Bush Grant Awarded to Fund Regional Economic Development

Tri-Community Coalition Begins Search for Economic Director

 

A consortium formed by three small West River communities has been awarded a $138,000 grant from the Bush Foundation.  The grant will be utilized to fund the office of an economic development director who will serve the rural communities of Dupree, Isabel and Timber Lake. 

 

These three communities were originally selected to participate in the Horizons pilot project which was funded through the Northwest Area Foundation and coordinated through the SDSU Extension Cooperative Service to encourage development of leaders in small communities to address poverty.  From the Horizons program, the three towns determined that to cooperatively foster business growth and economic development they needed to hire someone with the knowledge and expertise to assist existing businesses with budgets and marketing plans, court new businesses, develop programs to enhance the skills of local employees, promote tourism, and market the benefits of living and doing business in rural Western South Dakota. 

A Tri-Community Economic Development Committee was established and the members set about searching for funding sources and determining the role the new economic development director would play in promoting their communities and ensuring sustainability.  The initial grant is for a two year term with the potential for additional funding. 

“Our goal is to move forward as quickly as possible”, said Doug Scott, chairman of the Tri-Community Committee.  “We would like to be up and running by the first of the year, so since we received notification of the grant award we have been actively searching for the right person to manage this effort.  We need someone who is as excited about this opportunity as we are.”

In addition to the Bush Foundation Grant, the three communities must provide matching funds and in-kind contributions.  One smaller grant has already been received and the volunteers and communities involved have committed to provide the office space, equipment, and time required to make the project a success. 

Founded in 1953 by Archibald Granville Bush, chairman of the executive committee of the 3M Company, and his wife Edyth Bassler Bush, the Bush Foundation seeks to improve the qualify of life throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota by making grants that help strengthen organizational, community and individual leadership and create opportunities for people who may lack them.