Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams starts New On-line MarketPlace and AuctionHouse to Promote Kansas Conservation

“The Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS) in cooperation with its partners is pleased to release a new MarketPlace and AuctionHouse website at www.KAN-PIC.org,” said Jeff Neel, KAWS executive director, Manhattan.  KAN-PIC stands for Kansas Partners in Conservation, and participants “KAN-PIC” how to support Kansas conservation by buying and selling on the site.

“The site is designed to allow marketing of Kansas-based products and auctioning of personal and business items to promote Kansas conservation groups and projects.  Most legal items, other than firearms and ammunition, can be sold on the site,” Neel said.  KAWS will administer the site and provide conservation funds to groups, watersheds and projects based on user preferences.  KAWS will also receive some funding from the site (after expenses of site operation and maintenance) to coordinate and implement conservation projects throughout Kansas.

“Buyers, sellers (merchants) and conservation groups will all benefit from tax-deductible site coordination and free software to market and sell their products and items—all with a ‘conservation brand’ and for the good of Kansas conservation.  This site is a way for Kansas citizens to work together to score a win in their wallet or pocketbook and for conservation at the same time,” said John Bond, KAWS Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS) Manager.

Any conservation group, with an outlined mission for conservation work, can register to receive proceeds from sales on the site.  Conservation groups can begin registration now.  This is an opportunity for your conservation group to fund-raise simply by having your membership buy and sell on www.KAN-PIC.org. Register your conservation group and ask your members to buy and sell on www.KAN-PIC.org to support your conservation group’s mission.  It is that easy.

All sellers (merchants) “KAN-PIC” a registered conservation group to receive one percent of all of their sales. This is how your conservation group raises money.  KAWS will pay each conservation group their share of the sales at the end of each fiscal year.  Sellers (merchants) are credited with tax-deductible donations for two and one-half percent of their sales (one percent goes directly to conservation group of choice, plus one and one-half percent goes to site administration, maintenance and KAWS conservation projects).

Buyers also contribute to Kansas conservation with each purchase.  One percent of all sales go directly to watershed conservation projects where the buyer is located.  The buyer is credited with a tax-deductible donation for two and one-half percent of all of their purchases (one percent goes directly to watershed projects and one and one-half percent goes to site administration, maintenance and KAWS conservation projects).

“KAWS has streamlined the costs for merchants and buyers on www.KAN-PIC.org, so costs are greatly reduced compared to similar sites.  Plus, all proceeds from the site go towards conservation and not to profits.  The site is operated as a transparent, democratic, non-profit—all for the good of Kansas conservation,” said Bond.

Sellers (merchants) can register on www.KAN-PIC.org and begin listing items in the MarketPlace or list auction items in the AuctionHouse starting on November 1, 2014.

The www.KAN-PIC.org site goes live on December 1, 2014.  Buyers can begin registering and buying in the MarketPlace and AuctionHouse starting December 1, 2014.

Organized in 1996, KAWS is a 501.C.3 educational public charity who works with local people and partners to ensure the future of our streams, wetlands and riparian areas as an integral part of our Kansas heritage and landscape.  “We try to bridge gaps by bringing folks together to simultaneously support Kansas livelihoods and conservation.  The www.KAN-PIC.org site is meant to help with that.  KAWS is really excited to bring this site to Kansas people and partners, and we look forward to working together on this for years to come” said Neel.