Some of South Dakota’s most influential rural community leaders recently came together to participate in a strategy planning retreat for Dakota Resources, a non-profit rural community and economic development organization working to help small towns thrive.

The three-day retreat brought Dakota Resources community coaches and staff together with the Board of Directors to map out a plan for the future, including the creation of new mission statement that encapsulates the spirit of Dakota Resources: Connecting capacity and capital to empower rural communities.

“Each word was carefully chosen by the Board to drive the vision of Dakota Resources,” explains Joe Bartmann, President of Dakota Resources. “We are first and foremost connectors, we connect rural people to each other and to valuable resources. We also help build local capacity by providing the capital needed to empower rural economic development corporations. Our mission statement communicates the essence of who we are and what we do, and we are proud to stand behind it for the future.”

Mitchell community member and Bankwest lending specialist Jon Farris is Chair of the Dakota Resources Board of Directors and is a strong advocate for rural sustainability. He has been a board member for thirteen years and was an instrumental part of the strategic planning process.

In addition to crafting a new mission statement, the new strategic plan is designed to help propel Dakota Resources to the next level of rural community and economic development. The organization is looking forward to fresh new ways of approaching outcomes and impacts, the pursuit of a more targeted scope of resources and an expanded network of rural communities learning and connecting with each other across the region.

Dakota Resources is located in Renner, South Dakota and has been a champion for rural communities for over twenty years. The organization partners with communities and community leaders and connects them to each other through the Dakota Resources Community Learning Network, Empower! Community Coaching, the Dakota Rising Fellowship, the Capital Investment Fund and events like RuralX.

To find out more about Dakota Resources, visit www.dakotaresources.org or call 1-605-978-2804.