Community and Economic Development
Recommended Content
Energize!
The Energize! Exploring Innovative Rural Communities Conference is designed to empower South Dakota’s rural communities by inviting them to network with community leaders from across the state to share success stories, get new ideas and take action to improve their own communities.
Marketing Hometown America
Marketing Hometown America empowers communities to create a vision to attract new residents. Designed as a tool to create dialogue that moves people toward action, the process can be the spark to help a rural community look at itself in a new way.
Writing Your Future: Grant Writing Training
Often community or organizational programs need capital to get them off the ground. Our Writing Your Future grant writing training can be the start to finding that initial investment.
All Community and Economic Development Content
SDSU Extension welcomes new community vitality expert
July 01, 2025
South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Chase Moon as a new Community Vitality Field Specialist.
SDSU Extension hosts successful Energize conference in Platte
June 03, 2025
South Dakota State University Extension hosted a successful Energize conference in Platte with 150 attendees.
Rural Communities: Addressing Declining Population by Developing Entrepreneurial Communities
As the population decreases, schools close. Businesses close. Services become less and less. Research shows that people want to live in rural areas but don’t believe the opportunities are there. If communities develop a system to connect people to opportunities, rural communities can stabilize their population, keep their schools, businesses and services, and maybe even increase them.
The Value of Placemaking in Small Rural Communities in South Dakota
Placemaking offers a transformative approach for small rural communities in South Dakota, turning public spaces into cherished community assets. Learn about some success stories in the Freeman and Webster communities.
Creative Placemaking
Creative placemaking can use arts, culture, and design to stimulate dialogue, promote economic development, and catalyze systemic changes that are essential to the development of communities.
What is Placemaking?
Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community. By this definition, placemaking is possible for communities of all shapes and sizes in South Dakota.
Pilot Communities Selected for Healthy Landscapes, Healthy Communities Initiative
The Healthy Landscapes, Healthy Communities Initiative will provide communities across South Dakota an opportunity to envision vibrant public spaces through an engaged planning and design effort.
Agritourism Provides Economic Benefits
Not only can agritourism support communities by generating income, agritourism has the potential to create jobs and support local economies.
Using Assets to Build Communities
A community asset is anything that a community already has that can be used to improve its quality of life. Learn some expert tips for identifying and leveraging your community's unique assets.
The Vital Role of Newcomers in Rural Communities: Making Places Feel Like Home
In small towns and rural areas, new folks bring big changes that matter a lot. And when they feel welcomed and understood, they stick around and help make things better for everyone.