The five programs, centered in Mobridge, Gregory County, Timberlake, Huron, and the Glacial Lakes Region, involving a total of 19 communities, found that community residents were ready and willing to participate and plan for their future. Consisting of ten modules, the Creating a Value Added Community (CVAC) program is geared for gathering input from community residents while focusing on an Asset-Based Community Development model. The CVAC process is aimed at helping rural communities find practical ways to build capacity and fuel their economic engines toward a vibrant local economy.

“The CVAC process was a great experience for Mobridge. It was an opportunity to have business owners, employees, city officials, the chamber, economic development, the school system along with our youth and retired individuals sit down in one room to listen and learn from each other in a curriculum based environment,” said Jackie Heil, Director of the Mobridge Economic Development Corporation.

Intentionally, the CVAC curriculum easily adapts itself to each community, allowing participants to develop plans focused on each community’s respective strengths. In doing so, each CVAC location found unique assets to build upon, and developed their strategic plans accordingly.

“Through CVAC we have learned how to put our Strategic Plans into action,” said Megan Bickel, Director of the Tri-Community Economic Enhancement region, “as well as ways to implement new ideas into our communities, and make new town members part of the process.”

South Dakota Rural Enterprise is currently recruiting additional communities for the second round of CVAC in South Dakota. If you feel your community could benefit from the Creating a Value Added Community process, or would like more information,, please phone SD Rural Enterprise at 605-978-2804, or email .

2008 SUMMER REPORT
	Entrepreneur program finalist communities
	Appreciating the value of lifetime learning
	First round of CVAC planning complete
	Parker wins Community Success Stories award
	Wagner to represent SD Rural Enterprise
	Early childhood development sound investment
	Slow down and make things happen
	Don't let your assets become a liability