Really excited to share this one — the brand new Innovate24.org website is now live! It’s been such a great project to work on and kinda cool to see how it all came together over the past few weeks. This site is all about helping Kansas entrepreneurs and local businesses grow, connect, and get the right support they need to keep going.
Innovate24 is a nonprofit based in Manhattan KS, focused on helping startups and small business owners find funding, mentorship, and solid direction. Their team (led by Stephanie Pierce) is doing awesome work connecting folks to programs like Network Kansas, SBDC, and other groups that help get new ideas off the ground. They’re bringing innovation straight into the heart of Kansas—without all the corporate noise.
We built the site in WordPress using Bricks Builder (my go-to these days). The goal wasn’t anything flashy, just clean and modern with enough flexibility for their team to update stuff easily later. The color scheme uses white, gold, and soft charcoal tones that fit their brand and feel confident but still friendly. Each section—About, Funding, Resources, Events—was laid out to guide people through the journey of “I’ve got an idea, now what do I do next?”
Most of the work went into making the Funding section easy to understand since that’s usually the confusing part for small business owners. We organized their loan programs, matching details, and eligibility information into a single, intuitive structure, so users don’t get lost navigating ten pages deep.
We also used ACF Pro for dynamic fields, Fluent Forms for contact and payment, and a little bit of WP Rocket + ShortPixel magic for performance. The backend’s lightweight, nothing bloated or over-engineered. Everything’s modular too—so they can drop in new sections or add future programs without a rebuild later on.
Honestly, the whole site is meant to feel like an open door. No jargon, no pressure, just simple “come see what we’re doing” energy. It’s professional but approachable, kind of like how a good local business community *should* feel. We wanted visitors to think, “oh yeah, I can actually reach out here,” not “ugh, another cold agency site.”
From a tech side, we focused on accessibility and load times. Everything’s optimized for mobile and passes Core Web Vitals tests easily. But yeah, it’s still got that human warmth to it – the kind of Kansas tone that says *hey, we’re in this together*.
This project really stood out because Innovate24 isn’t just another business org. They’re trying to shift the local mindset about what “innovation” means here—making it practical and personal, not corporate or intimidating. That’s the reason the site feels open and clear instead of over-designed. It’s about people first.
So yep, Innovate24.org is officially live now. Go check it out if you’re curious about entrepreneurship or funding resources in Kansas. Big thanks to Stephanie and the whole team for trusting MKS Web Design to bring it together — really awesome folks to work with. (And also for letting me sneak in a few design tweaks at the end 😄)
See it live at: https://innovate24.org
