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Making rural voices heard: Marcia Erickson receives Founders Award

Friday, May 01, 2026

Marcia Erickson grew up on a cattle farm in rural South Dakota where neighbors knew and took care of one another. If one neighbor fell ill or got hurt when it was time to bring in the corn, the others were ready to help. “The crops can’t wait,” Erickson said.  That spirit of helping her rural community stayed with her and made a career in affordable housing and community development a natural fit. Erickson has worked in the field for 38 years and counting, coming up with fresh ideas, strategizing and giving voice to rural concerns. Her work as a...

Flexible Lending Programs Fuel Business Growth Across South Dakota

Tuesday, September 02, 2025

For over 40 years, GROW South Dakota has been a key player in promoting economic development throughout the state.As a statewide lender, the organization is dedicated to supporting new and existing businesses through a range of financial services and technical assistance.The goal? Equip entrepreneurs with the resources needed to succeed in today’s competitive market.Comprehensive Financing SolutionsAvailable financing solutions include a wide variety of loan options tailormade to meet a diverse range of needs, from acquiring real estate and purchasing equipment to securing working capital.Loan amounts vary, with terms based on the collateral provided, and flexibility that’s key to ensuring businesses...

Optimal Performance Offering Multiple Services

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Samantha Wipf, owner of Optimal Performance in Aberdeen, South Dakota had a vision for what she wanted her physical therapy practice to be, but with that vision came many questions: How do I craft a business plan?  How do I accurately gather my business numbers and projections?  How do I figure my start-up costs?  It was these questions that led her to Kelly Weaver, Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Aberdeen, SD.When asked about her experience with SBDC, and how it helped her, Samantha had this to say,  “Kelly was able to work through all my...

Fun Time Rentals Kicks Off their Business with the Help of GROW South Dakota

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Starting a business can be overwhelming, and financing is just one piece of the puzzle. Fortunately, GROW South Dakota has knowledgeable staff who are ready to help you get started. When Derek Diedrich, owner of Fun Time Rentals, was planning his venture, he sought advice from a local banker who recommended the GROW South Dakota business loan program. Reflecting on their journey, Derek shared, "We had never owned our own business. Now, we own two: Fun Time Rentals and Fun Time Adventures." He added, "We started as a seasonal rental company offering just boats, campers, and jet skis. Now, we've...

A Journey to Homeownership

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

It was a journey filled with ups and downs, but Alexis's dream of purchasing her first home became a reality with the help of GROW South Dakota. Her story is a testament to the organization's commitment to supporting individuals on their path to homeownership.Alexis had always dreamed of having a place to call her own, a space where she could build memories, and a house she could truly make into a home. However, it was a challenge to save for a down payment and navigate the complex home-buying process.That is when she discovered GROW South Dakota and its down payment...

Deutsch named Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Monday, April 17, 2023

Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) honors small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country for their community leadership and achievements. In conjunction with that, the SBA South Dakota District Office has selected Fallon Deutsch of Langford as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Fallon is the owner of Distinctly Drey, an online boutique that offers a variety of different clothing, tops, bottoms, outerwear, loungewear, clothing for toddlers, and so much more. Fallon stays on top of fashion trends and changes her clothing with the seasons. She frequently runs sales, and one of these sales includes the "Cyber Monday Mystery Bags".Fallon’s...

Poverty Simulation to be held

Monday, April 17, 2023

Could you survive a month in poverty?107,500 South Dakotans, 34,000 of whom are children under the age of 18, live in poverty every day. Many more have incomes above the poverty line, but their incomes are still low enough to qualify for programs like Food Stamps and Medicaid. The recent economic downturn has seen unemployment rates rise and the use of emergency food pantries increase.It is difficult for those of us who have enough to truly understand the situations that families living in poverty experience every day – the decisions they have to make, and the fears and frustrations they...

A Path to a Better Future

Thursday, June 09, 2022

   They say when it rains, it pours. For one GROW South Dakota client, it was a torrential downpour! First, his car broke down, so he didn’t have enough money to fix it because he had to pay his monthly bills. Then he nearly lost his job because he didn’t have transportation to get to work. The last drop in the bucket was an emergency stent surgery. It was a dire situation. “I was very concerned about the cascading crisis of potentially becoming homeless, losing my car, and possibly losing my job,” he stated. “I really didn’t have anyone to...

