Hometown Pride Statement of Interest

Communities that are interested in joining Hometown Pride in 2026 should complete this form by February 6, 2026. Communities apply as a group of 6-10 towns – only one form needs to be completed per group. Eligible communities that submit a “statement of interest” will receive an invitation to submit a full application which will be due in early May 2026. One group/region of 6+ communities will be selected for Hometown Pride, with an estimated start date of fall 2026. If you have not yet spoken with KIB staff about your application, you must reach out before submitting your “statement of interest” (contact us here) For more information about Hometown Pride, visit: Become a Hometown Pride Community.

Hometown Pride – Statement of Interest

Contact Information

Primary Contact Person for this Submission

First Last

Phone

Title and Organization

Town (of primary contact person)

Statement of Interest

List all towns included in this "statement of interest" (this should include a minimum of 6 towns within a County or Region who wish to join Hometown Pride. If towns are from multiple counties, the counties should be adjacent)

Please note that individual towns can not join Hometown Pride by themselves – you must be part of a group, typically between 7-9 towns. Please reach out to us if you need guidance on how to recruit your neighboring towns.

Describe the local support you currently have for joining Hometown Pride – from city staff, elected officials, community organizations, and other leaders. List those who have pledged support and/or shown strong interest in joining Hometown Pride, and briefly (one sentence) describe how they have shown their support. (For example, you might say: "Mayor of ___ has confirmed their town's desire to join" or "The board of the _____ County Development organization pledged their support" or "The city clerk of ____ has agreed to champion the effort for their town")

Please note: You do not need confirmed participation or funding from all parties at this stage. Simply describe what you have so far.

How do you plan to secure funding for your local match of $20,000/year (for 5 years)? Please list expected sources by name. If you have any financial commitments already secured, please note.

Many communities split the cost between the 6-10 participating towns, with supplementary support from the County or another regional organization or business sponsor. This means that many participating towns pay anywhere from $250-$3,000 per year.

Optional: Please use this space to list any other information that you feel is relevant to your application. If none, simply write "NA" below.

Hometown Pride Statement of Interest