Dakota Rising is a program designed to spur a renaissance of South Dakota's rural economy. This exciting opportunity strategically partners with local communities to invigorate rural entrepreneurs and their enterprises. By deeply investing financial and human resources, we can grow the capacity of individuals and thus grow their ventures.

All across our state, on ranches, tribal lands and farmsteads, neighbors still gather for a barn raising, turning an empty landscape into a productive building. Communities have historically known how to gather together and support an inspiring individual's vision for economic change. Today, we continue this tradition, as we support an entrepreneur's dream, which has the power to transform our rural landscape from a rugged frontier to a vibrant economy.

Once again, it is time to renovate the landscape and invest in individuals' dreams for change. Dakota Rising, an exciting new rural entrepreneur fellowship program, sets the foundation for making those visions possible.

Dakota Rising Pilot Sites – Sustaining Communities
Rural communities and organizations serving rural people are selected to collaborate with this innovative program. Each Site is chosen based on its history of collaboration and community investment, evidence of a pool of potential entrepreneurs, and the presence of leadership willing and qualified to grow the entrepreneurial culture of their community. Each selected Site participates in a statewide learning community sharing best practices around entrepreneurship cultivation and has access to intentional, specialized resources to foster entrepreneurship.

Dakota Rising Sites:

• Join a learning network dedicated to entrepreneur development.
• Access systems to develop sustainable networks to support entrepreneurship.
• Receives training in entrepreneur development strategies.
• Brings Fellowship opportunity to your community entrepreneurs.

For the purpose of this program Community and Site may be defined by rural geographic service area OR service to a targeted rural population.

• Rural Geographic Service Area - The community is required to develop a clear geographic service area. Some examples of geographic boundaries could be a county, a partnership of two or three towns to create a region, an Indian reservation, or simply a predetermined mileage perimeter around a town. All definitions are acceptable, but it is important that the definition be clear and the Site have a sense of community and collaboration. The business of a Fellowship applicant must be located within a well defined geographic boundary.
• Targeted Rural Population - Membership organizations or organizations providing services to rural people may apply to become a Dakota Rising Site. The Fellowship applicant must document that they have been a member of the Site organization for a minimum of three months prior to the time of application or that they have received services from the Site organization within the past twelve months. Some examples may include a trade organization, one serving home-based businesses or wineries.

In order to better understand the expectations for a Dakota Rising Site, please review the Site Selection Criteria prior to submitting an Intent to Apply. Upon receipt of the Intent to Apply SD Rural Enterprise staff will contact you to provide further information about the program and instructions on completing the Site Application.

Dakota Rising Entrepreneur Fellowship
Cultivating Entrepreneurs – Strengthening Businesses
Sites partner with Dakota Rising to encourage candidates to apply for the Dakota Rising Rural Entrepreneur Fellowship. Candidates, whose businesses must be located within the Site geographic service area or meet the targeted rural population definition above and be beyond a start-up phase of development, are required to submit a business and a professional development plan. Applicants are selected based on a history of action-oriented risk taking, an excitement to learn and grow, the feasibility of their business and a strong plan for growth. Winning candidates will receive:

• $10,000 to be used for professional development and business growth.
• Access to a Fellowship community of rural South Dakota entrepreneurs focused on growing their businesses.
• Access to mentors, professional development, a peer advisory board, and ongoing focused, industry-specific technical assistance.

Dakota Rising, in partnership with the local Sites, work to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals to grow themselves and their businesses to a new level.

People have always been South Dakota's greatest asset. We've always known how to work hard and work together to grow our economy. The hands of many can accomplish the vision of one. South Dakota's history was built one barn at a time. By actualizing this same strategy, our future will be strengthened, one innovative business at a time. Today, we unite and raise our Dakota communities.

	Site Selection Criteria
	Program Overview
	Pilot Sites
	Fellows
	Fellows Selection Criteria
	Fellow Intent to Apply
	Glossary of Terms
	Secure Log-In

Dakota Rising is administered by SD Rural Enterprise in partnership with:

·	East River Electric Power Cooperative and the REED Fund
·	Enterprise Institute
·	Governor's Office of Economic Development
·	Small Business Development Centers
·	SDSU Cooperative Extension

Dakota Rising is
sponsored by:

·	Avera Health
·	Christiansen Land and Cattle, Ltd.
·	Citi Foundation
·	Dacotah Bank
·	East River Electric Power Cooperative and the REED Fund
·	First Interstate BancSystem
·	Home Federal Bank
·	Individual members of the SD Rural Enterprise Board of Directors
·	Northwest Area Foundation
·	SD Governor’s Office of Economic Development
·	South Dakota Community Foundation
Program developed through the generous support of the Northwest Area Foundation and Citi Foundation.