NeighborWorks Week

Thursday, June 09, 2022

In honor of NeighborWorks Week, staff from NeighborWorks Amercia came to visit the staff of GROW SD.   They received a tour around the town of Siseton to highlight the work done by GROW SD. GROW SD staff provided sidewalk chalk and treats to area daycares and after school programs. NeighborWorks staff and GROW SD staff attended the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition convening in Flandreau, where Lori Moen was elected to the first official board of directors.https://youtu.be/_x9INlqgdjE 

SBDC/GROW SD Ribbon Cutting

Monday, July 26, 2021

Staff are pictured at the ribbon cutting at the SBDC/GROW offices in July, along with the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce.  Representing the agency and programs are Marcia Erickson, Brenda Waage, Kelly Weaver, and Kendra Hinz.  The Aberdeen office relocated to Malchow Plaza at 506 South Main Street, Suite 2, this spring.

Women in Leadership

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Committed, inspired, dedicated, empowered.  These are just a few words that describe the journey taken by the leadership within GROW South Dakota.  More impressive, is the chief leadership positions are held by four women with a combined total of over 100 years of experience with GROW SD.  This dedication to persevere through decades of challenges, growth, and change has allowed GROW SD to become one of the nation’s leading organizations in their industry. Marcia Erickson, Co-Chief Executive Officer, has been with GROW SD for over 32 years and Lori Finnesand, Co-Chief Executive Officer, has been with GROW SD for 30 years. ...

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Monday, March 15, 2021

In recognition of Women's History Month, GROW South Dakota is commemorating and celebrating the vital role of women in American history.  One of the leaders we celebrate is JoAnn Schaefers, Faulkton, and previously from Polo.  JoAnn Schaefers has served on the Board of Directors for GROW South Dakota for 47 years.  Schaefers served on the Northeast South Dakota Community Action Program (NESDCAP also known as GROW South Dakota) Board of Directors for 10 years, including a number of terms on the State Community Action Board. Following her tenure on the NESDCAP Board she began serving on the Northeast South Dakota Economic Corporation (NESDEC also known...

Erickson Named President of National NeighborWorks Association Board

Monday, March 15, 2021

Marcia Erickson, GROW South Dakota CEO, recently became President of the Board of Directors for the National NeighborWorks Association (NNA). She will serve a two-year term. NNA is a national membership-based trade association for NeighborWorks America chartered organizations that are providing over $9.3 billion of affordable housing and community development across the nation. NNA provides national advocacy for policy and funding for these organizations as well as membership benefits that either reduce operating costs or increase revenues. Marcia has been with GROW South Dakota for more than 30 years and became the CEO in 2005. Marcia has a broad...

Annual Point-In-Time Homeless Count

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Tuesday, January 26, 2021, South Dakota will be conducting the Annual Point-In-Time Homeless (PIT) Count and Housing Inventory Chart (HIC). These activities are required by US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) nationwide as part of the Continuum of Care Program. The information is collected and reported to Congress. The information is also used for measuring progress, identifying strengths in services, identifying gaps in services, increasing public awareness and enhancing system planning.  GROW SD will be helping to coorindating the count for the following counties in SD: Beadle, Brown, Campbell, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Roberts,...

Warming Up an Old Home

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

I was living on fixed income, in an old home with very little insulation; even setting my thermostat to 78 degrees did not warm the house up.   My daughter looked online and found GROW SD and helped me apply for their Weatherization Assistance Program.  GROW SD completed an energy audit on the home, which helped to determine what work was needed on the home.  Insulation was added in the attic, basement and walls; light bulbs were replaced.  The dryer vent and bathroom exhaust fan were fixed, plus much more.   Because of GROW SD, my house is warmer and peaceful...

GROW South Dakota Highlights NeighborWorks Week

Monday, June 08, 2020

During NeighborWorks Week, June 6-13, GROW South Dakota and other NeighborWorks organizations across the country will host several events that educate, train and inform. GROW South Dakota will provide a virtual platform this year to bring awareness about the programs we have to offer including home ownership options and economic development.  Other activities this week include a Regional Economic Roundtable for economic development leaders to come together to provide development opportunities and solutions, and GROW SD will host a QuickBooks online tutorial. "NeighborWorks America provides a very impactful role in partnering with non-profits across the country.  NWA, along with its many...

