Articles From the Director

Trouble is Coming...Our Economy is Changing

Monday, February 11, 2019

Trouble is Coming…Our Economy is Changing When Deuel Area Development had a previous grant, we were able to help businesses create websites and that became a goal of DADi’s. It’s still a goal, yet the grant funds are not available, but with the growing number of make-your-own websites, it’s a must that one way or the other it gets done, and DADi can help. Through DADi’s membership with Dakota Resources Learning Network with other rural communities, we are given a great deal of resource and able to network to further advance our county’s economic development in whatever forms that takes in our...

RFI's - Request For Information from Deuel County Land Owners

Thursday, December 27, 2018

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development, otherwise known as GOED, sends out to local economic development offices what are called Requests for Information. Many times when a business is looking to build or relocated to South Dakota, they have need of specific things to make their transition easier, necessary or required. Those needs could include land/or buildings next to a railroad, close to an interstate, needing natural gas and water, or being close to a large metropolitan community. If a community does have land/buildings for sale for one of these businesses looking to locate to an area; it’s important that...

What's Happened in the Last 7 Years?

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

What’s Happened in the Last 7 Years? As the economic development director for Deuel County, I have been in this office part-time now since August of 2011. Where have those 8 years gone? The Deuel Area Development office was established after an assessment was done with area-concerned citizens of Deuel County; a need and solution was created. It was decided that Deuel Area Development would go one way into Entrepreneurship and Deuel County Community Foundation would become a living-legacy-type community savings account. As director, I stepped in during DADi’s baby years where two USDA grants totaling $150,000 were given to help establish the...

What's Going on with Deuel Area Development

Thursday, December 13, 2018

What’s Been Going on with Deuel Area Development, Inc. Deuel Area Development will be sponsoring some classes coming up for the public to take advantage of: IT Security Class – For Home & Business Computers Thursday, December 27th at 6:00 pm at the Deuel School Library (use Admin doors), Mike Gohring will be giving an IT Security Class for businesses and individuals. This class is “How to Better Protect Our DATA, Identify, Computer & Network Security.” Some of what will be covered is: Malware/Virus – Prevention is a lot more than anti-virus Backing Up Your Data – Good Backups and Better Backups Identity Theft –...

Requests for Information; In Other Words, RFI's

Tuesday, October 02, 2018

10/2/2018 Request for Information Forms; In Other Words “RFI’s” Did you know there are people all the time relocating to SD; businesses as well? The Governor’s Office of Economic Development on occasion sends by email, what they refer to as “RFI’s”. RFI’s stand for Request for Information. Many time businesses are looking to move to South Dakota and they are looking for specifics in way of land, property, water rights, natural gas and more. Communities receive these RFI’s from the State and respond back to their requests. If a community or county has no idea what is available should a business want to...

What's Up With Twin Homes

Monday, September 17, 2018

What’s Up With the Twin Homes? If you’re not a Facebook watcher, you’ve not seen the most current project DADi is working on (www.facebook.com/deuelarea), Wildlife Estates Development in Clear Lake is working diligently on a possible twin home at the development. Located in the cul-de-sac area, there are 4 lots for possible twin home development. This development started in 2014 with a merger between East Central Development Company and Deuel Area Development; two local non-profits. With that merger came already purchased land prior for development from the Engle’s family, advocates of economic development. The merged board of 17 members at the time,...

Agri-Tourism and the Future of South Dakota

Monday, September 03, 2018

Agri-Tourism and the Future for all of South Dakota If you are a reader of my articles here or my newsletter, you might have heard me talk about Agri-tourism. It is becoming a hot topic in the agricultural world and a light went on when I first heard about it. I’m a city girl and I admit and ask no one in the rural life hold it against me! I love rural and have learned a great deal but am always learning. I’m an advocate for the lifestyle and I think the trend is growing where families and individuals want to...

Part 3 of Being a Rural Change Maker

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Deuel Area Development, Inc August 1, 2018 Part 3 in Series of Becoming a Rural Change Maker The Road to Reinvention “In this day and age, communities, companies and organizations fail for many reasons, but one of the most common –and easily avoidable—is the failure to reinvent. Those who feel the most secure in the status quo are in fact the most vulnerable. Many organizations, once great, wither and die as a direct result of their deep entrenchment in the past. They discover too late that success isn’t about cracking the code once and then enjoying the spoils forever. Instead, it’s a moving target...

Part 2 of Being a Rural Change Maker

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Deuel Area Development, Inc. July 17, 2018 Part 2 on Being a Rural Change Maker Enthusiasm seems to accompany the new thinking about the new rural. I am assuming that those that have lived in their communities forever do not even think about their quality of life and do not know what “new rural” concept is. I am just learning myself. At the recent RuralX Summit and as I stated in Part 1 in this series, the new rural is looking to thrive and not stress about their community growing. Some people have different definitions of “economic development”. In a recent conversation lately with...

Part 1 of Being a Rural Change Maker

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Deuel Area Development, Inc. July 10, 2018 A note from Deuel Area Development: DADi recently adopted a new strategic plan for the next 5 years for Deuel County. We also joined Dakota Resources to become a member of their “Community Learning Network”. Through them we’ll be empowered by funding and other resources. More will be discussed in the following articles. Please take a minute and read the Opening Message from Joe Bartmann, new President of Dakota Resources at RuralX Summit held in Mitchell. The next couple weeks will be a series of articles on being a Rural Change Maker.) Part 1 of a Series...

DADi Business Grant Criteria

Monday, July 09, 2018

Business Grant Criteria DADi also has Business Grants available to help promote business. The criteria is as follows: 1) The business receiving the grant must be a Deuel County business. 2) An Application for a Business Grant must be filled out. 3) “Start-up’ businesses will take precedence in receiving grants. 4) Clientele need to demonstrate they have an understanding of the components of business planning and the corresponding importance of business plans to small business success. As a result, business plan coaching with the DADi Executive Director will be required as a component for technical assistance consideration. 5) Grants should ideally aid a business with Technical...

We Need to Move in Many Directions

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Deuel Area Development, Inc. May 14, 2018 We Need to Move in Many Directions I do not know about you, but being energized and uplifted certainly helps a mood. This past week I attended a conference with about 105 other people that was held in De Smet SD. It was sponsored by SDSU Extension ENERGIZE! and was a fantastic event at a very affordable price for attendees. That’s the key for so many small rural communities. Also attending from Clear Lake was Deb Lessman for the 4-H program and Christina Magedanz for the Clear Lake Chamber. Talk to either of them to hear...

When a Business Closes Their Doors

Monday, April 02, 2018

April 2, 2018 When A Business Closes Their Doors As the Director of Deuel Area Development and attending so many conferences on community and economic development, I wonder a great deal about what is ahead for the rural lifestyle and the counties we live in. A colleague of mine once shared what seemed like an outrageous number as to the number of Baby Boomers that will be retiring in the next 8-10 years. His statistic is that nearly 6,000 Baby Boomers will be retiring in the Brookings area alone. It’s going to affect them hugely in housing needs, and changing the landscape...

Working Together - Collaboration

Monday, March 19, 2018

Working Together – Collaboration Are we willing to view the world in a different way? The following are ways that our countys’ non-profit organizations can develop and sustain successful skills at collaborations; working with others to produce or create something together. The impact we have on our communities relates to how we work together—not only in Deuel County but outside our borders. The following are some effective rules of effective collaboration for all our organizations. Believe in the value of the work you do every day. Non-profits have never been more important to the well-being of our communities and society as they...

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