COVER STORY
FORWARD SIOUX FALLS 2021 BY AMY SMOLIK Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Tackling short-term and long-term workforce challenges, developing the state’s first mega-site development park and growing the region’s knowledge community are some of the newest initiatives in the seventh Forward Sioux Falls program. Community leaders hope to raise $15.5 million for the Forward Sioux Falls 2021 program. The campaign started Nov. 1. Forward Sioux Falls is the proven and successful economic development partnership between the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Sioux Falls Development Foundation. Since its inception in 1987, FSF has proven to be an effective stimulus for increasing business investment and diversification of the entire Sioux Falls area. Forward Sioux Falls programs are managed by the staff members of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Sioux Falls Development Foundation and led by a Joint Venture Management Committee made up of members serving on the Executive Committees of the Chamber and Development Foundation and at-large members.
In nearly 30 years, more than $37 million has been raised in six campaigns to enhance economic development efforts in the Sioux Falls area. This new campaign builds on the successes from past FSF programs and introduces new efforts to help grow and diversify the Sioux Falls area economy. Mayor Mike Huether, Dave Rozenboom, First PREMIER Bank, and Mark Shlanta, SDN Communications, are chairing the 2021 campaign with an additional 27 volunteers serving in key leadership positions. Through the end of March 2016, the campaign chairs, cabinet members and other division leaders are meeting with area businesses about investing in the seventh program. National Community Development Services, Inc. (NCDS) worked with the Chamber and Development Foundation in proposing the new five-year program. NCDS has assisted with fundraising for each of the previous Forward Sioux Falls campaigns. Earlier this summer, NCDS led a feasibility study to determine if investors felt another program was necessary. Those interviewed clearly
felt Forward Sioux Falls was the catalyst needed to push Sioux Falls forward and that addressing workforce should be the No. 1 priority. Workforce attraction, retention and development is a major part of the 2021 program. However, because community leaders could see that workforce was a challenge, funds were redirected in the last 18-24 months to start addressing the issue. In January 2015, Forward Sioux Falls engaged national economic and workforce development consulting firm Market Street Services to conduct a workforce analysis. The Workforce Action Agenda was shared in the fall of 2015. The action steps that came out of the research have been integrated into the 2021 plan. Forward Sioux Falls will be a key player in implementing the workforce plan, which includes both short-term and long-term steps. A number of other community organizations will also need to participate in order to make an impact, however. A complete list of the research can be found at forwardsiouxfalls.com.
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