Hey there, Rural Heroes. 

Imagine if rural communities were not isolated and fading but an interconnected ecosystem. 

Hopeful. Leaderful. Thriving. 

That’s exactly what we’ve been helping to build across South Dakota and beyond. And it’s working.

This year, more than ever, we’re seeing the old mindset of community competition being shattered. In its place, we’re hosting an ecosystem where rural leaders level up their skills, confidence, and impact–together. Where there was once turf, now there’s trust and collaboration. 

Through our programs, small town leaders get the skills, network, and resources they need to create real change. They’re amplifying their power to drive real change by relying on each other. 

Here’s 2024 by the numbers:

• 80+ rural leaders and organizations are plugging into our programs. 
• 25% of them participate in more than one program. 
• $2.5 million invested in local projects through Community Development Loans.
• $33 million total loan fund, serving 25+ rural communities in South Dakota and many more through our partners in other states. 
• 75 Thriverr members across South and North Dakota.
• 90+ learning and coaching events hosted across rural South Dakota. 

That’s the transformative power of small-town leaders working together. If you read our newsletters, you’ll see stories of impact from those leaders. (And if you missed some, find them all here).

Behind every breakthrough stands an ecosystem of belief in our mission. A massive thank you to our champions: 

• 100+ Sponsors and Donors who fuel our mission, (find our Leading Partners here)
• 30+ Loan Fund Investors who believe in putting money where community ideas are, (link to see our list of investors)
• 29 Volunteers powering our boards, (see our boards here)
• 10 passionate team members making magic happen out here. (link to staff page)

Twenty-eight years in, we’re still innovating. Together with you, we’re building stronger, more resilient rural communities. Communities that can thrive. 

I’d love to hear your ideas and questions. Get in touch with me at the Contact Us page.

Toward a thriving rural,

Joe Bartmann
President

P.S. – If you’d like to be a bigger part of this work, here are three things you can do today:

1. Donate. Your gift does something remarkable: it transforms “wondering how” into “making it happen”. Every single dollar you contribute empowers a local rural leader to create real, lasting change.
2. Volunteer. Join one of the groups that steward our work. You might be the leader our mission needs.
3. Sponsor or Invest. We need more partners to help us empower those rural communities. If your company could benefit from connecting with rural leaders across the Dakotas, let’s talk.