Programs
A community's sustainability depends on its long-term ability to meet residents' needs.
Community Vitality focuses on helping communities by working to develop and to support leaders and organizations within those communities.
Public issues education provides Kansans with timely, credible, unbiased and research-based information and education about public issues. Pressing and emerging issues that involve multiple points of view have widespread consequences on those who live and work in Riley County. Extension's goals are to:
- increase citizen knowledge, awareness and understanding of public issues;
- increase citizen's willingness to participate in the public process and take on leadership roles;
- promote agritourism as an opportunity to increase the economic well-being of producers and provide an opportunity for Kansans to visit a farm and enjoy locally grown foods.
This program helps community boards to be more effective. Topics can be adapted to the group’s needs or offered as individual modules.
- Session 1: Roles and Responsibilities of Board Members/Effective Meetings
- Session 2: Understanding Fellow Board Members/Conflict Management
- Session 3: Financial Responsibilities, Fundraising, Legalities, and Ethics
- Session 4: Strategic Planning
The program can be presented in-person or online.Contact our office to learn more about this unique learning opportunity.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax preparation for qualifying households:
- Taxpayers whose household income falls below $80,000 or less
- Military and Retired Military
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers
While the IRS manages the VITA program, the VITA sites are operated by IRS partners and staffed by volunteers.
Riley county K-state Extension manages our local VITA site, with financial support from the Caroline Piene Foundation and Konza United Way. In addition, the Manhattan Public Library provides space to operate.
All VITA volunteers must take and pass tax law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards.
More information is TBA for the Spring 2026 VITA season.Volunteers will be needed! Reach out to our extension office for more information.

Daniel SkuciusCounty Director785-537-6350skuciusd@ksu.edu