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
Newcomers Survey
SDSU Extension has launched a newcomer survey to gain a better understanding of the reason that people are moving to South Dakota and will use the results to develop programming efforts to help communities welcome and retain newcomers.
Our Community Will Never Change
Change is inevitable in all small towns, but communities have a choice to either let change happen passively or work together to direct it in a way that moves their shared vision into the future.
Understanding the New Folks in Town
In rural communities, making an effort to understand newcomers better may result in them staying in your community longer, while also attracting more people like them.
Marketing Your Hometown
Is your small town ready to grow? Learn how Marketing Hometown America, an Extension-based program, can help your community develop a plan to attract new residents!
Congratulations Graduates! And Who Says You Can’t Go Home?
Congratulations to all the young people celebrating graduations this spring! You've dedicated years to learning and developing your career, but don't count out your hometown as a great place to start your next chapter!
Workforce Development
SDSU Extension's Workforce Development course is designed to provide a suite of workforce development resources for employees to complete at their own convenience.
Write Your Own Small-Town Success Story
Big things can happen in small towns, and many rural success stories have taken place right here in South Dakota. Learn some tips to start writing your own small-town success story today!
Your Town Matters! Shop Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Shopping local allows you to make a difference in your hometown. Locally owned businesses reinvest a large share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.
The Power of 10: Rural Considerations in Placemaking
When you think of a place that you enjoy, how many different types of engagement make that place valuable? Consider a park. You have the swing sets, the children’s area, a pool, perhaps a gazebo or small shell, the trees and environment. Is that enough for a quality space?
If You Build It, They Will Come: Building a Local Tourism Event
Whether realizing it or not, entities across South Dakota have overcome many hurdles to launch entrepreneurial tourism-focused ventures. For the rest of us, let’s take a moment to consider core steps in building your next big idea.