USDA Awards Grant to GROW South Dakota to Help Rural Communities Strengthen Economic Development Capacity

Marcia Erickson, GROW South Dakota CEO, is pleased to announce that the Northeast South Dakota Community Action Program dba GROW South Dakota was one of 31 community-based organizations selected nationally to receive a maximum grant award of $250,000 to help the rural community economic development organizations of Wagner, Redfield, Faulkton, and Campbell County boost economic development. The grants are being made available through USDA Rural Development's Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program.

"These grants bring increased economic opportunities to rural residents and communities by strengthening the capacity of the organizations that serve them," Marcia Erickson said. "Through this program GROW South Dakota can help organizations that are focused on economic development to strengthen their organizational capacity as well as create more housing and job opportunities for rural residents. RCDI grants are an important part of USDA's ongoing efforts to address rural poverty. They help boost growth in our most economically vulnerable rural communities."

Historically, GROW South Dakota has supported thirteen rural communities and nonprofit organizations through the USDA Rural Development Community Initiative. GROW SD’s RCDI program started in 2006 and provides technical and financial assistance to economic development organizations throughout our rural service area. “To date, the six matching grant awards have provided $1.4 million in new funding to help rural communities with technical assistance and training, conduct strategic planning, retain local staff, and conduct other projects that help local communities develop their capacity,” said Paula Jensen, Funds Development Director. Eligible community recipients are non-profit housing and community development organizations with local median household incomes below sixty percent of the national level and populations under 5,000.

USDA has awarded $6.3 million in Rural Community Development Initiative grants for 31 projects in this 2015 round of funding. Funding is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of their grant agreements. View the list of national recipients at http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RD-RCDIrecipients2015.pdf

For more information about GROW South Dakota’s housing and business development programs and services, please visit our website at www.growsd.org or call (605) 698-7654.

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GROW SOUTH DAKOTA is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Provider, and Employer

Complaints of discrimination should be sent to: USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington DC 20250-9410