.
Please consider your funding support as investment of towards the preservation of our past, to assure the historic record throughout our entire county is preserved and maintained for present and future generations. The value received by the County through its volunteer preservation groups cannot be overstated! These groups contribute to the prestige of our community and enhance its cultural identity. You are invited to join with the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation and its affiliate member organizations as a Partner in Preservation!
To contribute as a FUNDING PARTNER with Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation please contact:
Johnson County Kansas Heritage Foundation
1200 E. Kansas City Road
Olathe, Kansas 66061-3002
or
email at:
Presidentjckhf2015@gmail.com
Preserving Johnson County Heritage is the responsibility of all its residents.
Your H-E-L-P is valued!
(History Education Legacy Preservation)
