Kansas Health Foundation

Home
United States
Wichita, KS
Kansas Health Foundation

Our mission is to improve the health of all Kansans. But, it’s only possible with a broad network of effective partnerships across the state.

We are an organization full of dedicated individuals who work every day to improve health in the state of Kansas. We dream big, promote bold visions and truly believe that it’s possible for Kansas to someday lead the nation in health. We work closely with other health foundations, nonprofit groups, community foundations, state agencies, universities, hospitals, communities and advisory groups to develop programs and initiatives and to find answers to complex health issues. And we will continue to form and strengthen partnerships with more Kansas organizations and communities. Our work has continued for nearly 40 years, and we’re currently in the midst of an exciting new challenge. We invite you to view the information below to learn about our strategic framework, our history and our dynamic team.

03/27/2026

What role do you play in Leading Health?

Tune into the Leading Health podcast to learn more about the 30,000: https://bit.ly/4ckHcqU

03/27/2026

Ashley has been working in nonprofits for 20 years, and over that time, she knows the world might not see all the people and pieces moving your mission forward, but those systems are what make the world see your impact.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4dM5XNr

03/25/2026

Way to SHINE! Congratulations, Valerie!

03/24/2026

An easy interpretation: "The data must be wrong."

A tougher interpretation: "But what if it's not?"

Leadership starts with dissatisfaction. With somone willing to look at hard data, resist the urge to explain it away and ask the tougher questions.

Expore easy vs. tougher interpretations in the latest episode of the Leading Health podcast: https://bit.ly/3PoOZuB

03/23/2026

We're proud to sponsor and host the 2026 Networked Conference! This gathering brings Kansans together to connect, share resources and take action on the challenges facing communities across our state.

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Networked Conference! This year's conference will be hosted at the newly renovated Kansas Leadership Center and Kansas Health Foundation in the heart of downtown Wichita.

Join leaders from across the state a powerful in-person gathering focused on sharing ideas, strengthening partnerships, and share resources that advance our rural and urban communities. This is where connections turn into action and collaboration drives impact across the state.

Register now to secure your seat: www.networkkansas.com/conference

03/20/2026

Last week, we welcomed the Kansas Data Trust Advisory Council to Woolsey Hall for a day of thoughtful conversation about the future of integrated data in Kansas.

Leaders from across the state spent time exploring governance, research priorities, and how the Kansas Data Trust can help communities make stronger, evidence-informed decisions. Their insight and collaboration are essential as we continue building this system responsibly and with the needs of Kansas communities in mind.

Thank you to special guest Ed O'Malley of the Kansas Health Foundation and all of our advisory council members for their time, expertise, and continued partnership.

03/20/2026

Kansas ranks 35th in Fourth Grade Reading Proficiency—one of the many submeasures of health tracked by America's Health Rankings.

Are you working to help instill a love of reading in Kansas kids?

Share in the comments below!

03/17/2026

Feelin' lucky to live in the Sunflower State! 🌻🍀

03/16/2026

Russ Meyer exemplified what it means to exercise leadership from a position of authority. He leaned in and listened first. He engaged before he acted. He trusted the community to know what it needed and showed up as a partner in problem solving. And then he multiplied that work by mobilizing others in his circle to engage more, give alongside him and use their influence to shape their own communities for the better.

We are eternally grateful for the legacy he left us.

https://bit.ly/4usAYMx

03/13/2026

This morning, partners from across the community gathered at NetApp where Kansas Data Trust was officially introduced! Attendees learned more about how this statewide initiative will support stronger decisions and healthier communities across Kansas.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to the many partners helping build this effort. The work is just getting started. Learn more at KansasDataTrust.org

Wichita State University Kansas Health Foundation Wichita Foundation Knight Foundation Information Network of Kansas

03/13/2026

When you think of Capital ""H"" Health, what comes to mind?

Tune into the Leading Health podcast to learn more about Capital ""H"" Health: https://bit.ly/4ckHcqU

03/12/2026

We’re excited to launch the Kansas Data Trust, a new statewide initiative led by the PPMC at Wichita State University that will securely connect data across agencies, nonprofits, and researchers to support stronger decisions and healthier communities across Kansas.

