The big framing question, “Who do we envision ourselves becoming?” was written in wide black marker on a large flip chart and placed at the front of the room for easy viewing. I introduced the question and gave some context. The ten local leaders stared blankly at it. The organization these leaders represented had been in existence since 2006. That’s not a long time in community and economic development years. Yet long enough to experience considerable success, then slump into a slow decline. This group of local leaders had come to a fork in the road around their purpose as an organization. Now they were faced with uncovering who they would need to become. They needed to regain success for the future of their organization and the community.

As you know, rural living affords modest charm, quietness, boundless sky and a small population you know by heart. But rural is never less than. For over 25 years, Dakota Resources has empowered small towns to feel large, able and thriving as they themselves continue to innovate until the loneliness is less. “Dakota Resources is such a tremendous asset across our state,” says Jared Hybertson, economic development coordinator in Centerville. “Their learning network connects us all, and they have the answers I need.”

When it comes to investing in rural communities, Dakota Resources is only as strong as our partner organizations, including our major investors. Our ability to support rural communities in their work to thrive is directly related to the financial investment of organizations who not only desire to make an impact in cultivating a thriving rural, but who also make it possible for us, as a certified CDFI, to then offer capital assistance to communities and organizations in need.

There’s just something about receiving a book recommendation from someone who is as passionate as you are about rural life, so today, the Dakota Resources staff is sharing a small collection of must-reads, rural style. These stories don't portray rural in the stereotypical way we often see; like the communities we support, these books share about the people, the struggles, and the triumphs that make up the fabric of rural existence. Ready for a literary getaway to the heartland? Read on!

Thanks to a $200,000 Beyond Idea Grant (BIG) from the South Dakota Community Foundation – awarded to Dakota Resources in partnership with the Bush Foundation – we’ve been able to support innovative, community-based, problem-solving efforts for economic development organizations through the B.O.L.D. (Building Organizations for Local Development) Framework.

“Every rural community is unique.” This statement can be found on our website and throughout our marketing, not because it sounds good, but because these values help to shape the work that we do at Dakota Resources. Through our Community Development Loans program, and, more specifically, through our Capital Investment Fund (CIF), we’re able to support rural communities, economic development organizations, housing authorities, and other Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).

Communities are the foundation of our society, and their strength and success lie in the unity of its members. Yet, often at the heart of so many communities is disunity. As a community coach, I collaborate with rural leaders to build local capacity and engage community members in working on local priorities so their community can thrive. One of the most common topics that comes up as the groups are planning for future outcomes is their desire for unity with other community leaders.

It’s that time of year when we all hear some version of “I can’t believe it’s been a whole year already!” Maybe you’ve heard it a few times today. Maybe you’ve said it.  I don’t look at it that way. Instead of measuring how fast the year went by, I like to think about how much. How did we spend our precious time this year? How much of it was on things that matter for rural communities? Where do we want to spend more or less time next year? How can we build habits and systems to make that happen? 

It’s been said that dropping a pebble in water creates a ripple effect that emanates outward from the source. At Dakota Resources, we believe the same can be said about cultivating a thriving rural, particularly when a pebble is dropped with intention inside rural towns like Murdo, South Dakota. Last year, the Murdo Development Corp. engaged with Dakota Resources’ Community Coaching program to spark growth and development in the city of Murdo. Dakota Resources’ Kristi Wagner, who serves as the Director of Organizational Relationships and Community Coach, facilitated the Community Coaching process in this rural town, which is home to the Jones County seat in South Dakota.

At Dakota Resources’ Learning Network Gathering Awards Banquet in Brookings, SD, held on November 3, 2023, three honorees received distinguished awards in appreciation for their service to their communities. This annual tradition, which takes place at the Entrepreneur Support Systems Learning Network gathering, allows Dakota Resources to celebrate the innovative work that is happening in rural places across the state.

I spent some valuable time this week doing a bit of data discovery about rural communities. In my search I explored an interactive map showing the percent change in total population from the 2010 to the 2020 Census at both the state and county levels. I first zoomed in to view the South Dakota county-level data – it was a mix of blue (growth) and beige (decline) county blocks spread across the east and west sides of our state. I discovered 33 of 66 counties in South Dakota had positive population growth in the past ten years!

We believe the future of rural exists here, right now, and that it’s up to all of us to shape it, together. In this spirit, Dakota Resources launched our inaugural Annual Giving Campaign in September, with a goal of financially bolstering our programs and our work to empower rural communities. With an initial goal of 100 supporters by the end of 2023, we’re already halfway there, and today, we ask you – our readers, followers, and partners in a thriving rural – to show your support for us.

While conferences and workshops are frequently offered by all types of organizations and industries, opportunities to truly engage with others by sharing success stories and best practices are comparatively rare.  Every year since 2018, Dakota Resources’ Learning Network program hosts quarterly events known as Thriverr Gatherings. Although our Thriverr Gatherings share some commonalities with a typical conference or workshop, we’ve spent years designing these events to cultivate regular and consistent collaboration and connection for our members.

It’s harvest time here in rural communities across the Midwest and the nation, and it’s that word “harvest” that rings so true for communities like Hoven, South Dakota. While many think of crops like beans and corn as integral parts of a farmer’s fall harvest, the town of Hoven experiences a harvest each day, with the help of Dakota Resources, as community volunteers work together to reach their potential of creating a thriving rural community.

Success stories are among our favorite tales to tell, and that’s certainly the theme of our work with the Entrepreneur Fund. Like Dakota Resources, Entrepreneur Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that lends capital and provides services in order to diversify the regional and rural economy in northern and central Minnesota and, since 2022, in rural Wisconsin as well. Born out of a need to diversify industry on the Iron Range in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, Entrepreneur Fund was founded with two main priorities: to support entrepreneurs to start and grow small businesses that would create steady incomes for themselves and others, and to renew the entrepreneurial culture in the region.