CROP Initiative | Growing Resilient Kansas Communities

Partnering with Rural Kansas for a Stronger Future

The CROP Initiative helps Kansas communities face challenges and discover new opportunities with creativity and capacity for growth. Founded by Dr. Duane Nagel, Associate Professor of Marketing at Wichita State University, the initiative blends rural lived experience with academic insight, working alongside communities to build local identity, broaden participation, and provide practical tools for lasting change.

The initiative reflects Wichita State’s role as an educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas by walking alongside rural communities, fostering prosperity and vitality for the future.

What We Do

We believe resilient communities are not built on a single pillar but on ecosystems of identity, engagement, and adaptability. The CROP Initiative works with local leaders and residents to:

• Celebrate local identity. Rediscover and amplify the unique character of each town, creating a shared story that strengthens pride and belonging.
• Engage residents. Foster broad participation so that resilience is not carried by a few but shared across the whole community.
• Foster adaptive growth. Support small businesses, nonprofits, and local leaders with marketing tools that help them adjust in times of change and stay connected to their communities.

We don’t believe in canned solutions. Our role is to be a trusted partner, creating space where communities discover their strengths, adapt to change, and shape their own future. We do this by listening, learning, and sharing practical tools that support solutions designed with you, not for you — as a faculty-led service, not a paid consultancy.

Let’s Start the Conversation

Every community has its own story, challenges, and opportunities. The CROP Initiative is here to help you shape the next chapter.