This is a major step toward breaking down data silos and helping communities better understand what works.

Learn more: kansasdatatrust.org

Address

309 E Douglas Avenue
Wichita, KS
67202

Website

https://kansashealth.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kansas Health Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Kansas Health Foundation:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Wichita?

PE TEACHERS USE TECHNOLOGY TO PUMP UP PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Technology has made physical activity in schools even easier and with more options with “PE Kansas.” This free, Kansas State Department of Education web-based K-12 physical education curriculum tool has seen overwhelming support from teachers all across the world.

Since launching in mid-January, nearly 5,400 users have accessed the online curriculum – including 1,161 from Kansas, along with individuals from each state and 38 countries across the world. Thirty Kansas communities have had 10 or more users, and about half of these communities are in rural parts of the state.

“The Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) saw the importance of quality physical education years ago and invested in the development of the Physical Essentials, Physical Focus, and Physical Dimensions curriculum. This resulted in a huge curriculum in both content and physical volume,” said Mark Thompson, KSDE project facilitator. “The most logical means of assuring universal access to the curriculum was to develop a website to house the content. Thus, PE Kansas was created.”

A team of educators and professionals reviewed the old curriculum, transforming physical education in Kansas in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, according to the website. From there, new activities and focuses were added, and the old content was either kept, removed, or modernized, and updated in a digital, drop-in lesson plan format that helps educators understand how to put together developmentally appropriate, standards-based lessons.

Through a variety of initiatives and nearly $2.2 million in funding, KHF has supported quality K-12 physical education curriculum, and inservice and university trainings for current and future educators. The existing grant, approved in 2013 , has made the web-based curriculum available to all K-12 school teachers.

“For years, we’ve viewed the school environment as a prime place to impact lifelong health and wellness for Kansas children,” said Steve Coen, KHF president and CEO. “Having the physical education curriculum available to anyone online is the culmination of years of work and effort on the part of many dedicated individuals, but it’s also the beginning of a new era of healthy teaching and activity in Kansas schools.”

Karl Ely, physical education teacher at Valley Center’s Abilene Elementary School and middle school, has been using the curriculum for 15 years – even when it was housed in cumbersome three-ring binders during his time in college.

“It was like our bible. They said this is all that you should do. But the binders were huge,” Ely said. “So this is nice. It’s all in one place – one site.”

Ely logs onto his PE Kansas account about every other week – sometimes once a week when he’s looking for new ideas in the beginning of a unit.

“The cool thing about it is these are all standards-based,” Ely said. “I know that the activities are age appropriate and are going to meet our grade-level outcomes, which are set by the national association (SHAPE).”

Ely said he likes how the website allows teachers to customize lesson plans, and select lessons based on grade level, type of activities or classroom settings.

The website also saves teachers time when researching a unit, is free to use – unlike many other education resources – and has creative activities that can help teachers get out of the rut of repeatedly teaching the same thing over and over again.

“It also gives me more free time to spend with my children,” said Ely, who has two children ages 3 and 4 and also coaches boys basketball at the middle school. “I think that’s also why I’m more apt to use it than I was before.”

This resource can be ever changing and growing, where outdated activities can be deleted, and new ones can be added at any time, said Meggin DeMoss, who was part of the team that updated the K-2 curriculum. Physical educators are also encouraged to submit activities that work well for their students.

“This allows us to work together as physical educators to share ideas and to help ensure our students have every opportunity available to learn how to lead healthy lives,” said Michelle DiLisio, one of three high school curriculum content editors.

Next, the team plans on adding activities to keep the valuable tool relevant. They will also conduct trainings and hold presentations on PE Kansas to increase knowledge and use of the site.

“The other thing I hope we have done is keep Kansas on the map for being a leader in physical education, health education and physical activity. I am confident that with this resource and the Active Schools: Let’s Move Kansas project, we are doing just that,” said Rhonda Holt, project facilitator.