Mission
We connect capital and capacity to empower rural communities.
Our mission is the one reason Dakota Resources exists. It informs everyone in the organization what to do.
Vision
We believe in a thriving rural.
We recognize rural communities and the people who are a part of them have often had difficulty accessing resources, including capital and leadership development. A thriving rural means everyone in a rural community has an equitable opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the resources, systems, and structures available. Thriving also means everyone’s voice in a rural community matters in shaping their community’s future.
Who we serve
The work of Dakota Resources is shaped by people who are passionate about their rural communities. From economic development organizations to volunteers, and from boards of directors to engaged residents, the work to build a thriving rural requires many voices and many hands. And while a thriving rural may look different across rural places, as a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Dakota Resources believes that access to capital and leadership capacity are key to a thriving rural future — and that future is here.
Dacotah Bank and Dakota Resources: A 30-Year Partnership for Rural Possibility
For 30 years, Dakota Resources has worked alongside partners who believe rural communities are worth investing in, not only with financial resources, but with time, leadership, and a long-term commitment to local possibility. Dacotah Bank has been one of those partners from the beginning. As a longstanding investor, sponsor, and leadership partner, Dacotah Bank has played an important role in the growth of Dakota Resources and the rural communities it serves. Over the years, the bank has invested nearly $3 million into the Dakota Resources Capital Investment Fund, supported Dakota Resources programming through sponsorships, and contributed the time and talents of several leaders through board service.
Current Opportunities to Grow Your AI Skills
We want to celebrate you. Our annual Thriverr Awards will be presented at our Using Public Policy for Local Development Thriverr Gathering on November 12th in Murdo, SD. Award applications are opened, and we look forward to reading your submissions! See the award descriptions below. All applications are due on October 24th, 2025.
Preserving, Preparing, and Positioning Aberdeen
Aberdeen is preparing before opportunity even arrives. That has taken shape as preparing industrial land for future business growth, reinvesting in downtown property, and preserving key assets that can support jobs and business activity over time. The Aberdeen Development Corporation (ADC) has spent decades doing the work, not only responding to what the community needs today, but helping position Aberdeen for what may come next. Since 2002, Dakota Resources has supported ADC through a long-standing lending relationship, providing over $5 million through the Capital Investment Fund to help make important projects happen. For Dakota Resources, that kind of lending is about giving local economic development organizations access to flexible capital when the trifecta of timing, momentum, and opportunity align.
