Recognizing Kansans who are breaking the stigma and supporting mental health in rural communities.
Award Categories
- Advocate of the Year
Open for those above 35 - Young Advocate of the Year
Open for those aged 18-35
Award
The selected recipients of both awards will receive:
- Support: Winners in each category will receive a $2,000 cash prize to further their advocacy efforts.
- Recognition: The Rural Minds Matter Advocate of the Year award will be presented at KFB’s Annual Meeting and the Rural Minds Matter Young Advocate of the Year award will be presented at the Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference. Both events are in Manhattan.
- Visibility: Articles will be written about their mental health advocacy contributions to appear on www.kfb.org/ruralmindsmatter and www.kansaslivingmagazine.com.
Rules
- Selected winner agrees to allow Kansas Farm Bureau to publicize the award and its winners, including press releases, social media announcements and other promotional materials.
- Previous recipients of the 'Rural Minds Mater Advocate of the Year' award are not eligible to win again for at least two years post-selection. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and provide opportunities for new advocates to be recognized for their contributions to mental health advocacy in rural Kansas communities.
- Kansas Farm Bureau reserves the right to disqualify a nominee for reasons including false information or unethical behavior, which would result in forfeiture of winnings.
Application Deadline
Nominations or applications for the awards require detailed information about the nominee's involvement in mental health advocacy, challenges they’ve overcome, awareness-raising efforts, destigmatization strategies, collaborative initiatives, impacts, leadership qualities, recognitions received, testimonials and reasons for nomination. The deadline to submit applications is July 17.
Winners Spotlight
Advocate of the Year
The 2025 Rural Minds Matter Advocate of the Year, Sarah Gideon, provides crucial mental health outreach and education for rural communities in Kansas.
Will Stutterheim, a Phillips County Farm Bureau member and instructor at Fort Hays State University, wins the inaugural Kansas Farm Bureau Rural Minds Matter Advocate of the Year award.
Young Advocate of the Year
Thomas Eisenbarth believes in vulnerability among farmers, ranchers, rural community members as the 2025 Rural Minds Matter Young Advocate of the Year winner.