Making your Home Ownership Dream a Reality

Monday, June 08, 2020

Have you always dreamed of owning your own home? Does the process seem overwhelming, and you’re just not sure where, or how to start? GROW South Dakota is here to help make that dream a reality. GROW South Dakota is a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency and Homeownership Education Resource Organization (HERO). With our team of trained, HUD certified counselors, we are here every step of the way to ensure you have the tools, knowledge and education needed to become a successful homeowner. Each counseling session is tailored to fit the individual needs of each client.  In addition...

A Life Changing Event

Monday, May 18, 2020

“Because of this program, I no longer have to worry about C02 poisoning. I have adequate heat and no wind blowing through the windows and doors. For the first time, I don’t have to walk to the outhouse and worry about falling. I’m able to take a shower without going to someone else’s house. To say what I have received from the program has been life-changing would be a complete understatement.” In 2018 GROW South Dakota’s weatherization team received a call from Ruth, a senior resident, in need of assistance with heating her house. When the weatherization team...

Dakota Butcher - 2020 SBA Entrepreneur of the Year

Monday, May 04, 2020

Seeing a business close their doors in a small town is always difficult. When the Clark meat shop closed in 2008, Randy Gruenwald decided he wasn’t going to stand by and watch it happen. His professional experience was an excellent fit to revive the business. He worked 15 years as a meat department manager for Nash Finch. Then Randy worked as a banker before he purchased the butcher shop. Karen, Randy’s wife and business partner, worked for the previous meat shop owners and brings exceptional customer service skills and experience to their ownership team. Able to capitalize on their professional...

GROW SD Supports Statewide Homeless Count

Monday, January 27, 2020

For the fourth year, GROW South Dakota will help the South Dakota Housing Development Authority with the statewide homeless count, along with the other Community Action Agencies in the state. The Department of Housing and Urban Development requires states to complete the count in order to determine the level of the challenge of homelessness and to direct resources for addressing it. The count will be conducted on Jan. 28, 2020. GROW SD enlists volunteers from each of the 17 NESDCAP counties to help conduct the count. There are basically two aspects of the count: Sheltered and unsheltered.  Sheltered:...

Cross County Vet Does It All

Tuesday, November 05, 2019

Nicole Nelson has owned and operated the Cross Country Vet Clinic in Clark, SD since 2004. She is well established and has a great reputation in Clark and the surrounding area. Cross Country Vet Clinic does everything from grooming small animals to medical services and surgeries, all the way up to large animal services. Over the past 15 years Nicole and GROW SD have had a great lender and borrower relationship. Nicole has used GROW SD and many of its funding program to help start, maintain, and expand her veterinary clinic. In 2004 she used GROW SD’s Intermediary Relending...

Help and Healing

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Virginia Maas is no stranger to hard work. As a single parent, she worked an average of seventy hours a week while raising her son. She built her own home and worked hard to keep it in good condition over the years. Virginia took great pride in her work and raising her family.   Then tragedy struck. Virginia was diagnosed with cancer. No longer being able to work, Virginia’s attitude toward life changed. Things she used to take for granted, like being able to fix just about anything when it broke, now became nearly impossible for her. She...

Grant Received to Support Veteran Home Improvement

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

GROW South Dakota has received a grant from the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) to support home improvements for low-income veterans in northeastern South Dakota. The $30,000 grant was made possible through generous support from The Home Depot Foundation and will allow GROW SD to make improvements to six homes. GROW SD has renovated and weatherized more than 9,300 homes in eastern South Dakota over the past four decades. In recent years, it has added a special focus on veteran households, with a goal of helping veterans make their homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient. Through this program, dozens...

GROW SD Receives $2M for Down Payment Assistance

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

GROW South Dakota was recently awarded $2 million from the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) of the U.S. Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). GROW SD, a certified CDFI, will use the award for down payment assistance loans to assist low-income home purchasers. The CMF program focuses on affordable housing. GROW SD will use the funds to provide down payment assistance in the form of a deferred second mortgage to eligible borrowers. All of the funds are earmarked for people at or below 80% of the area median income. “We’re excited to receive our second CMF grant,” said...

Spring into Healthier Financial Habits

Tuesday, April 09, 2019

Nearly 80 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. A recent survey found that 44 percent of households wouldn’t have the savings to cover a $400 emergency expense. These statistics illustrate that many people are one hardship away from a financial crisis. An unexpected life challenge like a car breakdown, illness or job loss could be devastating. April happens to be Financial Literacy Month. While it’s advisable to practice good financial habits year round, it’s helpful to have a reminder. And since spring is the season of renewal and rebirth, it’s an appropriate time to cultivate new habits...

