Our Mission
Demystifying the Tax System — One Kansan at a Time
CivilTuneUp exists because the tax system is complex, consequential, and largely unexplained to the people it affects most.
CivilTuneUp Inc. is a Kansas nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
We develop plain-language public education resources that help ordinary Kansans understand their rights, obligations, and options under state and local tax law.
We believe that access to accurate, understandable information is the foundation of a fair tax system.
Public Tax Education
Free, accessible resources explaining state and local tax law in plain language for homeowners, farmers, and small business owners.
Property & Intestate Assistance
Guidance for low-income interest holders navigating real property administration in intestate situations, including heirship and title matters.
Rural Legal Access
Collaboration with Kansas law schools on rural attorney program initiatives to expand legal services in underserved communities.
SALT — State & Local Tax
Why State & Local Tax Education Matters
SALT — State and Local Tax — encompasses the taxes that most directly affect where Kansans live, what they own, and what they pay every year.
Unlike federal income tax, SALT taxes are often poorly understood despite having immediate and significant effects on household finances, property ownership, and small business viability.
For many Kansas homeowners, property tax is the single largest annual tax obligation they face.
Property Tax & Valuation
How county appraisers value real property, how assessment rates are set, what exemptions exist, and how to appeal.
Intestate Real Property
What happens to real property when someone dies without a will in Kansas, and how low-income interest holders can navigate heirship and title processes.
Sales & Use Tax
Kansas state and local sales tax rates, exemptions for agricultural inputs, and compliance for small businesses.
Tax Appeals & Rights
The statutory rights every Kansas taxpayer holds, including appeal deadlines, Board of Tax Appeals procedures, and the Small Claims Division.
“Property tax is the most consequential tax most Kansans will ever pay — yet it is among the least understood. Our goal is to change that.”
— CivilTuneUp Inc., Mission Statement
Kansas Program
The Kansas Property Tax Education Series
CivilTuneUp partnered with the Kansas Department of Revenue to develop a 15-part public education series on Kansas property tax law and valuation.
Most Kansas property owners receive their annual Notice of Value with little understanding of how that number was determined, what their rights are, or how to evaluate whether the assessment is accurate.
The series covers the complete property tax cycle — from how county appraisers conduct mass appraisals, to assessment rates by property classification, to the full appeals process through the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA).
Kansas Department of Revenue — Property Tax Education Series
A 15-part guide to Kansas property assessment, valuation methodology, exemptions, and taxpayer appeal rights. Developed with official agency content from the Kansas Department of Revenue Property Valuation Division.
Visit the Series →CivilTuneUp contributed to the research, organization, and plain-language drafting of educational content in this series. All substantive claims about Kansas law and agency practice reflect official Kansas Department of Revenue information. Reference to CivilTuneUp does not constitute state endorsement of any unrelated CivilTuneUp services or positions.
Rural Attorney Initiative
Supporting Legal Access in Rural Kansas
Kansas faces a persistent rural attorney shortage. CivilTuneUp actively supports law school programs working to address it.
Many Kansas counties — particularly in western and central Kansas — have fewer than one attorney per several thousand residents.
For low-income Kansans in these communities, a property tax appeal, an intestate estate, or a title dispute can become an insurmountable obstacle without access to legal guidance.
CivilTuneUp collaborates with Kansas law schools on their rural attorney program initiatives by providing practical experience opportunities, educational resources, and organizational support to students and programs dedicated to increasing access to legal services in rural Kansas communities.
This work directly complements our property tax and intestate real property education programs — the same Kansans who need to understand their assessment rights often also need help accessing an attorney to exercise them.
About the Organization
Organization Details
CivilTuneUp Inc. is a Kansas not-for-profit corporation, incorporated in 2026, and organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. A federal 501(c)(3) tax-exemption application is currently pending with the Internal Revenue Service.