Community Betterment Award for Kathleen Holt
Western Kansas Community Foundation's Conny and Donna teamed up with past board member Jim Coast to present the 2025 Community Betterment Award to Cimarron resident Kathleen Holt (pictured).
Kathleen served on the WKCF board from 2015-2019, the last year as board chair. During her tenure, Kathleen was instrumental in designing MatchDay, WKCF's annual fundraising campaign for the nonprofits. Significantly, she insisted that matching dollars be applied to the agencies' endowed funds, safeguarding their long-term needs.
As a champion of rural philanthropy, Kathleen understands the importance of building permanent resources through legacy planning. She is also known for successful grant writing, and her active involvement with philanthropic causes, including Shepherd on the Plains, High Plains Public Radio, Humanities Kansas and Kansas Oral History Project, to name a few. Nicknamed “The Lady with the Many Hats”, Kathleen is a tireless champion of Kansas’ rural communities, and never short of creative ideas.
WKCF’s Community Betterment Award celebrates community philanthropy in all its facets. It seeks to recognize community members who have supported WKCF – as a board member, donor, and ambassador – and who have made a significant contribution to the community at large – through their leadership, philanthropy, volunteer service, or otherwise. Established in 2021, the Award's notable recipients include Kirk Olomon, Liz Scheopner, Dr. Luther and Ardis Fry, and Senator Steve Morris.