Pierre, SD — Communities within South Dakota continue to struggle with outmigration and an aging demographic. In those counties that do have workers, there is a lack of housing and training. In response to many of these concerns, regional planning initiatives have begun to emerge throughout the state. I want to analyze these regional initiatives and practices, collect data on what is working and create a collaborative environment where all can share information and succeed. With support from the Bush Fellowship Program, I will increase my capacity to evaluate these initiatives, research and engage in an online collaboration platform and hold a summit of organizations and citizens engaged in regional development.
