Community Partner Awards
We recognize outstanding organizations and individuals in our communities through our Community Partner Awards program! The program aims to support ongoing projects and inspire others in these same areas to take active roles in the betterment of their communities.
Congratulations to our 2024 Award Winners
In 2024, Sunflower Bank donated a total of $80,000 through nineteen Community Partner Awards grants of $2,000 to $15,000 each.
$15,000 Creating Possibility Award Recipient:
Upward Bound of Barton County – Great Bend, KS
Upward Bound of Barton County provides support to 60 high school students across Sunflower Bank communities to help them succeed before college, be prepared for college entrance, and excel in their higher education pursuits. Serving low-income students and those whose parents do not hold a bachelor's degree, the program provides instruction in math, science, composition, literature, and foreign languages. Upward Bound students have access to tutoring, mentoring, financial literacy education, and assistance with accessing Federal Student Financial Aid, as well as support for facing unique challenges such as homelessness or being in foster care.
$10,000 Creating Possibility Award Recipient:
Stout Street Foundation – Commerce City, CO
Stout Street Foundation is a non-profit organization serving the Denver Metro Area that provides long-term addiction recovery support in a safe, structured environment. SSF offers residential treatment using evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Relapse Prevention. Residents receive food, lodging, and treatment without reliance on municipal or federal funding. Emphasizing life skills, personal accountability, and workforce development, SSF helps residents transition back into the community with stable employment and a healthy lifestyle.
In The Lives We Touch Award Recipients:
Five State Awards of $5,000 Each
St. Vincent de Paul – Phoenix, AZ
Heart of Colorado CASA – Canon City, CO
Willow Domestic Violence Center – Lawrence, KS
New Mexico Activities Association Foundation – Albuquerque, NM
El Paso Children's Hospital – El Paso, TX
Bringing Out the Best Award Recipients:
Six State Awards of $3,000 Each
New Freedom Ops – Phoenix, AZ
CASA of Pueblo – Pueblo, CO
CASA of Johnson & Wyandotte Counties – Overland Park, KS
Communities In Schools of New Mexico – Santa Fe, NM
El Pasoans Fighting Hunger – El Paso, TX
Generation Alive – Spokane, WA
Empowerment Award Recipients:
Six State Awards of $2,000 Each
Local First Arizona(Opens in a new window) – Phoenix, AZ
Clothes to Kids of Denver – Denver, CO
Reality U - Pando University – Wichita, KS
Santa Fe Community Foundation – Santa Fe, NM
Chef to the Shelters – Dallas, TX
Habitat for Humanity - Spokane – Spokane, WA
How Recipients Were Identified
Sunflower Bank employees and other community members in qualified counties of Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Washington submit nominations for award consideration between July 30 - August 23, 2024:
- Organizations receiving the most nominations were placed on an employee ballot
- Nominees receiving the greatest number of employee votes in each market received a corresponding award.
Types of Community Partners
Affordable Housing
Community Services
Economic Development
Financial Education
Inclusivity