GROW South Dakota Receives NeighborWorks America Grants

Tuesday, April 02, 2019

GROW South Dakota, a member of the NeighborWorks network, is receiving $564,000 from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, dba NeighborWorks America. This grant will support its affordable housing and community development activities. “We’re pleased to receive this funding from NeighborWorks America,” said GROW SD CEO Marcia Erickson. “NeighborWorks funds are critical to the success of the programs and services we provide. We’re able to use these funds to further our mission of building sustainable communities in South Dakota.” The grants will be used to support housing lending as well as organizational operations. In 2018, GROW SD helped nearly 500 people...

The Farmer’s Wife Boutique Thrives Amidst Challenges

Monday, April 01, 2019

Samantha Miller, owner of the Farmer’s Wife Boutique in Aberdeen, recently received the Small Business Administration’s 2019 Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year Award for South Dakota. The SBA presented the Award during the recent Women’s Business Conference in Aberdeen. Samantha started her career in healthcare, but when she was expecting her daughter, she became passionate about being a stay-at-home mother, so she looked at other options. With encouragement from family and friends, she started a women's lifestyle boutique offering clothing, shoes, purses, jewelry, accessories, and unique gifts. She launched The Farmer's Wife Boutique on Facebook in 2014 from...

Grant Awarded to Address Veterans and Homelessness

Tuesday, February 05, 2019

GROW South Dakota will be able to expand its pilot program to support low-income veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness in South Dakota with various housing-related services thanks to a recent grant. The Bring Them HOMES Veterans Initiative of the National Equity Fund supported the creation of the program with a 2017 grant and added additional funds in early 2019. The contribution was funded by Citi Community Development.   Under the program, GROW SD focuses on two general areas: home improvements for low-income veterans and emergency services grants for low-income veterans and those at risk of homelessness...

What are your needs?

Tuesday, February 05, 2019

Every three years, GROW South Dakota conducts a Needs Assessment Survey to determine what residents see as the most important issues in GROW SD’s service area. The agency uses the findings in its planning for the future.   GROW SD invites area residents to complete the survey, which can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TFFK6CJ. It only takes a few minutes to complete. The organization hopes to receive 500 survey responses this year.   In 2016, GROW SD received more than 375 responses to its needs assessment survey. That survey provided interesting information to inform planning. One question...

GROW SD Builds New Homes in Sisseton

Saturday, January 26, 2019

In many rural communities across the country, housing is a critical need. Since quality housing is a prerequisite for towns to be able to grow and thrive, organizations like GROW South Dakota are stepping in to help solve this problem. GROW SD has been working since the early 1990s to develop housing opportunities throughout the state. The organization recently built three spec houses in Sisseton that are available for sale. Area employers have expressed that they are having a hard time filling jobs, due to lack of housing options for workers. According to GROW SD Chief Operating...

Loan Supports Young Entrepreneur’s Daycare Dreams in Philip

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

A young entrepreneur is pursuing her dream of owning her own daycare business, thanks to the help of a loan from GROW South Dakota. Hallie Konst was born and raised in Philip, South Dakota. She has always loved children and caring for people. She considered pursuing a teaching degree but opted to study business management because she thought it would translate to a higher paying job after graduation. In the end, she figured out a way to combine her passion with her schooling by purchasing an existing Philip daycare in 2017 and opening Konst Kids Daycare. The daycare...

GROW SD Awarded Housing Funds

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Funds In late 2018, GROW South Dakota was awarded just over $370,000 from the South Dakota Housing Opportunity Fund (HOF) to support two affordable housing programs that will support South Dakotans with low and moderate income. GROW SD received grants for its down payment assistance program for persons earning 115% or below of the area median income. Recipients will typically receive a $5,000 zero-percent interest deferred loan, which is not due to be paid until the first mortgage on the home is paid off. One grant provides $165,000 for down payment loans in rural areas of the state, and...

GROW SD Receives State Farm® Grant to Prepare Homebuyers

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

GROW South Dakota recently received a Good Neighbor Citizenship Grant from State Farm for its Preparing Homebuyers project. The project provides tools and coaching for prospective homebuyers in evaluating their readiness to purchase a home, preparing to apply for a mortgage, and building their understanding of all aspects of owning a home. The grant will fund the creation of a Homebuyers Toolkit containing information on basic steps in preparing for homeownership. The project also includes coaching of prospective homebuyers by GROW South Dakota staff to make a successful application for a home mortgage. About State Farm®: The mission...