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Community and Economic Development

All Community and Economic Development Content

High school graduate watching a rural sunset.

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!

A group of young workers sitting at a table putting their hands together.

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.

Sarah Calhoun presenting during a breakout session at the 2018 Energize! conference.

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!

Mother with two young children shopping at a holiday craft fair.

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.

A bandshell in a small community park.

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?

A series of food trucks lined up at a community event.

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.

Vern Hanson, Faulkton Health Care System Board Member

Funding Community Projects: Keeping Healthcare in Your Community

Faulkton’s hospital was getting old. Something had to be done or it would be lost.

A group of young workers sitting at a table putting their hands together.

Advantages Of Rural Community Living

At a Stronger Economies Together session held in Midland, SD in March, I asked the question “how many of you live here because of the quality of life?” Nearly everyone in the room raised a hand. So what is it about the quality of life that we so enjoy? Is it that we don’t have to deal with the hustle and bustle of traffic in the city? Is it the peace and quiet?

Two young children walking in a pasture.

Why Do Young People Leave Our Rural Communities?

It’s no secret that young people are leaving our rural communities in South Dakota. If you read the newspapers or watch the news on television, you also know this isn’t a challenge that only South Dakota communities are facing; it is happening across the nation.